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■Can include a Show pop-up menu, which allows the user to filter the type of files that appear in the list. Items that do not meet the filtering criteria appear dimmed. The system creates a list of native file types supported by the application to populate the menu. You can supplement this list with custom types and specify the default to show when the dialog opens. You should include an All Applicable Files item, but it does not have to be the default.

If the dialog is not a sheet, the dialog’s default title is “Choose,” but you should change it to include the name of the task. For example, if the command that brings up the dialog is Choose Picture, the dialog should be titled “Choose Picture.” Also include some instructional text at the top, such as “Choose a picture to display in the background of ‘Documents.’” If it’s helpful, also change the Choose button to something more specific.

The default location is the user’s home folder. If the dialog is targeted to volumes only, the default location is the user’s directory. Files and folders not appropriate for the target selection should be dimmed.

Note:Recent Places (in the Where pop-up menu of a Save dialog) does not record folders selected in Choose dialogs.

The Print Dialog

In addition to printing, the minimal Print dialog lets users choose a printer and printer settings, save, mail, or fax a document in the PDF or PostScript formats, and preview a document before printing. The expanded Print dialog adds printing-specific settings, such as number of copies, page range, paper settings, and layout.

Print Dialog

In the Print dialog, user options are provided via the features pop-up menu, which displays panes drawn and controlled by printing dialog extensions (PDEs). PDEs are provided by the operating system, printer modules, and applications. Apple provides a number of printing panes. The standard Print dialog is shown in Figure 14-63.

Figure 14-63 A Print dialog (a sheet attached to a document window)

Features menu

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Options for choosing paper type and print quality are displayed through the features pop-up menu. The ability to save the document in PDF or PostScript format, fax the document, or save it to iPhoto or other applications is available in the PDF pop-down menu in the lower left. You can create custom print panes by following the interface guidelines provided throughout this document and the layout guidelines described in “Positioning Regular-Size Controls” (page 337). Here are some specific guidelines to keep in mind if you implement custom printing features:

■Choose a menu item name that doesn’t conflict with menu items already in the features pop-up menu.

■The menu item (the pane name) should help users easily determine the options the pane contains.

■Make sure the features you implement are appropriate for your application. For example, an option to print in reverse order should be provided by the operating system, not by your application. (Implementing this feature requires the application to know the hardware’s capabilities.)

■Make interdependencies among options clear to users. For example, if a user selects double-sided printing, the option to print on transparencies should become unavailable.

■Separate more advanced features from frequently used features. When the user chooses to display the advanced features, there should be an “advanced options” title above the advanced controls.

■Provide visual feedback (such as the preview in the Layout pane of the Print dialog) when appropriate. A thumbnail showing the effect of changing a tone control, for example, helps users determine desired settings.

■Save a user’s printing preferences for a document, at least while the document is open. Provide a way for users to save custom settings.

Page Setup Dialog

The Page Setup dialog provides a way for users to set the scaling and orientation options for a document based on the intended output paper size and the printer. Save the settings in this dialog with the document. Figure 14-64 shows an example of a page setup dialog.

Figure 14-64 The Page Setup dialog

248 Dialogs

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