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| __NOTOC__
| | {{ Moved To Community | KDE_Visual_Design_Group/HIG/ContextMenu }} |
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| == Purpose ==
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| A ''context menu'' is a list of functions or options (respectively menu items) available to users in the current context. A submenu or cascading menu is a secondary menu displayed on demand from within a menu.
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| Menus are normally hidden from view (except [[Projects/Usability/HIG/Menu_Bar|menu bars]]) and drop down when users right-click an object or window region that supports a context menu. They are an efficient means of conserving screen space, therefore.
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| == Examples ==
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| == Guidelines ==
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| === Is this the right control ===
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| * Provide a context menu for implicit function, e.g. operations with list items.
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| * Use context menus for well known functions only.
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| * Do not use context menus as the only way to start a function. Always have a redundant access.
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| === Behavior ===
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| * Do not put more than 10 items within a single level of a menu. Add separators between logical groups within a menu. Organize the menu items into groups of seven or fewer strongly related items.
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| * If appropriate, use an access button to make contextual menu functionality easier to access.
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| * Place the most frequently used items at the top of the menu.
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| * Avoid combining actions and attributes in the same group.
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| * Use submenus cautiously. Submenus add complexity to the interface and are physically more difficult to use, so you should take care not to overuse them.
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| * Do not change labels of menu item dynamically.
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| === Appearance ===
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| * Choose single word names for menu categories. Using multiple words makes the separation between categories confusing.
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| * Disable menu items that don't apply to the current context, instead of removing them.
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| * Hide menu items that not apply at all.
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| * Assign [[Projects/Usability/HIG/Keyboard_Shortcuts|shortcut keys]] to the most frequently used menu items (Ctrl+<Key>). For well-known shortcut keys, use standard assignments. Use function keys for commands that have a small-scale effect (F2 = Rename) and ctrl key for large-scale effect (Ctrl+S = Save).
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| * Indicate a function that needs additional information (including a confirmation) by adding an ellipsis at the end of the label (e.g. Save as…).
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| * Provide menu item icons for the most commonly used menu items.
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| * Turning on an item in the menu should always enable the option. Negative options create a double negative which can be confusing. For example, use 'Show hidden files' instead of 'Hide hidden files'.
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| * Do not use compound words (e.g. ToolOptions), and hyphens (e.g. Tool-Options) in label names; they make words harder to read and recognize.
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| == Implementation ==
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