intellij-sdk-code-samples/topics/Window-sizes.md

Window Sizes

Guidelines on choosing the correct size when creating a dialog or a popup

Follow these guidelines to select the correct size when creating a dialog or a popup for IntelliJ-based products.

For simple cases use default sizes. When they don't work well, set minimum sizes for components.

Default sizes

Dialog

There are four recommended window sizes for dialogs: small, medium, large, and extra large. Select the size depending on the amount of content to keep the important information visible.

{width="706"}

A dialog can't be made smaller than the default size.

Small

Size: 350×250 px.

Best for: several components that are stacked vertically.

{width="706"}

Medium

Size: 500×350 px

Best for:

• Multiple components with short labels that are divided into two columns.
• A full-width table with two or three columns.
• A full-width code snippet or input with long text.

For example, the Evaluate Expressions dialog has an input field with long text and a tree with code stacked vertically:

{width="706"}

Large

Size: 750×525 px

Best for:

• A full-width table with four or more columns.
• A master-detail layout.
• Two-column layout with a code snippet or an input field with long text in any of the columns.
• Two code snippets or input fields with long texts in a row.
• Two-column layout with an image or a video in any of the columns. In this case, the image or the video takes the most space.

For example, the Run/Debug Configuration dialog has a master-detail layout with a tree in the first column and the list of controls with long texts in the second column:

{width="706"}

Extra Large

Size: 1000×700 px

Best for:

• Two-column layout with code snippets or input fields with long texts in both columns.
• Three-or-more-column layout regardless of the content.

For example, the Settings dialog that has three or more columns on multiple pages:

{width="706"}

Maximum width and height

Set the dialog's maximum dimensions to match screen size to prevent resizing beyond screen bounds.

Popup

Popups should have the same default width as dialogs. In addition, there is an extra small size for popups – 200 px wide when the content is narrow.

A popup can't be made smaller than the default size.

Action popups

If a popup has a vertical list of actions or options, set the minimum width to extra small (200 px).

The default width and height are adaptable to the content inside if it exceeds the minimum width.

Extra small

Small

Content-rich popups

If a popup has several sections and features long texts, set a default width to medium (500 px) or large (750 px). When the default width doesn't work, set minimum sizes for components.

Height is adaptable based on the content. If a popup has a scrollable content, set the default height respectively: medium (350 px) or large (525 px).

Medium

Large

Maximum width and height

Set maximum width and height to 80% of a screen size. Use a scrollbar if a popup's content doesn't fit within the set dimensions.

Tool windows

Vertical tool window

• Default width: 20% of the application width.
• The minimum size: 200×500 px.

Hotzintal tool window

• Default height: 20% of the application height.
• The minimum size: 500×200 px.

For example, the vertical Project tool window and the horizontal Build tool window with minimum sizes in Window mode:

{width="706"}

Minimum sizes for components

When the default sizes are either too big or too small for a window, or the window has a complex layout, add minimum sizes to content inside the window. This will make the content displayed correctly and reduce any potential issues caused by resizing the window.

How to set the size correctly

1. Select the control used to display content.
2. Select the type of content used.
3. The minimum size is the biggest size out of the two defined in the previous steps.

How the content is displayed

	Table cell Width: min 65 px Height for the whole table: min 120 px Follow guidelines for table sizes
	Tree Width: min 250 px
	Text area Width: min 270 px, max 600 px Height: min 55 px Follow guidelines for text area sizes
	Diagram A container with horizontal and vertical insets with 100 px

In any other case, select the width appropriate for the most common values in the component and follow sizes and placement guidelines for each control.

Types of content

	Class/test/file name Width: min 250 px
	URL/Path/FQN for class Width: min 350 px
	Class/test/file name + URL/Path/FQN for class Width: min 400 px
	Code snippet or editor Width: min 400 px Height (when multiple lines): min 120 px
	Paragraph or long text Width: min 300 px Height (when multiple lines): min 120 px

Example 1

The Rename Inheritors dialog has a table with FQNs. Add 350 px as the minimum width for a table column. This will make the dialog wider than the default Medium size (500 px) but will show more of FQNs.

Correct

Acceptable

Example 2

Settings dialog has the default extra large size 1000 px. In the Code Style settings for Java set 400 px as the minimum width of the code editor. This will make the dialog wider but will show more code

Correct

Acceptable

Example 3

Instead of setting a default size for the Diagram popup, add horizontal and vertical 100 px insets inside the Diagram popup, and make the width and height adaptive to its content. This will help small diagrams be more noticeable and make a diagram popup of any size easier to read.

Correct

Acceptable

Empty state

Some components, for example, tables, can have an empty state when there is no content. In this case, the minimum size of a component in both empty and filled states is defined by its filled state.

For example, the size of the Custom Plugin Repository dialog is defined by the minimum size of the table that contains URLs (minimum 350 px wide), and not by the size of the smaller empty state:

Correct

Incorrect