Re: UI Question - How would you do this?

From: Jeff Godfrey (jeff_godfrey_at_pobox.com)
Date: 08/27/04 

Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2004 21:48:35 -0500

"Bryan Oakley" <oakley@bardo.clearlight.com> wrote in message
news:wHwXc.7627$j5.6580@newssvr24.news.prodigy.com...
: Jeff Godfrey wrote:
:
:
: > So, does anyone have a different UI approach to this problem? If not,
how
: > difficult would the "combobox-like" window be to get working
"correctly"?
:
: Why do you not want to use a standard combobox?

I've thought of that, but it doesn't quite seem to be the right fit. To
elaborate a little more...

Once the app gets a single, specific "part name" from the database, it will
draw the part (a read/only CAD app of sorts) in a canvas and display other
specific information in the UI.

So, I think the UI should work like this:

- User types partial or full part name in the entry box and hits <Enter> or
presses a [Find...] button
- The database is queried
- If no matches are found, a dialog is issued
- If only 1 single match is found, the app proceeds with drawing the part
and filling out the other UI fields with the part specifics
- If more than 1 match is found, the choices should be immediately
displayed, and the User should be *forced* to select one of them (or press
<Esc> to cancel the toplevel, or whatever is displaying the choices).
- Once a choice is made, the app behaves as describe for "single match"
above

Using a combobox (at least without some fancy management), the available
choices would be "hidden" from the User. It seems that it would work
something like this:

- The User types something into the entry widget and presses <Enter>
- The app, finding multiple matches doesn't generate an error dialog,
doesn't draw the part, but "silently" fills out the combobox items...
- The User thinks "Hmmm... apparently something was found, because I didn't
get a dialog telling me otherwise"
- Now they think "Well, the part didn't automatically draw on the screen, so
apparently multiple matches were found"
- "I guess I need to open up the combobox to see what's available"
- ... open the combobox and make a selection

I would much prefer that when multiple choices are available, they are made
immediately visible and require a selection to be made. It just seems to
take some of the guess work out of using the system...

Does that make sense?

Jeff