Blooper 5: Confusing primary windows with dialog boxes
Images from GUI Bloopers, by Jeff Johnson. Used without permission.
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What's wrong with this?
Primary windows and dialog boxes have different functions. Mixing up the types of windows causes confusion.
Variations (from most to least common):
- Main window is a dialog box: The application window is designed like a dialog box; no menubar, controls in the body, and controls at the bottom.
- Hybrid windows - The application window has aspects of both, such as a menubar at the top and control buttons at the bottom.
- Dialog boxes that are minimizable - desktop icons and taskbar buttons are supposed to represent either user data files or applications.
Design Rule:
Primary windows and dialog boxes have different roles.
| Window feature | Primary window | Dialog Box |
|---|---|---|
| display duration | usually long | usually short |
| modal | no | if needed |
| menubar | yes | no |
| toolbar | if needed | no |
| help provided | rightmost menubar menu | help button (optional) |
| window control buttons | no | bottom or right edge |
| resizable | yes | usually not |
| minimizable | yes | no |
| maximizable | yes | no |
| window close function | if main: exit cmd in file menu if not main: close cmd in leftmost menu |
OK, close, cancel buttons |
| titlebar | app: function - data | app: function |
