Menu bar

Source: Windows; CUA; Motif
Aliases: Action Bar (CUA)
Related: Menu
SCO Visual Tcl commands: VtMenuBar, VtOptionMenu

This is a horizontal bar at the top of a main window that lists available topics. Menu bar topics are headings that lead to pull-down menus (or cascades) of commands. Menu bar topics are not commands themselves. Menu structure and naming should be based on the task analysis. When Motif menus or commands apply, they should be used. If they do not, then they do not need to be used. The following MS Word for Windows menu bar (modified with Help at the far right for Motif style), demonstrates a standard menu bar arrangement:

• Menu commands should be brief, consistent in grammar and placement, and matched with corresponding menu titles.

• Place at least 2 choices in a menu.

• Use cascading menus if there are more than 10 choices.

• Menu hierarchy should minimize depth at expense of breadth.

• Menu choices should be ordered by functional groups, frequency of use, order of use, and/or alphabetic order.

• Place related choices together in groups and distinguish groups by a separator line.

• Use stippling to denote inappropriate menu choices.

• Menu headings (in the menu bar) should never be stippled.

• Always present in mixed-case letters.

• Be sure headings allow logical groupings of commands under them.

• Each menu heading has an underlined mnemonic for accessing the menu without using the mouse.

• Use an ellipsis (...) after menu commands that bring up a dialog box for further user input.

• Capitalize all main words in menu commands (for example, Select All, Search for Object, Print Setup).