Emphasis (Cue)

When a user opens a window on an object represented by an icon, display in-use emphasis on the icon.

If the user invokes a task that uses an object represented by an icon, display in-use emphasis on the icon.

Remove in-use emphasis from an icon for an object when all windows that contain a view of that object have been closed and all tasks that use that object have completed.

Display in-use emphasis on each instance of an icon for an object.

Display selected emphasis on the primary selection, whether or not the control containing it has focus.

Display selected emphasis on a persistent selection when the control containing it has focus.

Display selected emphasis on a nontextual persistent selection, whether or not the control containing it has focus.

Display selected emphasis by changing the foreground and background colors of the selected element to those specified by the operating environment.

Design the rendition graphics for elements that use a variety of colors to have distinct background pixels, preferably around the perimeter of the image.

If your application supports a secondary selection mechanism in addition to a primary selection (for example, during quick transfer), display selected emphasis for the secondary selection by using the foreground color to draw a box around a graphic element or to underline a text element.

If a selected element uses a variety of colors in its rendition graphic, display selected emphasis by changing the background pixels to the background color specified by the operating environment.

Display unavailable emphasis on choices or controls that represent operations that cannot be activated in the current context.

If a choice is never available to a particular user, do not display the choice rather than displaying it with unavailable emphasis. For example, if the system administrator assigns read-only access to a user, destructive choices such as Cut or Delete should not be displayed.

Do not include unavailable choices in lists and option menus.

Provide a warning signal when a user attempts to interact with a choice or control that is displayed with unavailable emphasis.

When the contents of a list are variable from one presentation to the next, such as a list of documents, avoid displaying them with unavailable emphasis; instead, do not include choices in the list that are unavailable.

If a user attempts to choose an element that is currently displayed with unavailable emphasis, indicate in the information area that the choice cannot be activated and that requesting help will explain why it is unavailable.

Display unavailable emphasis by dimming the choice or control that the user cannot interact with. For example, indicate a menu choice that is unavailable by changing every other pixel to the background color.

Display source emphasis on the source elements during a drag-and-drop operation.

Display source emphasis on an element while a pop-up menu is posted from that element.

Display source emphasis on an element if an action message that applies to that element is displayed.

Display source emphasis on a selectable element if the pointer is on the element and the user is not in the middle of a selection operation.

Display source emphasis by reducing the contrast of the element being manipulated. For example, change an icon for an element by changing every other pixel to the background color, thus making the icon appear to dim.

During a drag-and-drop operation to a target element in which a drop is likely to succeed, display target emphasis on the target element when the pointer is on that element.

During a drag-and-drop operation, display source emphasis on the source element.

When a target element is an icon that represents an object, do not display target emphasis on other icons for the object.

Design target emphasis so that it will be visible in addition to any other forms of emphasis that could be currently visible on an element. For example, display both target emphasis and selected emphasis on a selected element that is the target of a drag-and-drop operation.

Display target emphasis as a solid line around the target element.

When a target element is a window that contains a view of a container, display target emphasis as a solid thin line around the inside of the window adjacent to the border.

When elements in a selection scope are maintained in some order, use a graphic element as a marker placed between the items to indicate that the element (or elements) being dragged will be inserted between those items. The placement of the marker should indicate that the dragged element (or elements) will be added after the element that precedes the marker and prior to the element following the marker.

Display ready emphasis on a control if the action will be activated or toggled when the user completes the current action.

When the pointer is located on an element that represents a choice and the user presses the SELECT button, display ready emphasis to indicate that releasing SELECT activates or toggles the choice. Modify the emphasis as follows if the user moves the pointer:

Remove the ready emphasis from the selected element when the user moves the pointer from the element, whether or not the action that would activate or toggle the choice was completed or when the user cancels the action.

Ready emphasis for a value indicates the value of the choice if it were toggled.

Display default emphasis on the push button whose action corresponds to the current default action.

Provide default emphasis around a push button by drawing a border around it.

In explicit mode, display interacted emphasis on the last control within a selection scope that had input focus.

In implicit mode, display interacted emphasis on the last control within a selection scope that received input.

In text, show interacted emphasis by displaying the cursor.

When an explicit focus policy is in use, use focus emphasis to indicate which control has focus.

When an implicit focus policy is in use, you can use focus emphasis to indicate which control has focus.