Controls, Controls, Controls ?

[Chris Boss]

This survey (poll) is about what controls make the biggest difference in designing a quality GUI.
The last six (not counting last one) items are non standard/common controls, but are catagories of some of the third party controls available.
The last one refers to any controls which emulate more current Microsoft GUI's, such as ribbons or unique controls found in IExplorer, MS Office, etc.

Don't just check them all if you use them all.

Check the ones which you feel are most critical to your average GUI design (meaning you couldn't live without them).

I don't care whether you write DDT, SDK (or other) style apps. I don't care if you use other programming tools besides PB.
What I am looking for is feedback on what controls you think make the biggest difference in your GUI design.

[RyanCross]

I didn't vote because its not a specific answer I can give. However, controls that make the application look modern are important, especially for a commercial product.

Too many times I see controls that remind me of the old Windows 3.1 or 95 days.

Sex sells.

[Erik Loef]

To get a modern look an emulation of the current advanced Microsoft controls would help quite a bit, so this has my vote.

[Edwin Knoppert]

To get a modern look an emulation of the current advanced Microsoft controls would help quite a bit, so this has my vote.

There is an activex for that, i have tried it:

http://www.codejocksoftware.com/downloads/

Still this control requires a lot of code to make it appear as in Office.

A discussion was here including an example exe and (simple) snapshot

http://www.hellobasic.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.pl?board=vd;action=display;num=1245753020;start=

So far for me the only control not being .NET based to make this work.

[George Bleck]

I wish I could take the Office ribbon bar and stuff it down Microsoft's gullet. People get too tied into "ooo...it must look modern".

A good GUI has what it takes to get the job done. period.

A great GUI is one that is clean looking but lays out the display in a way that requires little to no client documentation. If you can make an interface where the client does not require constant trips to the help manual without seeming cluttered you have a great GUI. If an existing or new control allows allows the client to do what he needs without seeking assistance... you have a win, but new just for the sake of new without form or function is just wasted CPU ticks and memory space.

[Erik Loef]

A discussion was here including an example exe and (simple) snapshot

http://www.hellobasic.com/cgi-bin/fo...5753020;start=

Compelling, I like the screenshot, this certainly gives a very nice starting point for an application!

[Edwin Knoppert]

[QUOTE=Erik Loef;318652]

A discussion was here including an example exe and (simple) snapshot

http://www.hellobasic.com/cgi-bin/fo...5753020;start=QUOTE]

Compelling, I like the screenshot, this certainly gives a very nice starting point for an application!

This *is* the activex control from CJ but i just added a few parts only.
To prepare a full ribbon you'll be busy for several hours i guess.
(So it's not a PwrDev thing at all here)
Check out the VB6 source coming with this package.
This is what i used.

[Chris Boss]

The more people who answer this survey (poll) the more valuable it becomes so please those who haven't already answer the poll.

Also feel free to have intense discussions about what you prefer when it comes to controls. This is good!

I find the different viewpoints very interesting.

[Erik Loef]

A great GUI is one that is clean looking but lays out the display in a way that requires little to no client documentation.

There is no disagreement here!

A smooth skin could actually accentuate these concepts even.