Re: GTK+ menu problems/suggestions

[Marko Macek <Marko Macek gmx net>]

Michael Zucchi wrote:
> > >  What is a conditional cascade menu?
> >
> > It's a menu item that has both command and submenu.
 
> Just a comment - that sounds really messy.  Having too many gadgets and

Have you tried it?

> do-dads on a menu doesn't make it very easy to use (and I can't see how it
> would aid the interface a whole lot, its trying to shortcut something -
> isn't that what toolbars are for?  They do a much better job).

Toolbars are useful for often used commands.

Cond.cascade menu items are useful for making navigation of (context)
menus faster. You can still have lots of available commands, but the top
menu can have only often used commands. It is usually used to combine
related commands where one of them is used most of the time. This allows
to make guis more powerful (more commands), but still quick and simple
to use because less used command/variations do not get in the way.

Example: netscape file->new could be such menu. In the navigator window
you want most of the time to just open the new browser. Sliding to the
submenu just slows you down. (of course this is not a perfect example,
because Ctrl+N is faster).

It could also be used in the file manager to pick between multiple
associations for the file. Since you want the default association most
of the time it makes sense to have it available directly.

Netscape back/forward buttons are similiar to this. Quick to prev/next
page, but if you wait a little, you can pick more pages.

Mark
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Marko.Macek@gmx.net                http://www.kiss.uni-lj.si/~k4fr0235/