>> A more and more common GUI element is a checkbox with three states:
>> on (with the "x" or a mark)
>> off (empty)
>> between (a "-")
>>
>> The third state means that the state was not set here but inherited
>> in some way. This would make the UI for custom control classes
>> easier, too.
>
>This is already on the feature-request list. Implementation would
>even be relatively straightforward (no file format change required).
>But demand has been minimal, and we got stuck on the API. How would
>you set it to this third state?
Possible: set the semiHilite of btn myButton to true
>What happens when you get the hilite
>of a button in this state?
Possible: when getting the hilite of a semiHilited button, "semi" is
placed into "it"; getting the "semiHilite" is true or false.
>Can any checkbox button be set to this
>state, or is a new style required?
Seems like a property would be eaiser to deal with than a style. Perhaps
setting the "semiHiliteOn" property would enable semiHilite behavior.
>A few of other issues: What is the behavior when the user clicks on a
>button in this state?
If set up as a property, behavior could be left up to the developer. If
no behavior is provided and the semiHiliteOn property is enabled, perhaps
the button could cycle through: hilite false, semiHilite true, and hilite
true.
>Can they re-select this state (maybe with a
>modifier-key click)?
Seems that the selection of other checkbox buttons would primarily
determine whether or not a button gets "semiHilited". Perhaps this could
be an automatic group behavior for checkboxes, similar to radiobutton
groups. Two possibilities:
1) A new property is provided for the "master" button of a group of
checkbox buttons, perhaps the autoSemiHilite. If set to true, the master
button displays: a semiHilite, if only some of the group's checkboxes are
hilited; a hilite, if all of the group's checkboxes are hilited; and no
hilite if none of the group's checkboxes are hilited.
2) The button in the highest layer of the group automatically handles the
autoSemiHiliting (no property necessary). Same behaviour as above.
>And what exactly should the button look like on
>the various platforms?
Doesn't seem to be anything wrong with " - ".
Regards,
__________________________________________________________________
Scott Rossi Tactile Media - Multimedia & Design
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Web: www.tactilemedia.com
