I too do not recall seeing these referred to as menus, but they often turn up as states of a hierarchical information tree that gives access to various program functions. The two states being expanded (-) or collapsed (+).
If I were to call it anything I guess it would be a tree and use terms like "click [x] to expand", "click [x] to collapse", "click on [x], then...", etc. Usually the trees I have seen are within a zone on the interface and so I tend to refer to the zone's name, so "in [zone y], click on [x]", ...". Cheers Alan On 11/04/2008, at 8:09 AM, Combs, Richard wrote: > Flato, Gillian wrote: > >> Does anyone know what to call the type of menu where you >> click on the plus sign and then the plus sign changes to the >> minus sign and the menu displays below? > > An abomination? ;-) > > I've commonly seen the plus/minus boxes as nodes in a directory or > tree > structure, but I don't think I've ever seen a _menu_ that used them. > And > I'd rather not. > > But maybe I'm thinking of the term "menu" too narrowly -- to me, > it's a > set of commands listed under one of several top-level names (like File > or Edit), or displayed in response to a right mouse click (context > menu). > > If you're using the term more broadly to refer to a list of values, > options, etc., I'd call it a list. If my audience were computer > novices, > I'd call it a "drop-down list" and explain how to display it. But only > for real novices. > > In general, I don't name interface elements, just their labels. If > necessary for clarity, I'll refer to the X list, Y box, or Z button. > But > I generally don't use terms like combo list, drop-down list, multi- > edit > box, tree node, etc. Readers usually don't care what interface > designers > call some widget as long as they can find it and understand what to do > with it. > > Pretty much everyone who isn't completely new to computers knows how > menus, lists, trees, buttons, check boxes, and radio buttons work. > > HTH! > Richard > > > ------ > Richard G. Combs > Senior Technical Writer > Polycom, Inc. > richardDOTcombs AT polycomDOTcom > 303-223-5111 > ------ > rgcombs AT gmailDOTcom > 303-777-0436 > ------ > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > You are currently subscribed to Framers as alan at alphabyte.co.nz. > > Send list messages to framers at lists.frameusers.com. > > To unsubscribe send a blank email to > framers-unsubscribe at lists.frameusers.com > or visit > http://lists.frameusers.com/mailman/options/framers/alan%40alphabyte.co.nz > > Send administrative questions to listadmin at frameusers.com. Visit > http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info. -- Alan Litchfield MBus(Hons), MNZCS AlphaByte PO Box 1941, Auckland, NZ. 1140 http://www.alphabyte.co.nz
