General Styling Guidelines
Last edited: December 15, 2003 08:18 AM

1.  Allow for a 10% to 20% increase in menu items on pages and windows.

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It is beyond the typical end users ability to do more than draw a button and add a menu item.  Requiring that the screen be redesigned to add a menu item leads to an impression that our program is not user friendly.

2.  Use chains to control the flow of windows.

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Put Window = and Close Windows commands in chains only.  Use Accept Touch for one touch windows and Move On for multiple touch windows.  This allows the same window to be used in different locations within the program.

3.  Put menu items on only one page or window whenever possible.

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Changing the menu is much easier when it only has to be done in one place.

4.  Use windows when buttons must be pushed in a specific order.

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Some programs have been styled using successive pages. Doing this allows the user to exit the order entry sequence prematurely because the margin is still active.  If pages must be used, a special margin should be made to go with them.

5.  Style common parts of different applications the same way.

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Supporting applications is much easier when standards are followed.  Some examples of standards are:
        A)  Start all nodes with Chain to STARTUP.
          Control pages should use the same name from program
            to program.
        C)  Avoid duplicate names in the Product Database.
        D)  Use all lower case for descriptors and indent them.
        E)  Display the order in the margin using Black on White.

6.  Use a control page for the Managers page.

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Some management functions involve editing the order and will not work properly when styled as a window.

7.  When styling for the Immage, use appropriate colors.

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        A)  Light colored backgrounds
          Light to medium buttons
        C)  Dark text
        D)  Black highlight