Concepts

How does a menu command compare to a toolbar button?

They are similar because:

1. They both represent a method for communicating with an application.
2. The action performed by a toolbar button is the same action that would be performed by the corresponding menu command.

They are different because:

1. Toolbar buttons use visual images to indicate their function. Menu commands use words.
2. Toolbar buttons are more convenient. Toolbar buttons are visible while working on a document. Menu commands are organized hierarchical and only accessible from a menu.
3. The toolbar is customizable; you can't change the commands on a menu.
4. The toolbar normally represents a subset of the functions available as menu commands. That is, there are normally more menu commands than toolbar buttons. (Note, the word normally is used because an application may be designed such that there are toolbar buttons for which there are no corresponding menu commands.)

Copyright 1997 by the Curators of the University of Missouri