There are seven types of windows:

1.Primary Window

2.Secondary Windows

3.Dialog Boxes

4.Property Sheets and Property Inspectors

5.Message Boxes

6.Palette Windows

7.Pop-Up Windows

1.Primary Window

The primary window is the first one that appears on a screen when an activity or action is started.

Proper usage of primary window –

• Should represent an independent function or application.
• Use to present constantly used window components and controls.
• Menu bar items that are frequently used and also used by most or all primary and secondary windows.
• It should also contain controls used by dependent windows.
• Used for presenting information that is continually updated.For example: Date and Time
• Also used for providing context for dependent windows to be created.
• Do not divide an independent function into two or more primary windows.
• Do not present unrelated functions in one primary window.

2.Secondary Windows

• Secondary windows are supplemental windows.
• Secondary windows may be dependent upon a primary window or displayed independently of the primary window.
• Secondary windows are used for performing subordinate, supplemental or ancillary actions that are extended or more complex in nature and related to objects in the primary window.
• For presenting frequently or occasionally used window components.
• Important guidelines:

i.Should typically not appear as an entry on the task bar.

ii.A secondary window should not be larger than 263 dialog units x 263 dialog units.

A secondary window can be of following types –

i.Modal and Modeles

Modal

• Used when interaction with any other window must not be permitted.For example, messages (sometimes called message box).
• Used for receiving user input.For example, data or information (sometimes called a prompt box).
• Used for asking questions.For example, data, information or directions (sometimes called a question box).
• Used carefully because it constrains what the user can do.

Modeless

• Used when interaction with other windows must be permitted.
• Used when interaction with other windows must repeated.

ii.Cascading and Unfolding

Cascading

Purpose:To provide advanced options at a lower level in a complex dialog.

Guidelines:

• Provide a command button leading to the next dialog box with a “To a window” indicator, an ellipsis (…).
• Present the additional dialog box in cascaded form.
• Provide no more than two cascades in a given path.
• Do not cover previous critical information like Title bar and relevant displayed information.
• If independent, close the secondary window from which it was opened.

Unfolding

Purpose:To provide advanced options at the same level in a complex dialog.

Guidelines:

• Provide a command button with an expanding dialog symbol (>>).
• Expand to right or downward.

3.Dialog Boxes

• Used for presenting brief messages.
• Used for requesting specific, transient actions.
• Used for performing actions that take a short time to complete and are not frequently changed.
• Command buttons to include:OK, Cancel, Others as necessary.

4.Property Sheets and Property Inspectors

Used for presenting the complete set of properties for an object.Categorized and grouped within property pages, as necessary –

• Use tabbed property pages for grouping peer-related property sets.
• The recommended sizes for property sheets are: 252 DLUs wide x 218 DLUs high, 227 DLUs wide x 215 DLUs high, 212 DLUs wide x 188 DLUs high,
• Command buttons to include: OK, Cancel, Apply, Reset, Others as necessary.
• For single property sheets, place the commands on the sheet.
• For tabbed property pages, place the commands outside the tabbed pages.

Property Inspectors

• Used for displaying only the most common or frequently accessed object properties.
• Make changes dynamically.

5.Message Boxes

• Used for displaying a message about a particular situation or condition.
• Command buttons to include:OK,Cancel,Help,Yes and No,Stop,Buttons to correct the action that caused the message box to be displayed.
• Enable the title bar close box only if the message includes a cancel button.
• Designate the most frequent or least destructive option as the default command button.

6.Palette Windows

• Used to present a set of controls.
• Design as resizable. Alternately, design them as fixed in size.

7.Pop-Up Windows

Pop-Up windows are used to display:

• Additional information when an abbreviated form of the information is the main presentation.
• Textual labels for graphical controls.
• Context-sensitive Help information.