IWBNI on the Windows platform there were a quick way to obtain a short description of each control in a given dialog box. As it is now, all descriptions of dialog box controls are contained in the on-line documentation. These descriptions are necessarily extensive. Also, in the case when the Adobe Acrobat Reader is not already running, it can take several seconds to open the Index or Table of Contents. Furthermore, it can take several seconds to locate the link to information for a given dialog box within either of these documents. (Note: On the Macintosh platform, balloon help is available). 

This could be implemented by adding a question-mark button at the top right corner of each dialog box. To display a description of a dialog-box control, one could press the question-mark button and then click an item in the dialog box. This would cause a pop-up window to be displayed with a short description of the item that has been clicked. Also, the pop-up window could be displayed by right clicking an item and then selecting What's This? from a context menu. The pop-up window could be closed by clicking inside of it or by pressing Esc. For more information, see dialog boxes, getting Help in in the index to the on-line help for Windows 98, or see Microsoft Word 97.

Alternatively, this could be implemented by modifying the on-line help in Finale (i.e. that which is displayed when one presses the Help button in a dialog box) to provide a short description of each dialog-box control. This form of help is displayed relatively quickly. To accomplish this, the on-line help information that was available in Finale 98 and removed in Finale 2000, could be updated.

Created: January 25, 2000 (based on a submission from Riccardo Distasi and comments by Jari Williamsson)
Last Updated: January 25, 2000
Version: Finale 2000b