tabbed interface question

[veganboyjosh]

our solution has 8 files or so, one or two of them are not accessed by the end users, and i have basically a tabbed interface to switch between the files.

several of the files are related one to many, and i want the option of selecting which records are viewed when the destination db is reached/opened.

for example, take two of the files i have.

there's the client file, which has client info, name, address, etc.

each client= one record, and each record has it's own sequential id number.

then there's the job file, each job has it's own record, with it's own unique id, and one client per job, but each client can have more than one job.

right now, in the client file, the job tab has two buttons behind it, basically splitting the tab in half, with the laft half scripting the job file to open, and display only related records, those of the client whose record i'm currently viewing. the right half will script open the job file, and show all records.

this solution works fine, but i don't feel like it's very elegant, and it's hard to explain to new users.

does anyone have any ideas? these two options--show related records only, or show all records--are about the only two i can think of we'll need when switching between files, and maybe it's silly to have both options available (if so, please enlighten me somoene) but i'd like for this to be an option for users.

thanks in advance.

josh

[kenneth2k1]

Hi Josh:

If clients is your "main" file, I would think that clicking the jobs tab should show only jobs that are related. Once the user gets to this file, they can elect to show all. This is what I would do.

Another thought is to have a "preferences" section, where there is a radio button field that the user can click to show all, or only show related records. Then your tab navigation script can check the value of this field and perform the proper action.

Ken

[CobaltSky]

Broadly I'm inclined to agree with Ken.

However a further suggestion I'd make that you might like to consider is having a single button are for the whole tab and attaching it to a script along the lines of:

If ["Abs(Status(CurrentModifierKeys) - 2) = 1"]

Perform Script [ Sub-scripts, "Script which shows all records"]

Else

Perform Script [ Sub-scripts, "Script which shows only related records"]

End If

That way viewing the related records will be the default behavior, but users will be able to use the shift key as an 'over-ride' to go straight to a view of all the records.

If you implement something along these lines alongside of the kind of options that Ken was suggesting, I think you'll find that all-up you have a 'cleaner' solution.

[kenneth2k1]

I never even thought of a modifier key to change the behavior. I just had 10 ideas where I could use that in one of my solutions!

[CobaltSky]

kenneth2k1 said:

I never even thought of a modifier key to change the behavior. I just had 10 ideas where I could use that in one of my solutions!

Hi Ken,

The more the merrier!

Provided there is a fairly comparable or consistent logic to the kinds of things that a given modifier is used for, I find that users rapidly get the hang of re-applying the concept. So it goes somthing like if you provide two modifier key options in a solution some 20% of users will remember to use them, but if you provide 8 modifier options 80% of users will remember that thet're there. Well, not quite, but you get the gist...

[Fitch]

Modifier keys are a good option. Another possibility is to have two tabs, one labeled "Client jobs," the other "All jobs." Or, keep only the "Client jobs" tab, but in the jobs file, have a button "Show all jobs." Or, keep your split tab, but label each half, either with text, or a tiny icon, e.g. a face for client and a globe for all.

[veganboyjosh]

wow, great solutions all. i really like the modifier keys suggestion. i haven't played with those yet.

the preferences idea is grand. but as i am one of the two end users, preferences aren't something i need to implement at this point, but it is something i'm interested in for the future, or for other files i may create.

many thanks kiddos.

josh

[Fitch]

One thing I've been doing lately is putting a small visual cue on buttons that accept modifier keys, e.g. three small dots or something -- whatever blends with your design. Small touches like this really help make for a painless UI experience.