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| Re: need a check comboBox [message #453968 is a reply to message #453967] |
Fri, 15 April 2005 08:44   |
Eclipse User |
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Originally posted by: martin.j.nilsson.sverige.nu
Hi,
I actually don't know if this is available in SWT or not (I would guess,
not), but on the other hand I don't think I've seen anything like this in
any operating system I've used. Could you give an example where this is
used already?
If not, isn't it a good idea to try to use the type of widgets that your
potential users are used to? Wouldn't the usability of your application
suffer if you introduced these types of un-orthodox things?
If you clarify what you would like to achieve (instead of how) perhaps
someone in this news group would be able to suggest a more native-os way
of doing it.
Just my two cents.
kind regards,
martin
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| Re: need a check comboBox [message #453976 is a reply to message #453973] |
Fri, 15 April 2005 10:46 |
| Eclipse User |
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Originally posted by: martin.j.nilsson.sverige.nu
Michael Seele wrote:
> mozilla thunderbird uses a checkable combo box for
> filtering(right-upper edge)...
Ah, I have never noticed that although I run ThunderBird myself at home. I
realise now that I should have been a bit more verbose in my previous
posting.
This is my idea of SWT:
A GUI class library for making applications
that uses the native widgets of the different
operating systems, enabling applications to
look native although they in reality are
cross-platform.
I know there is lots more to SWT and I do not mean any offence to anyone
of the bright minds behind SWT, but this is basically why I use SWT
instead of SWING. Well, that and the ease of use.
I mostly develop for Windows and in that respect SWT is feature complete
for me, I haven't found any native widgets in Windows which can't be used
in SWT (perhaps there are some, but I haven't found/needed them). This
enables me to write applications that really look like something that
Microsoft themselves could have released (if that is something to
desire... :-). It helps me to enhance the usability of my programs by
restricting me to widgets that feels well-known to my users [1].
This restriction of SWT is actually an important thing for me, I know I
can extend SWT and probably make any kind of strange widgets that I'd
like, but this should be discouraged and new custom widgets should only be
created if all else fails (in my book at least). I've a long time ago
realised that although Windows XP and for example OSX look very
dissimilar, they are both founded on a lot of deep thinking about
usability and it is not likely that I would know better than the designers
of the OS.
Although I like ThunderBird very much I'm not sure that the creators share
my opinions. I deeply believe that it is not my place to extend the OS
with new widgets, I should work with the tools they have given me (via SWT
in this case) and accept the limits this gives me.
Well, perhaps I better stop this long-windedness before I start to sound
religious, I hope I've explained my point. If a checkbox-combo really is a
part of Windows, you can pretty much ignore these ramblings. Otherwise, I
would humbly suggest that there is another way to do exactly the same
thing you are trying to do, but with widgets more well known to your users.
I know that this is not the answer you wanted, please accept my apologies
for that, but perhaps you can find some meaning in what I've written
anyway.
kind regards,
martin
[1] As a side-note, SWT/Eclipse has created more java-converts than any
other java-technology I know of ("Wow, that looks really nice and is
really responsive, is that really done in Java?").
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