Rules and Standards

CAA V5 Ergonomics Rules - Part 2

Interaction Techniques
Technical Article

2. Interactions Techniques Rules

2.1 Dialog sequences
2.2 Selection
2.3 Editing Operations
2.4 Transfer Operations

2.1 Dialog Sequences

 

2.1.1 Action-Object and Object Action

Win Web
Rule 2.1.1.1: The command support both the object-action and the action-object sequence dialog.
There are few exceptions that support only the Object-Action dialog sequence: Edit/Cut, Edit/Copy, Edit/Delete.

 

Win Web
Rule 2.1.1.2: The two object-action and the action-object sequences gives access to the same functionalities.
Whatever the order of the two interactions (selecting the object(s) and selecting the action), the user expects the same dialog. For this reason, he is free to choose the object-action or the action-object without thinking about possible consequences of its act. There is none!

 

Win Web
Rule 2.1.1.3: If the object on which the action is applied is not displayed in the dialog box of the command, the dialog forces the user to select the object before displaying the dialog box.

In this case, the message in the status bar is very important. It is the unique way to know what's to do.

It is recommended to give access to the object selection or replacement along the command dialog by displaying a control field in the the dialog box. See: 1.6.1.6 Dialog box contents

 

Win Web
Rule 2.1.1.4: If the object on which the action is applied is displayed in the dialog box of the command, the dialog box must appears immediately at the start of the command.

See also: 1.6.1.6 Dialog box contents
See also: 3.2.5.3 The control on which the focus must appears

2.1.2 Dialog between Commands

Win Web
Rule 2.1.2.1: If the command cannot be invoked simulteaneously with the current active command, it must cancel and replace the current active command but not just interrupt it. [1]

[1] At the end of the command, the previous one should not continue where it was interrupted.

Win Web
Rule 2.1.2.2: When a command is in a loop mode, an interruption (cancel) of the command stops also the loop.

2.2 Selection

2.3.1 Current Set of Objects

Win Web
Rule 2.3.1.1: When a command is started while elements have already been selected, the command must:
  • use as judiciously as possible the selection set of elements to valuate controls (mainly selection fields)
  • take out from the current set of objects irrelevant elements and forgot then.

2.3 Editing Operations

Editing involves changing (adding, removing, replacing) some fundamental aspect of the composition of an object. Not all changes constitute editing of an object, though. For example, changing a view of a document to an outline or a magnified view (which has no effect on the content of the document) is not editing.

Definitions

2.3.1 Edit of an Object

Win
Rule 2.3.1.1: The Edit Definition calls the same dialog box that the creation dialog box. The object is displayed in the same state as if he did Apply/Preview during the creation. (so Create+OK+Edit= Create+Preview)

 

Win
Rule 2.3.1.2: The quick edit requires two conditions to exists:
  1. the edit definition is expensive (in amount of time) or the context of creation is far from the context of most of the modifications
  2. the quick edit is really less expensive an allows to do most (80%) of the modifications without having a representation (context) too far from the creation display.

2.3.2 Edit of Object Properties

Win
Rule 2.3.2.1: The edition of properties give access, in a dialog box composed of tab pages, to the parameters that are not been displayed during the creation of the object.

 

Win
Rule 2.3.2.2: The Edit Definition calls the same dialog box that the creation dialog box. The object is displayed in the same state as if he did Apply/Preview during the creation. (so Create+OK+Edit= Create+Preview)

2.3.3 Undo and Redo

Win Web
Rule 2.3.3.1: When a command is ended, an Undo puts the system back to the state before it begins.

 

Win Web
<>Rule 2.3.3.2: During the command dialog, the Undo comes back to the last intermediate state.[1]

 

Win Web
Rule 2.3.3.3: After doing an Undo, a Redo undo the Undo.

 

Win Web
Rule 2.3.3.4: After saving the document, it is impossible to Undo. [2]

Remarks:

[1] So, there is several levels of granularity included in each other : one a the level of the command, another at the level of the steps inside a command.

[2] This rule is an ergonomics choice due to an implementation consideration: Undo save data on a limited disk space. The use of undo must be limited. The most judicious moment is when the undo is the less necessary, i.e. when the document is the most stable : at the save.

Example:

Create two outlines in a sketch. When you are creating the second, undoes destroy le previous portion of the outline. After the undo of the first portion, the undo cancels the command. Then another undo destroy the entire first outline (and not the last portion of the first outline

2.3.4 Redo and Repeat

Win  
Rule 2.3.4.1: The Repeat item replaces the Redo item in the Edit Menu when the Undo is not available. (The icon changes too.)

 

Win  
Rule 2.3.4.2: In the toolbar, the Redo icon stays grayed if you can't redo and is not replaced by the Repeat icon.

Example:

  1. Edit Menu after the start of Excel
  2. Edit Menu after typing Step1
  3. Edit Menu after changing the font
  4. Edit Menu after Undoing the Fond change.

2.4 Transfer Operations

Transfer operations are operations that involve (or can be derived from) moving, copying and linking objects from one location to another. Tree components make up a transfer operation: the object to be transferred, the destination of the transfer, and the operation to be performed.

2.4.1 Cut, Copy, Paste

Win Web
Rule 2.4.1.1: Cut and Copy actions are accessible when one or several objects are selected. The Paste action is accessible when the clipboard is not empty and the target document accepts to receive clipboard data.

 

Win Web
Rule 2.4.1.2: The Paste add contents of the clipboard to selected object or replace it.

 

Win Web
Rule 2.4.1.3: The Paste keep the native format of the document.

 

Win Web
Rule 2.4.1.4: A Paste is direct and univocal : there is never any dialog to choose how to Paste.

 

 ? Web
Rule 2.4.1.5: Optionally, Paste Special can be used to provide dialog.

2.4.2 Drag and Drop

Win Web
Rule 2.4.2.1: Taking a graphical object (except handles) and drop it on another object is equivalent of the actions:
  1. Select the first object
  2. Cut [1]
  3. Select the second object
  4. Paste

[1] In windows the meaning of the drag and drop can changes . For example, In Explorer, a simple drag & drop of a file :

 

Win Web
Rule 2.4.2.2: Taking a graphical object (except handles) and drop it with the Control modifier key pressed on another object is equivalent of copying and Pasting.

 

Win Web
Rule 2.4.2.3: If the release of the object is impossible, the mouse cursor become an interdiction symbol.

 

Win Web
Rule 2.4.2.4: The drag and drop should allow to insert, subtract and order items in the following dialog components :
  • in lists: One or several lines of the list
  • in multi-column lists : the title of the column to order columns
  • in toolbars : One article of the toolbar [2]
  • in pull down menus : One article of the menu.[2]

[2] This interactivity available during the customization of the user interface only.

Win Web
Rule 2.4.2.5: A drag and drop of an object of a document on a command button is equivalent to :
  1. Selecting the object
  2. Starting the command

 

Win Web
Rule 2.4.2.6: A drag and drop of a command button on a document (or an object of a document) is equivalent to :
  1. Starting the command
  2. Indicating in the document (or Selecting the object)

 

Win Web
Rule 2.4.2.7: When a drag and drop is done from an application to another, the result is :
  • a copy-paste if the drop is done over the document.
  • an open if the drop is done avec the toolbars or menu bars.

Example

  1. Open a word document
  2. Go to the explorer and drag and drop a .doc document over the word document. The text is inserted.
  3. Drag and drop the same document over the toolbar. The document is opened.

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History

Version: 1 [Jan 2000] Document created
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