Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!att!rutgers!ucsd!ucbvax!osf.org!ellis
From: ellis@osf.org
Newsgroups: comp.windows.x.motif
Subject: Re: MenuBar question
Message-ID: <9010181601.AA16178@osf.osf.org>
Date: 18 Oct 90 16:01:22 GMT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Reply-To: ellis@osf.osf.org
Distribution: inet
Organization: The Internet
Lines: 27


> I asked one of my Microsoft Windows programming colleagues and got this:
> If the button has a submenu, the button gives its title. If it invokes
> a dialog, it should be followed by ellipses `...'. If it is a single command,
> follow it with a `!'. e.g.

The Motif Style Guide at present does not support pushbuttons
in the menubar (either for direct action or for dialog popup),

The term "pushbutton" in the style guide is generic.
So the style guide prohibition holds whether the pushbutton
is implemented by XmPushButton, or simulated
by an XmCascadeButton without a submenu.

My sense is that it is unlikely this will be changed.
I believe the feeling among the OSF members that participate
in the Motif style guide group is that pushbuttons that are so important
as to not (just) be in a submenu should be placed across the bottom of
the window, and that the menubar just be reserved for cascade
buttons.

(btw, the ellipsis convention is recommended in the style guide for
pushbuttons that popup dialog boxes.  These can appear in
menus or in a workarea.)

  -- Ellis Cohen
     Motif Style Guide guru