Radio Button (Control)

A control used to display mutually exclusive textual settings choices.

RadioButton.gif (1584 bytes)

Use a field of radio buttons to display mutually exclusive settings choices.

	Use radio buttons for settings choices. Do not use radio buttons to represent action choices or routing choices.
	Avoid using a radio button for graphical choices, instead use a value set for graphical choices.
	Use at least two radio buttons in each field.
	Do not use radio buttons for "Yes" "No" responses; use a Check box instead.
	Assign one of the choices in a radio-button field as the default except when the radio buttons represents a setting for more than one selected object and no single choice applies to all the objects.
	If a user can choose not to select any of the choices, provide a radio button labeled None or equivalent appropriate text.
	Arrange the radio buttons in a group in rows, columns, or both.
	If a radio button choice is currently unavailable, display it with unavailable-state emphasis.
	Assign a mnemonic to each radio-button choice.
	If a radio button has a mnemonic, provide access to the mnemonic by allowing a user to press the Alt key and that mnemonic.
	Capitalize the first letter of each word of a radio button choice unless the choice contains an abbreviation, acronym, or proper noun that should not be capitalized.
	When a field of radio buttons represents a setting shared by more than one selected object: Do not display a dot in any of the radio buttons if some, but not all, of the selected objects have the setting turned on. Display a dot in one of the radio buttons if that setting applies to all of the selected objects.