Conference bulova::decw_jan-89_to_nov-90

1186.0. "A question of style" by ULTRA::WRAY (John Wray, Secure Systems Development) Thu Jul 27 1989 13:07

    A style question:
    
    My application needs to prompt the user to supply the second component
    of each element of a set of pairs of (string) values, the first element
    of each pair being determined according to prior user-actions.  What
    possibilities are there for the interface?
    
    The strings themselves can be supplied from a list-box; It's the way
    for the user to choose a specific pair to examine/modify that has me
    stumped.
    
    I can think of the following:
    
    1.	Put the pairs in a list-box, with the components separated by
        spaces, and with "<Undefined>" or some-such in the second component
        of those elements that haven't yet been specified.
    
           Feels messy somehow, and will be difficult to tabulate the
    	   components neatly.
    
    2.	Use an SVN widget with the pairs as level-0 entries, the first
    	component as level-1 entries, and the second component as level-2
    	entries.
    
    	   Seems a bit of an overkill, and really I'd like the components
    	   of an element spaced horizontally rather than vertically.
    
    
    Can anyone suggest alternative ways of doing things?
    
    John

	How about a top pane that has a list box containing the
	completed pairs, with a bottom pane that has two list
	boxes side-by-side.  The bottom left box will have a 
	list of unpaired first elements, with one item selected.
	The bottom right box will have a list of possible matches
	for the selected first element.  Maybe the act of selecting
	fills in a simple text widget with the components of the
	pair, and on OK button or double click on an item of the
	right box moves the completed pair to the upper window.

	Dan

    
    Have a look at FileView. In the Customize menu, both 'Verbs and Menu'
    option and the 'File Types' option have similar features to those
    you describe.
    
    I will have to implement something like that... so let me know how
    you get on.
    
    Mike