7.1 What is PROMPT?
Under the IBM SAA/CUA standards, PROMPT is defined as:
"Prompt is a common dialogue action that assists users to complete entry fields. It can save time for users and reduce the chance of typing errors.
To use prompt, users place the selection cursor on the entry field for which they want a list of possible entries. When they request prompt, a pop-up window appears containing a menu panel with single- or multiple-choice selection fields.
When users select one or more choices from the selection field, the pop-up window disappears. The choice text is placed into the entry field as though users had typed it there."
A prompt dialogue can be better illustrated in more visual terms.
- User is working from an entry panel. They tab the cursor into the company number field and use the prompt function key:
|
- A pop-up window of all allowable company numbers is displayed. The user selects the desired (company 03) by placing the selection cursor on it and pressing enter:
|
- The pop-up disappears and the selected company number is placed into the company number field just as if the user had keyed the value in:
|