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Motif and CDE 2.1 Style Guide Reference

In-Progress Message

Reference

Description

An in-progress message is a message that informs the user about the status of a task, such as copying a set of files. If you normally use a separate window for an in-progress message, you can also display an information message in that window.

Figure 33. In-Progress Message.




View figure.

When to Use

Recommended
Display an in-progress message when the user would benefit from knowing that a task is taking place and the status of that task.

Recommended
Display an in-progress message if a task is proceeding normally and your application can monitor the completion status of the task without interrupting it and the status can be displayed visually.

Recommended
When a wait pointer has been displayed for more than an interval specified in the operating environment (typically 15 seconds), display an in-progress message in addition to the wait pointer.

Guidelines

Required
An in-progress message in a secondary window should contain at least a graphic image, a textual label or message, and the OK and Close choices.

Required
Do not interfere with the user's interaction with an application just because an in-progress message is being displayed; for example, normally make the in-progress message window a modeless window.

Required
Close an in-progress message window when a request made by a user completes normally.

Required
If information that would have been displayed in an information message is displayed in an in-progress message, do not close the window until the user explicitly requests to close it, such as by activating the Close push button.

Recommended
Show a gauge and continually update it to accurately represent the known progress of a request made by a user.

Recommended
Display the label for the gauge in an in-progress message above or to the left of the gauge. For information on bidirectional and vertical language support, see Chapter 11.

Required
Provide a Close push button to allow a user to close the in-progress message window without affecting the task.

Recommended

Provide a Stop (or Cancel) push button to allow a user to end the task and close the window.

Recommended

Provide a Pause push button that allows the user to suspend a task and a Resume push button that allows a user to resume the task that has been suspended. Display unavailable emphasis on one or the other, depending on whether the task is running or has been suspended.

Recommended

Provide a Help push button to provide access to help information.

Required
Display the hourglass symbol at the left of an in-progress message. For information on bidirectional and vertical language support, see Chapter 11.

Essential Related Topics

For more information, see the Action Message, Gauge (Control), Information Message, Message, Pointer (Predefined), Push Button (Predefined), and Warning Signal reference pages.

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