[Dynapi-Widgetdev] RE: RE: [Dynapi-Help] Widget test Image button menu

[Ken O. <ko...@an...>]

David,

> I found the API, well, akward, at least for my purposes.

I've been doing some thinking on what the interface could be.  What are your
thoughts on something like:

menuName.addMenuItem( id, type, menuItem, [data], [parent id], [before id],
[group] )

id = a unique identifier
type = "menu", "command", "seperator", "blank"
menuItem = another object with visual info or just a string (in which case a
menuItem is generated)
[data] = some data to store that is passed pack when menu selected (i.e. the
URL)
[parent id] = the ID of the parent if it is not on the root
[before id] = the ID of the item for this choice to be insert before.  If
empty, add to the end
[group]= a way of grouping commands - (can be used to diable commands in
groups)

menuItem Class:
		.caption = text to display (with & notation for key accelerators (e.g
&File)
		.defaultButtonImage (optional - image for whole cell)
		.rolloverButtonImage (optional - image for whole cell)
		.mouseButtonDownImage (optional - image for whole cell)
		.selectedButtonImage (optional - image for whole cell)
		.disabledButtonImange (optionl - image when cell disable)
		.defaultClass (optional - for CSS link and text cells)
		.selectedClass (optional - CSS class when selected)
		.disabledClass (optional - CSS class when disabled)
		.buttonDownClass (optional - CSS class when pressed)
		.rolloverClass(optional - CSS class when mouse on)
		.iconSmallImage (optional - small icon to be displayed to left of
caption - just like Windows)
		.iconLarge (optional - a bigger icon for ?)
		.text (optional string for tool tips or status bar text)
		.<positioning info> (optional - to allow for funky menus)

A user would create a menu object (opposed to number of buttons) and then
add menus and choices.  For example (to use some familar menu structures):

	myMenu = New NavigationWidget(size & positioning stuff for menu)
	myMenu.addMenuItem("file", "menu", "&File");  // Create a file menu
	myMenu.addMenuItem("filesave", "command", "Save", "FileSave.htm", "file");
// Add choice to menu
	myMenu.addMenuItem("edit", "menu", "&Edit"); // Create edit menu
	myMenu.addMenuItem("editcopy", "command", "&Copy", "EditCopy.htm", "edit");
	myMenu.addMenuItem("view", "menu", "&View"); // Create view menu
	myMenu.addMenuItem("next", "menu", "&Next", "view");  // Create sub menu
	myMenu.addMenuItem("nextmessage", "command", "&Message", "next",
"ViewNextMessage.htm");  // Add a choice to sub menu

The widget should fire an event and pass the "id" and "data" (URL) when a
choice is selected.

To do something fancier:

	myCell = New menuItem("some text", myImage1, myimage2, positions, etc);
	myMenu.AddMenuItem("id", "menu", myCell)


I haven't begun to consider implementation (although I've done similar
things in other languages).  At the moment, I'm only looking at it from an
interface point of view.  If we nail a good interface, other developers
might adopt it.  It would be great if one had a choice of many different
menu systems and it was trivial to switch between them.

What are your thoughts?


Regards,

Ken