Dialogs

Mac OS applications use dialogs to tell you things and get information from you. Think of them as the way your computer has a conversationor dialogwith you.

Mac OS X has three main types of dialogs:

• Modeless dialogs enable you to work with the dialog while interacting with document windows. These dialogs usually have their own window controls to close and move them (Figure 40).

  Figure 40. This Spelling dialog in TextEdit is an example of a modeless dialogyou can interact with the document while the dialog is displayed.

  

  
  

• Document modal dialogs usually appear as dialog sheets attached to a document window (Figure 41). You must address and dismiss these dialogs before you can continue working with the window, although you can switch to another window or application while the dialog is displayed.

  Figure 41. A standard Save Location dialog sheet is an example of a document modal dialogyou must address and dismiss it before you can continue working with the document it is attached to.

  

  
  

• Application modal dialogs appear as movable dialogs (Figure 42). These dialogs must be addressed and dismissed before you can continue working with the application, although you can switch to another application while the dialog is displayed.

  Figure 42. An application modal dialog like this Quit dialog requires your attention before you can continue working with the application.

  

  
  

Tips

• You don't need to remember modeless vs. modal terminology to work with Mac OS X. Just understand how the dialogs differ and what the differences mean.

• Some dialogs are very similar from one application to another. This chapter covers some of these standard dialogs, including Open (Figure 21), Save Location (Figures 25, 26, and 41), Save Changes (Figures 16 and 42), and Replace Confirmation (Figure 31). Two more standard dialogsPage Setup and Printare covered in Chapter 12.

To use dialog parts

• Click a tab control to view a pane full of related options (Figure 43).

  Figure 43. The Screen Saver pane of Desktop & Screen Saver preferences.

  

  
  

• Use scroll bars to view the contents of scrolling lists (Figure 44). Click a list item once to select it or to enter it in a combination box (Figure 44).

  Figure 44. The Font panel.

  

  
  

• Enter text or numbers into entry fields (Figure 45), including those that are part of combination boxes (Figure 44).

  Figure 45. The dialog for adding buddy information to iChat.

  

  
  

• Click a pop-up menu (Figures 44 and 45) to display its options. Click a menu option to choose it.

• Click a check box (Figure 46) to toggle it on or off. (A check box is turned on when a check mark or X appears inside it.)

  Figure 46. Dock preferences.

  
  
  

• Click a radio button (Figure 46) to choose its option. (A radio button is chosen when a bullet appears inside it.)

• Drag a slider control (Figures 44 and 46) to change a setting.

• Consult a preview area (Figure 43) to see the effects of your changes.

• Drag an image file into an image well (Figure 45).

• Click a push button (Figures 43 and 45) to activate it.

Tips

• An entry field with a dark border around it is the active field (Figure 45). Typing automatically enters text in this field. You can advance from one entry field to the next by pressing .

• If an entry field has a pair of arrows or triangles beside it you can click the triangles to increase or decrease a value already in the field.

• The default push button is the one that pulsates. You can always select a default button by pressing and often by pressing .

• You can usuall select a Cancel button (Figure 45) by pressing .

• You can select as many check boxes (Figure 46) in a group as you like.

• One and only one radio button in a group can be selected (Figure 46). If you try to select a second radio button, the first button becomes deselected.

• If you click the Cancel button in a dialog (Figure 45), any options you set are lost.

• To select multiple items in a scrolling list, hold down while clicking each one. Be aware that not all dialogs support multiple selections in scrolling lists.

• There are other standard controls in Mac OS X dialogs. These are the ones you'll encounter most often.