Back Button

[mav]

I'm looking for other developer's to post their thoughts on the use of a 'back' button.

I've read other developers mention they don't let users search - currently I have only one separate window dedicated for searching company and client records.

Before the internet, the closest thing I can remember in 20 years as a computer user, is the 'undo' option, and then later the multiple 'undos' from the likes of PhotoShop.

I worked with a girl who got to the point that she tried to 'undo' things in her real life, like making the wrong turn in heavy traffic - this same girl also used to dream of tetris, but that's an other story . . .

I'm not talking about being able to 'undo' data entry, I'm talking about using a 'back' button to navigate 'back' to the last record visited.

I'm not really for a 'back' button, as it’s my opinion that a database does not fit the 'one-record-at-a-time' experience of a web browser, and to work correctly, there also needs to be the 'forward' button and the option to go back to any display of record(s) during the user's access, not forgetting that the records may no longer exist in the same form . . .

What if I manually search a record, return a found set with 70 records, then create a new record (with data that would make the found set 71) then hit the 'back' button, do I get all 70 or 71 records ?

Is it just the user not understanding the navigation design for the database ?

Is it just bad design / training on the developer's part that a user asks for a 'back' button ?

Is a this 'back' button going to be a feature that the users believe they really, really 'need', but turns out they won't use it, and they only 'wanted' it ?

[Genx]

lol yeh... well here's my theory on the fact... it got requested, i provided... basically it doesnt work by record rather just by layout... once back... once forward.. everytime you go somewhere the back global gets set... and everytime you go back the forward global gets set.. thats how it works... meh my users are happy... what can i say

Genx

[BruceJ]

I had the same request fom some of my clients. Seems that the latest generation of kids who grew up on the internet think that turning back time ought to be as easy as a back button. I wish I had a back button in life too.

Imagine how much easier marriage would be if you could simply click the back button and change your answer to the doomed question, "Does this make me look fat?"

My users wanted an "undo" button too(imagine the real life benefits to that one).

However, I came up with a bogus reason they couldn't have a back button. I cited some sort of regulatory thing since these were for medical databases and built them a cool audit trail instead.

I was going to set up a sophistocated back button thing that stored the previous record ID and layout and went to it.

I tend to over-engineer these things - kind of liek a German automobile.

Then I came to my senses and gave them a button that actually just goes to previous record or goes to next record. The users were none the wiser and seemd ignorantly happy with the option.

I never told them they had any other option and once the forward/back buttons were there (a la Intenet Explorer) they shut up and were happy as clams.

In fact, I even incorporated a whole look to my solution that mimics Windoze XP and Internet Explorer - same colors and layout set-up.

[Genx]

hahahahahahahaha, awesome. My opinion... users are fun cause they dont really ever know what they want,

Genx

[mav]

Users think they 'know' what they 'want', it’s that they don't 'know' what they 'need' to get it . . .

I separate these when deciphering user ‘feedback’ - as it’s the developer’s job to work out ‘how’ to get what a user ‘needs’, and to remove what users just ‘wants’.

Users 'need' to navigate between records, and when supplied with buttons to GTRR, they then 'want' a method that they don’t have to remember where they were.

In this database, users have the ability to move between the current found set of records, using buttons to go to first, previous, next and last records, as BuceJ suggested.

I’m pretty sure these same users who 'want' a back button don’t know that they also 'want' a forward button, and have not understood the use of the GTRR buttons, or even the first, previous, next and last record buttons . . .

As for BruceJ, I have to ask, what ‘would’ have been the correct answer to “Does this make me look fat?” as every time I play this through in my mind, there is no ‘correct’ answer that does not end in tears for the one asking, or the one answering . . .

Or is the answer in the film ‘White Men Can’t Jump” where the answer was “I too have had a dry mouth” . . .

[BruceJ]

As for BruceJ, I have to ask, what ‘would’ have been the correct answer to “Does this make me look fat?” as every time I play this through in my mind, there is no ‘correct’ answer that does not end in tears for the one asking, or the one answering . . .

I'm coming up on my 15th anniversary... pretty long term by modern standards.

Beware of this question.. it's a trick. There is no acceptable answer that won't get you in trouble. the only choice is to not answer. I either fake a seizure to change the subject or another good tactic is to tell her you are ready to listen to her talk about her feelings... this is good becasue they are usually distracted becasue they are trying to get dressed and can't divert the time and attention for this... but you get to add some points for your team because you asked. Beware though.. she might take you up on this and you'll have to have some thoghts tucked away about the latest basketball game or something welse to occupy your mind as you nod your head in validation of her feeligns as you daydream about sports statistics or something else.