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Chapter: User Interface Design : Windows and controls

Window Management

Microsoft Windows also provides several window management schemes, a single document interface, a multiple-document interface, workbooks, and projects.

Window Management

 

Microsoft Windows also provides several window  management schemes, a single document interface, a multiple-document interface, workbooks, and projects.

 

Single-Document Interface

 

Description:

·        A single primary window with a set of secondary windows.

 

Proper usage:

·        Where object and window have a simple, one-to-one relationship.

·        Where the object’s primary presentation or use is as a single unit.

·        To support alternate views with a control that allows the view to be changed.

·        To support simultaneous views by splitting the window into panes.

Advantages:

Most common usage.

Window manipulation is easier and less confusing.

Data-centered approach.

Disadvantage:

Information is displayed or edited in separate windows.

 

Multiple-Document Interface

 

Description:

A technique for managing a set of windows where documents are opened into windows.

Contains:

·        A single primary window, called the parent.

·        A set of related document or child windows, each also essentially a

primary window.

Each child window is constrained to appear only within the parent window.

The child windows share the parent window’s operational elements.

The parent window’s elements can be dynamically changed to reflect the

requirements of the active child window.

Proper usage:

To present multiple occurrences of an object.

To compare data within two or more windows.

To present multiple parts of an application.

Best suited for viewing homogeneous object types.

To clearly segregate the objects and their windows used in a task.

Advantages:

The child windows share the parent window’s interface components (menus,

toolbars, and status bars), making it a very space-efficient interface.

Useful for managing a set of objects.

Provides a grouping and focus for a set of activities within the larger environment of the desktop.

 

Disadvantages:

Reinforces an application as the primary focus.

Containment for secondary windows within child windows does not exist, obscuring window relationships and possibly creating confusion.

Because the parent window does not actually contain objects, context cannot always be maintained on closing and opening.

 

The relationship between files and their windows is abstract, making an MDI application more challenging for beginning users to learn.

 

Confining child windows to the parent window can be inconvenient or inappropriate for some tasks.

The nested nature of child windows may make it difficult for the user to distinguish a child window in a parent window from a primary window that is a peer with the parent window but is positioned on top.

 

 

Workbooks

 

Description:

A window or task management technique that consists of a set of views organized like a tabbed notebook.

 

It is based upon the metaphor of a book or notebook.

Views of objects are presented as sections within the workbook’s primary

windows; child windows do not exist.

 

Each section represents a view of data.

 

Tabs can be included and used to navigate between sections.

Otherwise, its characteristics and behavior are similar to those of the multiple document interface with all child windows maximized.

 

Proper usage:

To manage a set of views of an object.

 

To optimize quick navigation of multiple views.

For content where the order of the sections is significant.

Advantages:

Provides a grouping and focus for a set of activities within the larger environment of the desktop.

 

Conserves screen real estate.

 

Provides the greater simplicity of the single-document window interface.

Provides greater simplicity by eliminating child window management.

Preserves some management capabilities of the multiple-document interface.

Disadvantage:

Cannot present simultaneous views.

 

Projects

 

Description:

A technique that consists of a container: a project window holding a set of objects.

 

The objects being held within the project window can be opened in primary windows that are peers with the project window.

 

Visual containment of the peer windows within the project window is not necessary.

 

Each opened peer window must possess its own menu bar and other interface elements.

 

Each opened peer window can have its own entry on the task bar.

 

When a project window is closed, all the peer windows of objects also close.

When the project window is opened, the peer windows of the contained objects are restored to their former positions.

Peer windows of a project may be restored without the project window itself being restored.

 

Proper usage:

To manage a set of objects that do not necessarily need to be contained.

 

When child windows are not to be constrained.

Advantages:

 

Provides a grouping and focus for a set of activities within the larger environment of the desktop.

Preserves some management capabilities of the multiple document interface.

Provides the greatest flexibility in the placement and arrangement of windows. · Disadvantage:

Increased complexity due to difficulty in differentiating peer primary windows of the project from windows of other applications.


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