Tooltip request

James Bott · Post by **James Bott** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 11:50 pm

I only use tooltips on a GET or similar control very rarely and then only when the user either enters invalid or questionable data. Having a tooltip popup every time a control gets focus would be very irritating after the first couple of times.

Antonio, one thing that would be useful is to have a tooltip class that is exported so we could replace it or easily control it. The current oTooltip used in TWindow is a static var so we can't access it. I have written a TTooltip class if you would like a copy. I created this to implement the procedures described in the above paragraph.

James

Post by **Antonio Linares** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 11:54 pm

James,

We also considered to use a class for it but we thought it was an unnecessary overload of memory for just displaying a quick tooltip on the screen.

We could provide a function to access the static variable

James Bott · Post by **James Bott** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 2:57 am

Antonio,

>We also considered to use a class for it but we thought it was an unnecessary overload of memory for just displaying a quick tooltip on the screen.

Ah, speed is important.

>We could provide a function to access the static variable.

Since it is already an instance of TWindow, it is already an object. Is it faster as a static than an exported instance variable?

James

Post by **nageswaragunupudi** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 5:25 am

Mr James

> Having a tooltip popup every time a control gets focus would be very irritating after the first couple of times.

I request you to reconsider. Tooltips do not pop up when the user is navigating the controls or entering any data. Tooltips popup only when the user hovers the mouse over the control ( normally he does not do it unless he is curious about it ).

I am aware of the importance you give to user interface and look at software from the perspective of the user.

I use both "message" and tooltips for gets. Experienced users never look at them. For new users the "message' makes them reassured about what they are entering. Tooltips help a new user to get an idea of what is all about the dialog before he proceeds with using it. For gets, ballon type are more nonintrusive than normal tooltips.

Would you mind sharing your TToolTip class with me?

Post by **Antonio Linares** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 5:35 am

James,

> Is it faster as a static than an exported instance variable?

Yes, we access the static with no search. An instance variable has to be searched from inside the Harbour classes engine.

Anyhow, its not a big difference. What do you need to do with the tooltip variable ?

James Bott · Post by **James Bott** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 10:22 pm

NageswaraRao,

>I request you to reconsider. Tooltips do not pop up when the user is navigating the controls or entering any data. Tooltips popup only when the user hovers the mouse over the control ( normally he does not do it unless he is curious about it ).

I will do some testing again--it has been a very long time since I worked on this.

>I am aware of the importance you give to user interface and look at software from the perspective of the user.

Yes, I do consider the interface to be extremely important.

>I use both "message" and tooltips for gets. Experienced users never look at them. For new users the "message' makes them reassured about what they are entering. Tooltips help a new user to get an idea of what is all about the dialog before he proceeds with using it. For gets, ballon type are more nonintrusive than normal tooltips.

It seems like overkill to use both. I note that Microsoft's solution is the help button on the dialog titlebar. The user clicks on this then on the control of interest. I do expect that lots of users don't understand this.

At the very least, I would give each user the option to turn off tooltips.

James