Newton 2.
Apple Computer, Inc. © 1996, 1994 Apple Computer, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, mechanical, electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission of Apple Computer, Inc., except to make a backup copy of any documentation provided on CD-ROM. Printed in the United States of America.
Contents Figures Preface xiii About This Book xxi Who Should Read This Book xxi What’s in This Book xxii Related Books xxii Visual Cues Used in This Book xxiii Developer Products and Support xxiii Chapter 1 Newton and Its Users 1-1 Understand Newton 1-1 Know Your Audience 1-2 What People Do With Newton 1-3 Accessibility 1-3 Observe Basic Human Interface Principles 1-4 Metaphors 1-4 Direct Manipulation 1-6 Feedback 1-7 See and Point 1-7 Consistency 1-7 User Control 1-8 Forgiveness 1-8 Stability 1-9
Use Screen Space Wisely 1-11 Check the Screen Size 1-11 Involve Users in the Design Process 1-13 Define Your Audience 1-13 Analyze Tasks 1-13 Build Prototypes 1-14 Observe Users 1-14 Ten Steps for Conducting a User Observation Chapter 2 Container Views 2-1 How Views Look 2-3 View Controls 2-3 View Title 2-4 View Border 2-6 Matte Border 2-6 Striped Border 2-7 Wavy Border 2-7 Plain Border 2-8 Drop Shadows 2-8 View Fill 2-9 Main Views 2-9 Title or Folder Tab 2-10 Primary Controls and Status Bar Separator B
Close, Stop, or Cancel 2-23 User Decision 2-24 Palettes 2-24 Drawers 2-26 Roll Views 2-27 How Views Work 2-28 Opening Container Views 2-28 View Display Order 2-28 The Backdrop 2-29 What Is Active 2-29 View Position 2-30 Position of a Main View 2-30 Position of Auxiliary Views 2-31 Closing a View 2-32 Closing a Main View 2-32 Closing a Slip 2-33 Closing a Drawer 2-33 Moving a View 2-33 Changing a View’s Size 2-34 Scrolling 2-36 Scrolling With Scroll Arrows 2-37 Universal Scroll Arrows 2-38 Local Scroll Arrow
Chapter 3 Controls 3-1 Buttons 3-2 Text Buttons 3-2 Text Button Sizes 3-3 Naming Text Buttons 3-4 Naming Take-Action Buttons 3-4 Naming Cancel- and Stop-Action Buttons Picture Buttons 3-7 Designing Picture Buttons 3-8 Button Behavior 3-9 Button Feedback 3-9 Button States 3-10 Button Placement 3-11 Button Spacing 3-12 Large Buttons 3-14 Close Boxes 3-14 Where to Use a Regular Close Box 3-15 Where to Use a Large Close Box 3-15 Radio Buttons 3-16 Checkboxes 3-18 Sliders 3-20 Hot Spots 3-21 Standard Newton B
Chapter 4 Pickers 4-1 List Pickers 4-2 Elements of List Pickers 4-2 Check Marks 4-3 Icons 4-3 Item Names 4-3 Table of Items 4-4 Unavailable Items 4-5 Organization of List Pickers 4-6 Sources of List Pickers 4-7 Position of List Pickers 4-8 Using a List Picker 4-9 Picking an Item 4-9 User Editing of Pickers 4-11 Scrolling 4-12 Index Tabs 4-13 Hierarchical List Pickers 4-14 Number Picker 4-16 Date and Time Pickers 4-17 Overview Pickers 4-19 Contents of Overview Pickers 4-19 Position of Overview Pickers 4-2
Chapter 5 Icons 5-1 Designing Effective Icons 5-1 Thinking Up an Icon Image 5-2 Make Shapely Icons 5-3 Design for the Newton Display 5-3 Avoid Text in Icons 5-4 Make All Sizes of an Icon Look Alike 5-4 Use Icons Consistently 5-5 Think About Multicultural Compatibility 5-6 Extras Drawer Icons 5-6 Extras Drawer Icons Together 5-6 Extras Drawer Icon Size 5-8 Extras Drawer Icon Shape 5-9 Extras Drawer Icon Names 5-9 Animating an Extras Drawer Icon 5-9 Title Icons 5-11 Button Icons 5-12 Icons in a Picker 5-12
Shape Input 6-13 General Input 6-14 Recognition 6-15 User Control of Recognition 6-16 Deferred Recognition 6-18 Forcing Recognition 6-19 Configuring Recognition 6-19 Editing 6-21 Selecting Text and Shapes 6-22 Erasing Text or Shapes 6-24 Joining Words 6-26 Breaking Paragraphs 6-26 Inserting Space in Text 6-26 Inserting New Text 6-27 Replacing Text 6-29 Correcting Misrecognized Text 6-29 Changing Capitalization of Text 6-31 Changing Paragraph Margins 6-31 Removing Extra Space from Paragraphs Duplicating Text
Error Handling 6-37 Error Correction 6-37 Error Detection 6-38 Chapter 7 Routing and Communications 7-1 The In/Out Box 7-2 The In Box 7-3 The Out Box 7-4 In/Out Box Items 7-4 Viewing Items in the In/Out Box 7-5 Viewing Routing Information 7-6 Routing Outgoing Items 7-7 Action Button and Picker 7-8 An Action Button’s Location 7-9 Action Picker Contents 7-10 Building an Action Picker 7-11 Routing Slips 7-12 Sender Picker 7-13 Recipient Pickers 7-15 Choosing a Printer 7-15 Choosing Fax or E-mail Recipients
Routing Status 7-29 Stopping a Send or Receive in Progress 7-31 Transport Preferences 7-32 Routing Alternatives 7-34 Routing by Intelligent Assistant 7-35 Programmed Sending 7-36 Chapter 8 Newton Services 8-1 Automatic Busy Cursor 8-2 Notify Button and Picker 8-2 Alarms 8-4 Unacknowledged Alarms 8-5 Alarm Etiquette 8-5 Sound 8-6 Find 8-6 Text Searches 8-7 Date Searches 8-8 The Scope of a Search 8-8 Customizing the Standard Find Slip 8-9 Initiating or Canceling a Search 8-11 Search Status 8-11 Search Res
Preferences 8-30 System-wide Preferences Application Preferences Appendix 8-30 8-31 Avoiding Common Mistakes Info Button A-1 New and Show Buttons A-1 Screen Size A-1 Tapping v.
Figures Chapter 1 Newton and Its Users Figure 1-1 Figure 1-2 Figure 1-3 Chapter 2 Metaphors help people quickly grasp how software works 1-5 Users should feel they are directly controlling something tangible 1-6 An application adjusts its size, position, and layout to fit the screen 1-12 Container Views Figure 2-1 Figure 2-2 Figure 2-3 Figure 2-4 Figure 2-5 Figure 2-6 Figure 2-7 Figure 2-8 Figure 2-9 Figure 2-10 Figure 2-11 Figure 2-12 Figure 2-13 Figure 2-14 Figure 2-15 Figure 2-16 Figure 2-17 1-1 2
Figure 2-18 Figure 2-19 Figure 2-20 Figure 2-21 Figure 2-22 Figure 2-23 Figure 2-24 Figure 2-25 Figure 2-26 Figure 2-27 Figure 2-28 Figure 2-29 Figure 2-30 Figure 2-31 Figure 2-32 Figure 2-33 Figure 2-34 Figure 2-35 Figure 2-36 Figure 2-37 Figure 2-38 Figure 2-39 xiv A confirmation alert tells the user about a grave situation 2-19 A status slip reports on a lengthy operation 2-20 A sequence of status messages traces the steps of an operation 2-22 A gauge in a status slip measures elapsing progress 2-23 A
Chapter 3 Controls Figure 3-1 Figure 3-2 Figure 3-3 Figure 3-4 Figure 3-5 Figure 3-6 Figure 3-7 Figure 3-8 Figure 3-9 Figure 3-10 Figure 3-11 Figure 3-12 Figure 3-13 Figure 3-14 Figure 3-15 Figure 3-16 Figure 3-17 Figure 3-18 Figure 3-19 Figure 3-20 Figure 3-21 Figure 3-22 Figure 3-23 Figure 3-24 Figure 3-25 Figure 3-26 Figure 3-27 Figure 3-28 Figure 3-29 Figure 3-30 3-1 Tapping a button initiates an action 3-2 A text button’s name states what the button does 3-2 Leave standard margins between a button’s
Figure 3-31 Figure 3-32 Figure 3-33 Chapter 4 Pickers Figure 4-1 Figure 4-2 Figure 4-3 Figure 4-4 Figure 4-5 Figure 4-6 Figure 4-7 Figure 4-8 Figure 4-9 Figure 4-10 Figure 4-11 Figure 4-12 Figure 4-13 Figure 4-14 Figure 4-15 Figure 4-16 Figure 4-17 Figure 4-18 Figure 4-19 Figure 4-20 Figure 4-21 xvi Where an Action button goes 3-29 Seeing an Item Info slip 3-30 A Rotate button lets users change the screen orientation 3-31 4-1 The parts of list pickers 4-2 A list picker can contain a two-dimensional tab
Chapter 5 Icons 5-1 Figure 5-1 Figure 5-2 Figure 5-3 Figure 5-4 Figure 5-5 Figure 5-6 Figure 5-7 Figure 5-8 Figure 5-9 Figure 5-10 Figure 5-11 Chapter 6 Data Input Figure 6-1 Figure 6-2 Figure 6-3 Figure 6-4 Figure 6-5 Figure 6-6 Figure 6-7 Figure 6-8 Figure 6-9 Figure 6-10 Figure 6-11 Figure 6-12 Figure 6-13 Distinctive icon shapes are easier to recognize than rectangular icons 5-3 Avoid text in icons 5-4 Small icon resembles large icon 5-5 Use icon elements consistently 5-5 The good, the bad, and th
Figure 6-14 Figure 6-15 Figure 6-16 Figure 6-17 Figure 6-18 Figure 6-19 Figure 6-20 Figure 6-21 Figure 6-22 Figure 6-23 Figure 6-24 Figure 6-25 Figure 6-26 Figure 6-27 Figure 6-28 Figure 6-29 Chapter 7 Routing and Communications Figure 7-1 Table 7-1 Figure 7-2 Figure 7-3 Figure 7-4 Figure 7-5 Figure 7-6 Figure 7-7 xviii The Recognizer button and picker give users control over recognition 6-16 Users may need to control recognition separately in a slip 6-17 In an Alpha Sorter picker, users select a sort k
Figure 7-8 Figure 7-9 Figure 7-10 Figure 7-11 Figure 7-12 Figure 7-13 Figure 7-14 Figure 7-15 Figure 7-16 Figure 7-17 Figure 7-18 Figure 7-19 Figure 7-20 Figure 7-21 Figure 7-22 Figure 7-23 Figure 7-24 Figure 7-25 Chapter 8 A routing slip shows sender, recipient, and type of transport 7-13 Changing the sender’s name or location 7-14 Choosing a printer in a routing slip 7-16 Choosing fax or e-mail recipients in a routing slip 7-17 Switching to another transport in a group 7-18 Setting format and content op
Figure 8-5 Figure 8-6 Figure 8-7 Figure 8-8 Figure 8-9 Figure 8-10 Figure 8-11 Figure 8-12 Figure 8-13 Figure 8-14 Figure 8-15 Figure 8-16 Table 8-1 Figure 8-17 Figure 8-18 Figure 8-19 Figure 8-20 Figure 8-21 Figure 8-22 Figure 8-23 Figure 8-24 Figure 8-25 Figure 8-26 Figure 8-27 xx A standard Find slip specifies what to find and where to look 8-7 Specifying text or date searches in a Find slip 8-7 Specifying a date in a Find slip 8-8 Searching specified applications 8-9 A custom Find slip displays applic
P R E F A C E About This Book Newton 2.0 User Interface Guidelines describes how to create software products that optimize the interaction between people and devices that use Newton 2.0 software. The book explains the whys and hows of the Newton 2.0 interface in general terms and in specific details. Newton 2.0 User Interface Guidelines helps you link the philosophy behind the Newton 2.0 interface to the actual implementation of the interface elements.
P R E F A C E This book assumes you are familiar with the concepts and terminology used with Newton devices, and that you have used a Newton device and its standard applications. What’s in This Book This book begins with a chapter that describes Newton devices such as the Apple MessagePad, what people do with them, and how they differ from personal computers.
P R E F A C E ■ Newton Toolkit User’s Guide. This book introduces the Newton Toolkit (NTK) development environment and shows how to develop Newton applications using Newton Toolkit. You should read this book first if you are a new Newton application developer. ■ Newton Book Maker User’s Guide. This book describes how to use Newton Book Maker and Newton Toolkit to make Newton digital books and to add online help to Newton applications.
P R E F A C E features all current versions of Apple development tools, as well as popular third-party development tools. APDA offers convenient payment and shipping options, including site licensing. To order product or to request a complimentary copy of the Apple Developer Catalog, use the following information: APDA Apple Computer, Inc. P.O.
C H A P T E R Figure 1-0 Table 1-0 1 Newton and Its Users 1 Before you can begin to design an application, it is crucial that you have a clear picture of what a Newton device can do and how people will use your Newton software. This chapter introduces some high-level concepts that will help you clarify that picture. In addition, this chapter presents some basic principles of user interface design that apply to all types of software.
C H A P T E R 1 Newton and Its Users Newton is not a small portable computer with another graphical user interface. There may be similarities between portable computers and Newton devices, but the differences summarized below are more important than the similarities when it comes to designing a user interface for an application.
C H A P T E R 1 Newton and Its Users using a step-by-step approach by thinking of how a person might get from one place to the next in a logical fashion. Involve users throughout the design process and observe them working in their environment. Use people who fit your audience description to test your prototypes and development products. Listen to their feedback and try to address their needs in your product.
C H A P T E R 1 Newton and Its Users Make your application accessible to people around the world by including support for worldwide capabilities in your designs from the beginning of your development process. Take stock of the cultural and linguistic needs and expectations of your target audiences. Observe Basic Human Interface Principles 1 Effective software adheres to certain basic principles no matter whether it runs on a Newton PDA, a personal computer, or a high-powered computer workstation.
C H A P T E R 1 Newton and Its Users Figure 1-1 Metaphors help people quickly grasp how software works Folder button and folder tab for filing notes Calendar for specifying a date Newton doesn’t have to be constrained by the same limitation. Newton folders can hold a limitless number of items (up to the storage capacity of the hardware), and this is an advantage that the Newton can offer.
C H A P T E R 1 Newton and Its Users Direct Manipulation 1 Your product should let users feel that they are directly controlling something tangible, not abstract. Make sure objects on the screen remain visible while a user performs actions on them, and make the result of the user’s actions immediately visible. For example, a user can reschedule a meeting in the built-in Date Book application by dragging the meeting’s icon from one time to another. Figure 1-2 illustrates direct manipulation.
C H A P T E R 1 Newton and Its Users Feedback 1 In addition to seeing the results of their actions, users need immediate feedback when they operate controls and ongoing status reports during lengthy operations. Have your application respond to every user action with some visible change. For example, make sure every button highlights when a user taps it.
C H A P T E R 1 Newton and Its Users You can make your application consistent visually and behaviorally by incorporating standard Newton interface elements in it. Visual consistency helps people learn and then easily recognize the graphic language of the interface. For example, users learn to recognize a black diamond as the source of a pop-up list of choices. Behavioral consistency of the interface means people only have to learn once how to do things such as erasing and scrolling.
C H A P T E R 1 Newton and Its Users Stability 1 Personal digital assistants introduce a new level of complexity for many people. To cope with this complexity, people need some stable reference points. The Newton interface is designed to provide an environment that is understandable, familiar, and predictable. It defines a number of regular interface elements to foster a perception of stability, including view borders, view titles, folder tabs, standard buttons, and standard button locations.
C H A P T E R 1 Newton and Its Users Design for the Newton System 1 In addition to the general user interface principles presented in the previous section, you should keep in mind the guidelines in this section as you design software specifically for the Newton system. Observe the Built-In Applications 1 Your software will coexist with built-in Newton applications and services.
C H A P T E R 1 Newton and Its Users Keep Applications Simple 1 Newton isn’t designed for complex tasks or applications that require viewing a large area or multiple windows of data at a time. Applications that require the user to keep track of several pieces of information at once probably won’t work well because the user must either move around a lot within the application, or deal with many simultaneous or layered views. Studies show that users become confused in those situations.
C H A P T E R 1 Newton and Its Users get confused about what’s frontmost—and therefore about what will be scrolled when the scroll arrows are tapped and which view is currently in use. Also keep in mind when designing your application that future Newton devices may have larger or smaller screens than current Newton devices.
C H A P T E R 1 Newton and Its Users Involve Users in the Design Process 1 The best way to make sure your product meets the needs of your target audience is to show it to the kinds of people you hope will buy it. Do they understand what it’s for and what to do with it? Can they use it? Can they keep track of where they are? Does it help them? You can do this during every phase of the design process to help reveal what works about your product as well as what needs improvement.
C H A P T E R 1 Newton and Its Users Then look at how the Newton can facilitate the tasks. To help plan a task analysis, imagine a scenario in which someone uses your product. List each task a person might perform in that scenario, then break each task apart into its component steps. This allows you to identify each step that a person goes through in order to complete the task. Order the steps according to how people do them.
C H A P T E R 1 Newton and Its Users more specific tasks. These tasks can be based on the task analyses that you performed earlier in the design process. After you determine which tasks to use, write them out as short, simple instructions. Your instructions to the participants should be clear and complete but should not explain how to do things you’re trying to test.
C H A P T E R 1 Newton and Its Users n n “If we can locate the trouble spots, then we can go back and improve the product.” “Remember, we’re testing the product, not you.” 2. Tell the participant that it’s OK to quit at any time. Never leave this step out. Make sure you inform participants that they can quit at any time if they find themselves becoming uncomfortable. Participants shouldn’t feel like they’re locked into completing tasks.
C H A P T E R 1 Newton and Its Users 5. Explain that you will not provide help. It is very important that you allow participants to work with your product without any interference or extra help. This is the best way to see how people really interact with the product.
C H A P T E R 1 Newton and Its Users 7. Ask if there are any questions before you start; then begin the observation. 8. During the observation, remember several pointers: Stay alert. It’s very easy to let your mind wander when you’re in the seventh hour of observing users. A great deal of the information you can obtain is subtle. Ask questions or prompt the participant. Make sure you have a tester protocol that spells out how frequently you prompt and what you say.
C H A P T E R 1 Newton and Its Users Be sure to schedule time between your sessions to make notes and review the session. Jot down any significant points. If you used videotape or audio cassette tape, mark in your notes the specific parts of the tape that you may want to review. To get the most out of your test results, review all your data carefully and thoroughly (your notes, the videotape or cassette tape, the tasks, and so on).
C H A P T E R Figure 2-0 Table 2-0 2 Container Views 2 pictThis chapter describes container views, in which an application shows the user text and graphic information, and in which the user interacts with the information and the application. The chapter presents specifications and recommendations about the appearance and behavior of these container views, including how to display them on the screen, how users interact with them, and how they interact with each other.
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views Figure 2-1 Examples of container views Routing slip Main view Alert box Ordinary slip Palette 2-2 Corrector view
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views When people manipulate container views on the screen, they see immediate visual feedback. As a user drags a movable container view, the view keeps up with the user’s pen, reinforcing the user’s sense of direct manipulation. When people open and close container views, they see a representation of such actions. These mechanisms emphasize that the user is in control and can directly manipulate “real” interface objects such as container views.
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views Figure 2-2 Standard controls for manipulating views Folder tab Drag handle Local scroll arrows Close box Universal scroll arrows Overview button View Title 2 A container view should have a title at the top unless the view’s identity is obvious from its contents. Ordinarily a title consists of text in the bold style of the system font, an optional small icon, and a triple underline, all centered at the top of the view.
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views Figure 2-3 Various title styles Ordinary title with icon Ordinary title without icon Subordinate view title—left-justified No title—view’s contents make its purpose clear The title only identifies the container view’s contents. The title is not a control that the user can tap to change a setting, alter a state, or initiate an action. Controls that do these things are described in Chapter 3, “Controls.
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views View Border 2 Every container view is framed by a border. (A border is not visible if its view fills the screen.) Primarily, a view’s border serves to demarcate what’s in the view and what’s not. Secondarily, certain borders identify special types of container views. In general, Newton views are rectangular and have rounded corners. Use square-cornered borders only when you have a specific need for a particular look.
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views Striped Border 2 A border made of pairs of short, slanted lines edged by a thin black rectangle is used around views known as routing slips (see “Routing Slips” on page 7-12). It’s no accident that this border looks something like the border traditionally printed on airmail envelopes, because routing slips are analogous to postal envelopes. Figure 2-5 shows a routing slip border.
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views Figure 2-6 An alert box has a thick wavy border Plain Border 2 For simplicity, some container views require a plain black border made of medium-weight lines. Figure 2-7 shows examples of views with plain borders. Figure 2-7 Some views need the simplicity of a plain border Drop Shadows It’s possible to add a drop shadow to a view’s bottom and right borders, but this ersatz 3D look is not appropriate for Newton applications.
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views reinforces the notion that there are two parts to a routing slip—an outer part above the shadow and an inner part below it. Figure 2-8 shows acceptable and unacceptable uses of shadows in the Newton interface.
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views Applications are not limited to one main view. The built-in Names File and Date Book applications, for example, have several main views each. Title or Folder Tab 2 An application’s main view should have an ordinary, underlined title at the top unless the view’s identity is obvious from its contents. An application’s main view cannot have an ordinary title at the top if the application allows users to file information in folders.
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views Primary Controls and Status Bar 2 An application’s primary controls go at the bottom of its main view, usually on a status bar. A status bar is not strictly required, but it helps to visually anchor the controls. Figure 2-10 shows sample status bars with assorted controls.
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views Figure 2-11 Separator bars separate multiple items in a scrolling view Controls that affect the item Separator bar Name of item’s folder Indicates type of item Title of item A user creates a separator bar, also called a divider bar, by drawing a line across the view or by tapping a New button on the view’s status bar. Tapping the New button always scrolls to the last item and adds a new blank item below it.
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views The Main View’s Border 2 Every application’s main view must have a border, even if the border is not visible because the view fills the screen. Generally, an application’s main view should have a rounded-corner matte border (as described under “View Border” on page 2-6). Alternatively, a main view can have a plain roundedcorner black border.
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views Auxiliary Views 2 When an application needs to display and input more information than will fit in its main view, it displays an auxiliary view. There are several types of auxiliary views, as shown in Figure 2-13 and detailed in the following sections.
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views An auxiliary view appears in front of the view to which it is subordinate. For details on the customary position of a slip and the front-to-back ordering of views, “How Views Work” on page 2-28. Slips 2 The most common type of auxiliary view is called a slip. An application can use slips to get detailed user input.
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views Movable slips should have matte borders, and stationary slips should not. For instance, routing slips are stationary and have special striped borders. Border styles are described in “View Border” on page 2-6. A slip contains text and controls and may contain icons, pictures, and input fields. Each slip contains some text to indicate the purpose of the slip and what caused the slip to appear. In some cases this text is a title for the slip.
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views In the absence of a take-action button, a Close box means simply, “I’m done with this task.” Close boxes and text buttons are covered in Chapter 3, “Controls.” Input fields follow the guidelines given in Chapter 6, “Data Input.” Notification Alerts 2 An application uses a particular type of auxiliary view, a notification alert, to provide messages about error conditions, warn users about potentially undesirable situations or actions, and announce alarms.
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views Figure 2-17 A Snooze button enables a user to dismiss an alert temporarily How long until the alert reappears Before closing a notification alert, a user can tap the small circled i in the upper left corner to display the date and time at which the notification appeared. While any notification alert is open, the user can scroll through recent messages by using the universal scroll arrows (as described under “Universal Scroll Arrows” on page 2-38).
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views dangerous situation. For example, a confirmation alert appears before Newton restores anything from the backup on a storage card. A confirmation alert has no Close box. Instead, it has labeled buttons, usually one named OK and another named Cancel. The user taps OK to continue the far-reaching or potentially hazardous action or taps Cancel to cancel the action and do something else. Figure 2-18 shows a confirmation alert with OK and Cancel buttons.
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views Status Slips 2 When an application begins an operation that takes more than a few seconds to complete, the application should display a message describing its busy status. The application can display the status message in a view that’s already displayed, or it can display the message in a status slip. Figure 2-19 shows a typical status slip.
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views A status slip does not take the place of the Newton busy cursor, which appears automatically at the top center of the screen when the system temporarily cannot respond to user input (see “Automatic Busy Cursor” on page 8-2). Your application should display a status slip when it begins an operation that takes more than a few seconds to complete.
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views Figure 2-20 A sequence of status messages traces the steps of an operation No progress indicator (barber pole) for a brief operation 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Progress Indicator 2 The progress indicator, if present in a status slip, can take different forms. It can be a simple “barber pole” gauge, which animates a set of diagonal stripes while the operation progresses but does not indicate how much of the operation has been completed.
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views Figure 2-21 A gauge in a status slip measures elapsing progress Close, Stop, or Cancel 2 A status slip usually has a large Close box and a Stop button or Cancel button. Tapping the Stop button or Cancel button halts the operation that’s in progress. If halting the operation takes more than a few seconds, the application should change the status message to “Stopping...” or “Canceling...” while halting is in progress.
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views User Decision 2 Besides reporting on the progress of an ongoing operation, a status slip can report a condition that requires a user to choose one of two alternatives. This type of status slip contains an icon, a message of up to three lines, and two text buttons. This type of status slip does not have a progress indicator, Stop button, Cancel button, or Close box. Figure 2-22 shows an example of a status slip that demands a user decision.
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views Figure 2-23 A palette provides handy access to useful settings Palette A palette has a Close box, or a large Close box if a text or picture button is adjacent, but the user may leave the palette open indefinitely. This has several ramifications, one being that a user must be able to move the palette to get at whatever it is covering. In addition, changes a user makes in a palette should take effect right away.
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views Drawers 2 A drawer is a container view that slides open and closed at the bottom of the screen or at the bottom of another container view. Figure 2-24 shows the Extras Drawer. Figure 2-24 A drawer slides open and closed The Extras Drawer closed The Extras Drawer open A drawer can be used for the main view of an application or for an auxiliary view. It can have a a title, a folder tab, or neither, depending on its function and contents. A drawer must have a Close box.
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views Roll Views 2 In a roll view several discrete, fixed-size subviews are arranged one above another like pictures on a filmstrip. A roll view invariably contains more subviews than can be displayed in full detail at once. To see a subview that’s not currently displayed, a user can scroll through the subviews. Alternatively, a user can see an overview consisting of one-line subview titles. In most applications, users don’t find roll views useful.
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views How Views Work 2 Container views provide immediate feedback about actions a user may take, such as opening, closing, moving, and scrolling. The remainder of this chapter describes these behaviors. Opening Container Views 2 Opening a container view makes it visible and gives the user access to it (unless it is partly or completely obscured by another container view that’s already open). Some of an application’s container views open in response to user actions.
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views The Backdrop 2 A Newton device always has at least one application open, and it is called the backdrop. The backdrop’s main view is at the bottom of the display order. The backdrop cannot be closed, so its main view has no Close box. For example, the backdrop on an Apple MessagePad 120 is initially the Notepad. A user can change the backdrop with the Extras Drawer application.
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views Although modeless views give users more flexibility, modal views have the advantage of being less ambiguous. Nothing a user does in a modal view should take effect until the user taps a button to confirm the state of the modal view. A modal view avoids intermediate states that can occur with a modeless view, where a user’s changes take effect without the user being aware that this is happening.
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views If the main view is movable, your application should save its position before closing it, and should reopen it in the position at which the user left it. Keep users in control. Position of Auxiliary Views 2 When a user opens a slip, palette, or other auxiliary view, your application should initially position it directly over the view to which it relates.
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views view does not get any pen input from outside the parent’s bounds. These restrictions have no practical effect on an auxiliary view that is attached to the root view instead of an application’s base view. Closing a View 2 Closing a container view makes it go away. Most views close in response to user actions. If a view has a Close box (and most views do), a user can close the view by tapping the Close box. A view may also have other controls that close it.
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views Closing a Slip 2 A user can close any slip except a confirmation alert by tapping the Close box at the slip’s lower right corner. The slip goes away, and the application accepts any changes a user made in the slip unless the slip has a take-action button next to the Close box (as described in “Slips” on page 2-15).
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views Figure 2-26 Dragging a view’s drag handle moves the view Drag handle 1. User drags the keyboard view’s drag handle up Changing a View’s Size 2. Keyboard view moves up 2 Your application determines the size of its views. It should base its view sizes on the screen size of the Newton device on which it is running, since Newton screens can come in a wide range of sizes.
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views Figure 2-27 Dynamically adjust a view’s position, size, and layout to fit the screen Sideways orientation on a MessagePad 120 Regular orientation on a MessagePad 120 An application may grow or shrink one of its views in response to user actions, but users should not be allowed to change view size directly. Do not allow users to resize a view by dragging a corner of it. Figure 2-28 shows how the Filing slip changes size after a user creates a new folder.
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views Scrolling 2 An application that deals with multiple instances of similar information— multiple notes in the Notepad, multiple names in the Name File, multiple days in the Date Book, and so on—can’t display all the instances at once in a single view. People scroll the information to move currently displayed information out of view and bring other information into view. The information appears to roll out at one edge of the view and roll in at the opposite edge.
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views Scrolling With Scroll Arrows 2 A user scrolls information in a view by tapping scroll arrows on a Newton device. Scroll arrows always come in pairs, each arrow pointing away from the other and toward information that is currently hidden. Tapping an arrow means “Show me more of the information that’s hidden in this direction.” For example, when a user taps a scroll arrow that points down, the information moves up, bringing up what was just below the view.
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views Each tap on a scroll arrow moves one unit in the chosen direction. Your application determines how much one unit is. For example, the Notepad moves one note for each tap on the arrow; for a note longer than the view, each tap scrolls the number of displayed lines minus one. The Names File application moves one “card” for each tap. The Date Book’s day-at-a-time view moves one day for each tap, and the week-at-glance view moves a week per tap.
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views Figure 2-31 The universal scroll arrows at the bottom of a MessagePad screen Scroll up Scroll down Any view can have its scrolling controlled by user taps on the universal scroll arrows, but they only affect one of the open views. To be affected, a view must meet two requirements. First, the view must be set up during application development to receive taps on the universal scroll arrows.
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views Figure 2-32 How scroll arrows work in the Date Book’s Day view Local scroll arrows scroll month to month Local scroll arrows scroll hour to hour Universal scroll arrows scroll day to day Usually each tap on a local scroll arrow scrolls one item of information. If a user presses and holds the pen on a local scroll arrow, items scroll by continuously. After five items have scrolled by, the application can begin scrolling page by page.
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views Local scroll arrows can use color—white or black—to indicate whether scrolling will bring more items or any more empty space into view. An arrow is black if tapping it will bring more items into view. An arrow is white if tapping it will not bring more items into view. Figure 2-33 illustrates the use of color in local scroll arrows.
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views Figure 2-34 A control for scrolling in four directions Scroll left, right, up, or down There’s an alternate four-way scroller that may be better in some situations. The alternate scroller is more compact than the standard scroller, but users find the standard scroller easier to target. Figure 2-35 shows the alternate four-way scroller.
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views Automatic Scrolling 2 In the discussions of scrolling behavior and appearance in the previous sections, the user controls scrolling by deciding which scroll arrow to use and how long to use it. Most of the time the user should be in control, but sometimes an application should scroll a view automatically. When your application performs an operation and the effect is to select something that’s not currently visible, your application must scroll to show the new selection.
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views Scrolling Performance 2 Scrolling the contents of a view can sometimes seem slow. Here are some techniques you can use to improve scrolling speed: ■ Implement the accelerated scrolling behavior described in “Local Scroll Arrows” on page 2-39. ■ Scroll multiple lines at a time, rather than just a single line at a time, when the user taps a scroll arrow. ■ Reduce the number of child views that need to be redrawn, if possible.
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views Figure 2-37 How an overview relates to a detail view An overview commonly takes the form of a table of contents. It lists the titles or names of items that can be viewed in more detail. Together with the name or title of each item, the overview lists a a key bit of information about the item. For instance, the Notepad lists the first part of each note next to its title. The Names File lists a phone number with each name. The Call Log lists the date and time of each call.
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views on the selected items with controls in the status bar, such as a Filing button or Action button (see “Primary Controls and Status Bar” on page 2-11). A gray line separates checkboxes from data items. If an overview lists items that users may have filed in folders, the overview should have a folder tab at the top so users can determine which folder’s items are displayed (see “Folder Tab” on page 8-19).
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views Switching to and from an Overview 2 To see an overview, a user taps the Newton device’s Overview button. The detail item that was displayed should either be centered in the overview or at the top of the overview. Figure 2-39 shows the change when a Names File user taps the Overview button. Figure 2-39 Getting an overview 1. Before tapping the Overview button 2. After tapping the Overview button To see an item in detail, a user taps its title in the overview.
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views displayed, causes the normal view of the tapped name to appear; but tapping the right part of the line, where the telephone number is displayed, initiates a phone call. If an application spends more than a few seconds preparing an overview, it should display a status slip with a message such as “Preparing overview...” (see “Status Slips” on page 2-20). Scroll and Overview in an Overview 2 An overview should respond to the universal scroll arrows and the Overview button.
C H A P T E R 2 Container Views Closing an Overview 2 Tapping the Close box has the same effect whether a view is displaying item detail or an overview—the application closes. Tapping a Close box in an overview does not switch to item detail. Nonfunctional Scroll and Overview Controls 2 Some views scroll or display an overview, but not both. Rather than doing nothing when a user taps a nonfunctional scroll or overview control, a view should provide feedback.
C H A P T E R Figure 3-0 Table 3-0 3 Controls 3 Controls are graphic objects that cause instant actions or audible results when the user manipulates them with the pen. Some controls change settings that modify future actions. Other controls allow users to make choices or to assign parameters in a range. Controls display existing choices so that they are visible to users. Because of their appearance and behavior, controls enhance the user’s sense of direct manipulation.
C H A P T E R 3 Controls Buttons 3 A button is a small graphic object that performs an action when tapped. The action that the button performs is described by text or a picture on the button, as shown in Figure 3-1.
C H A P T E R 3 Controls Text Button Sizes 3 A text button should be the same height as the large Close box (described under “Close Boxes” on page 3-14) and wide enough for its name to fit centered on one line in the bold style of the system font. Make the button wide enough to leave as much space at the sides of the text as there is space above the text. On an Apple MessagePad, make text buttons 13 pixels tall (not counting the 2-pixel black border).
C H A P T E R 3 Controls If your application has buttons whose names change during the operation of the application, the application must resize the button when its name changes so that the spacing always conforms to the guidelines. Naming Text Buttons 3 Keep button names short. Never use more than three words for a button name, and try to limit button names to one word. Capitalize button names like book titles.
C H A P T E R 3 Controls Figure 3-4 Name buttons distinctively wherever possible Use a specific verb Avoid a vague affirmative There are cases where a button named OK or Yes serves best. You may want to name a button with a vague affirmative to encourage the user to look elsewhere in the slip for a complete description of a pending action with far-reaching consequences. Another place to use OK or Yes is in a slip where you simply can’t name the action to be taken with one or two words.
C H A P T E R 3 Controls Figure 3-5 Where to use a button named Cancel Use Cancel with OK or Yes Don’t use Cancel with a specific action A button named Cancel should close the view it’s in and return the application to the state it was in before the view appeared. Cancel means “Dismiss the operation I started, with no other effects.” A Cancel button should not be the only button that can close a view; in such a view, use a Close box instead.
C H A P T E R 3 Controls Picture Buttons 3 A picture button is a small picture (an icon) that represents the button’s function. The picture is usually bordered by a rounded rectangle, like a text button with a picture instead of a text name. Figure 3-7 shows several picture buttons.
C H A P T E R 3 Controls its picture has an unbroken line around it—a sort of self-border. Figure 3-8 shows where you should omit picture button borders and where you should keep the borders.
C H A P T E R 3 Controls Button Behavior 3 Although text buttons and picture buttons look different, their basic behavior is the same. Both types of buttons provide similar feedback to the user, and an application disables both types the same way. Button Feedback 3 When a user taps a text button or a picture button, the button highlights (inverts) to give visual feedback to the user that the item has been tapped. Figure 3-9 shows how several buttons look when highlighted.
C H A P T E R 3 Controls the pen on the screen, the button becomes unhighlighted. The button tracks the pen movement as long as the user keeps pressing the pen. If the user slides the pressed pen back over the button, it is highlighted again. If the user lifts the pen while the pointer is not over the button, nothing happens. The display of electronic ink is turned off while the pen is tracked.
C H A P T E R 3 Controls A button can disappear and reappear with no visual effect or with a subtle visual effect such as zoom closed and zoom open. Generally, buttons should not flash as they appear. Visual effects that attract the eye virtually compel immediate action, as if they were shouting, “Tap me now!” Button Placement 3 Text buttons and picture buttons are easiest to use at the bottom of the view that contains them. In that position a user’s hand won’t cover the view while tapping a button.
C H A P T E R 3 Controls Figure 3-11 Where to put buttons in a view Buttons on a separator bar affect only the item below them Buttons on a button bar affect only the item above them Buttons on a status bar affect the whole view Button Spacing 3 Group text and picture buttons with similar functions together. Users assume buttons near each other are related. Generally, buttons that directly control or take action are on the right, and buttons that affect content or appearance are on the left.
C H A P T E R 3 Controls Avoid spacing consecutive buttons so close together that they look cramped. On an Apple MessagePad, space consecutive buttons in a group three pixels apart, and leave four pixels between buttons and the view’s border. If you must, you can reduce the space between consecutive buttons to two pixels, but no less. Figure 3-13 illustrates the MessagePad guidelines.
C H A P T E R 3 Controls Large Buttons 3 If a user needs to be able to tap some text buttons or picture buttons in your application with a finger instead of a pen, you can use large buttons. If your large buttons won’t fit at the bottom of a view, it’s OK to put them along one side of the view. Put them only on one side, but be sure the user can choose whether they appear on the right or left.
C H A P T E R 3 Controls Always put the Close box or large Close box in the bottom right corner of the container view it closes. Where to Use a Regular Close Box 3 The contents of a container view determine whether it should have a Close box or large Close box. A large Close box looks best alongside text buttons or picture buttons. A regular Close box does not look good next to text or picture buttons because it is smaller than they are.
C H A P T E R 3 Controls picture buttons, but do not use a large Close box in a slip with an OK or Yes button. Instead, use a Cancel button (see “Naming Cancel- and Stop-Action Buttons” on page 3-5). Figure 3-16 shows where to use a large Close box and where not to use one.
C H A P T E R 3 Controls There are two types of radio buttons. One is a small oval that is empty if it is not selected, or is filled with solid black if it is selected. The oval radio button is labeled to the right with a word or phrase. The second type of radio button is a small picture with a border (unless the picture itself has a continuous edge). Typically, several of these picture radio buttons are placed next to each other, and the one that is selected is indicated by a thick border.
C H A P T E R 3 Controls To operate a radio button the user can tap any part of it, including the text or picture that identifies it. Tapping one button in a cluster turns off whichever button was on before. A cluster of radio buttons must contain at least two items. Instead of using a single radio button, use a checkbox (see the next section, “Checkboxes”). At the opposite extreme, a cluster shouldn’t contain more than seven radio buttons.
C H A P T E R 3 Controls Figure 3-18 Each checkbox can be on or off Checkbox off Checkbox on You can have one checkbox or as many as you need. Checkboxes are independent of one another, even when they offer related options. Any number of checkboxes can be on or off at the same time. It’s a good idea to group sets of checkboxes that are related, and to separate the groups from other groups of checkboxes and radio buttons. Each group may have a heading to identify it.
C H A P T E R 3 Controls the user may briefly ponder the significance of changing the checkbox’s state. For example, a checkbox in a fax routing slip lets a user select fine resolution or not. This option could be implemented with two radio buttons, perhaps labeled “Fine” and “Standard.” A user is more likely to think about all the ramifications of the choice with a checkbox than with two radio buttons. Figure 3-19 illustrates the two approaches. Figure 3-19 One checkbox vs.
C H A P T E R 3 Controls Figure 3-20 A slider used for data input Slider Hot Spots 3 Some views need to have many small, unnamed controls that respond like buttons when tapped. For example, a view that contains a map might respond to a user tapping a place on the map by displaying information about the place tapped. These hot spots may be visible or transparent. Make it clear what elements of a view are hot spots unless you want to hide them from users.
C H A P T E R 3 Controls Figure 3-21 1. A user taps a hot spot Providing feedback for small, transparent hot spots 2. A list of nearby cities appears, and the user can tap one to select it 1. A user taps where there isn’t a hot spot 2. The application provides feedback nevertheless Of course, sometimes the whole point of hot spots is to make users guess where to tap. Secret hot spots would be fine in maps meant to teach geography by exploration, for example.
C H A P T E R 3 Controls Other specific controls defined by the Newton system are described elsewhere. For descriptions of scroll arrows and the overview button, see “Scrolling” on page 2-36and “Overview” on page 2-44. The Undo button is described in “Error Correction” on page 6-37. The Notify Icon is described in “Notify Button and Picker” on page 8-2. The Action button is described in “Action Button and Picker” on page 7-8.
C H A P T E R 3 Controls Figure 3-23 Where an Info button goes Info button without Analog Clock button Info button with Analog Clock button Recognizer Button 3 A Recognizer button lets users control the system’s recognition of handwriting and drawing. An application’s main view should have a Recognizer button to the right of the Info button on its status bar if users can write or draw in the main view.
C H A P T E R 3 Controls Tapping a Recognizer button pops up the Recognizer picker, which is described in “User Control of Recognition” on page 6-16. For more information on recognition of handwriting and drawing, see “Recognition” on page 6-15. Keyboard Button 3 A Keyboard button lets users bring up an on-screen keyboard. Users can also use the Keyboard button to switch between the available styles of on-screen keyboards.
C H A P T E R 3 Controls New Button 3 A New button lets users create a new data item and to specify the format of the item, such as a new note, checklist, or outline in the built-in Notepad application. If users can create new data items in your application, it should have a New button to the right of the Keyboard button on the status bar. Figure 3-27 shows a New button on a status bar.
C H A P T E R 3 Controls Filing Button 3 A Filing button lets users designate a folder and a storage location (if more than one is available) for data that’s currently displayed. How much data is affected depends on where the Filing button is located. If the Filing button is on a status bar, it affects all the data in the main view or all the selected items in an overview. If the Filing button is on a separator bar, it affects the information between that separator bar and the next one.
C H A P T E R 3 Controls card, the Filing button contains a small black triangle. If the item is stored internally, the Filing button contains nothing. Figure 3-30 compares the two states of the Filing button. Figure 3-30 A Filing button reports where a data item is stored Stored internally Stored on a card Action Button 3 An Action button lets users send data through various means, such as print, fax, beam, and e-mail.
C H A P T E R 3 Controls Figure 3-31 Where an Action button goes Action button on a separator bar Action button in a slip Action button in the backdrop application’s status bar Action button on a status bar Tapping an Action button pops up the Action picker, which is described on page 4-26. For general information about sending and receiving data, see Chapter 7, “Routing and Communications.
C H A P T E R 3 Controls Figure 3-32 Seeing an Item Info slip 1. A user taps the Item Info button in a separator bar 2. The Item Info slip for the item below the bar is displayed If a user scrolls an item’s separator bar out of view while its Item Info slip is displayed, the Item Info slip closes automatically and does not reopen automatically if the user scrolls the separator bar back into view. To see the Item Info slip again, the user must tap the Item Info button.
C H A P T E R 3 Controls Figure 3-33 A Rotate button lets users change the screen orientation Rotate button on a MessagePad 120 Standard Newton Buttons 3-31
C H A P T E R Figure 4-0 Table 4-0 4 Pickers 4 A picker is a black-bordered, unmovable view that pops up in response to a user action, such as tapping a button, label, or hot spot. A picker contains a set of items such as commands, attributes, states, or application data. The items may be presented as a simple list, a table with rows and columns, a numerical counter, or a calendar, and those formats can be mixed in a single picker. Users can choose an item or merely browse the picker.
C H A P T E R 4 Pickers List Pickers 4 As its name suggests, a list picker presents users with a list of items from which to choose. This section describes the following aspects of list pickers: ■ what list pickers can contain ■ how the items can be organized ■ where list pickers can pop up ■ how people use list pickers Elements of List Pickers 4 A list picker includes words or icons (bitmap pictures) that name picker items.
C H A P T E R 4 Pickers A list picker does not include a title because the picker’s context should make its purpose clear. The picker may contain scroll arrows, a Close box, and other controls as described in “Using a List Picker” on page 4-9. Check Marks 4 A check mark (✔) has special meaning in a list picker. In a picker that lists attributes, values, or states, a check mark indicates which picker item is in effect.
C H A P T E R 4 Pickers You use different parts of speech to name items in a list picker, depending on what effect they have when the user picks one. For picker items that act as commands, use verbs (or verb phrases) that declare the action that will occur when the user picks the item. For example, Duplicate means “Duplicate the current data item,” and Fax means “Fax the current data item.” Your picker command names should fit into a similar sentence.
C H A P T E R 4 Pickers Figure 4-2 A list picker can contain a two-dimensional table of items Unavailable Items 4 An application may need to make some of a list picker’s items available only in certain contexts. To make items unavailable, an application should remove them from the picker. For example, the Date Book application removes Beam and Mail from its Action picker under some circumstances. Figure 4-3 shows how to make picker items unavailable.
C H A P T E R 4 Pickers Applications should not attempt to imitate the interface of personal computers by dimming unavailable picker items. Although applications can designate picker items as unselectable, the system does not display them in gray text or otherwise make them visibly different from selectable items. Newton picker items should simply disappear when they are unavailable.
C H A P T E R 4 Pickers Figure 4-4 Appropriate grouping Grouping items in list pickers Too many groups Not enough groups For general grouping of items in a picker, you should only use a dotted separator line, never a solid separator line. The solid separator line is reserved for setting apart choices related to storage, such as the names of available card stores and the internal store, at the bottom of a picker (see “Folder Tab” on page 8-19).
C H A P T E R 4 Pickers Figure 4-5 Picker from a text button Pickers can pop up from buttons, labels, and hot spots Picker from a picture button Picker from a label Picker from a hot spot For picker control at the bottom of a view or on the status bar, use text or picture buttons. Elsewhere in a view, label pickers usually look best.
C H A P T E R 4 Pickers Figure 4-6 How a list picker should align with its label or button Button hidden behind picker Best—picker next to its label or button and aligned at top or bottom OK—wide picker above or below its label or button Avoid—picker and its label or button misaligned, or picker completely covering its label or button If you want your application to work when a user rotates the display (with the Extras Drawer’s Rotate button), your application may need to make picker alignment depen
C H A P T E R 4 Pickers Figure 4-7 1. User taps button to pop up its picker Using a list picker from a button 2. User taps a listed item to pick it 3. Picker disappears but button stays highlighted until… 4. Picked item takes effect In the case of a list picker that pops up next to a text label, the current value of the picker (the most recently picked item) is usually displayed next to the picker label. The label and the value are customarily aligned at their baselines.
C H A P T E R 4 Pickers If a user touches a picker list and slides the pen instead of lifting it, the picker tracks the pen movement. As the pen appears over an item in the list, the item is highlighted. When the user lifts the pen within the list, the currently highlighted item blinks briefly, the picker disappears, and the effect associated with the picked item happens. If the user slides the pen outside the list, so that no item is highlighted, and then lifts the pen, the picker simply goes away.
C H A P T E R 4 Pickers Scrolling 4 A list picker may contain too many items to display at once on some Newton devices. This can happen when a user rotates the display (by tapping the Rotate button in the Extras Drawer). It can also happen if a user adds many items to a customizable picker, such as a folder picker. When a list picker becomes too long to fit on the screen, the Newton operating system automatically reduces the picker’s length and adds ordinary local scroll arrows to the picker.
C H A P T E R 4 Pickers Scrolling pickers are harder to use than pickers that don’t scroll, because users have to remember the picker items that aren’t currently visible. You should keep your pickers short and avoid scrolling pickers in your applications. Index Tabs 4 If the list of picker items is very long, scrolling from one end to the other can be tedious.
C H A P T E R 4 Pickers Hierarchical List Pickers 4 If a list of picker items is extremely long, index tabs won’t be enough to prevent interminable scrolling. What happens is a user taps a tab and immediately sees the beginning of the corresponding section of picker items, but the user still must scroll several times to find an item that’s not near the beginning of that section. For example, imagine one picker that lists several hundred cities from around the world.
C H A P T E R 4 Pickers Figure 4-11 How a two-level hierarchy of list pickers works 1. Tapping the diamond label in thefirst-level picker… 2. Pops up the second-level picker 3. Tapping an item in the second-level picker and then tapping theClose box… 4. Lists the corresponding items in the first-level picker.
C H A P T E R 4 Pickers Number Picker 4 A number picker displays a number that a user can change by tapping the digits of the number itself. The digits are large and are split into top and bottom halves to make them easy for users to target. Tapping the top half of a digit increases it, and tapping the bottom half of a digit decreases it. Designed initially to replicate the old “mechanical digital” alarm clocks, the look of the number picker evolved so that only the flipping digits remain.
C H A P T E R 4 Pickers Date and Time Pickers 4 The system includes pickers for specifying a time, a date, a date and time, a start and stop time, a start and stop date, or a time offset. Each of these pickers pops up when a user taps its label, which begins with a diamond. Then the user can specify a date or time by tapping in the picker. The picker does not go away automatically when a user selects a date or time in it.
C H A P T E R 4 Pickers Figure 4-14 Date pickers specify one date or a date range Picking another month (or “Today”) changes the calendar Scrolling changes thecalendar Tapping a date selects it Tapping the top or bottom of a number increases or decreases it Picking another duration changes the stop date Tapping a Close box accepts the selected date 4-18 Date and Time Pickers
C H A P T E R 4 Pickers Overview Pickers 4 Like list pickers, overview pickers can pop up in response to a user tapping a text label or button marked with a black diamond, a picture button, or a hot spot. And overview pickers, like list pickers, are used to present a user with items from which to choose. That’s about where the resemblance between the two types of pickers ends.
C H A P T E R 4 Pickers Figure 4-15 The parts of overview pickers Title identifies type of item being selected Folder tab Alphabetic index tabs Two dashes indicate absent information Scroll arrows Checkboxes for selecting items Button for adding an item Count of items selected Checkbox for listing only selected items Close box First column identifies each data item Second column shows the value to be used In most cases, your application is not responsible for the wording, punctuation, or capital
C H A P T E R 4 Pickers Using an Overview Picker 4 A user makes an overview picker appear by tapping the appropriate label. The picker stays open until the user taps its Close box. The user does not have to press and hold the pen on the button or label to keep the picker open. An overview picker stays open even if a user taps, writes, or draws outside the picker. Picking Items 4 A user selects items listed in an overview picker by tapping them. A selected item has a check mark in its checkbox.
C H A P T E R 4 Pickers Figure 4-16 Entering a new value in an overview picker 1. A user taps in the second column where a diamond indicates a list picker will pop up 2. The user picks the New command 4. The new value appears in the overview picker and the item is selected 3. The user enters a new value in a slip and then taps the slip’s Close box When a user closes an overview picker, the selected item or items are customarily displayed next to the picker label.
C H A P T E R 4 Pickers Users can also scroll overview pickers with the universal scroll arrows. In addition, users can scroll overview pickers by dragging from the middle of the picker past the top or bottom of the picker. Creating New Items 4 When the item a user wants is not included in an overview picker, the user doesn’t have to close the picker and go to another application to create the item. Users can create entirely new items without leaving an overview picker that has a New button.
C H A P T E R 4 Pickers Info Picker 4 The Info picker pops up from the standard Info button at the left end of the status bar and gives users access to preference settings for the application, general information about the application, or on-screen help for the application. The Info picker contain any of these general-information items: About, Help, and Prefs. The Info picker may also contain additional items unique to the application. Figure 4-17 shows several example Info pickers.
C H A P T E R 4 Pickers Choosing Help from an Info picker displays online help for the application. For more information, see “Help” on page 8-28. Choosing Prefs from an Info picker displays a slip containing applicationspecific preference settings. For more information, see “Application Preferences” on page 8-31.
Show Picker 4 The Show picker lists alternative views for displaying data in an application, such as the Card view and All Info view in the built-in Names File application. In an application that supports Newton stationery, the Show picker lists all the available views for types of data that the application uses. The active view has a check mark next to its name in the Show picker.
C H A P T E R 4 Pickers Figure 4-20 The Action picker lists commands for acting on data Routing commands Other action commands Picking a routing command from an Action picker starts the routing process, which is detailed in Chapter 7, “Routing and Communications.” Picking the Duplicate command, if the Action picker includes one, makes an exact copy of the data item or items affected by the Action picker.
C H A P T E R 4 Pickers Figure 4-21 A People picker excerpts items from the Names File and Owner Info applications Names only 4-28 Standard Newton Pickers Names and associated data
C H A P T E R Figure 5-0 Table 5-0 5 Icons 5 This chapter describes how to design icons—those small pictographs that represent objects or actions in the Newton interface. Topics covered include: ■ Designing effective icons ■ Extras Drawer icons ■ Icons in titles ■ Icons in buttons ■ Icons in pickers Designing Effective Icons 5 This section presents some basic guidelines for designing effective icons. Remember that all your icon designs must work in the context of a Newton device.
C H A P T E R 5 Icons Thinking Up an Icon Image 5 An icon is like the proverbial picture that’s worth a thousand words only if it clearly identifies what it represents. Coming up with a tiny, grainy, black-andwhite visual image that is even relevant, let alone unambiguous, can be difficult. Far more of us have learned basic verbal skills than basic visual skills. There are several approaches you can take to finding a visual image that identifies what it represents.
C H A P T E R 5 Icons deleting. Thinking of an object that is representative of the function of your icon is the key to good conceptual design. Remember that for every image you generate, you need to consider the advantages and disadvantages of the idea in regard to your audience before deciding on the final design. Make Shapely Icons 5 People are good at recognizing patterns and shapes, so make the shape of an icon distinctive.
C H A P T E R 5 Icons that display only black and white (no shades of gray or colors), particularly in the smaller icon sizes. Newton icons do not have drop shadows. There is no assumed light source to create an artificial shadow. Avoid Text in Icons 5 Avoid using text in your icons whenever possible. Text in icons can be confusing, and it’s hard to localize for other regions, languages, or countries. It’s appropriate to use text with icons, but not within icons.
C H A P T E R 5 Icons Figure 5-3 Small icon resembles large icon Large icon Small icon similar Small icon different Use Icons Consistently 5 Use icons consistently throughout your application. If there is an existing design for an icon, use it. Don’t invent new designs for icons that have a standard design, such as the icons for printing, faxing, beaming, mailing, duplicating, and deleting.
C H A P T E R 5 Icons Think About Multicultural Compatibility 5 Your icons should be designed with multicultural use in mind. For example, to localize an icon for outgoing communications, you might consider using the design of a mailbox. But if you did, you would have to design a different icon for every country in which your product shipped. Instead, try to design one icon that is understood universally, or at least in many countries.
C H A P T E R 5 Icons spacing comfortable between neighboring icons? How can the icon animate to make it inviting to use? Figure 5-5 illustrates some guidelines to consider when designing icons for the Extras Drawer.
C H A P T E R 5 Icons Extras Drawer Icon Size 5 To maximize the number of icons visible at once, the Extras Drawer puts very little space between the icons in it. An application icon will be easier to recognize if it does not occupy all the space available to it in the Extras Drawer. Icons that fill their entire allotted space appear crowded and piglike. Sorry! A Newton PDA is not a desktop computer.
C H A P T E R 5 Icons Extras Drawer Icon Shape 5 Icons for Newton applications generally should not look like icons for desktop computer applications. Boxy icons are common on desktop computers, where colors and shades of gray can distinguish one icon from another. In the Newton Extras Drawer, boxy black-and-white icons look too much alike, especially when they are in great number or are uniform in size. Try to give your Extras Drawer icon a distinguishing silhouette.
C H A P T E R 5 Icons When a user selects an icon, the Extras Drawer creates the selected form of the icon by combining the unselected form of the icon with the icon’s mask. The Extras Drawer uses the same method to animate one icon as it uses to highlight another. The design of the mask determines how the selected form of an icon looks—highlighted or animated. Figure 5-7 compares a mask used for highlighting with a mask used for animation.
C H A P T E R 5 Icons Figure 5-8 Combining an icon with its mask to animate the icon Not selected Mask Selected If you don’t provide a mask for your application’s icon, the Extras Drawer automatically creates one that is an all-black shadow of the icon. An all-black shadow mask combines with an icon to create a highlighted form of the icon. Title Icons 5 An icon at the beginning of a view title graphically represents whatever the title describes in words.
C H A P T E R 5 Icons Button Icons 5 You can use an icon to label a button. For example, the Action button and the Filing button have icons as labels. The button may have a border or not, depending on the icon design and the button location (see “Picture Buttons” on page 3-7). Figure 5-10 shows a few buttons with icons as labels.
C H A P T E R 5 Icons ■ Icons increase the size of a picker, not only in width but also in height. The larger a picker, the more it obscures what’s beneath it. ■ If you have one icon in a picker, you have to make companions for the other picker items. It can be hard enough to state the name or function of each picker item in a word or two, let alone to design an intelligible tiny pictogram for each item. Use judgment: long pickers may not benefit as much from icons as shorter ones.
C H A P T E R 5 Icons The standard Newton pickers automatically align each icon with its text at their vertical midpoints. If you want to adjust the centering—visually balancing the icon as opposed to mathematically centering it—you can include white pixels at the top or bottom of the icon.
C H A P T E R Figure 6-0 Table 6-0 6 Data Input 6 Although some applications for Newton devices only present information to people, many applications gather data from people as well. A person can input information in a Newton application by ■ Tapping and dragging to select an input from a list or range of options provided by the application ■ Writing and drawing to input text and shapes ■ Typing text on an on-screen keyboard.
C H A P T E R 6 Data Input Figure 6-1 Users enter and edit data in input fields Labeled input fields Align field labels in neat columns, and be consistent in how you align field values with field labels (including picker labels). Line up every field’s label with the field’s displayed value, or line up every field’s label with the dotted line on which a user edits the field value. Use the bold style of the system font for text that is the voice of the application or system, such as field labels.
C H A P T E R 6 Data Input Tapping 6 People can quickly and accurately input data that an application presents in a multiple-choice format such as a picker, scrolling list, set of checkboxes, cluster of radio buttons, or slider. A user simply taps or drags to choose an input value from the options presented. Pickers 6 Pickers allow a user to enter information in a way that is fast, fun, and intuitive. They have the added advantages of being easy to target and taking up minimal real estate.
C H A P T E R 6 Data Input Figure 6-2 1. User taps a field label with a diamond How a picker works for data input 2. Picker pops up, and a check marks the field’s current value 3. User taps a listed input to select it and close the picker 4. Selected input appears next to the field’s label For more information on pickers, see Chapter 4, “Pickers.” Scrolling Lists and Tables 6 Like a picker, a scrolling list is a list of items from which a user selects a field value.
C H A P T E R 6 Data Input Figure 6-3 Data input using scrolling lists with or without checkboxes Check marks a selected item Each tap on a black scroll arrow scrolls one item Highlight marks a selected item If a scrolling list uses local scroll arrows, they should only appear when the list is long enough to require scrolling. Use conventional black and white scroll arrows like those used in a Find slip when the Where option is set to Selected (see “Local Scroll Arrows” on page 2-39).
C H A P T E R 6 Data Input A scrolling list is not the best way to input one value across a range of values. Since the full range isn’t visible all at once in a scrolling list, users have a hard time understanding the scope of their choices. Pickers work well for listing discontinuous values across a range, such as 1 minute, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 30 minutes, and Never. Sliders work very well for displaying a continuous range of values and for letting users choose any value in the range.
C H A P T E R 6 Data Input Checkboxes 6 For a field that can have one or more of a few unchanging values, an application can use a set of checkboxes. Figure 6-5 shows a set of checkboxes. Figure 6-5 With checkboxes, a user can select more than one value for a field Checks mark selected checkboxes A user can select any number of checkboxes by tapping them one by one. Tapping a checkbox that is already selected deselects it.
C H A P T E R 6 Data Input Writing, Drawing, and Editing 6 In some places users can’t be restricted to multiple-choice input methods. They must be able to input their own text or shapes (pictures). The Newton interface includes several elements in which users can write text or draw pictures. Some of these interface elements recognize text from handwriting or printing, some recognize geometric shapes from line drawings, and one interface element recognizes both types of input.
C H A P T E R 6 Data Input ■ Editing Let users edit text—select, delete, copy-and-paste, duplicate, and move. ■ Formatting Let users format individual words and characters in several different fonts, styles, and sizes.
C H A P T E R 6 Data Input Labeled Input Line 6 A labeled input line consists of a simple input line with a text label at its left. Optionally this label can have a pop-up picker that lists common values, and a user can choose one to save the effort of writing it. As usual, a diamond at the beginning of a label indicates the option of a picker. Figure 6-8 shows examples of labeled input lines with and without a picker. Figure 6-8 How labeled text input lines work Picker available No picker 1.
C H A P T E R 6 Data Input Text Input Lines that Expand 6 You can reduce the amount of space required for several stacked input lines in your application by using expanding input lines, which are called expandos. Each expando consists of a text label to the left and a text value to its right. When a user taps an expando (the label or the value), a text-input area expands from it. A user can write in the expanded text-input area, and can close it by tapping another expando.
C H A P T E R 6 Data Input Paragraph Input 6 Another interface element accepts the input of multiple lines or paragraphs of text. This interface element can appear simply as a blank area in which a user can write information, but usually it contains one or more horizontal dotted lines, like lined writing paper. These lines indicate to users that the area accepts input. Figure 6-10 shows an example.
C H A P T E R 6 Data Input Figure 6-11 A user can rearrange a structured list by dragging topic markers Topic marker 1. Before dragging the first topic marker 2. After dragging the first topic marker directly below the last topic marker Shape Input 6 There is one interface element for the input of geometric shapes. It can be a blank area in which users can draw, or it can contain dotted lines to cue users that the area accepts input. Figure 6-12 shows an example.
C H A P T E R 6 Data Input Figure 6-12 Interface element for shape input User draws anywhere ■ Editing Let users edit shapes—select, delete, copy-and-paste, duplicate, reshape, resize, and move. ■ Formatting Let users set the line thickness of individual shapes and shape segments. General Input 6 The one interface element for general input lets a user write text and draw shapes.
C H A P T E R 6 Data Input Figure 6-13 Interface element for general input User draws or writes anywhere Recognition 6 The Newton operating system is able to recognize handwriting, printing, and drawing, transforming it into typeset, editable text or editable geometric shapes. The Newton system can also recognize a common set of pen gestures for correcting and editing input. The recognition system has a sophisticated multiple-recognizer architecture.
C H A P T E R 6 Data Input You don’t need to do anything in your application to handle ordinary recognition. The Newton system’s input interface elements handle recognition of writing and drawing, including a method for users to correct misrecognized words. For example, when a user writes a word on a labeled input line, that interface element automatically passes the pen strokes to the system’s text recognizer, accepts the recognized word back, and displays the typeset word.
C H A P T E R 6 Data Input The Recognizer picker lists the type of recognition options that are appropriate for the type of input users can make. If users can only write text, the recognizer should only include text-recognition options—Text and Ink Text. If users can only draw shapes, the recognizer should only include shapes-recognition options—Shapes and Sketches. The Recognizer picker should include all recognition options if users can write text and draw shapes.
C H A P T E R 6 Data Input Deferred Recognition 6 A user can defer text recognition by selecting Ink Text from a Recognizer picker. While recognition is set to Ink Text, the Newton system recognizes word boundaries but does not recognize words, letters, numbers, or symbols themselves. Later a user can double-tap ink text to have the Newton system recognize it. The user can double-tap one word at a time or can select a group of words and have them all recognized by double-tapping the selection.
C H A P T E R 6 Data Input an Alpha Sorter picker if a user writes ink text in the Name field (which determines the card’s sequence). If your application simply sorts ink text with recognized text, the ink text comes before the recognized text that comes first alphabetically. Figure 6-16 In an Alpha Sorter picker, users select a sort key for ink text Forcing Recognition 6 Under some circumstances your application may have to recognize ink text forcibly.
C H A P T E R 6 Data Input No matter how you have configured recognition for a text field, users can input the wrong type of text if they try hard enough. For example, a user may manage to input numbers where words are the proper type of input. This happens because every kind of text recognition uses the built-in symbols dictionary, which includes all digits and some punctuation together with all letters of the alphabet.
C H A P T E R 6 Data Input ■ Recognize punctuation marks. Preceding a word: single quotation mark, double quotation mark, left parenthesis, or hyphen. Following a word: single quotation mark, double quotation mark, right parenthesis, hyphen, period, comma, exclamation point, question mark, colon, or semicolon. ■ Force capitalization of the first letter of every word. ■ Recognize numbers, including monetary amounts, decimal points, and signs (+ and −).
C H A P T E R 6 Data Input ■ Remove extra space from paragraphs ■ Duplicate text or shapes ■ Change shapes ■ Move objects The techniques people use for these editing actions are described in the next 12 sections (ending with “Moving Objects” on page 6-32). To make these editing actions available in your application, you don’t have to do anything at all as long as you use standard input elements based on Newton prototypes.
C H A P T E R 6 Data Input Figure 6-17 Selecting words and shapes 1. User draws highlighting mark 2. Newton highlights selection A user can extend a selection or select more objects by drawing additional highlighting marks. If they are far apart, the user may select one at a time. Selected objects do not have to be adjacent, but all selected objects must be in the same input area. Anything that is selected remains selected when the user selects more in the same input area.
C H A P T E R 6 Data Input objects that the user has not selected may appear within the borders of the gray selection box, but only the selected objects are highlighted. Erasing Text or Shapes To erase text or shapes, a user scrubs them out with zigzag gestures. Immediately after scrubbing, the user hears a poof sound and sees smoke clouds cover the scrubbed objects. The smoke quickly dissipates to reveal the scrubbed objects have disappeared.
C H A P T E R 6 Data Input Figure 6-19 Scrubbing a little or a lot A whole shape A single word A group of words Part of a shape A single letter (scrub over the letter at least four times) Selected text and shapes (start scrubbing outside the selection to avoid moving it) The effect of scrubbing may be different if a user first selects several objects.
C H A P T E R 6 Data Input Joining Words 6 To join words, a user draws a V between them at their baselines, as shown in Figure 6-20. Figure 6-20 Joining two words 1. User draws a small V between two words 2. System joins the words Breaking Paragraphs 6 To break one paragraph into two, a user draws a backwards L at the desired breaking point, as shown in Figure 6-21. Figure 6-21 Breaking a paragraph into two paragraphs 1. User draws a backwards L 2.
C H A P T E R 6 Data Input Figure 6-22 Inserting space in text Inserts space for one letter Inserts space for a single line Inserts space for a word (the longer the line, the bigger the space) Inserts space for several lines (the longer the vertical line, the bigger the space) Breaks the line and inserts space for several lines Inserting New Text 6 When a caret is displayed in an input area, it marks the point where the Newton system will insert newly written words.
C H A P T E R 6 Data Input A user can move the caret simply by tapping the screen at the desired location. Users always know and control exactly where their writing goes. The caret is not displayed if a user turns off the “Insert new words at caret” option in the Handwriting Recognition section of the built-in Preferences application. In that case, a user can insert a new word by writing it on top of the word it should precede; the Newton system shifts the old word to the right and inserts the new word.
C H A P T E R 6 Data Input Replacing Text 6 By extending the method for inserting text, a user can replace existing text. Instead of tapping to position the caret, the user drags the highlighting mark to select the text to replace. Then the user writes the replacement text anywhere on the screen and the selected text is replaced. Correcting Misrecognized Text 6 If the Newton system does not recognize a word correctly, the user can correct it by several means.
C H A P T E R 6 Data Input with which the user can type corrections. Tapping the Corrector button brings up a Corrector view, in which the user can make corrections to individual letters. The user can write over a letter to replace it, delete a letter by scrubbing it, or insert a space in which to write an additional letter. In addition, the user can tap a letter in the Corrector view to pop up a Correction picker that lists alternate letters plus the commands Insert and Delete.
C H A P T E R 6 Data Input Changing Capitalization of Text 6 To change how a word is capitalized, a user selects the word and then draws a vertical line over it. Drawing the line in an upward direction over the first letter of the word capitalizes that letter. Drawing the line upward over the middle of the word capitalizes all letters. Drawing the line downward changes capital letters to lowercase.
C H A P T E R 6 Data Input Moving Objects 6 A user can move an object—text, ink text, sketch, shape, or a combination of them—by selecting the object and then dragging it to another part of the same input area or to another visible input area. The user can also drag the selected object to the top, left, or right edge of the screen, where it becomes a miniature and attaches itself to the edge of the screen.
C H A P T E R 6 Data Input Displaying Keyboards 6 There are several ways users can display a keyboard. One is to double-tap any blank space in a text-input area. Another is to double-tap a word to bring up a Correction picker and then tap the keyboard in that picker (as described under “Correcting Misrecognized Text” on page 6-29). Users can also bring up a keyboard by tapping any visible Keyboard button.
C H A P T E R 6 Data Input Figure 6-29 A keyboard can be embedded in a data-input slip Keyboard Position 6 When a user brings up a keyboard it should appear centered above the status bar, floating above other views. If possible, the keyboard should be situated vertically where it does not cover the text-insertion caret. A user can move a keyboard by dragging its drag handle, and can bring up other views above the keyboard.
C H A P T E R 6 Data Input Return 6 In a field that allows entering multiple lines of text, the return key inserts a carriage return at the text-insertion caret. It ends the current paragraph and moves the caret to the beginning of the next line. In a field that allows entering one line of text, the return key moves the caret to the next text-input field in the same container view. Tapping the return key is never a shortcut for tapping a button or other control.
C H A P T E R 6 Data Input and other nonalphabetic keys. The caps key locks on when tapped and stays on until tapped again; even closing a keyboard does not turn off the caps key. Option 6 The option key changes the character produced by the next tap on a character key to produce a set of international characters and special symbols. For example, in many Newton fonts, option-4 produces the ¢ symbol, option-r produces ®, and option-g produces ©.
C H A P T E R 6 Data Input When a user holds the pen on a key for a certain amount of time, the system acts as if the user were repeatedly tapping that key. This feature, called auto-repeat, affects character keys and modifier keys alike. Auto-repeat does not function during type-ahead. It operates only when the Newton system is ready to accept typing. Error Handling 6 Applications need to strictly check user input for errors while providing several easy ways for users to correct their mistakes.
C H A P T E R 6 Data Input When a user initiates an action that can’t be undone and could be very difficult to reverse by hand, your application should warn the user and give the user a chance to cancel the action. For example, if a user is about to change a lot of text with a search-and-replace operation that can’t be undone, display a confirmation slip that says something to the effect of, “OK to make this change? (Can’t undo).
C H A P T E R Figure 7-0 Table 7-0 7 Routing and Communications7 The Newton system provides a standard user interface for sending and receiving data by several communications methods, called transports. Most Newton systems come with transports for printing, faxing, beaming, and e-mailing. You can develop additional transports that users can install and remove at will, independent of installing and removing applications.
C H A P T E R 7 Routing and Communications ■ How users route incoming data items ■ When and how transports should display status information ■ When and how transports should allow users to stop an ongoing transfer of data items ■ How transports should provide user preference settings ■ What alternative routing methods are available This chapter discusses the Newton routing and communications interface in the context of the applications and the transports that come with most Apple MessagePad mod
C H A P T E R 7 Routing and Communications Figure 7-1 The In/Out Box application displays either the In Box or the Out Box The In Box 7 The In Box is where a user first sees and deals with incoming faxes, e-mail, beamed items, and other data items received by Newton transport software. Users can view many types of incoming data items in detail while the items are still in the In Box, and can send some items directly from the In Box.
C H A P T E R 7 Routing and Communications The Out Box 7 The Out Box holds data items coming from all applications and waiting to be printed, faxed, beamed, e-mailed, or sent by other Newton transport software. Items in the Out Box stay there until a user physically connects the Newton to a suitable output device and chooses to send the items. For example, a user may choose to fax and e-mail several items while aboard an airplane.
C H A P T E R 7 Routing and Communications Table 7-1 Status Meanings of status words in the In/Out Box headers Meaning In Box New Body has not been displayed yet Read Body has been displayed Remote Body has not been received yet (just header) Logged Item logged (header kept; body deleted) Out Box Pending Item not ready for sending (routing slip incomplete) Ready Item ready for sending Sent Item sent Logged Item logged (header kept; body deleted) Error Attempt to send failed Viewing
C H A P T E R 7 Routing and Communications If applications provide multiple view templates for the type of data currently on display in the In/Out Box application, the In/Out Box includes a Show button and picker, so users can choose among the available views. For example, when a Names File item is displayed in the In/Out Box, the Show picker lists at least the two choices All Info and Card (which the Names File application provides). Figure 7-2 illustrates a Show button in the In/Out Box.
C H A P T E R 7 Routing and Communications Figure 7-3 Viewing routing information in an Item Info slip 1. User taps Item Info button (transport icon) 2. Item Info slip appears Routing Outgoing Items 7 There are several steps involved in sending an item from an application through the Out Box to an output device. First, a user chooses a routing action from an Action picker.
C H A P T E R 7 Routing and Communications Action Button and Picker 7 Users can send items from any application that has an Action button, which is a picture button that looks like the back of an envelope. To send the currently selected data item, a user picks a routing action from the Action picker that pops up when the user taps an Action button. The Action picker lists all transports capable of sending the currently selected data item, and it may list other actions provided by the application.
C H A P T E R 7 Routing and Communications An Action Button’s Location 7 The scope of an Action button determines where it should be located. If an Action button can affect all the data in a view, it should go at the bottom right corner of the view, next to the view’s Close box. For example, the main view of the Names File application has one Action button, and it affects all data in the view.
C H A P T E R 7 Routing and Communications In a view where an Action button can only affect one data item of several that may be displayed (perhaps by scrolling the view), there should be an Action button above each item, at the right side of the view. Generally, such a view has a separator bar above each data item, and an Action button should be at the right end of each separator bar. For example, each note in the Notepad application has its own Action button, which applies just to that note.
C H A P T E R 7 Routing and Communications Figure 7-7 An Action picker can include two kinds of actions Actions that involve transports Other actions— handled by the application Separator line Note that the first action listed in an Action picker has the name of the target item appended to it (for example, “Print Note”). Other actions listed in the same picker do not have the name of the target item appended.
C H A P T E R 7 Routing and Communications In addition to putting transports and transport groups at the top of an Action picker, the system puts application-defined actions at the bottom of the picker. An application can define actions that appear in all its Action pickers. It can also define a different set of actions for the Action picker in a specific view (and the views it contains).
C H A P T E R 7 Routing and Communications Figure 7-8 A routing slip shows sender, recipient, and type of transport Sender Type of transport Recipient Content options Sends to Out Box Cancels routing The system animates the display of a routing slip. First the envelope panel appears to slide onto the screen from the right. Then the lower panel appears to slide out of the envelope. A routing slip is part of a transport, not part of an application.
C H A P T E R 7 Routing and Communications Figure 7-9 Changing the sender’s name or location Names from Owner Info Worksites from Owner Info Choose a city from Time Zones The Sender picker lists the owner names and worksites that have been entered in the built-in Owner Info application. The last item in the Sender picker, Other City, brings up a picker from which a user can choose another city.
C H A P T E R 7 Routing and Communications Recipient Pickers 7 The kind of recipient information displayed in the center of a routing slip envelope depends on the kind of transport involved. For printing, the recipient is the model or name of the printer to use. For faxing or e-mail, the recipient is a name and fax number or e-mail address taken from the Names File. For beaming, the recipient is any device with a compatible infrared port.
C H A P T E R 7 Routing and Communications Figure 7-10 Choosing a printer in a routing slip Most recently selected printers Choosing Fax or E-mail Recipients 7 The recipient in a fax or e-mail routing slip is a picker label. Tapping it pops up a picker that lists names a user has recently chosen, along with an Other Names item. The user can select a recipient from the picker list, or the user can tap Other Names to select different recipients from a People picker.
C H A P T E R 7 Routing and Communications copy) field identifies recipients whose names and addresses are hidden from To and Cc recipients. Figure 7-11 illustrates the process of choosing fax or e-mail recipients. Figure 7-11 Choosing fax or e-mail recipients in a routing slip Eight most recently used names for the same transport Alternate addresses The transport determines the type of address information extracted from the Names File. Dashes indicate absent information.
C H A P T E R 7 Routing and Communications The very first time a user taps the recipient in a fax or e-mail routing slip, the picker that lists recently used names does not appear because no names have been used yet. Instead, a People picker appears immediately, listing possible recipients from the Names File. Transport Picker 7 A transport displays its name and icon (dressed as a postage stamp) in the upper right corner of its routing slip.
C H A P T E R 7 Routing and Communications To the left of the Close box is a text button labeled with the name of the routing action.Tapping this text button, which is known as the Send button, closes the routing slip, but with different animation than the Close box. First the lower panel slides up, as if it were going into the envelope part of the routing slip. Then the envelope slides off the screen to the right.
C H A P T E R 7 Routing and Communications Other Routing Slip Elements 7 A routing slip’s lower panel may have additional controls and pickers that affect what is sent and how it is sent. The system includes a Format picker if there is more than one format for the class of data being sent. A transport may include additional pickers, buttons, checkboxes, radio buttons, and other interface elements that users may need to prepare the routing action.
C H A P T E R 7 Routing and Communications Figure 7-14 Data class Format choices vary by transport and class of data Faxing—multiple formats in picker E-mailing—single format so no picker needed One Notepad item One Names File item Multiple Names File items Date Book detail Can’t e-mail this class of data Although a transport specifies most items in its routing slip, it does not determine which formats to list in a Format picker.
C H A P T E R 7 Routing and Communications Each application defines routing formats for its classes of data and registers the formats with the system. Typically, an application defines several routing formats so that users have a choice of routing actions. For example, an application might define two formats for printing and faxing image data, one format for beaming or e-mailing structured data, and another format for e-mailing text data.
C H A P T E R 7 Routing and Communications Each time a routing slip opens, the system initially sets the format to the format most recently used for the transport and class of data. If the class of data has never been routed through the transport before, the system makes the initially selected format the first format it finds. Preview Button 7 A transport that routes page images should allow users to preview the pages from its routing slip.
C H A P T E R 7 Routing and Communications Sending Out Box Items 7 Items a user chooses to send later (as described in “Send Button and Close Box” on page 7-18) wait in the Out Box until the user is ready to have the transports transfer the items out of the Newton device. At that time the user connects the Newton to an output device and chooses a matching output service from the Send picker that pops up when the user taps the Send button in the Out Box.
C H A P T E R 7 Routing and Communications Receiving In Box Items 7 To receive items, a user can pick a routing action from the In Box’s Receive picker, which pops up when the user taps the Receive button. The Receive picker lists all Newton transports capable of receiving data items from external sources. Figure 7-18 shows a sample Receive button and picker.
C H A P T E R 7 Routing and Communications Figure 7-19 Connection setup varies by transport Built-in fax transport displays this slip An e-mail transport might display this slip A transport can also allow users to schedule times when it automatically connects and receives incoming items. Users schedule connect times by setting preferences in the In/Out Box application, as described in “Transport Preferences” on page 7-32.
C H A P T E R 7 Routing and Communications action from the Tag picker, which pops up when the user taps the Tag button. The Tag picker lists only actions that apply to at least one of the selected items. Figure 7-20 shows a sample Tag button and Tag picker.
C H A P T E R 7 Routing and Communications of the built-in applications registers to accept page-image data like faxes, and the built-in fax transport does not include a method for putting away items it receives, so the Tag picker does not include a Put Away action when a user selects only faxes in the In Box. The Tag picker does include Put Away when a user selects faxes together with some other class of data that can be put away, but the selected faxes are not put away.
C H A P T E R 7 Routing and Communications Extending the Tag Picker 7 A transport can add actions to the Tag picker. For example, an e-mail transport might add the actions Reply and Forward so users could reply to and forward received e-mail directly from the In Box. The built-in transports define the following action items: Reply, Forward, Copy Text to Notepad, and Add Sender to Names. There is a standard icon for each of these actions.
C H A P T E R 7 Routing and Communications Figure 7-21 7-30 Routing Status Status slips apprise users of lengthy transport activities
C H A P T E R 7 Routing and Communications Transports can dynamically switch from one type of status slip to another without closing the status slip, and can easily update the contents of the status slip as well (for example, updating a progress indicator). All transports that use the standard status slips have a similar user interface and match the use of other status slips throughout the system. For general information on status slips, see “Status Slips” on page 2-20.
C H A P T E R 7 Routing and Communications Transport Preferences 7 The Newton system stores user-configurable preferences and other configuration information for the built-in transports, and can do the same for custom transports. The stored preferences correspond to items in a preferences slip for each transport. Users access the transports’ preferences slips from the Info picker that pops up when a user taps the Info button in the In/Out Box application.
C H A P T E R 7 Routing and Communications Figure 7-23 Preference item Some common preference items for transports Example Whether to show or hide status slips When to send Upon completing routing slip From Out Box Specify in routing slip What to do with sent items Where to file sent items or log entries Where to file read items A transport’s preferences slip can include other items, such as buttons.
C H A P T E R 7 Routing and Communications A preferences slip can also include an Info button in the lower left corner. Tapping it pops up an Info picker that lists at least the one item Help. Generally, picking Help from this Info picker simply displays the system help book, open to the routing section. A transport can add more items to the Info picker that pops up in a Preferences slip. Routing Alternatives 7 There are some alternatives to the Action picker method of routing.
C H A P T E R 7 Routing and Communications Another way users can route items through most transports is with the Intelligent Assistant. In addition, applications can route items programmatically. These two routing methods are described in more detail in the remainder of this section. Routing by Intelligent Assistant 7 In addition to using an Action button to send outgoing items, a user can send items by using the Intelligent Assistant.
C H A P T E R 7 Routing and Communications Programmed Sending 7 An application can send an item programmatically, using a specific transport, without any user intervention. (The Action button is not used in this case.) For example, an application might have a transport make a connection whenever a user opens the application, and break the connection when the user closes the application.
C H A P T E R Figure 8-0 Table 8-0 8 Newton Services 8 This chapter describes the user interface for Newton system services not described in other chapters.
C H A P T E R 8 Newton Services Automatic Busy Cursor 8 The system lets users know when it is temporarily busy and may be unable to respond to their input by displaying a small graphic, called the busy cursor, at the top of the screen. Your application or transport does not need to do anything to benefit from this feedback; the system displays the busy cursor automatically as needed. Figure 8-1 shows a busy cursor.
C H A P T E R 8 Newton Services Figure 8-2 The Notify button signals an ongoing action or deferred alert The Notify button If your application displays a status slip with a Close box while it performs a lengthy action, and a user taps the Close box, your application should register the ongoing action with the Notify service. The system will continue processing the action in the background.
C H A P T E R 8 Newton Services When a user chooses an action or alert from the Notify picker, the Notify service automatically removes the chosen item from the picker. If your application or transport completes an action listed in the Notify picker, it must remove the action from the Notify picker by unregistering the action with the Notify service. The Notify service automatically removes the Notify button when the last item is removed from the Notify picker.
C H A P T E R 8 Newton Services The Snooze button is optional. Your application can use a plain notification alert without a Snooze button (see “Notification Alerts” on page 2-17) or no notification alert at all. Unacknowledged Alarms 8 Your application does not have to do anything to handle alarms that a user does not acknowledge.
C H A P T E R 8 Newton Services A user sets the volume of alarm sounds in the Alarm section of the Prefs application. Your application should not change the alarm volume set by the user. Sound 8 Your application can easily associate a sound with a system event or play sound on demand. Each sound can be played synchronously, so that other tasks must wait for it to finish, or asynchronously, so that another task can begin before the sound finishes.
C H A P T E R 8 Newton Services Figure 8-5 A standard Find slip specifies what to find and where to look Tapping the Find button brings up the Find slip The standard Find slip contains a labeled input line used to specify a search criterion and several radio buttons used to specify the scope of the search. The labeled input line has a picker for specifying the kind of search to perform—a text item or a date.
C H A P T E R 8 Newton Services Date Searches 8 Date searches find items dated before, after, or on the date specified in the Find slip. To specify a date, a user taps the date shown in the Find slip. This pops up a standard Date picker, as shown in Figure 8-7. Figure 8-7 Specifying a date in a Find slip 1. User taps the date to pop up a Date picker 2.
C H A P T E R 8 Newton Services the system is to conduct a search. The Find slip in Figure 8-8 depicts a search for the word “Daphne” in the Notepad and Dates applications. Figure 8-8 Searching specified applications Normally the Find service searches applications in their entirety, but the currently active application can separate its data and list the separate parts in the checklist that appears when a user selects the Selected radio button in the Find slip.
C H A P T E R 8 Newton Services Keep in mind that a user may need to scroll among found items while the Find slip is displayed; therefore, when customizing or replacing this slip, avoid making it so large that it obscures the display of the found items. Figure 8-9 shows a sample application named Checkbook that adds a labeled input line with a picker to the standard Find slip.
C H A P T E R 8 Newton Services Initiating or Canceling a Search 8 After using the Find slip to specify the search criteria, a user initiates the search by tapping the Find button. Alternatively, the user can cancel the search by tapping the Close box to dismiss the Find slip. Search Status 8 While a search executes, the system reports its progress in a status slip. Figure 8-10 depicts a typical Find status slip.
C H A P T E R 8 Newton Services Figure 8-11 A Find overview lists items that match search criteria A user can alternately hide and reveal the names of items listed under an application in the Find overview by tapping the application name there. Tapping the name of an item in the Find overview displays a detail view of the item. The Find slip stays open in front of the detail view.
C H A P T E R 8 Newton Services Figure 8-12 The Find slip reports which found item is currently displayed If more than one item was found, tapping the universal down arrow goes to the next found item, and tapping the universal up arrow goes to the previous found item. Tapping the Overview button redisplays the overview of found items. Between uses, the Find service stores the setting of the Look For picker.
C H A P T E R 8 Newton Services Filed data items look to a user like they are in folders, but filed items do not actually reside in a folder or directory structure. Instead, the Filing service tags a filed item to identify the folder in which it belongs. When a user wishes to see an application’s data items belonging to a particular folder, the application displays the data items having the appropriate tag.
C H A P T E R 8 Newton Services The filing options that a user selects in a Filing slip apply to the data in the view that contains the Filing button. If the view contains multiple data items that can be individually selected, such as the items listed in an overview, then the filing options selected by the user apply to the currently selected items.
C H A P T E R 8 Newton Services In a view where a Filing button can affect only one data item of several that may be displayed in the view (perhaps by scrolling the view), there should be a Filing button above each item, at the right side of the view. Generally such a view has a separator bar above each data item, and a Filing button should be at the right end of each separator bar. For example, each note in the Notepad application has its own Filing button, which applies just to that note.
C H A P T E R 8 Newton Services Figure 8-16 A Filing slip can include storage locations, folders, or both A Filing slip should open with the current folder and storage location selected. Your application can override this behavior if it cannot determine a useful initial filing state, such as when a user has selected multiple items for filing from an overview. A Filing slip includes folders that are visible only in the current application as well as folders that are visible everywhere.
C H A P T E R 8 Newton Services Table 8-1 Headings for radio button clusters in Filing slips Heading for storage locations Heading for folders Number of items being filed File this Item on — one File this Item on And file in one File the selected Items on — multiple File the selected Items on And file in multiple — File this Item in one — File the selected Items in multiple NOTE In these headings the word Item is capitalized and may be replaced with the specific type of item being
C H A P T E R 8 Newton Services Figure 8-17 Slips for entering and editing folder names Folder Creation slip has a checkbox for designating where the folder can be seen Folder Editing slip reports where the folder can be seen Users can create up to 12 folders visible everywhere and 12 more folders specific to each application. The system does not permit an application-specific folder to have the same name as a folder that is visible everywhere.
C H A P T E R 8 Newton Services Figure 8-18 A folder tab allows users to filter a view by folder 1. User taps folder tab 2. Folder picker pops up and user chooses what to see At the bottom of a Folder picker, below a solid separator line, your application can have the system list available storage locations. This allows a user to specify a storage location in addition to a folder from which to display items.
C H A P T E R 8 Newton Services A variation on the plain folder tab includes a digital clock and calendar that a user can tap to display the built-in Clock application. Figure 8-20 illustrates a folder tab with clock calendar. Figure 8-20 A folder tab can include a digital clock and calendar Tapping the date and time displays the Clock application Instead of a digital clock and calendar, your application can display a view title in the black area of a folder tab, as shown in Figure 8-21.
C H A P T E R 8 Newton Services Intelligent Assistant 8 The Intelligent Assistant is a system service that attempts to complete actions specified by a user’s written input. You can think of the Assistant as an alternate interface to Newton applications and services. The Assistant can complete a number of tasks using the built-in applications and services, and your application can extend the Assistant to carry out tasks that the application performs.
C H A P T E R 8 Newton Services Figure 8-22 The Assist button makes the Assistant try a written action request 1. User selects written action request and taps Assist button 2. Assistant attempts to complete the requested action Interpreting the Request Phrase 8 The Assistant can attempt to complete an action only if it can construe one from the phrase the user writes or selects before tapping the Assist button.
C H A P T E R 8 Newton Services The Assistant matches words regardless of their capitalization. For example, it considers the word “phone” to be the same as the word “Phone.” The order in which a user writes words is not significant. For example, the phrase “Royce fax” produces the same result as the phrase “fax Royce.” This syntax-independent architecture allows easier localization of applications for international audiences.
C H A P T E R 8 Newton Services Figure 8-23 An Assist slip appears when the Assistant needs more information 1. User writes too few words Prompt message 2. Assist slip displays what user wrote and waits for more 1. User writes nothing No prompt message 2. Assist slip waits for input An Assist slip’s Please picker lists the actions that applications have currently registered with it, as well as eight phrases the Assistant has tried to interpret recently. Figure 8-24 shows a sample Please picker.
C H A P T E R 8 Newton Services Figure 8-24 The Assistant’s Please picker lists known actions and recent phrases Actions that applications have registered with the Assistant Phrases the Assistant has tried to interpret recently The built-in tasks that the Assistant lists in the Please picker include calling, faxing, finding, mailing, printing, remembering To Do items, scheduling meetings, and getting time information from the Time Zones application.
C H A P T E R 8 Newton Services In addition to the Please picker and an input line, an Assist slip has a How Do I? button in the lower left corner for accessing the Newton online help service (see “Help” on page 8-28). In the lower right corner of an Assist slip are a Do button for initiating the action specified in the slip and a large Close box for canceling the action. The primary function of an Assist slip is to specify an action.
C H A P T E R 8 Newton Services Besides providing a means of correcting missing or ambiguous information, a task slip also gives a user one last chance to confirm or cancel execution of the task before the Assistant actually takes action. It’s especially important to provide this opportunity to confirm, modify, or cancel the task if executing it will change the user’s current context (open other applications), modify the user’s data, or inconvenience the user in some way.
C H A P T E R 8 Newton Services Users can also access the built-in help by choosing Help from the Info picker in any built-in application. When accessed through an Info picker, the help overview appears with the appropriate outline topic already expanded. Likewise, your application gives users access to its online help through its Info picker (see “Info Picker” on page 4-24). Another method of accessing online help is through the Extras Drawer.
C H A P T E R 8 Newton Services Preferences 8 Users can see and change two types of preference settings: system-wide and application-specific. System-wide Preferences 8 A user accesses system-wide preferences through the built-in Prefs application. Its main view lists preference categories, and tapping a category displays a slip containing relevant preference items.
C H A P T E R 8 Newton Services Application Preferences 8 Applications provide access to their preference settings through the Info picker (see “Info Picker” on page 4-24). When a user chooses Prefs from an Info picker, the application displays a preferences slip in which the user can see and change application-specific preference settings. Figure 8-27 shows the preferences slips for some built-in applications.
C H A P T E R 8 Newton Services Preferences should be settings that users change infrequently. If you provide choices to users that they will change many times while working with your application, you should implement those choices with a button and picker on the status bar or some other interface element to which users have easy access.
A P P E N D I X Figure A-0 Table A-0 Avoiding Common Mistakes A This appendix summarizes what you should do to avoid the top 20 user interface mistakes. Info Button A Use the Info button—with the “i” icon—and its picker for information options such as Help, About, and Prefs. Always place the Info button at the far left end of the status bar unless your application includes an Analog Clock, which is optional. See pages 3-23, 4-24, 8-28, and 8-30.
A P P E N D I X Avoiding Common Mistakes Picker Placement and Alignment A Align the top of a picker with the top of its button or label. Make exceptions for overview pickers, for other very wide or very tall pickers, or for small screens. See page 4-8. Display a picker so its button or label is at least partially visible, and keep the button or label highlighted while the picker is open. (An overview picker can cover the label or button that makes it appear.) See pages 4-9 and 4-20.
A P P E N D I X Avoiding Common Mistakes Button Size A Make every text button 13 pixels high and center the button’s name vertically. Make the button just wide enough that with the button’s name horizontally centered there are three or four pixels between the name and the button’s left and right borders. See pages 3-3 and 3-7. Capitalization A Capitalize the following items like sentences: checkboxes, field labels, and picker items.
A P P E N D I X Avoiding Common Mistakes Fonts A Use fonts carefully. For the voice of the system and application use the bold style of the System font in 9- or 10-point sizes. For values a user can change use Casual 10- and 12-point. (Those are the fonts that are preset by the system protos.
A P P E N D I X Avoiding Common Mistakes Storage A Allow users to move your application’s data between storage locations with the Filing button in the Extras Drawer’s status bar. This is the method used by the built-in applications. See page 8-14. Date and Time Input A To input dates and times use the specially designed Newton pickers. See page 4-17.
Glossary 9 A view that appears on the screen to warn the user or report an error. alert sound An audible warning from the Newton’s speaker that warns the user of an unusual or potentially undesirable situation. An alert sound may or may not be accompanied by a notification slip. application Software that performs a specific task, such as the Notepad, Date Book, and Names File. application base view The container view that contains all other views that make up an application. Compare to main view.
G L O S S A RY busy cursor button button bar caret character checkbox close Close box command confirmation slip container view GL-2 A graphical signal that the system displays automatically while it is temporarily unable to process user input. A small graphic object that performs an action when tapped. See also picture button and text button. A thick black line with buttons on it. A symbol (^) displayed where the Newton will next insert text that a user writes, prints, or types.
G L O S S A RY context-sensitive control Date Book dimmed divider bar double-tap drag drag handle drawer edit electronic ink endpoint expando Describes an application that can adjust its actions according to the current situation. For example, an application with context-sensitive user input adjusts handwriting recognition according to the type of field (name, date, time, number, phone number, and so on).
G L O S S A RY A built-in container view that displays named picture buttons a user can tap to open applications. field One item of data input. Also, the place in a container view where a user can input a data item by tapping, typing, writing, or drawing. floating container view A container view that initially appears in front of all open sibling views. folder tab A control that allows users to select which folder’s contents are currently displayed in a container view.
G L O S S A RY A slip that reports statistics for an item headed by a separator bar. The statistics include the item’s title, type, creation date, size, and storage location. A user can change an item’s title in the Item Info slip. ink text Words written in electronic ink. input Information transferred into a Newton from some external source, such as the pen or a modem. Compare to output. input area A place in a container view where a user can write or draw.
G L O S S A RY Notepad notification slip output palette parent view persona picker picture button The built-in application for taking and organizing notes, which may contain text and drawings. A view that appears on the screen to warn the user or to report an error. A notification slip may or may not be accompanied by an alert sound. Information transferred from a Newton to some external destination, such as a printer or a modem. Compare to input.
G L O S S A RY point proto template radio button routing routing slip scroll scrolling list select selection separator bar shape sibling views A unit of measurement for type. 1 point equals approximately 1⁄ 72 inch. A predefined template that defines the appearance and behavior of a standard interface element, such as a Close box or a status slip. A proto template is called a “proto” for short.
G L O S S A RY slider slip status box status slip system proto tap tap-and-a-half template text button transport type ahead view GL-8 A control with a marker that indicates an amount, degree, or value in relation to a range of possible values. The user can adjust the setting by dragging the marker on a slider. Compare to gauge.
G L O S S A RY user interface word wrap The rules and conventions by which a device communicates and interacts with the person operating it. The automatic continuation of text from the end of one line to the beginning of the next without breaking in the middle of a word.
Index A About box 4-24 accessibility 1-3 action ongoing 2-23 routing 7-8 Action button 3-28, 7-8 Action picker application commands in 7-10, 7-12 building 7-11 contents 7-10 purpose 4-26, 7-8 separator line in 7-10 transports in 7-10 active application 2-29 aesthetic integrity, as design principle 1-9 Alarms service 8-4 alert box border 2-7 confirmation alert 2-18, 2-28 notification alert 2-17, 2-28 alphabetic index tabs, in list picker 4-13 Alpha Sorter picker 6-18 Analog Clock button 3-23 animating icon 5
I N D E X position of 2-31 slip 2-15 status slip 2-20 AZ index tabs, in list picker 4-13 B backdrop application 2-29, 3-11, 7-9 Beam command 4-26 border alert box 2-7 confirmation alert 2-18 main view 2-13 matte 2-6, 2-13 notification alert 2-17 picture button 3-7 plain 2-8 routing slip 2-7 scrolling list 6-4 shadow 2-8 slip 2-16 striped 2-7 text button 3-3 view 2-6 wavy 2-7 built-in applications, observing 1-10 busy cursor 8-2 button See also radio button Action button 3-28, 7-8 adding to another applica
I N D E X list picker item 4-3 overview picker item 4-20 radio button 3-18 view title 2-5 caps key 6-35 caret gesture for inserting space 6-26 moving 6-35 text insertion 6-27, 6-34, 6-35 Caret picker 6-28 character keys 6-34 checkbox for data input 6-7 defined 3-18 overview picker 4-19 vs.
I N D E X checkbox for 6-7 correcting misrecognized text in 6-29 defined 6-1 drawing input 6-8 duplicating in 6-31 editing of 6-8, 6-21 erasing text or shapes in 6-24 error handling for 6-37 expanding text input line for 6-11 general input 6-14 ink text in 6-18 input field for 6-1 inserting space in 6-26 inserting text in 6-27 keyboard keys for 6-34 labeled input line for 6-10 paragraph input for 6-12 picker for 6-3 radio button for 6-6 recognition in 6-15, 6-18, 6-19 removing extra space in 6-31 replacing
I N D E X sound 8-6 status slip 2-20 user testing 1-3 views 2-3 field label capitalization 6-2 font 6-2 highlighting 4-11 position 6-2 puncuation 6-2 Filing button location 8-15 nothing to file 8-15 purpose 3-27, 8-14 Filing service Filing button and slip 3-27, 8-14 folders 8-14 received items 7-28 summarized 8-13 Filing services folder tab 8-19 Filing slip contents 8-16 editing folders 8-18 folders 8-16 headings 8-17 purpose 3-27, 8-14 scope 8-15 storage locations 8-16 fill, view 2-9 Find service cancelin
I N D E X H header, In/Out Box item 7-4 help 4-24, 7-34, 8-27, 8-28 hierarchical pickers 4-14 highlighting button 3-9 editing mark 6-22 icon 5-10 list picker 4-11 separator line 4-11 hot spot 3-21, 4-7 How Do I? button 8-27, 8-28 human interface design principle.
I N D E X routing 7-35 task slip 8-27 Item Info button 3-29, 7-6 Item Info slip 3-29, 7-6 K keyboard caps key 6-35 character keys 6-34 del key 6-35 displaying 6-33 option key 6-36 position 6-34 return key 6-35 tab key 6-35 types of 6-32 Keyboard button 3-25 Keyboard picker 6-33 L labeled input line 6-10 large Close box 3-14 layout, screen 1-11 list picker Action picker 4-26 Caret picker 6-28 check mark in 4-3 Close box in 4-13 for data input 6-3, 6-10 font 4-4 Format picker 7-20 hierarchical 4-14 highlig
I N D E X size 1-11 status bar 2-11 title 2-10 margins, changing 6-31 mask, icon 5-10 matte border 2-6, 2-13 menu.
I N D E X switching to 2-47 Overview button 2-46, 2-49 overview picker capitalizing 4-20 closing 4-22 contents 4-19 for data input 6-3 defined 4-19 font 4-20 list picker in 4-21 new item in 4-21, 4-23 People picker 4-27 position 4-20 punctuation 4-20 scrolling 4-22 selecting items 4-21 using 4-21 Owner Info 7-14 owner name 7-14, 7-19 P palette 2-24, 2-28, 2-31 paragraph breaking 6-26 input 6-12 resizing 6-9 People picker 4-27 performance, scrolling 2-44 Persistent Alarms 8-5 persona 7-14 personal digital
I N D E X position Action button 3-28 auxiliary view 2-31 button 3-3 close box 3-15 Filing button 3-27, 8-15 Info button 3-23 input field 6-2 Item Info button 3-29 keyboard 6-34 Keyboard button 3-25 list picker 4-8 main view 2-30 New button 3-26 overview picker 4-20 Recognizer button 3-24 Show button 3-26 view 2-30 preferences alarms 8-5 application 4-25, 8-31 recognition 6-17 routing 7-32 system-wide 8-30 transport 7-19, 7-25 Preview button 7-23 principles of human interface design aesthetic integrity 1-9
Rotate button 3-30 rotating display.
I N D E X Action button on 3-28, 7-10 buttons on 3-11 defined 2-11 Filing button on 3-27, 8-16 Item Info button on 3-29 picture button on 3-7 separator line in Action picker 4-26, 7-10 in folder tab 8-19 in list picker 4-6 not highlighted 4-11 shadow icon 5-4 view 2-8 shapes changing 6-31 duplicating 6-31 erasing 6-24 input 6-13 moving 6-32 selecting 6-22 Show button 3-26, 7-6 Show picker 4-26, 7-6 side by side paragraphs 6-9 simple input line 6-9 size icon 5-4, 5-8, 5-11, 5-13 picture button 3-7 screen 2-
I N D E X redisplaying 2-23, 8-3 summarized 2-20 user decision in 2-24 Stop button 2-23, 3-6, 7-31 stopping status slip 2-23 storage location 3-27, 8-16, 8-20, 8-31 striped border 2-7 sub-pickers 4-14 switching to overview 2-47 T tab key 6-35 table, in picker 4-4 table of contents 2-44 Tag button and picker 7-26 take-action button 2-16, 2-33, 3-4 target audience 1-2, 1-13 target item, routing 7-8, 7-11 task analysis 1-13 task slip, Intelligent Assistant 8-27 testing, user 1-14 text changing capitalization
I N D E X type-ahead 6-36 typing 6-32 U unacknowledged alarms 8-5 undo 6-37 universal scroll arrow defined 2-38 list picker 4-12 overview picker 4-23 usability testing 1-13 user control, as design principle 1-8 user observation, steps for conducting 1-15 users abilities and limitations 1-3 observing 1-14 V view active 2-29 appearance of 2-3 auxiliary 2-14 behavior of 2-28 border of 2-6, 2-13 closing 2-11, 2-16, 2-32 confirmation alert 2-18, 2-28 controls in 2-3 defined 2-1 display order of 2-28 drawer 2-
I N D E X Z zigzag 6-24 zoom 2-48 IN-15
I N D E X IN-16
T H E A P P L E P U B L I S H I N G S Y S T E M This Apple manual was written, edited, and composed on a desktop publishing system using Apple Macintosh computers and FrameMaker software. Proof pages were created on an Apple LaserWriter Pro 630 printer. Final page negatives were output directly from the text and graphics files. Line art was created using Adobe™ Illustrator. PostScript™, the page-description language for the LaserWriter, was developed by Adobe Systems Incorporated.
