Rules and Standards
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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
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. |
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! |
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
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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. |
2.1.2 Dialog between Commands
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.
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
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.
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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
- Edit Definition of an object allows the modification of an object
by putting the user in the context of creation of the object.
- Quick Edit of an object display a context intermediate where a part
of parameters (that covers about 80% of modifications) of definition of the
object.
2.3.1 Edit of an Object
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) |
Rule 2.3.1.2: The quick edit requires two conditions to exists:
- the edit definition is expensive (in amount of time) or the context
of creation is far from the context of most of the modifications
- 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.
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2.3.2 Edit of Object Properties
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. |
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
Rule 2.3.3.1: When a command is ended, an Undo puts the system
back to the state before it begins. |
<>Rule 2.3.3.2: During the command dialog, the Undo comes back to
the last intermediate state.[1] |
Rule 2.3.3.3: After doing an Undo, a Redo undo the Undo. |
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
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.) |
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:
- Edit Menu after the start of Excel

- Edit Menu after typing Step1

- Edit Menu after changing the font

- 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
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. |
Rule 2.4.1.2: The Paste add contents of the clipboard to selected
object or replace it. |
Rule 2.4.1.3: The Paste keep the native format of the document. |
Rule 2.4.1.4: A Paste is direct and univocal : there is never any
dialog to choose how to Paste. |
Rule 2.4.1.5: Optionally, Paste Special can be used to provide
dialog. |
2.4.2 Drag and Drop
Rule 2.4.2.1: Taking a graphical object (except handles) and drop
it on another object is equivalent of the actions:
- Select the first object
- Cut [1]
- Select the second object
- Paste
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[1] In windows the meaning of the drag and drop can changes . For example, In
Explorer, a simple drag & drop of a file :
- moves the file if the destination folder is on the same disk than the
source folder.
- copy the file otherwise
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. |
Rule 2.4.2.3: If the release of the object is impossible, the
mouse cursor become an interdiction symbol. |
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]
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[2] This interactivity available during the customization of the user
interface only.
Rule 2.4.2.5: A drag and drop of an object of a document on a
command button is equivalent to :
- Selecting the object
- Starting the command
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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 :
- Starting the command
- Indicating in the document (or Selecting the object)
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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.
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Example
- Open a word document
- Go to the explorer and drag and drop a .doc document over the word
document. The text is inserted.
- 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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