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Motif and CDE 2.1 Style Guide Reference


Dialog (Choice Type)

Reference

Description

Dialog is a type of choice used to display a dialog window to gather parameters for invocation of an action.

Figure 14. Dialog Choice.




View figure.

When to Use

Required
Use a dialog choice to display a secondary window that contains a dialog from which the user can specify parameters and invoke the action corresponding to the choice or cancel the action.

Guidelines

Required
Use ellipses (...) after the textual label of a dialog choice.

Required
Use ellipses after a choice in a menu or on a push button that causes a secondary window to be displayed, if the secondary window gathers additional information required to complete the requested task. For example, provide a Print... choice to allow the user to specify print characteristics before starting the print operation.

Required
Do not use ellipses if a choice results in immediate action. In some cases, the action may be to display a secondary window that supports interaction with the user. For example, do not use an ellipsis on the Help choice, even though the help information is displayed in a secondary window.

Required
Do not use ellipses simply because a confirmation message is displayed.

Essential Related Topics

For more information, see the Choice reference page.

Supplemental Related Topics

For more information, see the Action (Choice Type), Help (Menu/Action Choice), Menu (Control), Push Button (Control), and Secondary Window reference pages.


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