scripted Show tooltip not a thing?

[Richard Gaskin]

Tooltips can be a solution, but the mechanism has some limitations in 
this context.

First, tooltips are a sort of hidden feature, where the user discovers 
them only after moving the mouse over the object.  Prior to that moment 
they're invisible, offering no guidance at all.

And in this case, the good explanatory text you're offering can't be 
seen until after the user commits to a choice, but that explanation 
would seem helpful to guide them to making that choice.

If space permits, you could consider adding the explanatory text in 
parentheses after the symbol directly in the control:

   -------------------------
   | = (Equals)            |
   | ≤ (Is at least)       |
   | ≅ (Is approximately)  |
   -------------------------

This would allow users to fully grasp the implications of a choice 
before making it.

-- 
  Richard Gaskin
  Fourth World Systems


avid Glasgow wrote:

> I have an app in which tooltips are generally off.  I also have a button menu which allows the selection of equality/inequelity.  Users are non technical, and on selection (i.e. not the usual hover) I wanted to pop up a brief tooltip describing the selected item in ordinary language (irrespective of whether tooltips are globally on or off):
> 
> on menuPick pChosenItem
>    set the label of me to pChosenitem
>    switch
>       case pChosenItem = "="
>          set the tooltip of me to "Equals"
>          break
>       case pChosenItem = "≤"
>          set the tooltip of me to  “Is at least"
>          break
>       case pChosenItem = "≅"
>          set the tooltip of me to “Is approximately"
>          break
>    end switch
>    set the tooltipdelay to 500
>    show the tooltip of me
>    set the tooltip delay to 0
> end menuPick
> 
> It seems  show the tooltip of me isn’t a thing.  I appreciate that I could show and hide an ordinary field, but I wondered if I have overlooked a suitable message and/or syntax that will enable what I want. 
> 
> 
> Best Wishes,
> 
> David Glasgow