Style Guide
***********

Overview
========

   Note: These topics aren't discussed here just for fun. You will
annoy lots of users if you don't pay attention to them!

   - File Requester

     Even if MUI features a file list and a volume list object and
     makes building a private file requester very easy, you should
     always provide a possibility to pop up a standard asl requester
     for this purpose. Just add a little popup button right beneath
     your file string gadget and everything will be fine. MUI offers a
     file-popup object exactly for this purpose.  Note well: Many users
     (including myself) move programs with non-standard file requesters
     into the trashcan immediately.

   - Window Size

     With MUI, it's very easy to have lots of gadgets within a single
     window.  Since you as a programmer usually have a more powerful
     system with higher graphic resolutions as most of your users,
     windows tend to become too big. You should always make sure that
     everything you design fits on a standard 640x256 screen with a
     topaz/8 font. Otherwise, MUI will try to use very small fonts or
     virtual groups to make your window fit, making your application
     look and feel bad.

   - Keyboard Control

     Even if you're a "mouse-only" user, add keyboard cycle chains and
     gadget shortcuts to your application. It's very few work for you
     and helps lots of users.

   - Background

     MUI allows the user to adjust lots of different backgrounds for
     objects.  Even if you don't use this feature, you should always
     test your program with a fancy background pattern configuration
     and check whether all your buttons really have button backgrounds,
     all your framed texts really have text backgrounds, etc.

   - and last...

     Don't forget the traditional Amiga style guide!