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List:       kde-usability
Subject:    Re: KDE's menu implementation.
From:       Maks Orlovich <mo002j () mail ! rochester ! edu>
Date:       2002-05-28 22:26:21
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Simon Edwards wrote:

> 
> Hi,
> 
> Some issues concerning how KDE renders menus. (This is all w.r.t. the
> default widget style).
> 
> 
> 1) Disabled menu item go depressed when you mouse over them!
> 
> Greyed out menus item go depressed when you rollover them with the mouse.
> 'Rollovers' like this indicate that an item is in fact active and ready to
> be used. This is a strong convention from the Web. KDE's menus should not
> give such mixed signals.

Well, does the web have disabled menu entries? I don't belive so, so it's 
hardly a good standard.. And this is not all that clear cut -- the mouse 
over effect provides feedback, which is crucial for usability; and I am not 
certain that sacrificing that is worthwhile


> 2) On/Off checkable menu items (ticks) look exactly the same as
> radio-button menu items.
> 
> Checkable menu items can be either like checkboxes, i.e. boolean, or like
> radio-buttons i.e one from the a group can be selected (like
> radiobuttons). KDE's renders both type exactly the same. This is bad
> because the user now has to play with the menu items to work out which
> ones show mutual-exclusive behaviour, and which ones don't. Windows
> actually gets this right. Boolean items have ticks, while radio menu items
> use a bullet.
> 
> Recommendation: Radio menu items should be rendered with a bullet in front
> and not a tick.

I do not believe this is possible; QPopupMenu only provides the concent of 
checking; and the apps that want radio-menu like items simply clear the old 
check when the selection changes.


> 3) The state of checkable menu items (boolean) that have icons in front of
> them is not very clear.

> Recommendation: suggestions?

If you can think of something better, that wouldn't make the code for 
CE_PopupMenuItem even more obscure^H^H^H complicated than it is right now, 
please speak up ;-). 

Thanks,
Maks Orlovich


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