if you want to create a highly colorful gui try browsing vbaccelerator.com

lewell

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----- Original Message -----
From: "Matt White" <gaffa@r...>
To: "professional vb" <pro_vb@p...>
Sent: Friday, November 15, 2002 10:37 AM
Subject: [pro_vb] RE: Creating GUI


One thing to remember (and this can actually be REALLY tricky) is that
you need to develop a GUI that not only looks nice - it's functional -
the user can easily find the bit they want, without being completely
confused by a myriad of options.

Some specific things to look for:
* Provide Hot Keys where ever possible, and standardise those hot keys
across the application (so a Save but always uses Alt-S as the hot key).
This can be very very difficult, and there are only 26 letters to use.
* Set the tab order. It's easy, and it makes a massive difference to the
usability
* A little bit of colour goes a long way, but a lot of colour can
destroy a UI
* Message Boxes are BAD. Repeat after me, MESSAGE BOXES ARE BAD. They
are an intrusive form of notification. Use a status bar, or other
non-instrusive (and in the case of message boxes, NON-MODAL) form of
visual feedback. That said, message boxes do have their place - but
generally only for times when critical events occur.
* Make sure that the captions on buttons actually represent what is
happening. A Cancel button and a Close button are classics. If the form
autosaves each change, then don't use a Cancel. But a Close button
implies saving...
* Restrict entry of data to valid characters is possible (this item is a
bit contentious - whose job is it to enter verify data validity? The
users or the programmers). I generall find it a lot easier to stop the
user entering data in the first place than have to validate it later.
Makes for a cleaner data set in the long run...
* Think like a user, not like a programmer. You need to look at good UI
design from the point of process. Having all the pretty widgets in the
world doesn't necessarily mean the program is user friendly...

Just my thoughts...

There are standard guidelines on the Microsoft site for button size etc
that allow for languages to change etc... Haven't got the link at my
finger tips though...

Matt

-----Original Message-----
From: Monty [mailto:monty911@h...]
Sent: Friday, 15 November 2002 03:58
To: professional vb
Subject: [pro_vb] Creating GUI


Hi
can any of u please tell me how to create good looking interfaces in vb
(( I mean to say -+

)  )
what type of fonts and colors to use in simple forms .. (( should leave
the default system colors or set them to blue or red .. etc ))
) text size  ?????
) about  using tooltips ?
) the tab order ? ...
) the size of window ... ** Should i make it sizeable window or fixed
dialog
)


is there any book available in market for this purpose
PLZ HELP ME ,, HOW TO CREATE GOOD LOOKING  INTERFACES ... THAT ARE LIKED
BY ALL !!!!

Please help