y 

n/a 

n 

Required 

_ 

_ 

_ 

bq: 

If the user chooses Exit, or in any other manner indicates that the application should be terminated, but there are changes to the current file that have not been saved, your application displays a dialog box asking whether the changes should be saved before exiting. 

The user must always be given the opportunity to explicitly state whether unsaved changes should be saved or discarded. A dialog box similar to the one described should also be displayed if the user chooses the Open from the File menu, but has not saved changes to the current file. 

Required 

_ 

_ 

_ 

6-7 

If your application uses a File menu, it contains the following choices, with the specified functionality, when the actions are actually supported by your application.  

Required 

_ 

_ 

_ 

New 

Creates a new file. If the current client area will be used to display the new file, your application clears the existing data from the client area. If changes made to the current file will be lost, your application displays a dialog box, asking the user about saving changes. The mnemonic is N. 

Required 

_ 

_ 

_ 

Open ... 

Opens an existing file by prompting the user for a file name with a dialog box. If changes made to the current file will be lost, your application displays a dialog box asking the user about saving changes. The mnemonic is O. 

Required 

_ 

_ 

_ 

Save ... 

Saves the currently opened file without removing the existing contents of the client area. If the file has no name, your application displays a dialog box, prompting the user to enter a file name. The mnemonic is S. 

Required 

_ 

_ 

_ 

Save As... 

Saves the currently opened file under a new name by prompting the user for a file name with a dialog box. If the user tries to save the file using an existing name, your application displays a dialog box that warns the user about a possible loss of data. Does not remove the existing contents of the client area. The mnemonic is A. 

Recommended 

_ 

_ 

_ 

Print 

Schedules a file for printing. If your application needs specific information to print, it displays a dialog box, requesting the information from the user. In this case, the menu entry is followed by an ellipsis (Print...). The mnemonic is P. 

Recommended 

_ 

_ 

_ 

Close 

Closes the current primary window and its associated secondary windows. If your application uses only a single primary window or multiple dependent primary windows, this action is not supplied. The mnemonic is C. 

Required 

_ 

_ 

_ 

Exit 

Ends the current application and all windows associated with it. If changes made to the current file will be lost, your application displays a dialog box, asking the user about saving changes. The mnemonic is X. 

The use of a File menu with these common file operations yields consistency across applications. 

y 

n/a 

n 

Recommended 

_ 

_ 

_ 

br: 

If your application uses an <object-type> menu or a Selected menu, it contains the following choices, with the specified functionality, when the actions are actually supported by your application. Items should be presented to the user in the order listed below. 

The <object-type> menu contains controls that allow the user to create instances of the object-type. Both the <object-type> and Selected menus allow the user to manipulate object instances. Additional items should be added to the <object-type> or Selected menus if they relate solely to the manipulation of objects managed by the application (as opposed to more generic services that the application might provide). 

Recommended 

_ 

_ 

_ 

New ... 

Creates a new instance of the object-type. If appropriate, a dialog box is presented allowing the user to specify the values for settings associated with that object. 

Optional 

_ 

_ 

_ 

Move To ... 

Allows the user to move the selected objects into a folder. A file selection dialog box is displayed allowing the user to select the desired folder. 

Optional 

_ 

_ 

_ 

Copy To ... 

Allows the user to copy the selected objects into a folder. A file selection dialog box is displayed allowing the user to select the desired folder. 

Optional 

_ 

_ 

_ 

Put in Workspace 

Allows the user to put a link for the object onto the Common Desktop Environment desktop in the current workspace. 

_ 

Any of the preceding three menu choices should be provided only if the objects managed by your application are able to reside as separate entities outside of your application's main window. For example, a printer object created by a printer management application might be able to be placed in a Folder window and function as an application unto itself. Your application should also support drag and drop as a method for performing any of these actions. 

Optional 

_ 

_ 

_ 

Delete 

Removes the selected objects. A confirmation dialog box should be presented to the user before the object is actually deleted. 

Recommended 

_ 

_ 

_ 

Properties 

Displays a Properties window that shows the current values for settings associated with the selected object. 

Recommended 

_ 

_ 

_ 

<Default Action> 

This choice should enact the default action for the selected object. "Open" is a typical default. 

y 

n/a 

n 

Required 

_ 

_ 

_ 

6-8 

If your application uses an Edit menu, it contains the following choices, with the specified functionality, when the actions are actually supported by your application:  

Optional 

_ 

_ 

_ 

Undo 

Reverses the most recently executed action. The mnemonic is U. 

Optional 

_ 

_ 

_ 

Cut 

Removes the selected portion of data from the client area and puts it on the clipboard. The mnemonic is T. 

Optional 

_ 

_ 

_ 

Copy 

Copies the selected portion of data from the client area and puts it on the clipboard. The mnemonic is C. 

Optional 

_ 

_ 

_ 

Copy Link 

Copies a link of the selected portion of data from the client area and puts it on the clipboard. The mnemonic is K. 

Optional 

_ 

_ 

_ 

Paste 

Pastes the contents of the clipboard into the client area. The mnemonic is P. 

Optional 

_ 

_ 

_ 

Paste Link 

Pastes a link of the data represented by the contents of the clipboard into the client area. The mnemonic is L. 

Optional 

_ 

_ 

_ 

Clear 

Removes a selected portion of data from the client area without copying it to the clipboard and does not compress the remaining data. The mnemonic is E. 

Optional 

_ 

_ 

_ 

Delete 

Removes a selected portion of data from the client area without copying it to the clipboard. The mnemonic is D. 

Optional 

_ 

_ 

_ 

Select All 

Sets the primary selection to be all the elements in a component of the client area. 

Optional 

_ 

_ 

_ 

Deselect All 

Removes from the primary selection all the elements in a component of the client area. 

Optional 

_ 

_ 

_ 

Select Pasted 

Sets the primary selection to the last element or elements pasted into a component of the client area. 

Optional 

_ 

_ 

_ 

Reselect 

Sets the primary selection to the last selected element or elements in a component of the client area. This action is available only in components that do not support persistent selections and only when the current selection is empty. 

Optional 

_ 

_ 

_ 

Promote 

Promotes to the primary selection the current selection of a component of the client area. This action is available only for components that support persistent selections. 

_ 

_ 

_ 

The use of an Edit menu with these common editing operations yields consistency across applications. 

Recommended 

_ 

_ 

_ 

bs: 

If your application does not provide an <object-type> or Selected menu, but allows the user to select data within the window and manage settings for the selected data, then it provides a Properties ... choice as the last item in the Edit menu. 

Required 

_ 

_ 

_ 

6-9: 

This item has been deleted.  

y 

n/a 

n 

Recommended 

_ 

_ 

_ 

bt: 

If your application provides a View menu, it only contains functions that affect the way the current data is presented. It does not contain any option that alters the data itself. 

y 

n/a 

n 

Recommended 

_ 

_ 

_ 

bu: 

If your application has global settings that control the way the application behaves, it provides an Options menu from which these can be set.