a dialog box is a type of window used to enable a "dialog" between a computer and its user.
67
votes
12answers
2k views
How do you give your user options without overloading them?
I was using WinSCP the other day for transferring files, when I came across this.. umm.. I'll call it a set of options, but it was more like an interview.
Oh boy. I just want to move a file. Now I ...
26
votes
7answers
962 views
How patient are users at wait dialogs?
What is the length of time the average user will wait at a wait indicator (i.e. a spinning circle, beach-ball-of-death, egg-timer) before they think something has gone wrong?
If anybody can point to ...
15
votes
2answers
437 views
What happened to “What's this?” help?
"What's this?" help or context-sensitive help* used to be commonplace in Windows applications a few years ago. Dialog windows had an additional "?" button in the top right, that when clicked, gave you ...
7
votes
2answers
143 views
Does it make sense to put a prompt for sound or mute before a game is started?
I am building a game that is very sound-centric, but at the same time I recognize how annoying it is to be bombarded by unwanted noise.
The problem with putting a mute/sound button in-game is that ...
7
votes
2answers
391 views
What's the best positioning strategy for dialog boxes?
In a Windows application, there are many options for determining the starting position of a dialog.
In the center of the application's main window
In the center of the screen where the application's ...
6
votes
6answers
442 views
Combine load and save button into one button?
I'm having a configuration GUI, and want to enable the user to export the settings into a file and load that file later (or on a different computer).
My dialog has several options, and is rather ...
6
votes
3answers
174 views
Are there any studies of users getting jaded of dialog requests?
There are permission request boxes such as this one, or requests from other users as per online social networking sites. Are there any studies that show people becoming jaded of dialogue boxes of any ...
6
votes
5answers
468 views
Should touch-screen simple informational dialogs have an OK button?
I am developing an android application which has quite a few dialogs that just contain text and an 'OK' button. Pressing the 'OK' button loses the dialog, as does pressing the 'back' button on the ...
6
votes
1answer
164 views
Alert window, navigating to the right button
Working on both Windows and OSX, I have some habits on both.
In alert dialogs, there is a huge usability variance between both operating systems.
In the latter, you can either tap enter and have the ...
5
votes
4answers
386 views
The logic behind having an OK button and Apply button
Moving back to desktop land after being drunk with mobile interfaces, desktop dialogs almost always have these three buttons:
OK
Apply
Cancel
A close button.
This pattern seems to occur on both ...
5
votes
1answer
97 views
Scroll in a dialogue overlay (lightbox)
I have been asked to redesign some existing dialogue overlays, which have a lot of options within them. So many in fact, that they're using both vertical tabs and a scrollbar to manage the volume of ...
4
votes
1answer
102 views
How can I present a yes/no question to a user prior to them submitting a background job?
I am a programmer by training and I often find that I have writer's block when I come across certain presentation issues.
I have a piece of software that links a seller user up with his account in an ...
4
votes
4answers
184 views
Which button should get the focus at delete dialogs?
I thought that most destructive actions should be avoided from default actions. But when a delete dialog comes, I see that most Windows applications (even the OS), by default, set the focus at ...
4
votes
3answers
203 views
When to include an Apply button?
In a dialogue box, when do you use an Apply button?
Is it correct to assume that the Apply button will only save the changes without closing the dialogue? Does it represent an advantage? Why is ...
3
votes
3answers
94 views
How do I best describe a “confirm a download” in a dialog box?
We have a feature that offers subscription-based downloads. There are limitations to the counter back-end so to make sure a customer does not get charged by mistake, we have implemented a pop up box ...
3
votes
4answers
234 views
Best way to choose color combination from palette?
I have the following scenario:
This is a color picker for a software we're developing. Basically we have different Groups for Items and Items are displayed as boxes in a grid with a given color ...
3
votes
1answer
71 views
Settings dialog with multiple tabs: same options on two different tabs?
I am designing a settings dialog with multiple tabs for our desktop application. There is a particular (small) group of options that is applicable to two separate tabs in the settings dialog. I ...
3
votes
1answer
324 views
How can the Copy and Replace message box be improved?
I have a program (running on Windows) that I am developing that has a file and folder page as part of it that is effectively copying the Windows format. I allow users to copy, cut, paste, delete and ...
2
votes
2answers
225 views
A dialog to set up working hours
I've got a dialog that helps an user to set up working hours for different days in a week. In this dialog an user can choose a day of week and hours/minutes which point on start/end of working time, ...
2
votes
2answers
79 views
Best way to handle close buttons in dialogs in a mobile app
I have a small dialog where a user can add an email to subscribe,
I am torn between changing the subscribe button to take 50% of the place and adding cancel or simply make the x bigger.
Other ...
2
votes
1answer
219 views
Should a FolderBrowserDialog be used over an OpenFolderDialog?
In developing applications where I need the user to select a folder, I've always favored the OpenFolderDialog because:
It looks like an OpenFileDialog
Allows the user to jump directly to the path ...
2
votes
2answers
178 views
Dialogue Box supposed to be closed by default with the [ESC] key?
I started working for a software company, and while using the software we produce, I noticed that the dialogue boxes that we pop-up aren't closed with the [ESC] button.
I'm assuming this would be the ...
1
vote
1answer
109 views
Alternative actions: nested submenu or interactive question?
I have a user interface that provides two alternatives for one action. The alternatives describe how the chosen action should be performed by the computer (different goal functions or heuristics of an ...
1
vote
1answer
113 views
Is it good practice to avoid using 'Yes' and 'No' buttons in favor of descriptions of the action? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Should I use Yes/No or Ok/Cancel on my message box?
I've found that there is an annoying tendency for different programs to prompt the user concerning the same actions ...
1
vote
1answer
90 views
Design patterns for “first run” messaging?
I'm working on a major re-design of a web app, and I'm contemplating popping up a "Welcome to the New Site!" dialog when users first log in to it. I can't seem to find too much discussion of those ...
1
vote
2answers
57 views
Best way to combine object selection and object editing in a dialog
There might potentially be a very straight forward solution to this, but I'm can't see it, hence the question. I'm wondering what is the best way to structure a dialog where the user can select items ...
0
votes
3answers
163 views
Is a lightbox considered a dialog box?
Lightbox-like interaction mechanisms present a dismissable interaction area within a larger page, greying out the rest of the page while the area is presented.
Originally they were used to show ...
-2
votes
1answer
72 views
Best principle to place button in alert dialog [duplicate]
For all alert dialogs with one or more buttons, which would be the best practice to place the buttons? Align left? Align right? Align Center? Please describe your reason for your choice! :) Tks!!
