The ellipsis, typically represented by three vertically aligned dots, is a standard consumer interface factor discovered within the Android working system. It sometimes signifies the presence of further choices or actions that aren’t instantly seen on the display. Choosing this visible cue expands the interface to disclose a menu or checklist of additional functionalities. As an example, inside an software’s settings menu, the ellipsis may result in superior configuration choices or much less often used options.
This UI factor contributes considerably to a cleaner and extra streamlined consumer expertise. By consolidating secondary actions behind a single, recognizable icon, builders can cut back visible litter and current customers with solely probably the most related controls initially. Traditionally, its adoption throughout numerous platforms has standardized consumer interplay, permitting customers to shortly perceive and navigate totally different functions with a constant expectation of accessing hidden functionalities. Its presence typically implies a pathway to customization, superior settings, or much less frequent actions.
Understanding the perform and function of this specific icon is essential for each end-users navigating the Android ecosystem and builders designing functions for it. Subsequent sections will delve into its particular functions inside totally different Android contexts, design issues for builders implementing this factor, and potential accessibility implications.
1. Contextual Menu Entry
The vertical ellipsis serves as a major gateway to contextual menu entry inside the Android working system. Activating this visible factor constantly presents customers with a choice of actions related to the present display or software state. This perform instantly hyperlinks the icon to a secondary layer of consumer controls, successfully increasing the out there choices with out cluttering the primary interface. The cause-and-effect relationship is obvious: the presence of the icon alerts the supply of additional actions, and its activation triggers the show of this context-dependent menu. The provision of contextual menu selections improves consumer expertise by streamlining selections and permitting related selections for every scenario.
Take into account the sensible instance of a file administration software. The principle view shows an inventory of recordsdata, whereas the ellipsis, when tapped, offers entry to choices corresponding to renaming, deleting, or sharing the chosen file. With out the ellipsis and its related menu, these actions would require separate, devoted buttons, leading to a extra advanced and fewer intuitive interface. Equally, inside an internet browser, the icon may grant entry to settings, bookmarks, or historical past, presenting functionalities not instantly required however available when wanted. These illustrations emphasize the essential function of the ellipsis in organizing and presenting secondary features inside an software.
In abstract, the connection between the vertical ellipsis and contextual menu entry is prime to environment friendly Android interface design. This design promotes streamlined consumer experiences by consolidating much less often used actions behind a single, recognizable icon, making certain a transparent and navigable software atmosphere. Understanding this relationship is significant for each builders, who should implement this factor successfully, and end-users, who depend on it to entry the total vary of software functionalities. The significance of this pairing contributes to the simplicity and performance of the android working system.
2. Lowered Interface Litter
The vertical ellipsis, representing additional choices, instantly contributes to diminished interface litter inside the Android working system. This icon acts as a container for much less often used actions or settings. Consequently, the first display actual property stays uncluttered, presenting solely important features on to the consumer. The clear trigger is that, with out this container, all actions would demand devoted display house. The impact could be an interface burdened with quite a few buttons and choices, diminishing consumer expertise attributable to complexity. The vertical ellipsis offers the advantage of streamlining the visible atmosphere, selling ease of navigation and understanding.
A typical instance might be noticed inside picture enhancing functions. The first interface options primary enhancing instruments like cropping and brightness adjustment. Superior choices, corresponding to filter software or detailed colour correction, are relegated to the menu accessible by way of the vertical ellipsis. This design alternative prevents the core enhancing features from being visually overwhelmed by much less often used options. Equally, in communication functions, choices like blocking a contact or accessing superior settings reside inside the ellipsis menu, leaving the primary display centered on composing and viewing messages. These illustrate the icon’s broad applicability throughout diverse software classes.
In conclusion, the hyperlink between the vertical ellipsis and diminished interface litter is prime to Androids consumer interface design. The ellipsis facilitates a clear and intuitive atmosphere by hiding secondary features. The usage of this design improves effectivity and reduces cognitive load for the consumer. Understanding this relationship, each from a growth and end-user perspective, is essential for navigating the Android ecosystem and designing functions successfully. The success of the vertical ellipsis proves that it’s a precious perform that advantages customers.
3. Hidden Performance Indicator
The vertical ellipsis inherently features as a hidden performance indicator inside the Android atmosphere. Its visible presence alerts the existence of further, typically context-dependent, choices and actions that aren’t instantly obvious on the first interface. This symbolic illustration is essential for managing complexity and presenting a streamlined consumer expertise.
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Disclosure of Secondary Actions
The first function of the ellipsis is to reveal a spread of secondary actions out there to the consumer. These actions may embody settings changes, superior options, or much less often used instructions. By consolidating these choices behind a single, discreet icon, the interface avoids visible litter. As an example, in a photograph gallery software, choices like “edit,” “share,” or “delete” is perhaps accessible by way of the ellipsis, holding the primary view centered on picture show.
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Contextual Consciousness
The performance uncovered by the ellipsis is usually contextually conscious, that means the choices offered adapt to the precise display or chosen merchandise. For instance, the ellipsis in a textual content messaging software may supply choices particular to the chosen message, corresponding to “ahead,” “copy,” or “delete.” This adaptability enhances consumer effectivity by offering related actions with out requiring the consumer to navigate by way of unrelated menus or choices.
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Progressive Disclosure
The ellipsis embodies the precept of progressive disclosure, a consumer interface design method that defers the show of superior or occasionally used options till they’re explicitly requested by the consumer. This strategy prevents the interface from overwhelming novice customers whereas nonetheless offering entry to extra advanced functionalities for skilled customers. This creates a greater studying curve for brand spanking new customers whereas offering entry to helpful choices.
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Standardized Symbolism
The widespread adoption of the ellipsis as a hidden performance indicator throughout numerous Android functions fosters a standardized symbolism. Customers shortly be taught to affiliate this icon with the expectation of further choices, enabling intuitive navigation and exploration of software options. This standardization contributes to a constant and predictable consumer expertise throughout the Android ecosystem. The vertical ellipsis offers a helpful image for locating choices.
In conclusion, the vertical ellipsis is greater than only a visible factor; it serves as an important signifier of hidden functionalities inside the Android atmosphere. Its capacity to reveal secondary actions, adapt to context, implement progressive disclosure, and preserve standardized symbolism underscores its significance in making a user-friendly and environment friendly working system. The mixture of those aspects spotlight the usefulness of the android ecosystem’s design.
4. Motion Overflow Administration
Motion Overflow Administration, because it pertains to the vertical ellipsis inside the Android working system, issues the strategic group and presentation of software actions when the out there display house is inadequate to show all actions instantly. The vertical ellipsis serves as the first mechanism for accessing these overflow actions, dictating how customers work together with much less often used, however nonetheless important, functionalities.
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Prioritization and Motion Choice
Efficient motion overflow administration entails prioritizing which actions are displayed prominently and that are relegated to the overflow menu, accessed through the ellipsis. Widespread actions, corresponding to “save” or “ship,” sometimes obtain direct placement, whereas much less frequent actions, corresponding to “settings” or “assist,” are positioned inside the overflow. Improper prioritization can result in diminished consumer effectivity, as customers might wrestle to find often used actions hidden inside the overflow menu.
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{Hardware} Button Concerns (Deprecated)
Traditionally, some Android units featured a devoted {hardware} menu button, which triggered the motion overflow. With the deprecation of this {hardware} button, the vertical ellipsis has develop into the usual methodology for accessing overflow actions throughout all Android units. This variation necessitates builders to constantly implement the ellipsis to make sure a uniform consumer expertise throughout units, whatever the presence or absence of a {hardware} menu button. The motion overflow ensures standardization.
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Visible Consistency and Discoverability
Sustaining visible consistency within the placement and look of the vertical ellipsis is essential for discoverability. Customers be taught to anticipate the ellipsis in a particular location, sometimes within the top-right nook of the display. Deviating from this conference can result in consumer confusion and diminished usability. Moreover, the icon itself should be clearly recognizable to sign the presence of further actions. That is vital to making sure perform is just not affected.
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Accessibility Implications
Motion overflow administration has important accessibility implications. The actions hidden behind the ellipsis should be accessible to customers with disabilities, together with these utilizing display readers or different assistive applied sciences. Builders should make sure that the actions inside the overflow menu are correctly labeled and accessible through various enter strategies to offer an inclusive consumer expertise. That is key for android features to be out there for all.
The efficacy of motion overflow administration, as manifested by way of the vertical ellipsis, instantly impacts software usability and consumer satisfaction. A well-managed motion overflow presents a clear, intuitive interface that gives quick access to each important and fewer frequent actions, enhancing the general Android expertise. Builders should strategically implement this factor to optimize consumer effectivity and guarantee accessibility throughout all system sorts and consumer wants.
5. Customization Choices
The vertical ellipsis often serves as an entry level for personalization choices inside the Android atmosphere. The icon’s perform as a gateway to much less often accessed options instantly interprets to its function in offering personalised experiences. Choosing the ellipsis typically unveils a menu containing settings that enable customers to tailor the applying’s habits or look to their preferences. With out the ellipsis, these customization options would require devoted interface parts, probably cluttering the primary display and hindering the consumer expertise. As a direct consequence of this design alternative, the Android system achieves a stability between usability and personalization.
As an example, in a music streaming software, the vertical ellipsis may result in settings governing audio high quality, playback habits, or notification preferences. In a doc enhancing software, the ellipsis may present entry to choices for customizing the toolbar, setting default fonts, or configuring auto-save intervals. These customization settings permits the consumer to customise their private software experiences. These examples spotlight the ellipsis’s essential function in offering customers with management over their digital atmosphere, enabling them to adapt functions to their particular wants and preferences. It offers the consumer a private contact and really feel.
In conclusion, the connection between the vertical ellipsis and customization choices is integral to the consumer expertise in Android. By consolidating customization settings behind this discreet icon, builders can preserve a clear and intuitive interface whereas offering customers with the pliability to personalize their functions. Understanding this relationship is important for each software builders, who should design customization menus successfully, and end-users, who can leverage these options to optimize their Android expertise. The vertical ellipsis’s design reveals the profit it offers to customization.
6. Superior Settings Gateway
The vertical ellipsis inside the Android working system often features as a complicated settings gateway. This icon serves as a constant and recognizable entry level to a deeper degree of software configuration, permitting customers to switch granular parameters and personalize their expertise past the scope of generally used options. Understanding this function is essential for each builders designing intuitive interfaces and customers searching for to completely customise their system habits.
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Hierarchical Navigation
The ellipsis facilitates hierarchical navigation to superior settings. Major settings are sometimes offered instantly on the primary settings display, whereas much less often accessed or extra advanced configurations are nested behind the ellipsis. This design alternative prevents overwhelming the consumer with an intensive checklist of choices whereas nonetheless offering entry to superior customization capabilities. For instance, a community settings menu may instantly show Wi-Fi connectivity choices, whereas superior choices corresponding to proxy settings or MAC handle configuration are accessible by way of the ellipsis.
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Configuration Scope
The scope of settings accessed by way of the ellipsis typically extends past primary software performance, encompassing choices that affect efficiency, safety, or information utilization. These superior settings can considerably impression the consumer expertise, permitting for fine-grained management over system habits. An instance may embody superior battery optimization settings, information utilization limits, or software permission administration. The superior settings scope has many makes use of for customers.
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Consumer Experience Ranges
The implementation of superior settings behind the ellipsis acknowledges various ranges of consumer experience. Novice customers can successfully make the most of the applying with no need to have interaction with advanced configurations, whereas superior customers retain the flexibility to fine-tune their expertise to their particular wants. This strategy permits builders to cater to a broad viewers with out compromising usability for much less technically inclined customers. Offering superior choices permits for extra consumer management.
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Discovery Challenges
A possible downside of concealing superior settings behind the ellipsis is the problem of discoverability. Customers unfamiliar with the Android interface might not notice that further configuration choices can be found. Builders can mitigate this challenge by offering contextual hints or tooltips that point out the presence of superior settings. Consumer schooling and clear labeling are key to making sure that customers can totally leverage the customization potential of the applying. Clear labeling helps customers uncover choices.
The superior settings gateway perform of the vertical ellipsis is a essential factor of Android’s design philosophy, balancing ease of use with superior customization. This design permits customers to entry a posh array of choices with out cluttering the first interface. This perform is useful in lots of consumer eventualities. By strategically using the vertical ellipsis, builders can cater to a various consumer base and supply a versatile and personalised Android expertise.
7. Design Consistency
The vertical ellipsis’s constant implementation throughout the Android ecosystem instantly contributes to a extra predictable and intuitive consumer expertise. Its standardized look and placement, sometimes within the top-right nook of the display, creates a recognizable sample. This familiarity permits customers to shortly establish and entry further choices or actions, whatever the particular software in use. A deviation from this established design undermines consumer expectations and will increase cognitive load, requiring customers to re-learn interplay patterns for every new software. The cause-and-effect relationship is obvious: constant design fosters intuitive use, whereas inconsistent design results in confusion and frustration.
The significance of design consistency is exemplified by the widespread use of the ellipsis for accessing settings or overflow menus. Whether or not in an internet browser, a social media software, or a file supervisor, the ellipsis reliably offers entry to much less often used options. This uniformity minimizes the educational curve for brand spanking new customers and enhances effectivity for skilled customers. Take into account, for instance, a state of affairs the place the settings menu is positioned behind a unique icon or in a non-standard location. Customers would waste precious time trying to find this important perform, diminishing the general usability of the applying. Moreover, design methods, corresponding to Materials Design, actively promote the constant use of the ellipsis to take care of a unified feel and appear throughout the Android platform.
In conclusion, design consistency is a essential part of the vertical ellipsis’s success as a UI factor. Its standardized implementation fosters predictability, enhances usability, and reduces consumer frustration. Whereas refined variations within the look of the ellipsis might exist throughout totally different functions, its core perform as a gateway to further choices stays constant. Sustaining this design consistency is important for preserving the intuitive nature of the Android working system and making certain a seamless consumer expertise. The constant perform of the vertical ellipsis highlights how standardization of perform contributes to a profitable UI factor.
8. Intuitive Consumer Interface
The “three vertical dots icon android” , or vertical ellipsis, considerably influences the intuitiveness of the Android consumer interface. The presence of this icon serves as a visible cue, implicitly speaking the supply of further actions or settings with out overwhelming the consumer with an intensive array of instantly seen choices. The ellipsis promotes a cleaner, much less cluttered interface, instantly impacting ease of navigation and decreasing the cognitive load on the consumer. The causal relationship is obvious: the ellipsis hides secondary features, leading to a extra streamlined and simply understood major interface. An intuitive consumer interface depends on visible cues that shortly talk perform, and the ellipsis serves this function successfully.
Take into account the instance of a cellular e mail software. The principle display sometimes shows an inventory of emails. As an alternative of presenting buttons for actions like “Reply,” “Ahead,” “Delete,” and “Transfer to Folder” instantly on every e mail entry, these choices are sometimes consolidated behind the vertical ellipsis. This design alternative maintains deal with the e-mail content material and prevents the interface from changing into visually overwhelming. Customers, upon seeing the ellipsis, intuitively perceive that tapping it should reveal additional actions related to the chosen e mail. One other instance is in photograph enhancing apps the place superior choices are hidden behind the vertical ellipsis to provide option to the primary choices corresponding to cropping and rotating.
In abstract, the vertical ellipsis enhances the intuitiveness of the Android consumer interface by offering a constant and recognizable mechanism for accessing secondary features and customization choices. Its strategic use contributes to a cleaner, much less cluttered interface, facilitating simpler navigation and decreasing the cognitive burden on the consumer. Nevertheless, discoverability stays a key problem. Customers should perceive the symbolic that means of the ellipsis to completely make the most of its performance. Regardless of this problem, the vertical ellipsis stays a precious instrument for creating intuitive and environment friendly Android functions. Its intuitive design offers choices with out being overwhelming for brand spanking new customers.
9. Accessibility Concerns
Accessibility issues are paramount when implementing the vertical ellipsis inside Android functions. This consumer interface factor, representing further actions or settings, should be designed and applied in a way that’s usable by people with disabilities. Failure to take action can exclude a good portion of the consumer base and violate accessibility pointers.
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Display Reader Compatibility
The actions hidden behind the vertical ellipsis should be correctly labeled for display reader software program. Display readers depend on textual descriptions to convey info to visually impaired customers. With out acceptable labeling, these customers can be unable to grasp the aim of the ellipsis or the actions contained inside the related menu. As an example, as a substitute of merely asserting “button,” the display reader ought to announce “Extra choices” or a context-specific description like “Edit choices.”
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Keyboard Navigation
All actions accessible by way of the vertical ellipsis should be navigable utilizing a keyboard. Customers with motor impairments might depend on keyboard enter to work together with functions. The order of actions inside the ellipsis menu ought to be logical and predictable, permitting customers to simply entry desired features utilizing arrow keys or different keyboard shortcuts. Focus indicators ought to clearly spotlight the at present chosen motion.
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Contact Goal Dimension
The contact goal dimension of the vertical ellipsis icon itself, in addition to the person actions inside the related menu, should be sufficiently giant to accommodate customers with motor impairments. Small contact targets might be tough to activate precisely, resulting in frustration and diminished usability. Tips advocate a minimal contact goal dimension of 48×48 density-independent pixels to make sure accessibility.
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Colour Distinction
Ample colour distinction between the vertical ellipsis icon and its background is essential for customers with low imaginative and prescient or colour blindness. Inadequate distinction could make the icon tough to see, stopping customers from recognizing its presence and accessing the related actions. Net Content material Accessibility Tips (WCAG) specify minimal distinction ratios that ought to be adhered to for all consumer interface parts.
Addressing these accessibility issues is just not merely a matter of compliance with laws; it’s a basic side of making inclusive and usable Android functions. By making certain that the vertical ellipsis is accessible to all customers, builders can broaden their viewers and supply a extra equitable consumer expertise. Neglecting these issues can unintentionally exclude a good portion of the consumer base. The vertical ellipsis ought to be correctly applied with these features in thoughts.
Regularly Requested Questions
This part addresses frequent inquiries relating to the performance, implementation, and function of the vertical ellipsis (also known as the “three vertical dots icon”) inside the Android working system. The next questions and solutions goal to offer readability and handle potential misconceptions.
Query 1: What’s the major perform of the vertical ellipsis in Android functions?
The first perform of the vertical ellipsis is to point the presence of further, context-sensitive choices or actions that aren’t instantly seen on the display. It serves as a gateway to secondary features, stopping interface litter and streamlining the consumer expertise.
Query 2: The place is the vertical ellipsis sometimes positioned inside an Android software’s consumer interface?
The vertical ellipsis is often positioned within the upper-right nook of the applying’s display. This constant placement fosters predictability and permits customers to shortly establish and entry further choices.
Query 3: What kinds of actions are sometimes discovered behind the vertical ellipsis?
Actions discovered behind the vertical ellipsis typically embody settings changes, superior options, much less often used instructions, and customization choices. The particular actions range relying on the context of the applying and the display by which the ellipsis is displayed.
Query 4: How does the vertical ellipsis contribute to accessibility inside Android functions?
When correctly applied, the vertical ellipsis can improve accessibility by decluttering the first interface and permitting customers to entry much less often used options on demand. Nevertheless, builders should make sure that the actions behind the ellipsis are correctly labeled for display readers and navigable through keyboard to make sure accessibility for all customers.
Query 5: Is using the vertical ellipsis necessary in Android software growth?
The usage of the vertical ellipsis is just not strictly necessary, however it’s extremely beneficial for managing interface complexity and offering entry to secondary features. Adherence to established design patterns, together with using the ellipsis, promotes a constant and intuitive consumer expertise throughout the Android ecosystem.
Query 6: How can builders make sure that the actions hidden behind the vertical ellipsis are discoverable by customers?
Builders can improve discoverability by offering contextual hints or tooltips that point out the presence of further choices. Clear and concise labeling of the actions inside the ellipsis menu can also be essential for making certain that customers can simply perceive and make the most of the out there functionalities.
In abstract, the vertical ellipsis is a vital consumer interface factor in Android, contributing to a cleaner, extra intuitive, and extra accessible consumer expertise when applied appropriately. Understanding its perform and greatest practices for implementation is significant for each builders and end-users.
The following article part will handle greatest practices to “three vertical dots icon android” for builders.
Implementation Suggestions
This part offers actionable steering for builders implementing the vertical ellipsis, specializing in usability, accessibility, and adherence to Android design ideas. Constant software of the following pointers ensures a strong and intuitive consumer expertise.
Tip 1: Prioritize Motion Placement: Decide which actions are most often used and current them instantly on the display. Reserve the vertical ellipsis for secondary or much less frequent actions. This strategic placement minimizes consumer clicks and optimizes effectivity.
Tip 2: Guarantee Contextual Relevance: The actions offered inside the ellipsis menu should be related to the present display or chosen merchandise. Displaying irrelevant choices can confuse customers and diminish the consumer expertise. Make use of dynamic menu development to tailor the out there actions to the precise context.
Tip 3: Adhere to Materials Design Tips: Observe Materials Design specs for the looks and placement of the vertical ellipsis. This consistency promotes familiarity and reduces the educational curve for customers accustomed to the Android interface. This ensures a constant aesthetic for the vertical ellipsis and different choices.
Tip 4: Present Clear Labeling: Each motion inside the ellipsis menu should have a transparent and concise label. Use descriptive language that precisely conveys the perform of every possibility. Keep away from ambiguous or technical jargon which will confuse customers.
Tip 5: Implement Keyboard Navigation: Make sure that all actions inside the ellipsis menu are navigable utilizing a keyboard. Customers with motor impairments might depend on keyboard enter to work together with functions. Implement a logical and predictable navigation order utilizing arrow keys or different keyboard shortcuts.
Tip 6: Optimize Contact Goal Dimension: The contact goal dimension of the vertical ellipsis icon and all actions inside the related menu ought to be sufficiently giant to accommodate customers with motor impairments. Tips advocate a minimal contact goal dimension of 48×48 density-independent pixels.
Tip 7: Take a look at with Display Readers: Totally take a look at the implementation with display reader software program to make sure that all actions are correctly introduced and accessible to visually impaired customers. Present descriptive labels that precisely convey the perform of every possibility.
Tip 8: Take into account Placement on Bigger Screens: On tablets and different large-screen units, consider whether or not the actions hidden behind the ellipsis may very well be displayed instantly on the display with out compromising the consumer interface. Optimize the format to benefit from the elevated display actual property.
By diligently making use of the following pointers, builders can create Android functions that aren’t solely visually interesting and user-friendly but additionally accessible to a wider vary of customers. This cautious consideration to element leads to a extra polished {and professional} software.
The following part will summarize this text and re-iterate the usefulness of the vertical ellipsis.
Conclusion
This exploration of “three vertical dots icon android” has highlighted its essential function in Android’s consumer interface. It serves as a major mechanism for accessing secondary features, decreasing interface litter, and offering a pathway to customization and superior settings. Efficient implementation, guided by accessibility issues and adherence to established design patterns, is paramount for making certain a seamless and intuitive consumer expertise.
The continued evolution of cellular interfaces will doubtless necessitate ongoing refinement of this visible factor, balancing discoverability with the necessity for streamlined design. Builders should stay cognizant of the impression this small, but important, icon has on consumer notion and total software usability. Additional analysis and refinement ought to be prioritized to optimize its performance throughout various consumer demographics and system capabilities. Solely by way of constant effort can the true potential of the Android’s “three vertical dots icon” be totally realized.
