programming-for-dummies

298
Elements of a User Interface
Figure 10-10:
Check
boxes can
display
multiple
choices and
pick more
than one
option.
The drawback of both radio buttons and check boxes is that they take up
space on-screen. Displaying 4 or 5 radio buttons or check boxes on-screen is
reasonable, but displaying 20 or 30 radio buttons or check boxes can get
cumbersome.
Displaying multiple choices in a list box or combo box
If you need to display multiple choices, you may find it easier to display all
those choices in a list box. A list box can either display all choices or a limited
number of choices.
If the list box is large enough, it can display all choices. If the number of
options is more than the list box can display at once, the list box displays a
scroll bar so users can scroll through the list of all available options, as
shown in Figure 10-11.
Figure 10-11:
List boxes
display a list
of options.
Similar to list boxes are combo boxes, which combine the features of a text
box with a list box. Like a text box, a combo box lets users type data directly
into the program. Like a list box, a combo box also displays a list of options
that the user can choose, as shown in Figure 10-12.