Example of dialog box from Microsoft Windows

Dialog boxes are special windows which are used by computer programs or by the operating system to display information to the user, or to get a response if needed. They are so-called because they form a dialog between the computer and the user—either informing the user of something, or requesting input from the user, or both. In GUI terminology, a dialog box is a user control or widget. Image File history File links Dialog1. ... As of 2006, Microsoft Windows is the worlds most common operating system for use on personal computers. ... An example of a graphical user interface in Windows XP, with the My Music window displayed In computing, a window is a visual area, usually rectangular in shape, containing some kind of user interface, displaying the output of and allowing input for one of a number of simultaneously running computer... The terms computer program, software program, applications program, system software, or just program are used to refer to either an executable program by both lay people and computer programmers or the collection of source code from which an executable program is created (eg, compiled). ... An operating system (OS) is an essential software program that manages the hardware and software resources of a computer. ... Information as a concept bears a diversity of meanings, from everyday usage to technical settings. ... Gui is short for Guilherme or Guilhermo or an iteration of that, in English it translates to Will. ... A widget (or control) is an interface component that a computer user interacts with, such as a window or a text box. ...

Different types of dialog boxes are used for different sorts of user interaction. The simplest type of dialog box is the Alert, which displays a message and requires only an acknowledgment (by clicking 'OK' usually) that the message has been read. Alerts are used to provide simple confirmation of an action, or include program termination notices or confirmation due to crashing or intentional closing by user. An alert dialog is a colloquial (though commonly accepted technical) term for a particular type of dialog box that occurs in a graphical user interface. ...

Modeless

Non-modal or modeless dialog boxes are used when the requested information is not essential to continue, and so the window can be left open while work continues elsewhere. In general, good software design calls for dialogs to be of this type where possible, since it does not force the user into a particular mode of operation. An example might be a dialog of settings for the current document, for example the background and text colours. The user can continue adding text to the main window whatever colour it is, but can change it at any time using the dialog. (This isn't meant to be an example of the best possible interface for this). Modeless dialog boxes are often similar in function with utility windows. Modelessness is a property of computer User Interfaces. ... The Finders Inspector window is an example of a utility winodw A utility window is a window in Mac OS X which floats on top of all other windows and offers tools or information for the current application. ...

Application modal

Modal dialog box

Modal dialog boxes are those which temporarily halt the program in the sense that the user cannot continue until the dialog has been closed: the program may require some additional information before it can continue, or may simply wish to confirm that the user wants to proceed with a potentially dangerous course of action. Traditionally, modal dialogs have been either system or application modal—they either take over the whole system until they are dismissed, or just the application that displayed it. Recently, the concept of a document modal dialog has been used, most notably in Mac OS X where they are shown as sheets attached to a parent window. These dialogs block only that window until the user dismisses the dialog, permitting work in other windows to continue, even within the same application. Image File history File links DialogBox. ... In user interface design, a modal window (often called modal dialog because the window is almost always used to display a dialog) is a child window created by a parent application, usually a dialog box, which has to be closed before the user can continue to operate the application. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Window modal

Example of a window-modal (sheet) dialog used in Mac OS X. Here the underlying document is being saved (in fact this very article). In OS X, sheets appear to emanate from a slot in their parent window (just visible here), and are shown with a reinforcing animation. This helps to let the user understand that the dialog is attached to the parent window, not just shown in front of it. While the dialog is displayed, no work can be done in the parent document itself, but the parent window can still be moved, resized and minimised, and other windows can be brought in front so the user can work with them:

Screen shot showing modal sheet dialog of Mac OS x - created to use in dialog box article This is a screenshot of a copyrighted website, video game graphic, computer program graphic, television broadcast, or film. ...