Chapter 7 - Controls

This chapter describes the controls that users manipulate in windows, dialog boxes, and alert boxes. These controls are described in terms of their appearance and behavior, which are standardized. This chapter describes controls provided by the Macintosh Toolbox. This group includes buttons, radio buttons, checkboxes, and pop-up menus. (Pop-up menus are described in Chapter 4, "Menus," which begins on page 49.) This chapter also describes controls that are not supported by the Macintosh Toolbox, including sliders, little arrows, and the outline triangle. In addition, this chapter describes text entry fields and scrolling lists. If you need to, you can design your own controls, following the guidelines in this chapter.

When an operation requires more than one object or when it needs additional information before it executes, the Macintosh interface uses dialog boxes or alert boxes to convey and gather information. These dialog boxes and alert boxes use controls that users manipulate to provide the additional input. Controls are also found in windows. Controls provide users with familiar tools and formats for responding to the computer's need for information.