Questions tagged [error-message]
information displayed when an unexpected condition occurs, usually on a computer or other device
303
questions
10
votes
5answers
15k views
Where is the best place to show validation/error messages in a form? [duplicate]
Where is the best place to show validation/error messages in a form?
Beside a field?
underneath a field?
Reserve an area on the top/bottom of the page, and show any error/successful message there?
1
vote
3answers
186 views
Should there be a refresh button if a page automatically refreshes once network is available?
I have a view in my iOS app that displays an error if there is no internet connection. Upon detecting a working internet connection, the page will automatically refresh. Is there any point to having a ...
9
votes
4answers
16k views
How do I best tell a user that his/her account will be locked if they enter the wrong credentials too many times?
We are going to add an additional layer of security to our product by locking user accounts for a short period of time (configurable in the product, but probably 5-10 minutes) when a user has tried to ...
0
votes
3answers
498 views
Are my Sign Up form error messages correct?
I just got done with my Sign Up form set up for my File Sharing & Hosting service and now I'm at a point where I'm developing the returning of form errors.
There are 6 fields, and they are all ...
2
votes
1answer
8k views
How should I formulate a validation error message for a number field?
How should I formulate a validation error message for a number field?
A number is expected.
A number is required.
The value should be a number.
Number is not valid.
Invalid number.
Value is not a ...
3
votes
2answers
626 views
How should an error message explain to users that they input the wrong URI scheme?
On my site, users can add a link to a website. The validation checks if it has a scheme (e.g. http, ftp). If it has no scheme, it adds 'http'. But what if the user enters an ftp link, for example? I'm ...
0
votes
2answers
200 views
Opting In/Out Error Handling in Mobile
Designing a settings screen in an app, which involve user opting in or out of marketing from app and/or website and sync across devices. The issue I am having is handling an error if the user opts out ...
6
votes
2answers
1k views
Benefit of custom 404 error screens on website
Are there any UX studies on whether custom 404's and the like benefit or enrich the experience of the end user?
Some good examples below, I was thinking the wording might be more relevant in this ...
2
votes
2answers
1k views
Should I show a customer granular credit card errors?
When credit cards are declined, our gateway usually provides a useful reason: insufficient funds, CVV mismatch, invalid card number, etc.
Should we show this to the user? Or should we just show a ...
2
votes
1answer
338 views
How might Windows show a loading status instead of just freezing?
Every now and then, you'll have a bunch of desktop applications open in Windows. Let's say you have a word processor, a web browser, a music player, and video game open simultaneously. All of these ...
2
votes
2answers
192 views
Can I ask a user to provide Mandatory description of the error?
In my app when an unhandled error occurs a popup window opens. It has a field to add additional info but it's optional. This is completely anonymous.
Due to security issues I cannot use a stack-trace ...
2
votes
3answers
208 views
Should I warn that drop down filters are mandatory?
When dealing with various drop down list of options, with one acting as a filter to another and the last one being the desired option per se, it is more advisable to treat all drop downs as obligatory ...
4
votes
2answers
469 views
What is the best way to notify a user he doesn't have an account
As a helpdesk engineer I'm offering support on a rather big Belgian E-commerce website.
While we have a vast number of users there are also many users whose account is deleted automatically after 1 ...
-2
votes
1answer
5k views
Form validation best practice using Twitter Bootstrap when input fields close each other
I am programmer not designer nor ux designer. So, I am using Twitter Bootstrap framework for design the page with input elements on it. Basic requirement for my form is - It should fit into 1024x768 ...
3
votes
1answer
251 views
Should payment details be retained on checkout page reload?
If a customer tries to checkout with invalid credit card/direct debit details, should the details be wiped when the page is reloaded?
If so, which details? Only credit card number/bank account ...
5
votes
1answer
3k views
Design pattern for handling network connection errors
In case you didn't know, people are increasingly using smartphones. One problem that comes with smartphones is a shaky and unreliable internet connection. For "static" websites that primarily serving ...
4
votes
2answers
2k views
Best practices for data file upload error handling
I am currently revisiting a data upload field in our system. These files (csv, xlsx) contain thousands of rows, which can produce hundreds of errors. Currently, the way we handle this is to spit out a ...
3
votes
1answer
272 views
What is the best way to convey to a user a reason for failure using an icon?
I have a scenario where the user needs to test a connection by clicking on a button. Once clicked, they will be provided one of the follow results: successful (check mark icon) and failed (red x icon) ...
3
votes
3answers
378 views
Changing error message colours on different backgrounds
On our site, we have different backgrounds colours for various forms, and the designers have assigned different colours for the error messages, depending on the background. I was wondering whether ...
14
votes
5answers
4k views
What will be the Best notifications and error messages?
As a UI architect, I am always wondering about the best format to display errors and notifications to users.
Which of the following examples is the best format?
Name is required
Name cannot be ...
6
votes
2answers
4k views
What's reasonable time lag before displaying a timeout message?
We're developing an online application and wondered what is the average/expected/reasonable about of time to make the user wait after form submission before we say "Hey sorry, we think there's a ...
8
votes
3answers
3k views
What's the best way to handle unexpected application errors?
I know, i know, we should aim to handle all exceptions, but for those moments when it's just impossible... I thought of something like this:
download bmml source – Wireframes created with ...
1
vote
2answers
513 views
Which validation error message to use for user form?
Which of these error message should I use for my add/edit user form.
(Although I am over thinking this)
Background
I have various forms around the system where assets can be assigned to specific ...
4
votes
1answer
362 views
Number of error messages to display
This question is related more to a server side error such as a timeout or a database not being reached rather than a user error or validation problem.
Let's say we have a web page which pulls data ...
0
votes
1answer
68 views
Related inputs workflow
This is the feature I need:
Think of yourself as a part time employee. You are allowed to enter up
to 2 time intervals to specify your availability for the day.
So there are 4 textboxes/...
2
votes
3answers
1k views
Multiple Page Forms: Validate on every page or only on the last page?
We have a form that spans 3 pages (has steps 1 to 3). Currently, we allow them to skip required data because they may want to do Step 2 first before they feel like filling out Step 1 form. Our forms ...
59
votes
13answers
2k views
Personal information in messages
Is it good to add some personal information (name, username or other) in success or error messages?
3
votes
1answer
3k views
How should one phrase validation error messages?
What is the best phrase to use considering that these are short error messages that is positioned right beside the labels / input they are referring to. For example, there's a missing email address, ...
2
votes
4answers
2k views
How to show user login password is wrong after the first time e.g. flash “wrong password” message
This is a follow up to this question asking about what should be displayed when a user enters a wrong password.
Here is my current design: when logging into a website if the user enters a wrong ...
40
votes
3answers
2k views
Humor on the deathbed
Here is a rather accurate description of an extremely rare situation, displayed by a program right before seppuku:
cannot handle the fatal error due to a fatal error in the fatal error
handler!
...
0
votes
3answers
782 views
How to handle user input error handling on signup form [duplicate]
I'm designing a signup form and got stuck in a ux discussion on how to handle user input error handling. Which would you prefer of the following two scenarios? Or is there a third, better option?
...
46
votes
6answers
5k views
How can I highlight errors when bright red is the main color of the brand?
I'm working on a mobile website for a client whose main brand color is red. The website header and headings are all red. CTA buttons are red too. How can I effectively separate errors (mostly in form ...
18
votes
7answers
5k views
How the user should be informed that the file she submitted is not an image?
In a given web application, the user can upload images. Currently, when the user uploads something which is not an image, the JavaScript alert box with the message "Please Select only Image Files!!" ...
30
votes
12answers
1k views
Blocking IE6: Deny outright or warn of issues?
We're looking at (finally) retiring IE6 support.
I've always been a big fan of graceful degradation but we're really pushing ahead and trying to embrace features that we're simply not going to want ...
4
votes
2answers
568 views
Contextual error message
I am designing a new feature for a CMS my company uses. A few things you should know:
We have content editors working mainly on adding pages to the system. We have thousands of pages, and no one ...
10
votes
4answers
9k views
What is the best way to display date validation errors?
I am performing date validation on several forms. This validation includes making sure a date does not fall on a weekend, does not fall on a major holiday, is at least 3 business days from the current ...
5
votes
2answers
236 views
How should removed pages be handled in e-commerce sites?
On my e-commerce website I create many sale event/campaign related categories which are put offline after a specific event/campaign is over. Lots of customers bookmarks those category page and then ...
11
votes
3answers
391 views
Should general 404 page be shown to the user if he clicks one-time link second time?
There is a Sign up function in a web application. After user signs up, an email message with confirmation link is sent to his email address. This confirmation link is obviously valid only one time.
...
7
votes
4answers
1k views
Partial success message when deleting items
In one of our applications, the user can select multiple items and delete as many of them as they wish in single click.
However, while processing this request there is some validation and ...
6
votes
2answers
311 views
When should the message informing the user that the password they entered is wrong go away?
This is a follow up to this question since it got closed. In a log in form, after the user enters the wrong password, when should the message saying "wrong password or user name" go away? For example ...
3
votes
2answers
294 views
What to present when wrong log in information entered [duplicate]
In my sign in page I made it so that the page doesn't need to reload when the wrong password is typed (similar to Google's). What should happen when the wrong password is typed? Right now I have text ...
12
votes
4answers
273 views
Name or data on this error alert phenomenon?
This is just a curiosity on my part, but I'm wondering if there's a name or studies for what I'm going to describe.
I've noticed in many UX scenarios, not just computer related, that when there's an ...
7
votes
3answers
2k views
What to display in mobile app web view when the URL won't load
I'm creating an app whose UI is simply a web browser that loads a URL. Let's not argue about why I'm implementing it this way (I already tried that with the higher-ups). It can still do the background ...
6
votes
3answers
197 views
Feature is only available on newer device
Let's say you have a software feature that is only available on a newer browser, operating system, or physical mobile device. Some examples include:
A camera is required to upload photos in an app. ...
3
votes
1answer
64 views
Showing error in different pane in ipad app
I have lot of panes (5 - 6) in a iPad app. Each pane depends on a different web service from different URLs.
What is the best way to show an error in one pane if the corresponding web service is not ...
1
vote
2answers
298 views
Should an application apologize for an error that's not actually the fault of the application itself? [duplicate]
For example, imagine if your web application offered inline installation of a Chrome extension. If that installation should fail because of an issue with the Chrome Web Store or Chrome itself, you're ...
4
votes
2answers
481 views
Generic or dedicated error pages
The most common errorpage is the 404 error. Right now we are working on a website for a big client with several country websites.
My idea for http errors is:
One generic page which appologies for ...
3
votes
1answer
6k views
Alerts, notifications, (status) messages - looking for real practical examples [closed]
Are there somewhere real practical examples of texts for alerts, notifications and status messages? I thought of something like a library where you could search for an area and find ideas and examples?...
9
votes
4answers
5k views
Error-message to indicate invalid data has been entered?
Sorry for the subjective question....
I'm working on the micro-copy that appears on a web-form when a user submits invalid data: eg: invalid date/time. We've used inline validation and date time ...
13
votes
12answers
3k views
Bulk actions: what to do when not all items support an action
Picture the following scenario: user selects a bunch of items, and the 'bulk actions' box appears; user selects an action that not all items support (for one reason or another).
What do you do in ...
