Common Menu Types
User actions fall into categories that are similar across a wide range
of applications. Your application should use the following standard menus
when possible to enable the user to easily locate desired functionality.
File Menu Contents
Note - These requirements apply only in a left-to-right language environment
in an English-language locale. You need to make the appropriate changes for
other locales.
Required
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6-7:
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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.
Items should be presented to the user in the order listed below. In all cases
where a dialog is recommended to be displayed to the user, and the dialog
has functionality outlined in Chapter 7, "Common Dialogs", your
application should use a dialog box.
-
New [REQUIRED]
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, asking the user about saving changes. The mnemonic is N.
-
Open... [REQUIRED]
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 asking the user about saving changes. The mnemonic is O.
-
Save [REQUIRED]
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
prompting the user to enter a file name. The mnemonic is S.
-
Save As... [REQUIRED]
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 that warns the user about
a possible loss of data. Does not remove the existing contents of the client
area. The mnemonic is A.
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Print [RECOMMENDED]
Schedules a file for printing. If your application needs specific information
in order to print, it displays a dialog, requesting the information from the
user. In this case, the menu entry is followed by an ellipsis (Print...).
The mnemonic is P.
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Close [RECOMMENDED]
Closes the current primary window and its associated secondary windows.
This action does not terminate the application - Exit should be used for that
purpose. If changes made to the current primary window will be lost, your
application displays a dialog, asking the user about saving those changes.
If your application uses only a single primary window or multiple dependent
primary windows, this action is not supplied. The mnemonic is C.
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Exit [REQUIRED]
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, asking the user about saving changes. The mnemonic is x.
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Required
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bq:
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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 Open from
the File menu, but has not saved changes to the current file.
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<Object-type> and Selected Menu Contents
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
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br:
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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.
-
New... [RECOMMENDED]
Creates a new instance of the object-type. A dialog box is presented
allowing the user to specify the values for settings associated with that
object. The mnemonic is N.
-
Move To... [OPTIONAL]
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. The
mnemonic is M.
-
Copy To... [OPTIONAL]
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. The
mnemonic is C.
-
Put in Workspace [OPTIONAL]
Allows the user to put a link for the object onto the Common Desktop
Environment desktop in the current workspace. The mnemonic is t.
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.
-
Delete [OPTIONAL]
Removes the selected objects. A confirmation dialog box should be presented
to the user before the object is actually deleted. The mnemonic is D.
-
Properties [RECOMMENDED]
Displays a Properties window that shows the current values for settings
associated with the selected object. The mnemonic is P.
-
<Default Action> [RECOMMENDED]
This choice should enact the default action for the selected object.
"Open" is a typical default.
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Edit Menu Contents
Note - These requirements apply only in a left-to-right language environment
in an English-language locale. You must make the appropriate changes for other
locales.
Required
|
6-8:
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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:
-
Undo [RECOMMENDED]
Reverses the most recently executed action. The mnemonic is U.
-
Cut [RECOMMENDED]
Removes the selected portion of data from the client area and puts it
on the clipboard. The mnemonic is t.
-
Copy [RECOMMENDED]
Copies the selected portion of data from the client area and puts it
on the clipboard. The mnemonic is C.
-
Copy Link [OPTIONAL]
Copies a link of the selected portion of data from the client area and
puts it on the clipboard. The mnemonic is K.
-
Paste [RECOMMENDED]
Pastes the contents of the clipboard into the client area. The mnemonic
is P.
-
Paste Link [OPTIONAL] Pastes a link of the data represented
by the contents of the clipboard into the client area. The mnemonic is L.
-
Clear [RECOMMENDED]
Removes a selected portion of data from the client area without copying
it to the clipboard. The remaining data is not rearranged to fill in the gap
left by the Clear operation. The mnemonic is E.
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Delete [RECOMMENDED]
Removes a selected portion of data from the client area without copying
it to the clipboard. The mnemonic is D.
-
Select All [RECOMMENDED]
Sets the primary selection to be all the selectable elements in the
client area. The mnemonic is S.
-
Deselect All [RECOMMENDED]
Removes from the primary selection all the selectable elements in the
client area. The mnemonic is l.
-
Select Pasted [OPTIONAL]
Sets the primary selection to the last element or elements pasted into
a component of the client area. The mnemonic is a.
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Reselect [OPTIONAL]
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. The mnemonic is R.
-
Promote [OPTIONAL]
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 mnemonic is m.
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Recommended
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bs:
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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.
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View Menu
Recommended
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bt:
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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.
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Options Menu
Recommended
|
bu:
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If
your application has global settings that control the way the application
behaves, it provides an Options menu from which these can be set.
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Help Menu Contents
Note - These requirements apply only in a left-to-right language environment
in an English-language locale. You must make the appropriate changes for other
locales.
Recommended
|
bv:
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If
your application includes a Help menu, it contains the following set of choices,
with the specified functionality, when the actions are actually supported
by your application. The Help choices included here supersede those listed
for Motif 1.2.
This is the Common Desktop Environment-recommended
Help menu and should be used instead of the Motif 1.2 Help menu. Items should
be presented to the user in the order listed.
-
Overview [REQUIRED]
Provides general information about the window from which help was accessed
or about the application overall. The mnemonic is v. Place a separator after.
-
Index [OPTIONAL]
Provides an index listing topics for all help information available
for your application. The mnemonic is I.
-
Table of Contents [RECOMMENDED]
Provides a table of contents listing topics for all help information
available for your application. The mnemonic is C.
-
Tasks [RECOMMENDED]
Provides access to help information indicating how to perform different
tasks using your application. The mnemonic is T.
-
Reference [RECOMMENDED]
Provides access to reference information. The mnemonic is R.
-
Tutorial [OPTIONAL]
Provides access to your application's tutorial. The mnemonic is l.
-
Keyboard [OPTIONAL]
Provides information about your application's use of function keys,
mnemonics, and keyboard accelerators. Also provides information on general
Common Desktop Environment use of such keys. The mnemonic is K.
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Mouse [OPTIONAL]
Provides information about using a mouse with your application. The
mnemonic is M.
-
Mouse and Keyboard [OPTIONAL]
Provides information about your application's use of function keys,
mnemonics, keyboard accelerators and mouse operations. Also provides information
on general Common Desktop Environment use of such keys. The mnemonic is M.
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On Item [OPTIONAL]
Initiates context-sensitive help by changing the shape of the pointer
to the question mark pointer. When the user moves the pointer to a component
and presses BSelect, any available context-sensitive help for the component
is presented. The mnemonic is O.
-
Using Help [REQUIRED]
Provides information on how to use the Common Desktop Environment Help
Facility. The mnemonic is U.
-
About applicationname [REQUIRED]
Displays a dialog box indicating, minimally, the name and version of
your application, and displaying its icon or some other signature graphic
for your application. The mnemonic is A.
The Overview, Using Help and About items are required.
The Table of Contents, Tasks and Reference items are recommended. You can
choose to have separate Mouse and Keyboard topics, or have a single combined
Mouse and Keyboard topic. You should not use all three items.
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Attachment Menu Contents
See Chapter 3, "Drag and
Drop" for information on menu recommendations your application should
use if it supports attachments.
Pop-up Menus
Note - These requirements apply only in a left-to-right language environment
in an English-language locale. You must make the appropriate changes for other
locales.
Pop-up menus provide access to frequently used functions and should
be used pervasively throughout the Common Desktop Environment desktop environment.
A pop-up menu may contain a collection of options that appear in different
menus available from the menu bar. For example, it may contain items from
both the File and Edit menus.
Recommended
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by:
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Your
application should provide a pop-up menu for any element that is selectable
within its data pane.
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Recommended
|
bx:
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If
your application provides functions that apply to a data pane and not any
specific element therein, then a pop-up menu is provided that contains the
frequently used data pane functions and is accessible by pressing BMenu when
the mouse pointer is over the background of the pane or a nonselectable element
within the pane.
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Recommended
|
cb:
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The
functions accessible from within your application's pop-up menus are also
accessible from buttons displayed within the window or menus accessed through
the menu bar.
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Recommended
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ca:
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Every
pop-up menu in your application has a title that indicates the function the
menu performs or the element on which it operates.
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Optional
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cd:
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Choices within your
pop-up menus are organized in the following manner:
<choices
that manage the object such as Open, Save, and Properties>
-----------
separator ----------------
<standard edit menu choices such
as Cut, Copy and Paste>
----------- separator ----------------
<other choices>
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Optional
|
6-11:
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If your application
uses any of the common pop-up menu actions, the actions function according
to the following specifications. See item for supplemental guidelines.
-
Properties
Displays a properties dialog box that the user can use to set the properties
of the component.
-
Undo
Reverses the last executed action.
-
Primary Move
Moves the contents of the primary selection to the component. This action
is available only in editable components.
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Primary Copy
Copies the contents of the primary selection to the component. This
action is available only in editable components.
-
Primary Link
Places a link to the primary selection in the component. This action
is available only in editable components.
-
Cut
Cuts elements to the clipboard. If the menu is popped up in a selection,
cuts the entire selection to the clipboard.
-
Copy
Copies elements to the clipboard. If the menu is popped up in a selection,
copies the entire selection to the clipboard.
-
Copy Link
Copies a link of elements to the clipboard. If the menu is popped up
in a selection, copies a link to the entire selection to the clipboard.
-
Paste
Pastes the contents of the clipboard to the component. This action is
available only in editable components.
-
Paste Link
Pastes a link of the contents of the clipboard to the component. This
action is available only in editable components.
-
Clear
Removes a selected portion of data from the client area without copying
it to the clipboard. If the menu is popped up in a selection, deletes the
selection.
-
Delete
Removes a selected portion of data from the client area without copying
it to the clipboard. If the menu is popped up in a selection, deletes the
selection.
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Select All
Sets the primary selection to be all of the elements in the collection
with the pop-up menu.
-
Deselect All
Deselects the current selection in the collection with the pop-up menu.
-
Select Pasted
Sets the primary selection to be the last element or elements pasted
into the collection with the pop-up menu.
-
Reselect
Sets the primary selection to be the last selected element or elements
in the component with the pop-up menu. This action is available only in components
that do not support persistent selections and only when the current selection
is empty.
-
Promote
Promotes the current selection to the primary selection. It is available
only in components that support persistent selections.
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Recommended
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cc:
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Pop-up
menus for selectable objects contain the following set of choices, with the
specified functionality, when the actions are actually supported by your application.
These guidelines supplement item .
-
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.
-
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.
-
Put in Workspace
Allows the user to put a link for the selected objects onto the Common
Desktop Environment desktop in the current workspace.
-
Delete
Deletes the selected object. A confirmation is displayed to the user
before actually removing the object.
-
Help...
Displays a help window pertaining to objects of the type selected.
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Required
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6-12:
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When a pop-up menu
is popped up in the context of a selection, any action that acts on elements
acts on the entire selection.
In the context of a selection, pop-up
menu actions affect the entire selection.
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