Window Title

Reference

Description

A window title is a label placed in the area in a title bar that names a window.

Figure 78. Window Title.

View figure.

When to Use

Required

Provide a title for every window.

Guidelines

Required

Use a short description of the contents of the window as a title.

Required

Place the window title in the title bar of the window frame.

Required

If a user sizes a window so that all of the title cannot be displayed in the title bar, clip the window title from the end.

Recommended

Center the window title in the title bar.

Required

Do not change the name of an object being viewed in the window as a result of the user modifying the window title.

Recommended

Allow a user to directly edit a window title in the title bar by double-clicking the SELECT button on it.

Recommended

If the user can directly edit the window title, provide a choice on the window menu that allows the title to be changed, for example, by including a Properties or a Rename choice.

Include the name of the application in a primary window's window title if any of the following are true:

1. The application does not have a state or contents that needs to be named and persistently stored
2. The window is used to view a single file or object and is not the default application used to view that file or object
3. The window is used to view multiple files or objects

Required

If an application is used to view a single file or object, include the name of the file or object in the primary window's window title, following the name of the application, if necessary.

Required

When different primary windows of the same application are used for different views or purposes, append the name of the view or purpose to the window title.

Required

For a context-sensitive help window, append the Help choice to the title of the window for which help is being requested.

Recommended

If a generated window title would be a copy of another window title, append a colon (:) and unique number to the title of each of those windows. For example, if two views are open on a file, label them Filename:1 and Filename:2.

Recommended

Use special characters not otherwise used, for example, underscores, to separate the various components of the window title.

Required

Include in the title of a secondary window (other than one holding a torn-off control) the title (or a portion of the title likely to be unique) of the window it is dependent upon.

Required

Include in the title of a secondary window (other than one holding a torn-off control), one or more of the following:

1. The type or purpose of the window (such as dialog or property)
2. The name of the action, task, or situation that caused the window to be displayed

Supplemental Related Topics

For more information, see the Object, Primary Window, Secondary Window, and Tear-Off Menu (Menu Type) reference pages.