Pie menu
Encyclopedia
Circle
A circle is a simple shape of Euclidean geometry consisting of those points in a plane that are a given distance from a given point, the centre. The distance between any of the points and the centre is called the radius....
context menu
Context menu
A context menu is a menu in a graphical user interface that appears upon user interaction, such as a right mouse click or middle click mouse operation...
where selection depends on direction. A pie menu is made of several "pie slices" around an inactive center and works best with stylus
Stylus (computing)
In computing, a stylus is a small pen-shaped instrument that is used to input commands to a computer screen, mobile device or graphics tablet...
input, and well with a mouse
Mouse (computing)
In computing, a mouse is a pointing device that functions by detecting two-dimensional motion relative to its supporting surface. Physically, a mouse consists of an object held under one of the user's hands, with one or more buttons...
. Pie slices are drawn with a hole in the middle for an easy way to exit the menu.
Pie menus work well with keyboard acceleration, particularly four and eight item menus, on the cursor keys and the number pad. A goal of pie menus is to provide a smooth, reliable gestural style of interaction for novices and experts.
A slice can lead to another pie menu; selecting this may center the mouse cursor
Cursor (computers)
In computing, a cursor is an indicator used to show the position on a computer monitor or other display device that will respond to input from a text input or pointing device. The flashing text cursor may be referred to as a caret in some cases...
in the new menu. A marking menu is a variant of the technique.
As a kind of context menu, pie menus are often context-sensitive
Context sensitive user interface
A context sensitive user interface is one which can automatically choose from a multiplicity of options based on the current or previous state of the program operation.Context sensitivity is almost ubiquitous in current graphical user interfaces, and should, when operating correctly, be practically...
, showing different options depending on what the mouse cursor was pointing at when the menu was requested.
History
The first documented radial menu is attributed to a system called PIXIE in 1969. Some universities explored alternative visual layouts.In 1986, Mike Gallaher and Don Hopkins
Don Hopkins
Don Hopkins is an artist and programmer specializing in human computer interaction and computer graphics.He inspired Richard Stallman, who described him as a "very imaginative fellow", to use the term copyleft. He coined Deep Crack as the name of the EFF DES cracker, and built "AJAXian"...
together arrived independently to the concept of a context menu based on the angle to the origin where the exact angle could be passed as a parameter to a command, and the radius could be used to trigger a submenu.
The first performance comparison to linear menus was performed at 1988 showing an increase in performance of 15% less time and a reduction of selection errors.
Usage
For the novice, pie menus are easy because they are a self-revealing gestural interfaceMouse gesture
In computing, a pointing device gesture or mouse gesture is a way of combining pointing device movements and clicks which the software recognizes as a specific command. Pointing device gestures can provide quick access to common functions of a program. They can also be useful for people who have...
: They show what you can do and direct you how to do it. By clicking and popping up a pie menu, looking at the labels, moving the cursor in the desired direction, then clicking to make a selection, you learn the menu and practice the gesture to "mark ahead" ("mouse ahead" in the case of a mouse
Mouse (computing)
In computing, a mouse is a pointing device that functions by detecting two-dimensional motion relative to its supporting surface. Physically, a mouse consists of an object held under one of the user's hands, with one or more buttons...
, "wave ahead" in the case of a dataglove
Wired glove
A wired glove is an input device for human–computer interaction worn like a glove.Various sensor technologies are used to capture physical data such as bending of fingers. Often a motion tracker, such as a magnetic tracking device or inertial tracking device, is attached to capture the global...
). With a little practice, it becomes quite easy to mark ahead even through nested pie menus.
For the expert, they're efficient because—without even looking—you can move in any direction, and mark ahead so fast that the menu doesn't even pop up. Only when used more slowly like a traditional menu, does a pie menu pop up on the screen, to reveal the available selections.
Most importantly, novices soon become experts, because every time you select from a pie menu, you practice the motion to mark ahead, so you naturally learn to do it by feel. As Jaron Lanier
Jaron Lanier
Jaron Zepel Lanier is an American computer scientist, best known for popularizing the term virtual reality .A pioneer in the field of VR, Lanier and Thomas G. Zimmerman left Atari in 1985 to found VPL Research, Inc., the first company to sell VR goggles and gloves...
of VPL Research has remarked, "The mind may forget, but the body remembers." Pie menus take advantage of the body's ability to remember muscle motion and direction
Muscle memory
Muscle memory has been used synonymously with motor learning, which is a form of procedural memory that involves consolidating a specific motor task into memory through repetition. When a movement is repeated over time, a long-term muscle memory is created for that task, eventually allowing it to...
, even when the mind has forgotten the corresponding symbolic labels.
Comparison with other interaction techniques
Pie menus are faster and more reliable to select from than linear menus, because selection depends on direction instead of distance. The circular menu slices are large in size and near the pointer for fast interaction (see Fitts's law). Experienced users use muscle memoryMuscle memory
Muscle memory has been used synonymously with motor learning, which is a form of procedural memory that involves consolidating a specific motor task into memory through repetition. When a movement is repeated over time, a long-term muscle memory is created for that task, eventually allowing it to...
without looking at the menu while selecting from it. Nested pie menus can efficiently offer many options, and some pie menus can pop up linear menus, and combine linear and radial items in the same menu. Pie menus just like any popup menu are shown only when requested, resulting in less visual distraction and cognitive load than toolbars and menu bars that are always shown.
Pie menus show available options, in contrast to invisible mouse gestures. Pie menus, which delay appearance until the cursor is not moving, reduce intrusiveness to the same level as mouse gestures for experienced users. Pie menus take up more screen space than linear menus, and the number of slices in an individual menu must be kept low for effectiveness by using submenus. When using pie menus, submenus may overlap with the parent menu, but the parent menu may become translucent or hidden.
Pie menus are most suited for actions that have been laid out by humans, and have logical grouping choices. Linear menus are most suited for dynamic, large menus that have many possible options, without any logical grouping, since pie menus can only show a limited number of menu items. Around 3-12 items can be reasonably accommodated in a radial layout, but additional items past that tend to counteract the benefits of using pie menus in the first place. This can be overcome with related techniques that allow chaining commands in one single gesture through submenus.
However, using interaction techniques that are not pointer
Cursor (computers)
In computing, a cursor is an indicator used to show the position on a computer monitor or other display device that will respond to input from a text input or pointing device. The flashing text cursor may be referred to as a caret in some cases...
based have proven problematic with both pie and linear menus.
Pie menus are unavailable as standard widgets in common commercial toolkit
Widget toolkit
In computing, a widget toolkit, widget library, or GUI toolkit is a set of widgets for use in designing applications with graphical user interfaces...
s. Video games often require custom widget development, so pie menu cost is lower in that particular scenario.
Notable implementations
- Video games: Secret of ManaSecret of ManaSecret of Mana is an action role-playing game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System developed and published by Square in 1993. The game was re-released for the Wii's Virtual Console in 2008, and was ported to Japanese mobile phones in 2009...
, Seiken Densetsu 3Seiken Densetsu 3is an action role-playing game developed and published by Square for Nintendo's Super Famicom as a part of the Mana series.The game features three lengthy main plotlines, six different characters, each with their own storylines, and a wide range of classes to choose from, which provides each...
, America's Army 3America's ArmyAmerica's Army is a series of video games and other media developed by the United States Army and released as a global public relations initiative to help with recruitment. America's Army was conceived by Colonel Casey Wardynski and is managed by the U.S...
, HabitatHabitat (video game)Lucasfilm's Habitat was an early and technologically influential online role-playing game developed by Lucasfilm Games and made available as a beta test in 1986 by Quantum Link, an online service for the Commodore 64 computer and the corporate progenitor to America Online...
, Beyond Good & EvilBeyond Good & Evil (video game)Beyond Good & Evil is an action-adventure video game developed and published by Ubisoft and released in late for the GameCube, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, and Xbox platforms. The story follows the adventures of Jade, an investigative reporter and martial artist, who works with a resistance...
, Full Throttle, Neverwinter NightsNeverwinter NightsNeverwinter Nights , produced by BioWare and published by Infogrames , is a third-person perspective computer role-playing game that is based on third edition Dungeons & Dragons and Forgotten Realms rules. It was originally to be published by Interplay Entertainment, but the publisher's financial...
, NormalityNormality (video game)Normality is a 3D graphical adventure game, released in June 1996 by Gremlin Interactive. All cut-scenes in the game are pre-rendered. The game's engine was later used in the game Realms of the Haunting.-Plot:...
, The SimsThe SimsThe Sims is a strategic life-simulation computer game developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts. Its development was led by game designer Will Wright, also known for developing SimCity...
, Perfect DarkPerfect DarkPerfect Dark is a first-person shooter video game developed by Rare for the Nintendo 64 video game console. It is considered the spiritual successor to Rare's earlier first-person shooter GoldenEye 007, with which it shares many gameplay features...
, Planescape: TormentPlanescape: TormentPlanescape: Torment is a computer role-playing game developed for Windows by Black Isle Studios and released on December 12, 1999 by Interplay Entertainment. It takes place in Planescape, an Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy campaign setting...
, Sacrifice, Saints RowSaints RowSaints Row is an open world action-adventure video game developed by Volition, Inc. and published by THQ. It is the first title in the Saints Row series and is succeeded by Saints Row 2. A PlayStation 3 port was cancelled after protracted development time...
, Saints Row 2Saints Row 2Saints Row 2 is an open world action-adventure video game developed by Volition, Inc. and published by THQ for the Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 systems. It is the second title in the Saints Row series, after the release of Saints Row in 2006. It is succeeded by Saints Row: The...
, Second LifeSecond LifeSecond Life is an online virtual world developed by Linden Lab. It was launched on June 23, 2003. A number of free client programs, or Viewers, enable Second Life users, called Residents, to interact with each other through avatars...
, Battlefield 2Battlefield 2Battlefield 2 is a computer game by the Swedish developer Digital Illusions CE . During development, Trauma Studios contributed to the development of the game after it was acquired by DICE...
, Freedom FightersFreedom Fighters (video game)Freedom Fighters, originally titled Freedom: The Battle For Liberty Island, is a 2003 third-person shooter video game available for the PlayStation 2, Nintendo GameCube, Xbox and Microsoft Windows that is set in an alternate history...
, Ratchet & ClankRatchet & ClankRatchet & Clank is a 3D platformer/shooter video game for the PlayStation 2, developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. Released in 2002, it is the first game in the Ratchet & Clank series....
, Silver, The Temple of Elemental Evil, CrysisCrysisCrysis is a science fiction first-person shooter video game developed by Crytek , published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows, and released in November 2007. It is the first game of a trilogy. A separate game entitled Crysis Warhead was released on September 12, 2008, and follows similar...
, Mass EffectMass EffectMass Effect is an action role-playing game developed by BioWare for the Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows by Demiurge Studios. The Xbox 360 version was released worldwide in November 2007 published by Microsoft Game Studios...
, Warzone 2100Warzone 2100Warzone 2100 is an open source real-time strategy and real-time tactics hybrid computer game, originally developed by Pumpkin Studios and published by Eidos Interactive...
, Halo WarsHalo WarsHalo Wars is a real-time strategy video game developed by Ensemble Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios for the Xbox 360 video game console. It was released in Japan and Australia on February 26, 2009, in PAL territories on February 27, and in North America on March 3...
, The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earthThe Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earthThe Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth is a PC real-time strategy game developed by EA Los Angeles. It is based on Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, in turn based on J. R. R. Tolkien's original novel. The game uses short video clips from the movies and a number of the...
, Trauma Center, Brütal LegendBrütal LegendBrütal Legend is an action-adventure/real-time strategy game created by Double Fine Productions and published by Electronic Arts for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The game was released during October 2009 in North America and Europe...
, Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising, Dragon Age: OriginsDragon Age: OriginsDragon Age: Origins is a single-player role-playing video game developed by BioWare's Edmonton studio and published by Electronic Arts. It is the first game in the Dragon Age franchise...
, PrototypePrototype (video game)Prototype is an open world action video game developed by Radical Entertainment and published by Activision. The game was released in North America on June 9, 2009, and in southwestern parts of North America as well as Oceania on June 10, and was released in Europe on June 12.The game is set in New...
, Cortex CommandCortex CommandCortex Command is a 2-dimensional side-scrolling action game developed by Data Realms. In the game, the player takes the role of a disembodied brain, who controls various clones and robots to achieve his aims. There is no campaign as of yet, so there is no main objective the player works towards...
, Imperium Romanum - PowerAnimatorPowerAnimatorPowerAnimator and Animator, also referred to simply as "Alias", the precursor to what is now Maya and StudioTools, was a highly-integrated industrial 3D modeling, animation, and visual effects suite. It has had a long track record, starting with Terminator 2: Judgment Day in 1991 and ending in Star...
, a commercial 3D modelling program and the first to use marking menus - MozillaMozilla Application SuiteThe Mozilla Application Suite is a cross-platform integrated Internet suite. Its development was initiated by Netscape Communications Corporation, before their acquisition by AOL. It is based on the source code of Netscape Communicator...
and Mozilla FirefoxMozilla FirefoxMozilla Firefox is a free and open source web browser descended from the Mozilla Application Suite and managed by Mozilla Corporation. , Firefox is the second most widely used browser, with approximately 25% of worldwide usage share of web browsers...
extensions RadialContext and easyGestures - Autodesk Maya, a commercial 3D modelling program
- MetisseMetisseMetisse is a 2.5D windowing system, based on the X Window System. Metisse is available as a window manager for at least Mandriva One 2007, PCLinuxOS 2007 , Sabayon Linux, and Arch Linux. It has many features that set it apart from the traditional 3D "Cube workspace"...
and Unix Desktop EnvironmentUDEIn computing, UDE, the Unix Desktop Environment, is a desktop environment for the X Window System. Given its efficient and lightweight design it can be used on almost any Unix-like operating system, mostly without any porting effort....
, window managersX window managerAn X window manager is a window manager which runs on top of the X Window System, a windowing system mainly used on Unix-like systems.Unlike the Mac OS and Microsoft Windows platforms which have historically provided a vendor-controlled, fixed set of ways to control how windows and panes display...
for the X Window SystemX Window SystemThe X window system is a computer software system and network protocol that provides a basis for graphical user interfaces and rich input device capability for networked computers... - modoModo (software)modo is a polygon and subdivision surface modeling, sculpting, 3D painting, animation and rendering package developed by Luxology, LLC. The program incorporates features such as n-gons, 3D painting and edge weighting, and runs on Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows platforms.-History:modo was created...
, an advanced polygon and subdivision surface modeling package - SongzaSongzaSongza is a web radio that streams music for free. Songza is different from other web radio services for two reasons: the stations on Songza are made by people and Songza helps people find stations by personalizing the Songza experience based on a user's interests and by displaying an activity feed...
- A music search engine and internet jukebox that uses a pie menu for its main mode of interaction, by Aza RaskinAza RaskinAza Raskin is an American interface designer. He is the son of noted human-computer interface expert Jef Raskin.-Biography:...
. - Cortex Inc. - Share fast by Joey Primiani
- QuicksilverQuicksilver (software)Quicksilver is a computer utility software program for Mac OS X, originally developed by Blacktree Software and distributed freely. It is essentially a graphical shell for the Mac OS X operating system, allowing users to use the keyboard to rapidly perform tasks such as launching...
via the Constellation plug-in - Sugar (GUI)Sugar (GUI)Sugar is an open source desktop environment designed with the goal of being used by children for learning.Developed as part of the One Laptop per Child project, it is the default interface on OLPC XO-1 family of laptop computers....
, GUI implementation for the One Laptop per Child project - BumpTopBumpTopIn computing, BumpTop is a desktop environment that simulates the normal behavior and physical properties of a real world desk, and enhances it with automatic tools to organize its contents. It is aimed at stylus interaction, making it more suitable for tablet computers and handheld PCs. It was...
- A computer desktop created to mimic paper files on a real world desk which uses pie menus as many of its control menus.
External links
- Tcl/Tk - A simple implementation in pure Tcl/Tk
- Pie Menus in c2 wiki
- Pie Menus for Qt
- Pie Menus for OLPC Sugar User Interface, in Python with GTK, Cairo and Pango modules
- Slashdot article: Pie-menus in Mozilla
- Asymetrix [ToolBook] pie menu component, by Paolo Tosolini. Source code: http://www.piemenu.com/piemnu30.zip http://www.piemenu.com/pie2lang.zip.
- Python - Open source Python pie menus for GTK/Cairo/Pango/OLPC/Sugar user interface, by Don HopkinsDon HopkinsDon Hopkins is an artist and programmer specializing in human computer interaction and computer graphics.He inspired Richard Stallman, who described him as a "very imaginative fellow", to use the term copyleft. He coined Deep Crack as the name of the EFF DES cracker, and built "AJAXian"...
. - OpenLaszlo - Open source OpenLaszlo pie menus for Flash, by Don Hopkins.
- JavaScript - Open source JavaScript pie menus for the Internet Explorer browser, by Don Hopkins.
- JavaScript/jQuery Radmenu Plugin, Open source JavaScript radial / pie menus for ALL browsers, by Nirvana Tikku.
- ActiveX - Open source C++ ActiveX pie menus for the Internet Explorer browser, by Don Hopkins.
- X11 - Open source "piewm" X11 window manager with pie menus, by Don Hopkins, maintained by Russ NelsonRuss NelsonRussell "Russ" Nelson is an American computer programmer. He was a founding board member of the Open Source Initiative and briefly served as its president in 2005.-Career:...
. - TCL/Tk - Free software Pie Menus for TCK/Tk, written in 1992 for SimCitySimCitySimCity is a critically acclaimed city-building simulation video game, first released in 1989, and designed by Will Wright. SimCity was Maxis' first product, which has since been ported into various personal computers and game consoles, and spawned several sequels including SimCity 2000 in 1994,...
by Don Hopkins. - NeWS - Free software Pie Menus for NeWS 1.1 written in March 1988 by Don Hopkins.
- X10 - Free software Pie Menus for X10 "uwm" Window Manager, written in June 1986 by Don Hopkins.
- Suntools - Free software Pie Menus for Suntools, written in January 1987 by Mark WeiserMark WeiserMark D. Weiser was a chief scientist at Xerox PARC in the United States. Weiser is widely considered to be the father of ubiquitous computing, a term he coined in 1988.-Biography:...
. - X10 - Free software Theta menus, proof of concept prototype for X10, written in June 1986 by Don Hopkins.
- Pie Menu Articles by Don Hopkins
- Circle Menus, by Greg Bronevetsky.
- 3D Circle Menu Variation - Cube Menu, by conquex with source code.
- Asymetrix [ToolBook] pie menu component, by Paolo Tosolini. Source code: http://www.piemenu.com/piemnu30.zip http://www.piemenu.com/pie2lang.zip.
- Pie Menus for Windows, Dr. Dobb's Journal, Nov., 1992, pp 30–39, by Carl Rollo.
- Pie Menus Demonstration in Java, by Carl Rollo.
- WPF Pie Menu, by Christoph Menge