Displaying Multiple Error Messages

[douglas at city-net.com (G. Douglas Davidson)]

I've got a client server app.  Fields that are edited on the client are 
sent over to the server for verification.  But I allow the client to 
continue editing additional fields.  I don't want them to have wait for 
the servers response.  The application will be used by people while 
taking info on the phone, and I don't want them to be hung up on one 
field.  I'd like them to be able to come back and make corrections.  
When the server get around to it, it messages the client which then sets 
the color of the edited field based on success or failure.  Nothing is 
permanent until the Apply or Save button are depressed and everything 
must have successfully been verified for this to occur.

Thing work fairly nicely, but I don't have a nice way of queueing up 
error messages.  I was thinking of using tooltips to allow the user to 
place their cursor over a field in error state to understand what it 
wrong with it.  I was also thinking about just using sheets to shoot up 
the error message, but it would then be "lost" unless the user reenters 
the field and gets the message again.  I don't like the idea of using 
tooltips for this because it is different from how they are usually used.

Any suggestions on how I can present retained error messages to a user 
for different fields?  Or how I can represent error states of different 
fields (right now, I'm using colors.)  I want the user to know what 
fields they have successfully changed (currently they become blue), and 
what fields are in error (currently the become red), and what the error 
message for a field is.  Also, its difficult to represent changed info 
for pop up menus selections and check boxes.

Thanks for any input!

--
G. Douglas Davidson          | CityNet, Inc.
douglas@xxxxxxxxxxxx         | Pittsburgh, PA
voice: 412.481.5406          | fax: 412.431.1315