Sidebar (computing)
OpenOffice Writer
with an elaborate sidebar to the right, titled "Properties"The sidebar is a
operating system desktop. Examples of the sidebar can be seen in the Opera web browser, Apache web OpenOffice, LibreOffice, SoftMaker Presentations
and File Explorer; in each case, the app exposes various functionalities via the sidebar.
Overview
Sidebars have originated in desktop apps, which are designed for rectangular screens with longer horizontal sides. Like
GUI widgets with which the user issues commands to the app. Unlike toolbars and status bars, sidebars have larger surface areas because of horizontally longer layout of desktop apps. Sidebars may use accordions
to organize widgets and accommodate a larger layout than the visible surface area.
Widgets
In a number of
Widget engines, one is able to install applets
which can reside on a sidebar. Notable examples include:
- Windows Sidebar, part of Windows Vistaonly
- Google Desktop
Drawers
Early versions of
Human Interface Guidelines now recommend against their use.[2]
Formerly drawer-heavy apps, like iCal and Adium, now contain no drawers at all, and instead display an optional sidebar within the main window.
The Android mobile operating system also uses the term "drawers" to refer to a type of sidebar menu widget, usually accessible by swiping from the left edge of the screen.[3]
References
- ^ "The Mac OS X Drawer".
- ^ "OS X Human Interface Guidelines".
Drawers are rarely used in modern Mac apps. As much as possible, redesign your UI to avoid using drawers; if you're creating a new app, avoid adding a drawer to the design.
- ^ Bohn, Dieter (2019-08-08). "Android Q's back gesture controversy, explained". The Verge. Retrieved 2019-08-25.