Questions tagged [desktop-application]
program installed on user's machine as opposed to a program that runs remotely and is accessed via an internet browser.
364
questions
1
vote
1answer
25 views
Does it make sense to use a platform-agnostic HIG for desktop applcations?
I'm developing a stand-alone, cross-platform desktop app for Windows, Mac, and GNU/Linux. I've read these ([1], [2]) questions and concluded that I'll have to cherry pick guidelines from all three ...
0
votes
2answers
48 views
Combining a variable size scrollable list, a fixed size scrollable form and a small fixed size non-scrollable form
I'm trying to design a desktop app and I have an Entity that has three "sections" for its settings/parameters:
a short section of 5 fields (text fields, checkboxes...) - probably doesn't ...
1
vote
2answers
104 views
Good way to implement secret startup options in a desktop application
I write a Windows application that needs to have some "secret" functionality. For example, the application disables certain parts of the UI if the user is running in a certain environment. ...
0
votes
1answer
105 views
Period in tooltips?
Should tooltips in a desktop application end with a period? Is proper English required in this case?
Looking forward to any feedback or examples on this.
Thank you!
0
votes
0answers
111 views
Examples for a modern home screen in a Windows desktop application?
I have a 15 year old Windows desktop application, and I'd like to refresh the look of it to be more modern, in line with current trends in UI design.
The main functions are launched from a home screen ...
0
votes
3answers
117 views
Use a drop down list for activating a service
Currently I'm designing the behaviour of a service into a SaaS; this service force the upgrade of the apps built with the SaaS platform
I have a drop-down list with existing versions (1.0 - 1.1 - 1.2) ...
0
votes
1answer
126 views
Why do desktop apps not use pointer cursor [duplicate]
I was wondering if there is a reason why most desktop applications don't user a pointer cursor (pointing hand, see below) to show that a button or element is clickable, but always show the default ...
1
vote
0answers
15 views
Wizards size consistency across application
Is there a general guidline how to solve a consistency of Wizard forms accross a desktop application? I am especialy interrested in to the size of windows. Should be all the wizards of same size? Is ...
2
votes
1answer
38 views
Should I resize a window on language change
In my desktop I have a settings dialog that after I change the app language there's a label text gets too big for its space. I want to know if it is good practice to resize the window after a language ...
1
vote
1answer
49 views
Scroll time on SaaS
As is the case with most SaaS, there is sometimes simply too much data to fit on one section of a page. On the desktop app, we use a standard table view of data. On the mobile app, we use cards in ...
2
votes
2answers
70 views
At which point should a partial translation of the UI of a desktop software become available as an option?
I'm creating an open source software for which the user interface is translated to various languages by contributors (about 30 languages at the moment). The translation platform is online and the ...
2
votes
1answer
103 views
Should I display empty fields in read only display?
I have a desktop application which has many editable fields, about 50 fields grouped into about 6 sections.
When editing, the field's text box will show, then once the user clicks save, the data will ...
0
votes
1answer
45 views
What's the reference screen resolutions to start preparing mockups for desktop? [duplicate]
I need to justify my choice of screen resolutions for a PWA desktop app that runs to run on old and newest PCs. So far mockups are preapred for 1440? I don't have specific information which lead to ...
2
votes
1answer
60 views
Is filling the center-area of a GUI with several forms a good practice?
Center-area concept:
For a desktop application, we commonly find a similar structure for the GUI:
Top menu / Ribbon
Dockables left and right to explore the content and show properties.
Center-area ...
1
vote
1answer
57 views
Pattern for infrequently used UI in desktop application
I have a desktop application where the user will paste some text into a textbox located within the tab that is initially displayed to the user.
The CONVERT button will become enabled when text is ...
1
vote
1answer
49 views
Desktop application that uses both a Ribbon and a Menu?
I know the Ribbon was intended to replace the conventional menu, but are there any examples of desktop applications which attempted to use both? If so, how was the end result? Was it a nightmare? Did ...
2
votes
2answers
56 views
In a Desktop application, should the recent file list placed directly in the file menu
A desktop tool mostly offers recent files. I am used to press Alt+F and then 1 to open the first recent files. It seems that I learned it from Notepad++. I thought it was a "platform convention&...
0
votes
1answer
105 views
What is the best ease curve and speed for color transitions?
I am creating a desktop app, and I'm currently implementing animations.
I understand from Material Design Guidelines that I should set the speed for transitions for desktop apps at about 100-250 ms to ...
2
votes
2answers
118 views
Context menu being chopped off from main screen - alternative design strategies?
I am not sure if many people have experienced this before, but on desktop applications where the context menu (i.e. pop-up menu triggered by a right-click mouse selection) is used for items that is in ...
0
votes
1answer
77 views
When is it right to use native menus for desktop apps?
I am building a video chat desktop app, and it has a window to emulate a custom menu. I have seen many desktop apps that use native menus, and it is pretty common. Other desktop apps use custom menus, ...
0
votes
2answers
38 views
Control for adjusting ratio between quantities
I am looking for a ui control type which allows adjusting the ratios between at least 3 different scalar quantities.
For example, adjusting the composition of a chemical solution, such that a user can ...
2
votes
1answer
163 views
Is it ok for a desktop app to steal the focus when the app's window is hovered?
We are working on an app that is meant to be on one side of the screen, it is a desktop app for video calls. Right now if you hover the app's window it steals the focus so the user can start typing to ...
4
votes
2answers
237 views
What's the name of this UI component?
I am looking for the general name of the component that a lot of IDEs use. Examples:
Goto Anything in Sublime
Quick Open in Visual Studio Code
Omnibar in Blueprintjs
It is usually opened with CTRL+P ...
3
votes
4answers
387 views
What Micro Interaction to use When Hovering Over a Button?
👋
We are trying to learn/understand UX from first principals and build the most intuitive UI.
We are creating buttons in an App and want to know what the ideal micro interaction is when hovering ...
0
votes
1answer
131 views
Icon on a Call to Action Button - Best results
I'm wondering if there are some icons better than others for the main action button on a homepage's hero banner.
In some case it would depend on the context and what the button is requiring the user ...
3
votes
2answers
146 views
Implementing an insert-update-delete grid in a web application
I'm in the process of rewriting an old desktop application that's used for warehouse management and retail. The warehouse window is meant for importing, returning and modifying imported items. So it's ...
0
votes
2answers
165 views
tab order of help button in dialogs
When I place the help button in dialogs like here:
What tab order should I use? It's obvious that the content panel uses tabindex values that correspond to the reading order which is supported by the ...
3
votes
2answers
120 views
Filtering options for a combobox
I currently have a log-on dialogue box which I present to users when they wish to log onto a target system. As I have quite a number of possible target systems, I offer them a combobox in which they ...
1
vote
5answers
850 views
Placement of Help button: left or right to OK/Cancel
I'm adding help to a Windows desktop application that is being in use since the Windows XP era. All the modal dialogs display the typical OK/Cancel button set placed at the bottom right as shown in ...
3
votes
3answers
159 views
Gray-out conundrum
As we're approaching the release date for v2.5.0 of Rubberduck (an open-source VBIDE add-in), we're facing a bit of a dilemma regarding a specific type of tree nodes in one of our toolwindows:
The ...
2
votes
3answers
2k views
What is the best way to notify a user that updates are available in a desktop application?
I have a Windows desktop application that is used as the front-end for a webservice. This application has a database that could get updated from time to time, but it would also work with an old ...
6
votes
1answer
436 views
About Commanding in UWP apps. What commanding approach is best? office like?, UWP? or classic win32?
I'm writing an app with platform UWP-Windows 10-1903(Universal Windows), for making electric circuits, designs and simulations. User makes a design on screen with resistors, generators, etc, and run ...
101
votes
11answers
29k views
Are Scroll Bars Dead?
I recently heard a designer say something to the effect that modern web designs don't use visual scrollbars - or at least they're only visible when scrolling. I'm a front-end developer and hadn't ...
3
votes
5answers
1k views
Should a Save button be disabled if there have been no changes made?
I have a desktop application, and in this application, there is a non-modal dialog where a user can make changes to something. The dialog has a Close button and a Save button. The Save button does not ...
1
vote
2answers
586 views
when to use "wait" and when "busy" mouse cursor
I am developing a desktop application with Qt framework. When there is a task running which causes the UI to be blocked for a while, I would like to use a mouse cursor indicating that the user should ...
26
votes
12answers
6k views
Users forgetting to regenerate PDF before sending it
My company is developing an ERP software for small businesses and we're encountering a recurrent problem.
In the "Invoices" part of the app, there's a "View/Print" button that exports the invoice to ...
0
votes
2answers
560 views
"Undo Changes" & "Refresh"
In a desktop application, where users are pulling and sometimes updating values on a "datagridview" (DGV) that is data-bound to a database, how should a designer distinguish between "undo changes" and ...
1
vote
2answers
226 views
Combined Tables View
I have 4 different types of external logging data that can be opened in my desktop application. They are displayed as tables. Each of these have a few columns in common (e.g. timestamp), but most of ...
0
votes
3answers
324 views
Where should I place my inline data table buttons?
I'm building a desktop application with the intent for my users to perform action items on remote devices (can't say due to company IP). Users will also check the status of these devices, pre and post ...
2
votes
2answers
129 views
Groups vs notebooks
I'm working on a note taking app. One of the feature is that you can group the notes in a folder like manner in which one can create. subgroups inside groups and more subgroups and put notes/notebooks ...
1
vote
1answer
85 views
What design pattern should I use to migrate windows lists with buttons to web?
I have a Windows application that I need to migrate to web. This application has many forms that follow the same pattern: (1) a grid on the left with columns and rows than can be selected, and (2) ...
1
vote
1answer
1k views
Make desktop application support the minimum resolution
Windows UX Checklist states that a desktop application should:
Support the minimum Windows effective resolution of 800x600 pixels.
For critical user interfaces (UIs) that must work in safe mode,
...
4
votes
5answers
3k views
Hover vs click on mega menu
Now implementing a new mega-menu. The current mega-menu's submenu options are shown on user cursor hover. Would a more explicit action like mouse click be more appropriate for this (like the example ...
2
votes
1answer
56 views
Should non-existant files in a recently used files list be deleted without user prompt?
Say, you have this common thing of "recently used files" or "frequently used files" in your application.
It may easily happen the user moves or deletes a file they had opened recently/frequently. So ...
0
votes
5answers
1k views
Should phone numbers be clickable within our software on (desktop)?
We are working on cleaning up our system and identifying phone numbers so they will be detected and show up as links for mobile users.
The question I have is should we make them show up as links for ...
2
votes
2answers
242 views
Should we mask API keys?
As an authentication token, an API key is pretty much functionally identical to a password.
Does it follow then that we should mask the API key, when it is entered in a settings dialog?
The reason ...
0
votes
2answers
207 views
Full width of the textbox on the screen or not [duplicate]
Apologies if this comes as a naive question.
From design point of view basically a textbox control (or any control) in a grid container, does it makes sense to have a textbox in fullwidth of the ...
0
votes
2answers
204 views
How to choose between a Popover, Inspector, or Toolbar to edit properties?
macOS apps have the following patterns (and possibly others) for editing properties of selected items:
Popovers (See here)
Inspector Panels (Right Sidebar)
Toolbars
In the following example, the ...
0
votes
1answer
75 views
Is it a problem if my form takes up twice as much space in web form than it does in the desktop application?
I am trying to migrate some forms from a desktop implementation to a web implementation, which should still primarily be used by desktop users.
Currently, we have a generic out-of-the-box theme (the ...
1
vote
2answers
73 views
Keeping alert messages the same on desktop & native app
For a given alert/error message, a version that specified why it was happening and how it can be resolved tested the best on desktop. The current message is 173 characters long (including spaces). But ...
