Anyone know proper usage rules for the "..." at the end of menu items? (i.e. "Help|About...", "Help|Customize...", "File|Save As...")

if it says "Quit..." you would expect a confirmation.
if it says "Quit" you cannot be so sure about that.

--
May The Bytes Be With You, Ben

When you end a menu item with '...', this signifies that another dialog
screen will appear that requires user input when the menu option is
selected.  It is a common misconception that the '...' only means that
another screen will be shown.  For example, a Help..About menu option should
not have a '...', while a File..Save As... should, since the Save As dialoag
requires user input.

I got this from a book on Windows standards written by a Microsoft
person...so take it at face value.  :-)  HTH...

Martin Binder
Software by Martin
i...@softwarebymartin.com
www.softwarebymartin.com

Download your copy of DLite, the Delphi "Lite" editor/compiler with support
for the Delphi for .NET preview today!

Believe it or not MS has a lot of good information on their website
regarding UI design.

For more information related specifically to menus refer to the following:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnwu...
ch08b.asp

--
-Steve
Delphi/C++ Builder R&D
Borland Software Corporation
Please, no private email, unless specifically invited in this message, thank
you.
http://www.geocities.com/delphihelp
Save time search http://groups.google.com first.

"If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research,
 would it?" -- Albert Einstein

"If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research,
 would it?" -- Albert Einstein

--
Ben

Use The Source, Luke!

"Rudy Velthuis (TeamB)" <rvelth...@gmx.de> skrev i en meddelelse
news:3d81cd5e$1@newsgroups.borland.com...
| In article <3d810f0...@newsgroups.borland.com>, Ben says...
|
| >
| > Anyone know proper usage rules for the "..." at the end of menu items?
| > (i.e. "Help|About...", "Help|Customize...", "File|Save As...")
|
| Menu items that cause a direct action don't have them. Menu items that
| cause a dialog to open, do.

It has allways been my opinion that the appended "..." is a good thing.

I miss it for toolbuttons.
For example:
In some programs the print-icon coresponds to "Print...", that is
there appears a dialog asking what and how I wish to print.
In other programs the print-icon coresponds to "Print", and the
printer consumes a lot a paper.

Are there any suggestions or  "standards" or whatever, for how
to modify a toolbutton to signal the difference to the user.
I think of a modification in the same style as the little arrow which in
Windows Explorer shows that a file is only a shortcut.

RB

        -Craig

--
 Craig Stuntz [TeamB] Vertex Systems Corp. Columbus, OH
     Delphi/InterBase Weblog: http://delphi.weblogs.com
     InterBase PLANalyzer (Free IB optimization tool):
          http://delphi.weblogs.com/IBPLANalyzer

Why does Delphi 7|Help|About... have an ellipsis?

What about Delphi 7|Tools|Environment Options...? It doesn't get additional information from the user before displaying the Environment Options window. Maybe if it was a verb phrase like "Set Environment Options..." because the action would occur after the user provided information.

thanks,
Ben
*All your base are belong to us*

Ken
---
Ken White
kwh...@adpsi.com

Clipper Functions for Delphi and C++ Builder
http://www.adpsi.com

I noticed your signature:

ben

P.S.
Beware the Clipper ship.

Eldon

"Ben" <crashco...@yahoo.com> skrev i en meddelelse
news:3d8220d6$1@newsgroups.borland.com...
|
<snip>
|
| Why does Delphi 7|Help|About... have an ellipsis?
|

In D6-Personal the "Help|About..." has an ellipsis too.
I guess the reason is, that you can choose beetween
     the OK-button, which closes the dialog-box.
and
    to connect to the internet, and go to www.borland.com.

RB