As chair of SIG UI/VPlus HP has asked me to assist them in
defining two VPlus enhancements that were at the top of the list on
the last survey.  These two enhancements are pull down menus
and scrollable pick lists.  After several e-mail conversations with
HP, I thought it would be a good idea to get some other input and
thought this list might be an appropriate place.  Therefore, I am
sharing with you me last message to HP for your comments.
Please respond to me ([log in to unmask]) and bear in
mind the following:
 
1.  Only these two enhancements are under discussion now.
2.  The less changes to VPlus (and Formspec) the better.  We are
hoping that most of the requirements can be fulfilled by a
procedure or set of procedures that sit on top of VPlus (a la HI LI)
3.  KISS (Keep It Simple S...).
 
A scrollable pick list is a special case of a pull down menu.  In a
scrollable pick list the items can be scrolled either backwards (up
or forwards (down).
 
A typical application could involve order entry. The program places
the order screen on the terminal.  The user enters all information
correctly until he come to an item number that is Incorrect (maybe
obsolete or given to him in error).  The programmer then wants to
show the user a "scrollable" pick list of items that, perhaps, start
with the same prefix as the erroneous item number.  If he is filling
the item numbers on the left of the screen, he wants the pick list to
appear in a pull down window on the right of the screen.  The pick
list shows item number and descriptions.  If the desired number
appears in the window, the user places the cursor on it and hits
enter.  If not, he places the cursor at an empty line at the bottom of
the pick list to get a new set of items to choose from (scroll down).
If he feels that the desired item is further up the list he places the
cursor on a blank place at the top of the screen and presses enter.
This process continues until he finds the correct item (or gives up
by pressing F6, for example).  You can see that this capability has
many applications where the desired Identification number is either
incorrect or not available to the user without some list of names or
descriptions.  Another example involves filling out a purchase
order, where the user needs the vendor umber but only has the
vendor name.  Or in payroll where the user needs to find the
employee number but only has the name.  The applications are too
numerous to mention.
 
Nick Demos
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