Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!usc!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!ncar!midway!oddjob!rfl
From: rfl@oddjob.uchicago.edu (Bob Loewenstein)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.programmer
Subject: Re: Scrolling lists in dialogs
Keywords: Can I get this job done really fast?
Message-ID: <1990Dec11.144800.22863@midway.uchicago.edu>
Date: 11 Dec 90 14:48:00 GMT
References: <2535@trlluna.trl.oz>
Sender: news@midway.uchicago.edu (News Administrator)
Reply-To: rfl@oddjob.uchicago.edu (Bob Loewenstein)
Organization: U of Chicago - Astronomy & Astrophysics
Lines: 21


TN 203 has some rules of thumb for using (and not using) the dialog
manager:

If there are more than 20 items in the dialog it should be a standard window.
If a complicated control like a scroll bar is needed, it should be a
  standard window.
If there are items offscreen, it should be a standard window.
If there is a pictorial indicator like a progress indicator, it should
  be a standard window.
If it is a  modeless dialog, it should be a standard window.
If any of the items are movable in the dialog, it should be a standard
  window.
If it is necessary to use a filterProc to add functionality, it should
  be a standard window.
[ it finishes with ]
If in doubt, it should probably be a standard window.

The thrust of the TN is that the DM is great for simple functions, but
for more complex functionality, do it with the WM...more code to write,
possibly, but less complex code than with the DM.