#interface GNOME UI Guide - Working Draft

Dialogs

  1. Dialog buttons should be aligned right (for left-to-right languages), except for "Help", which should always appear aligned to the left (again, for left-to-right languages).
      rationale: "Help", when it does appear, should appear in the same location on all dialogs.
  2. Dialog buttons should have Verbs for titles, rather than "OK", "Yes", "No", etc., unless otherwise specified, such as for Preference dialogs.
  3. Preference dialogs
    • should have "Help", "Cancel", and "OK" buttons.
    • should instantly apply most settings.
    • should have "Try" buttons next to settings which take some time to apply (Such as GTK+ themes).
    • should be notebook style if there are 5 or less categories, sideways clist style if there are 6 or more categories.
  4. Keybindings
    • Space should activate the focused widget.
    • ESC should close the dialog without making changes. This essentially should be bound to the "Cancel" action button.
    • F1 should activate "Help".
  5. Dialog buttons should have keybindings, just like menu items.
      Examples: "_Save", "_Revert", "_Quit".
  6. Dialog buttons should respect the user's preference with respect to icons.
  7. Dialog buttons should be placed as so: 
       [Help] {Extra} [Negative] _[Affirmative]_.
   Examples:
     Prefs dialog:
	   [Help] [Cancel] _[OK]_
     Open dialog:
	   [Help] [Cancel] _[Open]_
     Save before closing dialog:
       [Help] [Don't Quit] [Don't Save] _[Save and Quit]_
	            (Cancel)       (No)      (Yes)
      rationale: The eyes of people who read left-to-right tend towards the upper-left and lower-right corners of boxes. Therefore the action the user is most likely to perform should be located in the lower-right corner. With this button order, the action the user is most likely to perform is always in the same place and is always the most noticeable.

Relevant Links

Examples

Preferences example
Save and Quit example

Notes: The buttons do not have icons because glade does not allow us to add pixmaps to buttons when they're added in this fashion unless they're stock buttons.

Signatories

Julian Missig (x-virge), Kenny Graunke (Dekar), Jim Cape (Jimbob), Josh Barrow (Carbamide), Garrett LeSage (garrett), Guillermo S. Romero (UnNamed), Gregory Merchán (auspex)

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