Conventions for menu structures
lazarus / 23-Operating Systems

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geraldholdsworth · 2025-11-29 10:25

This is a general question, not specifically Lazarus (although I am
using Lazaurs) - essentially, is there a style guide for menus for
Windows, macOS and Linux anywhere?
My search engine is coming up blank (well, not blank, just irrelevant
entries) on the Windows front. I've found how to add the application
menu for macOS, which is a kindof guide?

Basically, as far as I can tell:
macOS has the application menu with "About", "Settings", separator, OS
added stuff (including "Quit") first.
I've been told that Windows should have "File" first (with "Exit"
being last entry) and "Help" being last (with "About" as the first
entry).
Linux - I haven't a clue...assuming it follows Windows conventions.

Then, there is the question of icons on the menu items. It appears
that macOS doesn't tend to have them, but Windows does.

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marcov · 2025-11-29 10:53

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/appuistart/-user-
interface-principles

But Microsoft has drifted from and to other kinds of gui in the last
decade(s).  The one that Lazarus uses is called "GDI", sometimes als
called simply "win32" or "windows classic".   Peak GDI was Windows
2000, and Windows XP already drifted a bit from that.

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Thaddy · 2025-11-29 11:15

The bible that guides most is:
"About face,The Essentials of User Interface Design, now known as  The
essentials of Interaction design" by Alan Cooper et.al..
Most Linux GUI' s Windows and Apple user interfaces are designed with
those books.I have the 2th and 4th editions.
You would probably want a newer version because the book has grown
with more and more modern insights.
Including web and mobile.
Every serious professional has exactly this book in one version or
other.

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jwdietrich · 2025-11-29 11:33

The recommended structure for the main menu in apps for macOS and
iPadOS is available from https://developer.apple.com/design/human-
interface-guidelines/the-menu-bar. This collection of best practices
is part of Apple’s Human Interface Guidelines (HIG).

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geraldholdsworth · 2025-11-30 09:09

Thank you all - that book looks interesting...might just have to add
that to my Christmas Wish List 

Some good reading on those links. Thank you.

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marcov · 2025-11-30 10:32

A bit older interface guidelines document:
https://www.ics.uci.edu/~kobsa/courses/ICS104/course-
notes/Microsoft_WindowsGuidelines.pdf