Label

Use a label to provide additional information or to explain the function of a control or group of controls. For example, use a label to describe the required date format for a text field that will contain a date.

Provide a label for each tab group unless the window contains only one tab group and the window title serves as the label.

Provide a label for each text field unless the fields appear in rows or columns and associated row or column headings serve as the labels.

If a label contains a significant amount of text and the user is likely to want to use it as a data transfer source, provide a means for both mouse and keyboard users to do so.

Do not treat a static text control as a tab group.

Do not support internal navigation or selection within a static text control.

If an element contains a choice described by a textual label, place the label within the element (for example, a push button or radio button) unless some other textual information needs to be placed there (for example, an option menu button).

If you provide a label to describe a control and it cannot be placed within the control, place it to the left or above the control. For information on bidirectional and vertical language support, see Chapter 11.

If you provide a label as a name of an object, place it below the object. If the object is a small icon, place it to the right of the object. For information on bidirectional and vertical language support, see Chapter 11.

If you provide a label to indicate the type of information or descriptive information about an element, place it to the right of the element. For information on bidirectional and vertical language support, see Chapter 11.

When you provide a label for a group of controls in a column, place the label so that it cannot be confused with a column heading.

If a label is displayed above a text field, align the label with the left edge of the field. For information on bidirectional and vertical language support, see Chapter 11.

For controls that support more than one selection model, and if it is unclear from the context that this is the case, use a label to provide information about the selection model currently supported. For example, provide a label for a list box that uses multiple selection that indicates that an item can be selected or deselected by clicking on it.

In high-volume data-entry windows, consider using right-aligned edges of labels next to left-aligned text fields. This leaves a narrow vertical column of space between the labels and their associated text fields to allow a user to quickly scan the choices in the window. For information on bidirectional and vertical language support, see Chapter 11.

If a label supports direct editing, support quick transfer to transfer the range of text identified by the quick transfer operation.

If a label does not support direct editing, allow a quick transfer beginning and ending in the label or field to use the entire contents of the label or field as its source.

Make labels visually less important than the data to which they refer, through color, size, typeface, or a combination.

Capitalize the first letter of the first and last words of a label and all other words except articles, coordinating conjunctions, prepositions, and the "to" in infinitives.