Features

[This is preliminary documentation and subject to change.]

Graphic Design and Text Layout

1. For the Welcome and Completion pages, a main graphic in the form of a bitmap covers the entire 'page' area. The text is placed on top of the bitmap. See Diagram B1. Note: The new wizard controls (see Appendix: Development) will use whatever palette comes with the graphics.
2. For the Interior pages of the wizard, a header graphic in the form of a bitmap covers the entire header area. See Diagram B2. This graphic is automatically generated by the new wizard control – which grabs the top of the main graphic mentioned above, and inserts it in the header section of each interior page. Thus, designers should keep in mind that the top 59 pixels of the main graphic will be highly visable throughout the wizard.

   However, a unique header graphic can be designed and placed in the header sections if the wizard developer sets a flag in the Wizard97 common control code to allow this insertion. This unique header graphic will appear on all interior pages. It is not desirable to have a different header graphic for each interior wizard page. The header graphic should reflect the design of the main graphic.

3. The left and right margins in the Welcome and Completion pages should follow the Diagram B1 specifications. However, in the Interior wizard pages, depending on the content of the page, the margins can vary between the two specifications given in Diagram B2 for a normal margin or a small margin. Only use the small margin when the page contains particularly wide content; such as side by side list boxes.
4. Paragraph and control spacing and layout. Please refer to Diagrams C1 and C2 for spacing recommendations given in dialog units (dlus).
5. The fonts: For the Welcome and Completion pages, 14 point Times New Roman Bold is used for the large Wizard title, 8 point MS Sans Bold for the initial line above the title, and 8 point MS Sans (MS Shell Dialog font) for all descriptive text. For the interior pages, the new wizard controls automatically generate the title in the header section in MS Sans Bold and the subtitle in MS Shell Dialog. The text in the body of the page should be MS Shell Dialog.

Development Note: In the Welcome and Completion pages, the title font name and size should be loaded from the resource file thus allowing localizers the ability to change it. If the wizard being designed is a system component, development should specify the font name as "MS Shell Dlg". This will allow system to remap the font if necessary.

Text Usage

To promote usability, the new wizard style provides for statements of purpose and summation on the Welcome and Completion pages respectively, and clearer, more consistent Interior page text by requiring a title and a subtitle in the header section of each page.

A. Welcome page text:

States: 'Welcome to the (name that) Wizard', then gives a comprehensive explanation of the wizard's purpose. It can begin by stating, "This wizard helps you to…" (Example: This wizard helps you to create a new user account on this computer)." When appropriate, a list of the tasks performed by the wizard can be included. See Diagram B1

B. Interior pages header section text:

This text includes a short title that defines the subject or task of that particular page followed by a one-sentence description of the task to be perfomed by the page. See Diagram B2

The one-sentence description below the title can be written in several ways: as a question, as a description, or as a command (Imperative tense). Examples follow:

1. As a question:

   Computer Operating System (title)

       Is the computer's operating system set up to operate with Small Business Server?

2. As a description of the purpose of the particular page:

   Installing the Computer Operating System (title)

       Installation files will be copied to your hard drive.

3. As a description in the second person singular:

   Sounds (title)    

       You can choose a sound scheme then preview its different sound events.

4. As a command (Imperative):

   User Permissions (title)

       Specify what the user is allowed to do.

C. Completion page text:

States: 'Completing the (name that) Wizard' and also – 'You have successfully …(done such and such)'. In some wizards it might be appropriate to actually list the tasks the user completed.