Types of Configurability

There are two fundamental types of configurability: implicit and explicit. Explicit configurability is when the user explicitly sets options in a property sheet that was obtained through an Options or Properties command. Implicit configurability is when the user makes choices by directly manipulating objects on the screen—the program then preserves those choices. For example, in Microsoft Visual C++, you can directly configure the toolbar by selecting the toolbars you want displayed from the toolbar context menu, moving the toolbars around by clicking their gripper bars, and positioning individual toolbar items by Alt+clicking on them. This type of configuration eliminates—or, in this example, reduces—the need for choosing options with a dialog box.

Implicit configurability has all the advantages of explicit configurability without any of the drawbacks. The user selects what he wants, and the program honors it by making that selection the default setting. Implicit settings don't add any complexity to the user interface, so they are much easier to justify than explicit settings. They are also more enjoyable to use. You should prefer implicit configurations whenever they are possible.

TIP
Prefer implicit settings (that is, direct manipulation with persistence) to explicit settings (that is, property sheets or dialog boxes) whenever possible.



Developing User Interfaces for Microsoft Windows
Developing User Interfaces for Microsoft Windows
ISBN: 0735605866
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2005
Pages: 334

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