A safe rule of thumb for ellipsis is to include them if a dialog is invoked that will ask for more information from the user.
The wording of both MS and Apple interface guidelines is confusing and sounds contradictory (and, as you've observed, MS doesn't always follow their own guidelines), but in practise they're usually the same. The key points are: MS: "only when additional information is required to perform the action" and Apple: "in which the user sets preferences, customizes the toolbar, or sends feedback" Apple's explanation of an item without ellipsis implying immediate action *sounds* good, but in practise that's not really how they do it. For instance, here's an example of a menu in Numbers: http://screencast.com/t/NjliZjNk The only items with ellipses invoke dialogs that require additional user input: Preferences... Try iWork... While items that invoke display-only dialogs do not have them: About Numbers And items that launch Web sites don't have them: Provide Numbers Feedback Register Numbers You'll find a similar scheme in on the PC. For MS, it's important to also note that though the guideline says "is required to perform the action," the "required" bit is overstated here. Preferences and Options items always have ellipses, though the user doesn't *have to* do anything. The fact that they *can* is what warrants the ellipsis. I'm not sure that I fully understand what your "Lock/Unlock Items" function would do, but I would suggest that if the item is opening a dialog in which the user can lock and unlock items, it should have an ellipsis. Cheers! Sylvania Dye User Experience Designer, Snagit Mac & PC TechSmith Corporation On 2/14/10 9:28 PM, "sysscore" <[email protected]> wrote: i have a question about when i should use ellipsis for commands in menus, contextual menus and buttons in desktop applications (in Java). Sadly, the guidelines of microsoft and mac osx are different about this topic. I have found some interesting links in the web but nothing could answer my questions... **** Microsoft writtes, that ellipsis should be used, when: "Proper use of ellipses is important to indicate that users can make further choices before performing the action, or even cancel the action entirely. The visual cue offered by an ellipsis allows users to explore your software without fear. This doesn't mean you should use an ellipsis whenever an action displays another window-only when additional information is required to perform the action. For example, the commands About, Advanced, Help, Options, Properties, and Settings must display another window when clicked, but don't require additional information from the user. Therefore they don't need ellipses. In case of ambiguity (for example, the command label lacks a verb), decide based on the most likely user action. If simply viewing the window is a common action, don't use an ellipsis." *** Macintosh writtes, that ellipsis should be used, when the action: Is performed by the user in a separate window or dialog. For example, Preferences, Customize Toolbar, and Send Feedback all use an ellipsis because they open a window (potentially in another application, such as a browser) or a dialog in which the user sets preferences, customizes the toolbar, or sends feedback. To see why such commands must include an ellipsis, consider that the absence of an ellipsis implies that the application performs the action for the user. If, for example, the Send Feedback command did not include an ellipsis, it would imply that feedback is generated and sent automatically by the application. *** I think, the rules of mac osx are very easy to understand. But the rules of microsoft are not. Furthermore, when i check up some microsoft products, the rules are not respected (e.g. the "Options" button). In our application we have for example a non modal dialog, in which items can be locked or unlocked. The problem is, the user does not need to be perform the command immediately. But if i named the menu command "Lock/unlock items" the ellipsis are required, because user could be expected, that the command will be executed immediately. In other dialogs, user can managed diefferent presets of specific settings. Should i don't use ellipsis only if the command name is non-ambiguous e.g. "Permission overview" or only information will be displayed? Should i use ellipsis, if the user can make some changes (immediately or not immediately)? Or must commands named without the verb of the action? Thanx ________________________________________________________________ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ....... [email protected] Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help
