manual:chapter7:custmenu

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manual:chapter7:custmenu [2021/10/12 07:02]
jojo1973 Done
manual:chapter7:custmenu [2022/01/18 07:29] (current)
claudio [Creating customized menus]
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 ===== Creating customized menus ===== ===== Creating customized menus =====
-The menu engine in **newRPL** retains the basic concepts of the one used in **userRPL** but provides new features such as help messages and dynamical menu appearance.+The menu engine in **newRPL** retains the basic concepts of the one used in **userRPL** but provides new features such as help messages and dynamic menu appearance.
  
-The most important command used to display a custom menu is ''[[manual:chapter6:flags:cmd_tmenu|TMENU]]'' which displays the menu on the [[manual:chapter2:menus#using-the-menus-main-active-and-secondary-menus|active menu]] area. It accepts either an integer or a list: the former is used to display a preset [[manual:appendix:menus|system menu]] but here we will discuss about the latter, which allows to display a full customized menu.+The most important command used to display a custom menu is ''[[manual:chapter6:flags:cmd_tmenu|TMENU]]'' which displays the menu on the [[manual:chapter2:menus#using-the-menus-main-active-and-secondary-menus|active menu]] area. It accepts either an integer or a list: the former is used to display a preset [[manual:appendix:menus|system menu]] but here we will discuss about the latter, which allows to display a fully customized menu.
  
 ==== The menu structure ==== ==== The menu structure ====
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 === The ACTION object === === The ACTION object ===
  
-The ''<Action>'' object can be either a single object, a three or a five elements list; if it is a single object:+The ''<Action>'' object is optional and can be either a single object, a three or a five elements list; if it is a single object:
  
   * A **command** or **operator** will be ''[[manual:chapter6:operators:cmd_ovr_xeq|XEQ]]'''ted or its name will be inserted in the editor if the command line is active;   * A **command** or **operator** will be ''[[manual:chapter6:operators:cmd_ovr_xeq|XEQ]]'''ted or its name will be inserted in the editor if the command line is active;
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 ==== Menus and sub-menus ==== ==== Menus and sub-menus ====
  
-**newRPL** has two menu areas available to the user which can be exploited to create a two-level menu structure. Since **newRPL** allows the user to choose either **MENU 1** or **MENU 2** as active area, it is more convenient to refer to the two menus not in absolute terms but in __chronological__ terms; in other words, three commands are available to display a custom menu:+**newRPL** has two menu areas available to the user which can be exploited to create a multilevel menu structure. Since **newRPL** allows the user to choose either **MENU 1** or **MENU 2** as active area, it is more convenient to refer to the two menus not in absolute terms but in __chronological__ terms; in other words, three commands are available to display a custom menu:
  
   * the already mentioned ''[[manual:chapter6:flags:cmd_tmenu|TMENU]]'' which displays the menu on the [[manual:chapter2:menus#using-the-menus-main-active-and-secondary-menus|active menu]] area as controlled by flag [[manual:appendix:flags#flag-11|-11]];   * the already mentioned ''[[manual:chapter6:flags:cmd_tmenu|TMENU]]'' which displays the menu on the [[manual:chapter2:menus#using-the-menus-main-active-and-secondary-menus|active menu]] area as controlled by flag [[manual:appendix:flags#flag-11|-11]];
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   * ''[[manual:chapter6:flags:cmd_tmenuothr|TMENUOTHR]]'' which displays the menu on the area that was **not** used last, be it the active or the secondary area.   * ''[[manual:chapter6:flags:cmd_tmenuothr|TMENUOTHR]]'' which displays the menu on the area that was **not** used last, be it the active or the secondary area.
      
-In this way an application can easily create a two-level menu hierarchy and have both levels displayed on the screen at once. Of course, such a structure must be traversed also backwards, therefore three suitable commands are provided:+In this way an application can easily create a multilevel menu hierarchy and have both levels displayed on the screen at once. Of course, such a structure must be traversed also backwards, therefore three suitable commands are provided:
  
   * ''[[manual:chapter6:flags:cmd_menubk|MENUBK]]'' which displays the previous menu on the [[manual:chapter2:menus#using-the-menus-main-active-and-secondary-menus|active menu]] area;   * ''[[manual:chapter6:flags:cmd_menubk|MENUBK]]'' which displays the previous menu on the [[manual:chapter2:menus#using-the-menus-main-active-and-secondary-menus|active menu]] area;
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   * ''[[manual:chapter6:flags:cmd_rclmenuothr|RCLMENUOTHR]]'' to recall the menu that was **not** used last.   * ''[[manual:chapter6:flags:cmd_rclmenuothr|RCLMENUOTHR]]'' to recall the menu that was **not** used last.
  
 +----
 +
 +==== Example: a 3-levels menu template ====
 +The following programs build a 3-levels menu: the resulting program is just an empty shell, but demonstrates effectively the following techniques:
 +
 +  * menu concatenation;
 +  * use of decorations;
 +  * folding and unfolding of third level menu in the secondary area;
 +  * works correctly whether the active area is in **MENU 1** or **MENU 2**.
 +
 +----
 +
 +**__Program__** ''L1'' -- //The top level menu//
 +<code>
 +
 +  { { "File" 1 } :: L2 TMENULST ; "File operations" }
 +  { { "Edit" 0 } :: ; "Edit file" }
 +  { { "Search" 0 } :: ; "Search text" }
 +  { "" }
 +  { "" }
 +  { { "Quit" 0 } :: #00040000h TMENUOTHR #04402000h TMENU ; "Quit application" }
 +}
 +</code>
 +  * The ''File'' menu recalls the second level menu, which will be displayed in the same area occupied by the top level menu;
 +  * ''Edit'' and ''Search'' are dummy entries;
 +  * filler softkeys have neither ''<Action>'' nor ''<Help>'' object;
 +  * ''Quit'' restores **MAIN** and ''Vars'' menus.
 +  
 +----
 +
 +**__Program__** ''L2'' -- //The second level menu//
 +<code>
 +
 +  { { "New" 0 } :: ; "Create new file" }
 +  { { "Open" 0 } :: ; "Open existing file" }
 +  { { "Save" 1 } :: L3 TMENUOTHR ; "Save file" }
 +  { "" }
 +  { "" }
 +  { "Back" :: { } TMENUOTHR MENUBKLST ; "Back to Main menu" }
 +}
 +</code>
 +  * ''Save'' opens the third level menu in the other area, leaving the second level menu still on the screen;
 +  * ''Back'' cleans any third level menu that could have been displayed and restores the top level menu in the same area.
 +
 +----
 +
 +**__Program__** ''L3'' -- //The third level menu//
 +<code>
 +
 +  { "Save" :: ; "Save file" }
 +  { "As..." :: ; "Save with another name" }
 +  { "Copy" :: ; "Save a duplicate" }
 +  { "" }
 +  { "" }
 +  { "Back" :: { } TMENULST MENUBKOTHR ; "Back to Main menu" }
 +}
 +</code>
 +  * ''Back'' clears the third level menu and restores the previous menu in the other area which incidentally is the top level menu.
 +
 +----
 +
 +**__Program__** ''MAIN'' -- //Putting everything together//
 +<code>
 +«
 +  { } TMENULST
 +  { } TMENUOTHR
 +  L1 TMENU 
 +»
 +</code>
 +  * The first two lines clean both menus and the third displays the top level menu on the active area. From now on all the execution happens between the menus;
 +  * If flag [[manual:appendix:flags#flag-11|-11]] is toggled the top level menu is displayed in a different area, but the application keeps working in the same way: the first two levels are displayed in one area, the third level is displayed in the other area and when the menus are closed the menu areas are redrawn correctly.
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