Dev Tip: How to Use the OutSystems Popup Widget for Collapse and Expand

Popups are a handy tool for enhancing user interactions in your OutSystems applications. Whether you’re displaying additional information, confirming user actions, or showcasing forms, popups allow for a seamless experience without navigating away from the current screen. In today’s dev tip, we’re walking through how to use the OutSystems Popup Widget’s collapse and expand functionality.

Why Use the Popup Widget?

Popups can overlay important information over your app’s main content without forcing users to move away from the current screen. This keeps the user flow uninterrupted while still providing the necessary interactions or information. Understanding how to collapse and expand these popups helps maintain a clean and user-friendly interface.

Step-by-Step Guide to Using the Popup Widget

Step 1: Adding the Popup Widget

The first step is to add a popup to your page. To do this, simply drag the Popup widget from the OutSystems toolbox onto your screen. The popup will overlay the main content of your application, providing a layer for displaying additional information or actions.

Step 2: Understanding the Default Behaviour

By default, the popup appears as an overlay on your app’s content. The overlay effect ensures that users focus on the popup while still providing them with easy access to collapse or expand the popup as needed.

Step 3: Collapsing the Popup

To collapse the popup, you’ll notice an option in the top-right corner. Clicking on the collapse icon will hide the popup, allowing users to continue interacting with the rest of the application’s content.

Step 4: Expanding the Popup

If you want to re-open the popup, simply click on the expand icon (usually represented as a small circle) in the same location. This will bring back the popup and allow users to interact with it again.

Why This Matters for User Experience

The ability to collapse and expand popups is crucial for creating a smooth, user-friendly experience. It ensures that users can control when they see or interact with the popup, without feeling forced into unnecessary actions. This level of control can help improve the overall usability of your application, especially in data-heavy or form-driven apps.

Best Practices for Using Popups

  • Minimal Disruption: Always ensure that your popup content is relevant and enhances the user experience. Overusing popups can disrupt user flow and make the interface feel cluttered.
  • Accessibility: Make sure the collapse/expand icons are easy to spot and accessible for all users, including those with disabilities.
  • Smooth Transitions: Use smooth animations when collapsing and expanding popups to give the interface a more polished feel.

Popups are a powerful tool in any developer’s arsenal when building OutSystems applications. By learning how to effectively collapse and expand these widgets, you can create more intuitive, user-friendly experiences. As always, experiment with how popups fit into your application and adjust them to best suit your users’ needs.

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