Control Panel Usage Patterns

Control Panels

For items in Control Panel, you can use a task flow or a property sheet. Here are their usage patterns:

Task flow patterns

Task flow items use a hub page to present the high-level choices, and spoke pages to perform the actual configuration. There are several possible hub and spoke combinations:

A hub with task-based spoke pages
In this case, the item is composed completely of individual tasks.

A hub with task-based and form-based spoke pages
In this case, the task-based spoke pages are used for the most common and important tasks, and the form-based spoke page is used to configure the less common, less important, more advanced properties.

Note: Using only task-based spoke pages might make an item bloated and tedious to use; consider using form-based pages when task-based spokes don't work well for all of your properties.

An object-based hub without spokes
In this case, an object-based hub page has all the properties and tasks in place (perhaps using dialog boxes for simple input), so no spoke pages are required.

A form-based spoke page without a hub
In this case, the form contains all the tasks and properties involved, so no hub page is required.

Task-based hub pages

These hub pages present the most commonly used tasks. Clicking a task link navigates users to a spoke page to configure system features and perform related tasks. They are best used for a few common or important tasks, where users need more guidance and explanation. The configuration should be system wide (examples: date and time, security, power options), and there should typically be one or two objects involved (examples: monitors, keyboard, mouse, game controllers). Hub pages don't have commit buttons.

The hybrid version is a task-based hub page that also has some properties or commands directly on it. Hybrid hub pages are strongly recommended when users are most likely to use the item to access those properties and commands.

A typical hybrid task-based hub page.

For detailed guidelines about hub pages, see the section in the main Control Panels article.

Object-based hub pages

These hub pages present the available objects using a list view control. Single-clicking selects an object; double-clicking selects an object and navigates to a spoke page with the selected object's properties. They are best used when there could be several objects. There might be some system-wide settings, but most configuration tasks apply only to the selected object (for example, user accounts, network connections, and printers). Hub pages don't have commit buttons.

A typical object-based hub page implemented with a list view control.

Task pages

These spoke pages present a task or a step in a task with a specific, task-based main instruction. They are best used for tasks that benefit from additional guidance and explanation. The final page in a task has commit buttons so that users can complete or cancel the task.

A typical task page.

For detailed guidelines about spoke pages, see the section in the main Control Panels article.

Form pages

These spoke pages present a collection of related properties and tasks based on a general main instruction. They are best used for features that have many properties and benefit from a direct, single-page presentation, such as advanced properties. The final page in a task has commit buttons so that users can complete or cancel the task.

A typical form page.

For detailed guidelines about spoke pages, see the section in the main Control Panels article.

Property sheet patterns

Property sheets are best used in legacy items with many settings targeted at advanced users. New items can achieve the same effect with a task flow, using the form page pattern.

This item is implemented using a property sheet.