Matthew Raymond wrote:
Karl Pongratz wrote:
Matthew Raymond wrote:
So I ask you, for this example, where is the benefit of modal
windows?
I am using the current approach you describe, and as long as you have
only a single additional window (the edit form) open it wouldn't be a
problem, except if you want the user to explicitly complete a task,
then modal would be required.
I'm going to be lazy and ask you to provide the use case, since
you're the one claiming one exists in the first place.
> In case of the addresses modal may not be
required, it depends if you want to allow the user to delete a
contact while the same contact is open in the edit form.
Simple way around that. Put the delete button in the editing window.
It probably wont harm something in this case but it may in others.
/me coughs in a manner that sounds very much like the words "use
case".
The problem starts in the edit form, if you want yet to open another
window, lets say you want to attach a file to the address which is
opened in the edit window, within the opened edit window you open a
HTML File Manager. So you have 3 windows open, the address view in
the main web browser window, the edit form in a new window (without
chrome)
Every indication is that chromeless windows are on their way out.
I would be very sad if that would happen. Its currently the only way to
keep forms out of history and to unlock them from the back/next button.
So I would suggest to keep them and improve them rather than removing them.
> and the File Manager in another
new window (without chrome). Wouldn't you use at least a modal window
in case when you open the File Manager, if modal Windows would exist?
Assuming the address can only be deleted by opening it in an
address editing window and pressing "delete", you have no use case in
this situation, since the address can't be deleted until you return
from the file manager. I would consider that this might be a problem
in other situations, but I wonder if there aren't simple workarounds
for it.
The File Manager is just one case, I face this problem many times
where for an external edit form it would be convenient to open a
modal sub window.
So your use case for modal windows is that there are many
convenient situations where you'd want to open a modal window...
So, Xforms may be a solution in that case if you don't require being
the first window you open to be modal. By the way, I am simulating
modal windows within the edit forms I use, but it is definitely a
dirty hack to simulate multi web browser and multi os modal windows.
Yeah, hacks like this run the risk of conflicting with native UI
conventions, I'll give you that. However, it is widely accepted that
modal UI is to be avoided anyway.
I have no objection to avoid them if they are not really required.
Though what doing in the rare cases where you can't avoid them, I guess
Apple applications are still using modal windows in the one or other
case, and they will remain for another decade or two. Or is it different?
.
