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Motif and CDE 2.1 Style Guide Reference
Information and Message Areas (Area)
Reference
Description
The information area is a specific part of a window in which information
about the current application task context and other ephemeral task-related
messages are displayed.
The message area is a specific part of a window in which the user can get
detailed information or directions about performing a task in the current
context.
Your application can have one area that performs both these functions only
if there is no conflict.
Figure 34. Information and Message Area.
When to Use
RecommendedProvide an information or message area for each primary window and each
nonmodal secondary window.
RecommendedProvide a message area for a window that contains rarely used choices.
RecommendedProvide a message area if the task to be performed in the viewing area is
complex, requiring many steps to be performed precisely.
RecommendedDo not provide an information or message area for a message window.
Guidelines
RecommendedDo not scroll the information or message area when the window's
viewing areas are scrolled.
RecommendedDo not provide scroll bars for the information area and do not allow a
user to scroll information in the information area.
RecommendedProvide scroll bars for the message area if there is not enough space to
display the complete message.
RecommendedDo not allow a user to interact with the information or message areas,
except to transfer data from the area.
RecommendedIf you display any text in an information area, make it a textual label.
RecommendedIf you display any text in a message area, put it in a text-display field.
RecommendedRemove information from the information area as soon as it is no longer
relevant to the current state of the window or the current position of the
cursor.
RecommendedIf you include an information or message area, design it to run from
border to border across the width of the window.
RecommendedMake the information area no taller than necessary to accommodate brief,
but meaningful, information. For example, if the information area displays
text, accommodate at most two lines of text.
RecommendedIf the message area displays text, make it two to five lines high.
RecommendedPlace the information and message areas at the bottom of the client area
of a window. If you provide both, place the message area above the information
area.
RecommendedSeparate the areas from the rest of the window. For example, use a solid
line or a horizontal scroll bar to separate the information area from the rest
of the window.
RecommendedIf the user reduces the width of a window with an information or message
area and the information can wrap in the area, wrap the information;
otherwise, clip the area.
RecommendedDo not use the information area to display information that a user must
see; display that type of information in a message area.
RecommendedUse the message area for information that the user must see but does not
need to acknowledge. If the user must acknowledge the message, use a message
dialog; if the user does not need to acknowledge the information and it is
brief, use an information area.
RecommendedPlace information about the normal completion of a process in the
information area. For example, indicate in the information area that a file
was successfully saved.
RecommendedFor views that can support more than one selection model, if it is unclear
from the context which ones are supported, place in the information area
information about the selection models supported. For example, if only single
selection is supported, display a label similar to the following:
Select only one
OptionalWhen the active cursor is on a choice, briefly describe in the information
area what will happen when a user activates or toggles that choice.
OptionalWhen the active cursor is on an element other than a choice, briefly
suggest in the information area how to perform available actions on the
element.
OptionalIf a default action is available but no push button with default emphasis
is visible, briefly indicate the default action in the information area.
OptionalWhen the user presses the SELECT button on a push button in an
application, use the information area to describe the effect of activating the
button. Remove the information when the user releases SELECT.
OptionalAs the user follows the instructions in the message area, if your
application can determine that the message has been followed, scroll the
message area so that the next instruction is visible.
Essential Related Topics
For more information, see the Information Message reference page.
Supplemental Related Topics
For more information, see the Choice, Clipboard, In-Progress Message,
and Status Area (Area) reference pages.
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