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How to design PM application
Title of the application
The title should contain the name of application (name of operation),
name of loaded document.
Avoid flickering
Picture viewers, PM applications should avoid flickering.
- Don't erase background before drawing
- Generate bitmaps in buffer
Position load/save
windows position load/save (relates to windows, settings notebooks)
Save, x,y, width, height, + flag, does window fit into the desktop square?
After load of x,y, width, height,
check the dimensions of screen, does window fit into the window?
if user changed screen resolution then use initial window position and size.
Size of Main window
Automatical saving of documents
It is recommended to design the applications so
no need to press Save button.
"The whole idea of pressing the "save" button on a site or app to
lock in your updates is old-fashioned. It also exposes users to
data loss from system or connection bugs. Google Docs saves as
you type, making it superior to Microsoft Office. Quicken (the
software version) saves each transaction as you go. Note-taking
apps OneNote and Evernote don't have save buttons because they
don't need them (although in a UI flaw, the Web version of Evernote does).
When systems are built correctly, everything you do can be undone
and rolled back, and there should be no need for a save button
per se (although many apps will still need a way to milepost
versions of files). "
(q) Rafe Needleman, source:
news.cnet.com
When to use pictures in your applications
no recommendations
Shutdown event, Suspend/resume event
Suspend/resume: The applications are frozen and
don't receive notifications. Nevertheless, every program
may request APM notification via semaphores.
Shutdown:
- VIO applications: SIG_BREAK
- PM applications: WM_EXIT message
Exit confirmation
If application is a viewer then no need to confirm exit.
If it's an editor of user's data then show MsgBox: Are you sure? Quit, Cancel.
Hot keys
Examples:
- Ctrl-F - Find
- Ctrl-N -- no matter which program, it should:
create new playlist, in addressbok a new address template,
in editor - new window
- Ctrl-O -- Open FileOpenDialog to load file
- Ctrl-S -- Save current document
- Ctrl-P -- Print dialog
Settings notebook
There is Merlin notebook in eComStation. Please use this control,
don't use other forms.
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Please share information with other developers how to:
- Q: Criteria when to use Status line?
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