Apple Human Interface Guidelines

• Year: 2004
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 259
• Edition: May 27, 2004
• Category: Library

✦ Table of Contents

Contents
Tables and Figures
Introduction to the Apple Human Interface Guidelines
What Are the Apple Human Interface Guidelines?
Who Should Read This Document?
Organization of This Document
Conventions Used in This Document
See Also
User Input
The Mouse and Other Pointing Devices
Clicking
Double-Clicking
Pressing and Holding
Dragging
The Keyboard
The Functions of Specific Keys
Character Keys
Modifier Keys
Arrow Keys
Function Keys
Keyboard Shortcuts
Keyboard Shortcuts Reserved by the System
Creating Your Own Keyboard Shortcuts
User-Defined Keyboard Shortcuts
Keyboard Focus and Navigation
Type-Ahead and Key-Repeat
Selecting
Selection Methods
Selection by Clicking
Selection by Dragging
Changing a Selection
Selections in Text
Selecting With the Mouse
What Constitutes a Word
Selecting Text With the Arrow Keys
Selections in Spreadsheets
Selections in Graphics
Editing Text
Inserting Text
Deleting Text
Replacing a Selection
Intelligent Cut and Paste
Editing Text Fields
Entering Passwords
Drag and Drop
Drag and Drop Overview
Drag and Drop Semantics
Move Versus Copy
When to Check the Option Key State
Selection Feedback
Single-Gesture Selection and Dragging
Background Selections
Drag Feedback
Destination Feedback
Windows
Text
Lists
Multiple Dragged Items
Automatic Scrolling
Using the Trash as a Destination
Drop Feedback
Finder Icons
Graphics
Text
Transferring a Selection
Feedback for an Invalid Drop
Clippings
Text
Fonts
Style
Using the Ellipsis Character
Labels for Interface Elements
Capitalization of Interface Elements
Using Contractions in the Interface
Developer Terms and User Terms
Icons
Icon Genres and Families
Application Icons
User Application Icons
Viewer, Player, and Accessory Icons
Utility Icons
Document Icons
Icons for Plug-ins
Hardware and Removable Media Icons
Toolbar Icons
Icon Perspectives and Materials
Suggested Process for Creating Aqua Icons
Tips for Designing Aqua Icons
Cursors
Standard Cursors
Designing Your Own Cursors
Menus
Menu Behavior
Designing the Elements of Menus
Titling Menus
Naming Menu Items
Using Icons in Menus
Using Symbols in Menus
Toggled Menu Items
Grouping Items in Menus
Hierarchical Menus (Submenus)
The Menu Bar and Its Menus
The Apple Menu
The Application Menu
The Application Menu Title
The Application Menu Contents
The File Menu
The Edit Menu
The Format Menu
The View Menu
Application-Specific Menus
The Window Menu
The Help Menu
Menu Bar Extras
Contextual Menus
Dock Menus
Windows
Types of Windows
Window Appearance
The Title Bar
The Window Title
Title Bar Buttons
Indicating Changes With the Close Button
The Proxy Icon
Toolbars
Drawers
When to Use Drawers
Drawer Behavior
Source Lists
Brushed Metal Windows
Window Behavior
Opening Windows
Naming New Windows
Positioning Windows
Moving Windows
Resizing and Zooming Windows
Minimizing and Expanding Windows
Closing Windows
Window Layering
Main, Key, and Inactive Windows
Click-Through
Scrolling Windows
Automatic Scrolling
Utility Windows
The About Window
Preferences Windows
Inspectors and Info Windows
Find Window
Fonts Window and Colors Window
Dialogs
Types of Dialogs and When to Use Them
Document-Modal Dialogs (Sheets)
Sheet Behavior
When to Use Sheets
When Not to Use Sheets
Alerts
The Elements of an Alert
Writing Good Alert Messages
Dialog Appearance and Behavior
Accepting Changes
Dismissing Dialogs
The Open Dialog
Dialogs for Saving, Closing, and Quitting
Save Dialogs
The Minimal Save Dialog
The Expanded Save Dialog
Closing a Document With Unsaved Changes
Saving Documents During a Quit Operation
Quitting an Application That Is Not Document-Based
Quitting an Application With Multiple Unsaved Documents Open
Saving a Document With the Same Name as an Existing Document
The Choose Dialog
The Printing Dialogs
Print Dialog
Page Setup Dialog
Fax Dialog
Controls
Buttons
Push Buttons
Push Button Specifications
Metal Buttons
Metal Button Specifications
Bevel Buttons
Bevel Button Specifications
Icon Buttons
Icon Button Specifications
Round Buttons
Round Button Specifications
The Help Button
Help Button Specifications
Selection Controls
Radio Buttons
Radio Button Specifications
Checkboxes
Checkbox Specifications
Segmented Control
Segmented Control Specifications
Icon Buttons and Bevel Buttons With Pop-Up Menus
Pop-Up Menus
Pop-Up Menu Specifications
Command Pop-Down Menus
Command Pop-Down Menu Specifications
Combination Boxes
Combo Box Specifications
Placards
Color Wells
Image Wells
Adjustment Controls
The Stepper Control (Little Arrows)
Stepper Control Specifications
Slider Controls
Slider Control Specifications
Indicators
Progress Indicators
Relevance Indicators
Relevance Indicator Specifications
Text Controls
Static Text
Static Text Field Specifications
Text Input Fields
Text Input Field Specifications
Search Fields
Search Field Specifications
Scrolling Lists
Scrolling List Specifications
View Controls
Disclosure Triangles
Disclosure Triangle Specifications
List Views
Column Views
Tab Views
Tab View Specifications
Grouping Controls
Separators
Separator Specifications
Group Boxes
Group Box Specifications
Layout Examples
Positioning Full-Size Controls
A Simple Preferences Dialog
A Changeable Pane Dialog
A Standard Alert
Brushed Metal Application Window Example
Using Small and Mini Versions of Controls
Layout Example for Small Controls
Layout Example for Mini Controls
Grouping Controls
Grouping With Separators
Grouping With White Space
Grouping With Group Boxes
Using a Pop-up Menu in Place of Tabs
Keyboard Shortcuts Quick Reference
Tab View Differences Between Mac OS X Versions
Document Revision History
Glossary
Index