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From a user point of view there is no difference between clicking on the links in the topic actions of the view page vs. clicking on the buttons in the topic actions of the edit mode. There is no difference between clicking on cancel (a link) vs. clicking on save (a button). Note that the change form button is already rendered looking like a link.

I think we should make these consistent.


There is a difference. Saving your changed stuff is different that going to another page. The links on the View screen are all going to another screen. That is why I have made the cancel action a link instead of a button. -- AC
Not quite:
  • Preview does not save your work.
  • Going to an earlier version of the document does not go to a different screen.
I think this is a dubious distinction that does not justify the difference in appearance.

Note that this topic goes beyond these two screens: why is the ok in an oops dialog a button but the cancel a link? Both usually do the same thing: acknowledge the oops and go back to where you came from.

I have resurrected this as I believe the issue of visual consistency deserves more discussion. I think the button vs. link is just historical baggage when people did not know how to style an HTML rendered button to look like a link. So input became buttons, and everything else became a link. There is no design behind the current situation, just historical accident. --TW


I support Thomas here, cause consistency is one of the most important concept in good user interface design. -- FJ
To make buttons all the same is adding inconsistency. There are links and there are action buttons.

Users navigate through a site using links but not all links are conceptually the same.

The main reason for using action buttons is that because of their visual appearance, they get more attention and become visually distinct from normal text links. This is what is needed for important tasks such as "buy", "sell" etc.

http://www.welie.com/patterns/showPattern.php?patternID=action-button

Plus on the practical side: you can make a button look like a link, but it won't be a link and won't behave like a link.

-- AC


SVN:6399 and SVN:6400 changes the Cancel (edit) and Discard (preview) links into proper buttons; see Item395 -- WN

ItemTemplate
Summary Make topic actions in all modes consistent looking
ReportedBy ThomasWeigert
Codebase

AppliesTo Engine
Priority Normal
CurrentState Closed
WaitingFor

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Topic revision: r9 - 2005-09-17 - WillNorris
 
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