Combobox
Introduction
The combo box is a dropdown with a typeahead behavior. This allows the user to either type a value or select a value from the list.
It needs a conclusive watermark which informs the user about the options to either start typing or to select an item from the dropdown. As the combobox is often used for a very long list of items (where it makes sense to allow typing in to refine the list), the watermark should also indicate what users can find in the dropdown list (e.g. favorites, often used, top items...).
Styleguide
Sizes and distances
x: 12px
y: 16px
x: 12px
y: 16px
z: 28px
Elements
Label
font-family: Bernina Sans Regular
font-size: 12px
color: $gray-700
margin-bottom: 8px
Text
font-family: Bernina Sans Regular
font-size: 14px
color: $gray-700
Autocomplete text
font-family: Bernina Sans Regular
font-size: 14px
color: $gray-300
Combobox
height: 32px
width: depends on watermark
border-width: 1px //inside
border-color: $gray-300
border-radius: 3px (except of edges connected to item box)
background-color: #fff
Icon
icon: [dropdown open](/resources/icons/dropdownopen/)
height: 16px
width: 16px
icon color: $turquoise-600
Item box
max-height: 250px
border-width: 1px //inside
border-color: $gray-300
border-radius: 3px (except of edges connected to combobox)
width: same as combobox
Hover state
Hover on combobox
border-width: 1px //inside
border-color: $gray-400
Hover on item
background-color: $turquoise-100
height: 28px
Disabled state
background-color: $gray-130
border-width: 1px //inside
border-color: $gray-300
icon-color: $gray-300
text-color: $gray-300
Additional features
The combobox can have additional features:
- Categories: Entries can be grouped in categories to organize the entries. The categories are separated with a line and a headline.
- Two-rowed entries: The additional information can help the user identify entries.
- Disabled entries: Sometimes entries are not available, in that case the entry is still shown, but it is disabled and therefore can't be selected. To give the user some information on why the entry is disabled, the reason is displayed in an overlay on hover (or tap on mobile).
Measurements
x: 12px
Category
Use a H2 headline for the category.Second row
font-size: 12px
color: $gray-500
Line
height: 1px
color: $gray-200
Disabled
color: $gray-400
Behavior
On click the dropdown opens a list of several items for the user to choose from and the cursor is placed in the input field.
As soon as users start typing the list is refined. Once an item is selected, the dropdown closes and the input field is updated accordingly.
Loading behavior
If there are a lot of items in the dropdown it often needs some time to load. The loading distractor indicates this action.