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Qt Extended Style Guide: Naming

• Application Naming
• Labelling
• Abbreviations
• Acronyms
• Using the "..." label
• Examples of when to use "..."
• Examples of when not to use "..."

Application Naming

Whenever possible, application names should be based on established application names used in the current phone market. Names should be nouns rather than verbs (for example, Calculator rather than Calculate). Applications that show or edit specific types of data can be named simply by that data, as if the application was the data. For example Contacts and Tasks.

Note: An application's title should be the same as its launcher name.

Labelling

Each word in a label should start with a capital letter, with the exception of words like of, and, or to (often referred to as stop words).

Once a name is used for a specific item it should be re-used in other applications. For example, if Contacts and Calendar both have a company information field they should use the same label Company.

Abbreviations

If possible, avoid using abbreivations. Try using a shorter word with the same meaning, or consider using an icons instead. If you do need to use an abbreviation, the following guidelines shoud be used:

• use an abbreviation point (.) at the end of the abbreviation, unless the last letter of the word is included in the abbreviation (such as cmpny).
• write abbreviations consisting of initial letters as un-spaced and undivided sequences with abbreviation points after each letter. For example: T.Z. This does not apply to common acronyms, such as IP.

Note: Remember that abbreviations should be self explanatory: the user should be able to figure out the whole word from its abbreviation.

Acronyms

Acronyms follow the same set of rules as those found in the abbreviations section. Always check existing acronyms before creating a new one.

Using the "..." label

The following rules define the use of the ... in association with menu items.

• if the command has to be refined before a user can initiate an action then yes, use ...
• if the command does not need to be refined before a user can initiate an action then do not use ...
• if in doubt, do not apply ... to the menu

Examples of when to use "..."

Use ... only when the menu is followed by another dialog that is a direct and integral continuation of the command.

• Send All... is appropriate since the next dialog requires the user to select one of Email/Infrared/SMS before anything is sent.
• View Category... is appropriate since the next dialog requires the user to select which category they want to view.

Examples of when not to use "..."

Do not use "..." when the menu is followed by another dialog that is related to but not a continuation of the command.

• Edit (without ...) is appropriate if the user is immediately shown the entire record and is free to edit any aspect of it.
• Delete (without ...) is appropriate since the user does not have to refine the delete command in order for it to work. A please confirm dialog does not specify additional parameters; it is associated with the command but does not refine its functionality.
• Settings (without ...) should be used when a user is immediately given access to all the features that can be set, such as in the Calendar application.