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NAMECheck Box (Control) — Reference DescriptionA check box is a control for displaying a value choice that
has two clearly distinguishable states and may have a third, indeterminate
state. If a selection contains elements that have two different
states (for example, a text selection containing both bold and normal
text), the check boxes can show an indeterminate state. You typically
use check boxes in a group to provide a tab group of alternatives
or to set options in an application. Check boxes are also known
as check buttons. When to Use- Required
Use a check box to display an individual value choice
that can be set to on or off. - Required
Use a group of check boxes for value choices that
are not mutually exclusive and can each be set to on or off. - Recommended
Use a check box only if the user will clearly understand
the meaning of the choice when it is set or unset. For example,
provide a check box next to the Bold value choice to indicate that
the selected text is rendered in a bold font. - Recommended
When a value choice is displayed in a menu other
than an option menu and is part of a group of choices that are not
mutually exclusive, use a check graphic to the left of the value
choice to indicate whether it is set or unset. For information on
bidirectional and vertical language support, see Chapter
11.
Guidelines- Recommended
When a user activates a check box from a group of
check boxes, do not change the state of any other check boxes within
the group. - Optional
Setting one check box in a group can override remaining
check boxes; when the first check box is set, make the others unavailable.
For example, a group of check boxes could have the labels Plain,
Bold, Italic, and Underline. Setting Plain unsets the other check
boxes. - Required
When a check box is initially displayed in a set
or unset state, toggle only between those two values. - Required
When a check box is displayed in an indeterminate
state, toggle from indeterminate to set to unset.
Selection Properties- Required
When a check box represents a property shared by
more than one selected element: Show it as set if all of the selected
elements have that property turned on. For example, if all of the
text in a text selection is bold, and a check box is used to indicate
whether the selected text is bold, show the check box as set. Show it as unset if none of the selected elements
have that property turned on. For example, if none of the text in
a text selection is bold, show the check box as unset. Show it as indeterminate if some, but not all, of
the selected elements have that property turned on. For example,
if only some of the text in a text selection is bold, show the check
box as indeterminate.
- Required
When a check box represents a property shared by
more than one selected element, toggling it to a particular state
has the following effect: Toggling it to set ensures that all
of the selected elements have that property. For example, toggling
the Bold check box to set makes all the selected text bold. Toggling it to unset ensures that all of the selected
elements do not have that property. For example, toggling the Bold
check box to unset unbolds all the selected text. Toggling it to indeterminate gives each selected
element the value for the property it had when the check box was
displayed as indeterminate.
Visuals- Required
A check box consists of a check graphic and a label.
The check graphic is displayed to the left of the label. For information
on bidirectional and vertical language support, see Chapter
11. - Recommended
When set, the check graphic is one of the following: When unset, the check graphic is empty or an empty box. - Recommended
The indeterminate state of the checkbox is represented
by shading or otherwise diminishing the contrast between the check
graphic in the on state and the background. - Recommended
If the box is to be filled, fill the box with an
appropriate color different from the foreground and background color
on displays that support multiple colors. - Recommended
If a mark is displayed in the check box, it is displayed
in the foreground color on displays that support multiple colors.
Essential Related TopicsFor more information, see the Control
reference page. Supplemental Related TopicsFor more information, see the Choice
and Radio Button
(Control) reference pages. |
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