Menu UI

Platform:  Pocket PC  (so very little menubar real-estate)

Problem:  How to organize the following menu.

For those not familiar with it, the menubar is on the bottom and pops-upwards.


New config
Load Config
Save Config
Exit
File


                  Load Config
Session -> Save Config
Exit            Reset
File


                  Load Config
Session -> Save Config
Exit            Reset
Program


I've looked at other programs for ideas.  But your input is also appreciated.

sedwo
Monday, February 23, 2004

I see nothing wrong with option #1.  I hate menus with unnecessary nesting levels -- even on small screen devices.

Almost Anonymous
Monday, February 23, 2004

For a start you aren't supposed to have a "File" or "Exit" menu options on a Pocket PC app according to the Windows Logo guidelines.

Regardless of that I think a menu layout like:

New Config
Load Config
Save Config
----------------------------------
Session        | Reset

Session is the first menu option (where "New" should be) and it expands to show the New/Load/Save. And then have reset next to Session.

Because you don't need a exit command anyway because of the cross in the top corner. And I assume here that "Reset" will be used fairly often? If it is it should be one tap away.

Chris Ormerod
Monday, February 23, 2004

Pick whichever option gives you the lowest tap count to do things.  This would appear to be option 1.

Kyralessa
Tuesday, February 24, 2004

When you open a menu where is the focus? On a normal Windows app it is on the topmost menu item, is it on the bottom item if the menu opens from the bottom of the screen? Then you need to consider what the user will do most frquently and try and position the items accordingly (but still grouing them logically - UI design is fun, no?).

Tuesday, February 24, 2004

From memory (I haven't got mine with me), there is no visible focus unless you do a 'tap-and-hold' with the stylus (right click), and with a menu option you'd typically just 'tap' with the stylus (left click).

Konrad
Tuesday, February 24, 2004

Okay, perhaps focus was the wrong word :) If you use the mouse on normal Windows there isn't any focus either, but your mouse ptr is still at or near the topmost option. If you use the keyboard though you do get proper focus.

Tuesday, February 24, 2004

The least tap count and abiding 'slightly' to the logo req., plus (IMHO) most logically intuitive in terms of text, is making me look towards:

New Config
Load Config
Save Config
Exit
----------------
Program


And 'New Config' might be renamed to 'Reset' as it resets the state of the entire application back to its original defaults.  But I'm still on the fence with how intuitive it seems.

sedwo
Tuesday, February 24, 2004

How about just...

Config...
Exit
----------------
Program

When I click on Config open a window which shows what my configuration settings are.  In that window have  four buttons... "Load", "Save", "Save As" , "Default"

When I click on "Load" allow me to name the file I want it to load the config from.
When I click on "Save" allow me to save the config to the existing config file (if there is not any then it is like "Save As")
When I click "Save As" allow me to name the file I want to save the config file
When I click "Default" set the configuartion to "Factory Default".

Off topic: I am always surprised why many software programs do not provide a way to go to "Factory Default" configurations. Many a times support problems are more easily resolved by asking the user to just go to the "Factory Defaults" instead of laboriously having to debug each and every setting.

Code Monkey
Tuesday, February 24, 2004

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