A matter of style
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This was discussed here in the recent past but I have no idea what the consensus was if any. So here's YAP. (Yet another opinion.) There needs to be some form of visual separation between the "Customer Name" etc. and the Values. If the values are also labels, it might be done with colons or spacing. If the values are in text boxes or similar, the colons would not be extraneous. Did your CIO say why not to use colons? Seems a bit drastic. I mean, where would be without our colons? :laugh: Edit: struck not :-O
BDF A learned fool is more a fool than an ignorant fool. -- Moliere
Big Daddy Farang wrote:
So here's YAP. (Yet another opinion.)
Wouldn't that be YAO? :) I prefer colons, and right justified, so the label is almost touching the control (appropriate whitespace). When I was first introduced to this, I didn't like it, but our user testing showed most people are able to track from label to control better with less space between label and control (on forms with many label/textbox combinations, so not much vertical space between each element, and very heavy on text). --G
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If it is a localized app the developer might want to leave the colons out - something else might be more appropriate for other languages.
Idaho Edokpayi
If localization is an issue the colon just becomes another thing to add to the list of locale-specific values... For me, the decision is usually based on the sort of form/page/etc. I am writing. If it is an extraneous screen element (i.e. not going to be found in any container called "main_content" or some such) it very likely won't get a colon because it won't be terribly important that the user want to fill it in RIGHT NOW. A good example would be the "Search" box at the top of this reply form: the current display's main purpose is to capture my reply, so the label for the search box is there to announce its presence and let me know that particular cluster of controls is how I find something. On the other hand, the controls for actually filling out my reply all have labels followed by colons, because they are part of the main purpose of the page and instructing my on what information I need to provide where, similar to forms throughout the ages. You could always use the "other" major format for labeling form fields and stick everything in a heavily-bordered table with weird superscript labels as on a US tax form and then ask which is better...
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Big Daddy Farang wrote:
So here's YAP. (Yet another opinion.)
Wouldn't that be YAO? :) I prefer colons, and right justified, so the label is almost touching the control (appropriate whitespace). When I was first introduced to this, I didn't like it, but our user testing showed most people are able to track from label to control better with less space between label and control (on forms with many label/textbox combinations, so not much vertical space between each element, and very heavy on text). --G
Good catch, you are correct. I guess I must have been thinking about opossums. ;P
BDF A learned fool is more a fool than an ignorant fool. -- Moliere
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Good catch, you are correct. I guess I must have been thinking about opossums. ;P
BDF A learned fool is more a fool than an ignorant fool. -- Moliere
Big Daddy Farang wrote:
about opossums
Here in the South (southern US), we have plenty of YAP (and YAA - yet another armadillo), so I can easily see how your mind could be thinking that way! --G
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So whats the consensus around here? When creating an app do you place a colon after your labels or not? i.e. Customer Name: [label] or Customer Name [label] I've always used a colon but have recently been told by our CIO to not use them. I think it just makes everything bleed together and looks terrible.
only two letters away from being an asset
As a technical writer in a company that didn't have one before, I had to come with our company "style". I referenced a lot of the Chicago Manual of Style and Microsoft Manual of Style v3. The latter more so because we are a Certified Microsoft Gold Partner shop. I go with the colon. And our programmers follow the same suit. The reason: there should be a visual separation between a label and it's value. A colon by definition is a division, or a separation, indicating there is more to follow.
S.Nowlin ----------------------- I'm a Techwriter Monkey -- handy, just less useful than the Bathroom Monkey.
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As a technical writer in a company that didn't have one before, I had to come with our company "style". I referenced a lot of the Chicago Manual of Style and Microsoft Manual of Style v3. The latter more so because we are a Certified Microsoft Gold Partner shop. I go with the colon. And our programmers follow the same suit. The reason: there should be a visual separation between a label and it's value. A colon by definition is a division, or a separation, indicating there is more to follow.
S.Nowlin ----------------------- I'm a Techwriter Monkey -- handy, just less useful than the Bathroom Monkey.
Awesome. I knew about the UI guidelines but didn't know about the style manual. Good reference for these situations
only two letters away from being an asset
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Awesome. I knew about the UI guidelines but didn't know about the style manual. Good reference for these situations
only two letters away from being an asset
The style manuals, and there are several out there, have been life savers as far as justifying a visual style standard, or a grammatical standard, that I've implemented. I still get vetoed, but at least when, 6 mos or a year from now, someone says "Why did we make that change?", or "Why are we doing this, it's stupid." I can point to my documented recommendation and say "It wasn't me!" :cool:
S.Nowlin ----------------------- I'm a Techwriter Monkey -- handy, just less useful than the Bathroom Monkey.
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So whats the consensus around here? When creating an app do you place a colon after your labels or not? i.e. Customer Name: [label] or Customer Name [label] I've always used a colon but have recently been told by our CIO to not use them. I think it just makes everything bleed together and looks terrible.
only two letters away from being an asset
There was a recent article on the web that said the most readable style was to put the label above the data entry box. If I can find the reference I will add it. Is the CIO the boss? If so, just leave out the colons & don't worry about it. Life's too short to try & convince him of the correctness or lack thereof of style. For all you know you are both working for a NO COLON freak who would have you fired for using them. Personally I don't like colons - but then I am my own boss & I (usually) get to decide!
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jgasm wrote:
sorry?
Requires knowledge of english slang. It's a play on words regarding human anatomy. The intenstinal tract contains a "colon" so ... how can you "go" (euphemism for venting bodily wastes) if you don't use a colon Judy
C:[ENTER]###
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So whats the consensus around here? When creating an app do you place a colon after your labels or not? i.e. Customer Name: [label] or Customer Name [label] I've always used a colon but have recently been told by our CIO to not use them. I think it just makes everything bleed together and looks terrible.
only two letters away from being an asset
I do. Just... makes sense.