Java TM Look and Feel Design Guidelines: Advanced Topics > Contents

Contents

  Preface

Part I:   General Topics

Chapter 1:   Introduction

Logical Organization

Scalability

Predictability

Responsiveness

Efficiency

Chapter 2:   Windows

Windows, Objects, and Properties

Overview of Window Types

Window Types for Objects, Properties, and Actions

Primary Windows

Title Bars in Primary Windows

Toolbars in Primary Windows

Status Bars in Primary Windows

Property Windows

Property Window Characteristics

Choosing the Correct Property Window Characteristics

Dedicated and Non-Dedicated Property Windows

Inspecting and Non-Inspecting Property Windows

Behavior and Layout of Property Windows

Action Windows

Title Text in Action Windows

Command Buttons in Action Windows

Window Titles for Identically Named Objects and Views

Window Titles for Identically Named Objects

Window Titles for Multiple Views of the Same Object

Setting the State of Windows and Objects

Positioning Secondary Windows

Restoring the State of Property Windows

Alerting Users After an Object's State Changes

Multiple Document Interfaces

Chapter 3:   Menus

Menu Elements

Keyboard Shortcuts and Mnemonics for Menu Items

Available and Unavailable Items

Additional Conventions for Menu Items

Common Menus

Typical File Menu

New Item

Open Item

Close Item

Print Item

Preferences Item

File Properties Item

Most Recently Used (MRU) Menu List

Exit Item

Typical Edit Menu

Updating Labels of Menu Items

Paste Special Item

Properties Item

Typical View Menu

Typical Help Menu

Additional Menus

Object Menus

Object Menus and the Action Menu

Beyond Object Menus and the Action Menu

Contextual Menus

Window Management and the File Menu

When Window Reuse Is the Default

When Opening a New Window Is the Default

Chapter 4:   Behavior

Modes

Modal Secondary Windows

Modes Set From Tool Palettes

Application-Wide Modes

Selecting Multiple Objects

Filtering and Searching a Set of Objects

Complex Filtering and Searching

Simple Filtering and Searching

Stopping Searches and Filter Operations

Tool Tips

Chapter 5:   Idioms

Overview of Idioms

Idioms for Selecting and Editing in Tables

Selection Models and Editing Models for Tables

Using Row Selection Models

Editing Row-Selection Tables

Using Cell Selection Models

Editing Cell-Selection Tables

Idioms for Arranging a Table

Table Appearance

Table Command Placement

Column Reordering and Column Resizing

Row Sorting

Automatic Row Sorting

Tree Table Idiom

Idioms for Text Fields and Lists

Browse Idiom

Key-Search Idiom

Add-and-Remove Idiom

Container-and-Contents Idiom

Chapter 6:   Responsiveness

Characteristics of Responsive Applications

Problems of Unresponsive Applications

Responsiveness as Part of Performance

Computational Performance

Scalability

Perceived Performance, or Responsiveness

Determining Acceptable Response Delays

Measuring Response Delays

Setting Benchmarks for Response Delays

Tools for Measuring Response Delays

Responding to User Requests

Providing Operational Feedback

Deciding Whether to Provide Feedback

Types of Visual Feedback

Providing the Correct Type of Visual Feedback

Letting Users Stop Commands in Progress

Part II:   Special Topics

Chapter 7:   Wizards

Fundamentals of Wizards

Standalone Wizards and Embedded Wizards

Typical Uses of Wizards

Deciding Whether You Need a Wizard

Providing Alternatives to Wizards

Types of Wizard Pages

User-Input Pages

Overview Page

Requirements Page

Confirmation Page

Progress Pages

Summary Page

Designing Wizard Pages

Designing the Title Bar

Designing the Bottom Pane

Designing the Right Pane

Subtitles

Main Instructions

User-Input Areas

Additional Instructions

Navigation Instructions

Designing the Left Pane

Deciding What to Display in the Left Pane

Left Pane With a List of Steps

Left Pane With Steps That Branch or Loop

Left Pane With Help Text

Left Pane With Steps and Help Text

Left Pane With a Graphic

Designing Wizard Behavior

Delivering and Starting Wizards

Supporting a User's Entire Task

Positioning and Sizing Wizards

Checking Wizard Dependencies and User Input

Providing Operational Feedback in Wizards

Alerting Users in Wizards

Designing Installation Wizards

Choosing a Location for a Wizard's Code

Helping Users Decide Whether to Install

Tasks That Installation Wizards Should Handle

Chapter 8:   Events and Alarms

Alarm Conditions

Levels of Severity

Alarm Status

Logging Events

Displaying Alarm Views

Alarm Graphics

Monitored-Entities View

Detailed Alarm View

  Glossary

  Index

Java Look and Feel Design Guidelines: Advanced Topics. Copyright 2001. Sun Microsystems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.