Sample Topic

NAME

Sample Topic — Reference

Description

This sample topic describes how this chapter presents the reference material.

This section provides a technical definition of the item to be described begins each topic. Topics include guidelines for all controls and menu choices and for some concepts. Many topics include a graphical representation of the item being described.

When to Use

This section includes required, recommended, and optional guidelines on when to use the element described in this topic.

Required: When the word Required precedes the statement, the statement is considered to be fundamental to developing an application that complies with the standard.
Recommended: When the word Recommended precedes the statement, the statement is recommended to create an interface that is easy to use and consistent with other interfaces.
Optional: When the word Optional precedes the statement, the statement is optional. That is, the guideline might be useful to consider when creating your interface, but is neither fundamental nor recommended.

Specific requirements may not apply to your application. For more information, see the Certification Checklist.

Guidelines

This section includes required and recommended guidelines for the topic. However, the specific requirements may not apply to your application. For example, the Selected menu topic includes required guidelines for a Paste choice on the Selected menu. If you do not supply this choice on your Selected menu, the requirement does not apply.

This section may also include guidelines related to specific designer or user tasks, such as providing keyboard activation.

Required: When the word Required precedes the statement, the statement is considered to be fundamental to creating an application that complies with the standard and that is easy to use and consistent with other interfaces.
Recommended: When the word Recommended precedes the statement, the statement is recommended to create an interface that is easy to use and consistent with other interfaces.
Optional: When the word Optional precedes the statement, the statement is considered to be optional. That is, the guideline might be useful to consider when creating your interface, but is neither fundamental nor recommended.

Essential Related Topics

This section lists references to essential related topics. Read these topics to ensure that you understand how the element should be used and how it should interact, or how a menu-bar item relates to the menu structure. For example, because a fundamental guideline in the menu bar topic specifies assigning a mnemonic for the standard menu-bar choices, the mnemonic topic is listed as an essential reference. You should refer to the mnemonic topic for the specific guidelines that apply.

Supplemental Related Topics

This section lists topics that supply additional information related to the element, but that are not critical to understanding the element. For example, the menu bar topic includes a recommendation to provide tear-off menus. If you do not allow the user to tear off menus, you do not need to refer to that topic.