[kde-guidelines] Styleguide: Frame

[Heiko Tietze]

Viewing and Navigation > Grouping
* Use a frame for arrangement of controls without a caption. 
http://techbase.kde.org/Projects/Usability/HIG/Frame

== Purpose ==
A ''frame'' (also known as panel) is an unlabeled rectangular control that 
surrounds a set of related controls. 

A frame is a way to show relationships visually; it provides no additional 
functionality.
== Example ==
== Guidelines ==
=== Is this the right control ===
* Use a frame to arrange related controls that cannot be labeled. But always 
consider to use a labeled [[Projects/Usability/HIG/GroupBox| group box]]. 
* Do not group single controls.
* Consider to communicate relationship by layout only.
=== Behavior ===
* Do not nest grouping elements; use layout to show relationships within a 
group.
* Do not disable groups. To indicate that a group of controls doesn't 
currently apply, disable all the controls within the group, but not the group 
itself.
* Put a [[Projects/Usability/HIG/Splitter| splitter]] between aligned grouping 
controls. 

===  Appearance ===
* Use a 'raised' shadow if the frame is used to convey relationship.

== Implementation ==

[[Category:Usability]][[Category:Behavior]][[Category:Viewing_and_Navigation]]
[[Category:Grouping]]


Is it possible to abuse a frame to simulate other controls like statusbar or 
toolbar? In this case I would add:
* Do not abuse a frame to simulate specialized controls like statusbar or 
toolbar.