Drags from Inside Windows

Sometimes an application needs to enable a drag from within a dialog box or window. The Appointment Editor in Calendar has a scrolling list of appointments and an entry area for editing an appointment. Users can drag from the scrolling list to get an appointment, but users also need to be able to drag from the appointment entry area. Enabling users to drag from the entry area covers those times when the appointment is not yet inserted in the calendar (for example, when a proposed meeting time is entered but not inserted into the calendar).

The item that can be dragged needs to have an icon graphic associated with it. Place the icon graphic in the dialog box in an appropriate area adjacent to the information to be dragged. The upper-right corner of the dialog box or window is the recommended default position. The icon lets the user know that something can be dragged and the graphic used is the same graphic used in the drag icon to provide consistency. The icon should be 32x32 pixels and have a label so that it resembles a File Manager icon. See the Common Desktop Environment: Style Guide and Certification Checklist chapter on drag and drop for more information.

Drags are only enabled from human interface elements that have components or items that can be selected. Drags cannot be enabled from static labels such as those on buttons or menus.