^lAlthough, in its simplest form, PICT Control operates like, and serves the same purpose as, the standard single-state push button control, it can easily be made to represent multiple state controls. The simplest example would be an on/off switch whose state is clearly indicated through the use of a set of pictures representing the switch in its ΓÇ£onΓÇ¥ and ΓÇ£offΓÇ¥ positions. More complex control forms can be created at will by using larger seriesΓÇÖ of PICTs. One could create, for instance, many-state controls which adopt radically different appearances in order to indicate the changing effect of a particular operation during the different phases of a programΓÇÖs execution.
Of course, one may simply use PICT Control to create control surfaces that are very conventional, but with appearances tailored to the particular style of an application. For instance: minimalist or avante garde controls for very ΓÇÿmodernΓÇÖ software, or perhaps controls that look like pieces from illuminated manuscripts for a classic adventure game.
Whatever look you choose for your controls, bear in mind that it still has to be intelligible to the unsuspecting or inexperienced user in order for the user interface to do its job.
