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DialogBox


Description

A DialogBox should be used to group components in a window secondary to the main tasks of the application. Although a DialogBox can contain any components, a simple DialogBox is composed of a Label and PushButtons for supplying a response to the DialogBox. The OSF/Motif toolkit provides a number of ready-designed DialogBoxes for common uses: CommandDialog, FileSelectionDialog, MessageDialog, PromptDialog, and SelectionDialog. There are also a number of different types of MessageDialogs: ErrorDialog, InformationDialog, QuestionDialog, WorkingDialog, and WarningDialog. The illustration on this reference page shows a typical DialogBox.

DialogBox PushButtons should use the following common labels and actions. The actions are in the approximate sequence in which they should appear in DialogBoxes.

Yes
Must indicate an affirmative response to a question posed in the DialogBox and then close the window. While Yes is not an active-voice label, it implies a positive response to a question in a QuestionDialog or a WarningDialog. Only use Yes if it is a clear answer to the question.
No
Must indicate a negative response to a question posed in the DialogBox and then close the window. While No is not an active-voice label, it implies a negative response to a question in a QuestionDialog. Only use No if it is a clear answer to the question.
OK
Must cause the application to apply any changes and perform related actions specified by components in the DialogBox, and then dismiss the DialogBox. While OK is not an active-voice label, its usage is too common to change.
Close
Should cause the current DialogBox to be closed without performing any of the actions specified by components in the DialogBox. This action is usually only available in DialogBoxes that provide status information such as a Working DialogBox. This label can also be used if the actions in the DialogBox cannot be reversed, in which case this label replaces Cancel after the first irreversible action is performed.
Apply
Must apply any changes and perform the related actions specified by the components in the DialogBox.
Retry
Must cause the task in progress to be attempted again. This action is commonly found in message boxes that report an error.
Stop
Must end the task in progress at the next possible breaking point. This action is commonly found in a Working DialogBox.
Pause
Must cause the task in progress to be paused. This action is commonly found in a Working DialogBox and should be used in combination with Resume.
Resume
Must cause a previously paused task to resume. This action is commonly found in a Working DialogBox and should be used in combination with Pause.
Reset
Must cancel any user changes that have not been applied to the application. It must also reset the status of the DialogBox to the state since the last time the DialogBox action was applied or to the initial state of the DialogBox.
Cancel
Must close the DialogBox without performing any DialogBox actions not yet applied to the application. Pressing anywhere in the DialogBox, except during a cancelable drag operation, must perform the action of this button.
Help
Must provide any help for the DialogBox.

You should arrange PushButton actions in DialogBoxes like other PushButtons, according to order and frequency of use. The common action PushButtons should be ordered as presented in the previous list. Positive responses to the DialogBox should be presented first, followed by negative responses and canceling responses. Help should always be the last action on the right.

Illustration

Navigation

A DialogBox must follow the navigation model described in Navigation.

Related Information

For more information, see the reference pages for CommandDialog, ErrorDialog, FileSelectionDialog, InformationDialog, MessageDialog, PromptDialog, QuestionDialog, SelectionDialog, WarningDialog, and WorkingDialog.