Sun Web Application Guidelines - Version 4.0

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How To Use These Guidelines - An Introduction
 

3 Windows and Content Pages > 3.7 Primary-Content Pages

3.7 Primary-Content Pages

Primary-content pages contain information that is essential, important, or occurs first in a sequence. Independent of other pages with a context of their own, they are contained in main browser windows where users interact with their data and initiate tasks. Primary-content pages can remain open for longer periods of time. They support a general purpose, such as letting users view and generally maintain an object or set of objects.

Appearance and behavior of primary-content pages support the user performing multiple actions. For example, content page buttons such as "Save" allow the user to act on the page while leaving the page visible. Also, when an object is selected in the left pane, the object's properties are displayed in the right pane. For more detailed information refer to Chapter 6, Content Area Structure and Layout.

Required

• R1 Every product must have at least one primary-content page to fill the main browser window.


• R2 Primary-content pages always appear in the main browser window, not in pop-up browser windows or JavaScript windows.


• R3 Display primary-content pages in the main browser window only.
  
• R4 Provide a window status bar with all windows that contain a primary-content page.

• R5 Within a left-right pane set: Any object that is selected in the left pane must be represented in the right pane as a primary-content page. This is regardless of whether the object is a data object, container object, or anything else.


• R6 For buttons and breadcrumbs on primary-content pages:
  
  • Use a Save button in a primary-content page with contents that can be edited and manually saved. (This button is not needed if the page autosaves after changes.) Do not label the Save button "OK." Do not use a Save button if the page contents cannot be edited. The button saves the values currently on the page and leaves the page displayed.
  • Do not provide Cancel, Close, or "Back to Xxx" buttons. Optionally, you may provide a Reset button to abandon unsaved changes. Reset returns the page's values to when that page was opened or saved, but leaves the page displayed.

  For more information on buttons and breadcrumbs refer to 7.1 Action Buttons and 6.3 Breadcrumbs and Parentage Paths.

Advised

• A1 A content page that shows a single object's attributes (properties, child objects) is usually a primary-content page. Users spend most of their time there, performing a range of subsequent actions.


• A2 Limit the number of steps to open another primary-content page. Use navigation methods in a drill-down style set of links that contain the object's name (instead of specific action buttons such as View or Properties). The action should be complete as soon as the content page appears, and not require further input from the user through another page.

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3 Windows and Content Pages > 3.7 Primary-Content Pages