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I'm developing an Android app and one screen (Favourites) is a ListView of items (bus stops); so, if the user select one stop he can do two things:

  • Send the arrival time for that stop
  • Eliminate the stop from favourites

The first one is by far the most used. So, I think that my approach of showing always a dialog with the two options is not very "user friendly". I've heard about the "Contextual Action Bar" but it seems overkill to me since the ability to select multiple items it's not important in this scenario.

What alternatives I have?

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  • Can you describe what the "Send" action does/means?
    – obelia
    Commented Sep 2, 2013 at 17:51
  • @obelia Use case: the user get into the bus (line X and bus stop Y) at 10:15 am. The user can send this arrival time to the server. Then the server do some calculation with this data.
    – Mmm
    Commented Sep 2, 2013 at 17:59
  • So the complete action could simply be select from list and press "Send" button?
    – obelia
    Commented Sep 2, 2013 at 18:07

2 Answers 2

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You could have set arrival time be the more prominent action but still have the delete (trash can) button there. Both the text input and trash can button would be visible but disabled until something is selected from the list.

mockup

download bmml source – Wireframes created with Balsamiq Mockups

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  • Thanks. But this will show the "Arrival time" input text all the time. The main purpose of the Favourites screen is just show the favourites stops. And then if the user select one stop, the action most used will be "Send an arrival time". I think "Send arrival time" option should not always be visible.
    – Mmm
    Commented Sep 2, 2013 at 10:43
  • Sorry I misunderstood. See comment to your top post.
    – obelia
    Commented Sep 2, 2013 at 17:52
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As I understand you have a list with Bus stops, I guess showing the arrival time in the same row, maybe?. Or when you click you go to another screen or launch sort of like a modal view with the details of the stop?

Anyway, in case the user just need to select and then "send" or delete (in the same screen); one of the native Android options to act over a list is the long-click (press and hold) option and then launch a floating context menu with the options.

Knowing that you can keep the "share" (send) option always visible in the action bar for example and keep the "remove item from the list" with the long press, which is a native and non strange practice.

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  • Thanks. My situation is the first one you have described (show the arrival time in the same row, there is not another screen with the details). I've heard about the "press and hold" behaviour, but maybe is a little overkill? Because the user just can send an arrival time at the same time (of course he can delete many bus stops, but I think this will be not used too much). Another issue with the "press and long": what will be the behaviour with the single tap?
    – Mmm
    Commented Sep 2, 2013 at 10:39
  • Maybe you can add some share/send icon (or arrow) in the row (right side, for example) in the way that it will represent "press to send" and use the long press to delete launching the pop up.
    – Rafa Q.
    Commented Sep 2, 2013 at 12:33

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