Primary menus are a standard design pattern that is found in most applications. They are labelled with the menu icon (named menu-open) and contain the top-level menu items for the application. This can include standard items like Preferences, Help and About Application, as well as other application-specific items.
Most applications have primary menus, since they are the standard location for About Application, which every application is expected to have.
Primary menus are typically placed on the right side of the header bar. However, there are two variations on this rule:
If the application incorporates in-window navigation, with a top-level location and sub-pages, the primary menu should only be placed on the top level: sub-pages can include a secondary menu, if a menu is required.
When used in combination with a sidebar list, the primary menu should be placed above the sidebar list on the right. If a menu is required for items shown in the content side of the window, a secondary menu can be used.
Other guidelines:
Primary menus can contain items for both the current window or view, as well as the application as a whole. This differentiates them from secondary menus, which only contain menu items that relate to a specific view or item.
Follow the standard guidelines for menus when deciding on primary menu content and arrangement.
A primary menu is contained within a popover. As such, a primary menu can include a variety of controls, such as groups of buttons.
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