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| A status bar is an area at the bottom of a window that can be used to display brief information about the status of the application.
| | {{ Moved To Community | KDE_Visual_Design_Group/HIG/SOU Workspace/Status Bar }} |
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| [[Image: Status_bar.png|A status bar]]
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| == Guidelines ==
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| === Selecting the right information ===
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| Use statusbars for information that is
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| * Relevant to the current user in the current situation
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| * Not critical (i.e. information that does not need immediate response)
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| Examples:
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| * General information about the document or application. For example, current connection status in a network application, or the size of the current document in a text editor.
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| * Progress of a background operation. For example, "Sending to printer", "Printing page 10 of 20", "Printing Complete".
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| * Information about using the current tool. For example, while using the selection tool in a drawing application, "Hold Shift to extend the selection"
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| * A description of the control or area of the window under the mouse pointer. For example, "Drop files here to upload them"
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| Do ''not'' use status bars for
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| * Information that most users won't need while using the application. Put that information in a log file or display it in a dialog on demand.
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| * Critical information to which users need to respond in order to complete their task or avoid loosing any work. Display critical information in a dialog instead. Users may miss information displayed in a status bar and some novice users might not even notice the status bar at all.
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| Examples:
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| * Information about routine checks (unless something - non-critical - has happened)
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| * An error that is critical to the task
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| === Status bar layout ===
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| * Display status messages on the left end of the status bar
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| * Place permanent status indicators (icons or text) on the right end.
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| * Place progress bars on the far right (move status indicators to the left of the progress bar when it is displayed). Don't use a placeholder when there is no background operation happening.
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| === Providing contextual help ===
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| Use tooltips to describe status indicators that are not self explanatory or to give additional information about a status.
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| === Interacting with the status bar ===
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| * Use interactive widgets in the status bar sparingly - if at all. Don't use the status bar as an additional toolbar or as a supplement to the toolbar.
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| * You may allow to change a status indicated on the status bar directly by clicking on the status bar indicator.
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| ** Never use clicking the status bar indicator as the only means to change a status. Also provide a toolbar button or menu item.
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