Dialog Boxes

Abstract

In a graphical user interface, the user typically decides what action to execute by selecting an option from a list of menu items at the top of the screen. If the action to be performed requires a data value to be processed, the user is prompted to enter the data value by entering it in a dialog box. Menu items and dialog boxes are the predominant GUI methods for interacting with human users. This chapter shows how to construct dialog boxes that manage the input, execution, and output of the program. The dialog boxes in this chapter are activated by the commander button. Later chapters will describe how to install menu items, which, when selected by the user, can initiate procedures or activate dialog boxes.