An empirical investigation of menu design in language-based editors
Article
Article Title | An empirical investigation of menu design in language-based editors |
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Article Category | Article |
Authors | Toleman, Mark A. (Author), Welsh, Jim (Author) and Chapman, Alan J. (Author) |
Journal Title | Software Engineering Notes |
Journal Citation | 17 (5), pp. 41-46 |
Number of Pages | 6 |
Year | 1992 |
Place of Publication | New York, NY. United States |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1145/142868.142911 |
Web Address (URL) | http://doi.acm.org/10.1145/142868.142911 |
Abstract | In program visualization some form of graphics is used to represent some aspect of a program. However, graphics are necessarily expensive with respect to 'screen real estate'. Alternatives, therefore, may be required for presentation of certain concepts fundamental to the programmer's model of a program. For example, one graphical representation of a program, written in a block-structured language like Pascal or Modula-2, is the structure chart model of the hierarchical structure of the blocks or modules making up the program. This graphic may be the most appropriate but it may not be conveniently implemented as a menu and a means of 'directly' selecting blocks of program code to view or edit. Such graphics are used extensively, for example, in the Garden environment developed at Brown University. An alternative is a text-based list of block names indented to summarize the program's structure. UQ1, a language-based editor developed at the University of Queensland, implements the concept in this manner. Both types of menu structure were examined and compared for efficiency in a direct manipulation style of interaction. In general, there was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in time taken by subjects to select items from either style of menu. |
Keywords | menu design; software editors; language editors, UQ1; software engineering |
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020 | 460399. Computer vision and multimedia computation not elsewhere classified |
460702. Computer graphics | |
461299. Software engineering not elsewhere classified | |
Public Notes | Files associated with this item cannot be displayed due to copyright restrictions. |
Byline Affiliations | School of Information Systems |
University of Queensland |
https://research.usq.edu.au/item/9yzz4/an-empirical-investigation-of-menu-design-in-language-based-editors
2003
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