Re: Conventions for clicking or hovering for flyout menus

On Jul 12, 2010, at 5:30pm, Chris Hawkins wrote:
> I'm looking for votes or any links to standards on a couple things regarding 
> flyout menus.
> 
> 1 - IS there ever a case for OnClick rather than Onhover - or is the latter 
> generally preferred?

See Question 6 on Bruce Tognazzini's   A Quiz Designed to Give You Fitts
http://www.asktog.com/columns/022DesignedToGiveFitts.html

Allow onClick as well as onHover to avoid this whole problem... the click "locks" the menu open, so these sorts of mouse-targeting and drag-path problems are avoided (just be sure that your code actually ignores hover events over underlying objects when the menu is locked open).


Here's Joel On Software nicely quoting Bruce about general principles involved:
http://www.joelonsoftware.com/uibook/chapters/fog0000000063.html


I should also point out that anything hover-based has serious accessibility risks/problems.  I encourage you to evaluate these proposals by trying to mouse with your non-dominant hand, or with your elbow or foot.  That should sensitize you to the problems with hover oriented interactions that are picky about dragging within tiny spaces.

P.S. typical keyboard alternatives for menus work like onClick.  Since you likely either have to be accessible or have to support keyboard-oriented non-mouse users, you get the other nearly for free.


> 2 - How many levels out are considered acceptable? 

This is a question about taxonomies and whether normal non-computer people think in deep hierarchical abstractions.  My advice: not much.



p.s. asking for votes is not good science :-)   ask for proof or references (perhaps to validate a vote)
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