C H A P T E R 1 5

Controls

Disclosure Triangle Contents and Labeling

Disclosure triangles should be in the closed position (that is, pointing to the right) by default. When the user clicks a disclosure triangle, it points down and the additional information is displayed.

Disclosure triangles in dialogs should have a label indicating what is disclosed or hidden. Ideally, the label changes depending on the position of the disclosure triangle. For example, when closed it might say, “Show advanced settings,” and when open, “Hide advanced settings.”

Disclosure Triangle Specifications

Control sizes: Disclosure triangles are available in a single size, 13 x 13 pixels, as shown in Figure 15-77.

Figure 15-77 Disclosure triangles

Disclosure Triangle Implementation

Disclosure triangles are available in Interface Builder. To create one using Application Kit programming interfaces, use NSButton and set the bezel style to NSDisclosureBezelStyle and the button type to

NSPushOnPushOffButton.

Disclosure Buttons

A disclosure button expands a dialog or panel to offer the user a wider range of choices related to a specific selection control, such as a pop-up menu, combination box, or command pop-down menu. For example, the minimal Save dialog (shown in Figure 14-57 (page 242)) uses a pop-up menu to provide the user with a list of standard and recently accessed locations in which to save a file. To get a wider range of choices, the user clicks the disclosure button, which puts the file system at the user’s fingertips without requiring the user to leave the context of the Save dialog. An example of the expanded Save dialog is shown in Figure 15-78.

2008-06-09 | © 1992, 2001-2003, 2008 Apple Inc. All Rights Reserved.

C H A P T E R 1 5

Controls

Figure 15-78 A disclosure button expands a Save dialog

An open disclosure button

Disclosure Button Usage

Use a disclosure button when you need to provide additional options that are closely related to a specific list of choices. If you need to display additional information or functionality related to the contents of a window or a section of a window, or if you need a way to reveal subordinate items in a hierarchical list, use a disclosure triangle instead. See “Disclosure Triangles” (page 320) for more information on this control.

Disclosure Button Contents and Labeling

Because a disclosure button is closely associated with a control, it does not need a label. By default, disclosure buttons should be in the closed position, that is, pointing down. When the user clicks a disclosure button, the window expands and the disclosure button changes to point up.

Disclosure Button Specifications

Control sizes: A disclosure button should be aligned with the pop-up menu or other list-based selection control (such as a command pop-down menu) it affects. In addition, the disclosure button should be close enough to the associated control to clearly indicate a relationship between them.

Disclosure Button Implementation

Disclosure buttons are available in Interface Builder. To create one using Application Kit programming interfaces, use NSButton and set the bezel style to NSRoundedDisclosureBezelStyle and the button type to NSPushOnPushOffButton.

2008-06-09 | © 1992, 2001-2003, 2008 Apple Inc. All Rights Reserved.