tcl-flexmenu Files

Files:

  flexmenu.tcl      main package
  ex[0-9].tcl       example scripts
  i/                images for ex4.tcl
  flexfb.tcl        file browser example using flexmenu

Disadvantages:

  * Does not work with .toplevel configure -menu .mymenu.
    Tk uses the internal menu API to attach menus.
    flexmenu cannot work with the -menu option.
  * Must use pack or grid (or place) to attach the menu.
    Converting an existing program to use flexmenu could be quite painful.
  * The main menu must be created with either -type menubar or -type menuleft.
  * It has not been tested much.

Advantages:

  * Allows multiple menus to be active at the same time. You can have a main menu, a couple of toolbars and a side menu active
    all at the same time.
  * Easier to create toolbars.

Features:

  * Supports left side menus (-type menuleft).
  * Scrolling menus (-maxheight).
  * Configure -columnbreak <value> at the menu level to automatically
    break every <value> items.
  * -keepopen option will leave the menu open after invoking an item.
  * -acceleratorfont, -acceleratorforeground and
    -acceleratoractiveforeground options.
  * -activerelief option.
  * -hidearrows option.
  * -hideaccelerators option.
  * -bindaccelerators option.
  * -acceleratorprefix option to set the default accelerator prefix.
  * -padx, -pady options to change the padding for menu items.
  * -bindaccelerators option.
  * -stickycascade option.
  * -clicktoopen option.
  * Is a little more dynamic than the standard menu.
    Many things can be reconfigured and the changes will be picked up.

Item Features:

   * Any widget can be put into the menu (.mymenu add widget -widget .mymenu.mycombobox).
   * tearoff item type.  (The -tearoff 1 option will automatically add
     a tearoff item).  The tearoff item is a label and the text and
     image may be configured.
   * Margin images (-marginimage).  It is quite common nowadays to use small icons on the left margin of the menu as an aid for the user.
   * Accelerator labels are automatically generated based on either an & prefix in the label, the -underline option, or the -accelerator option.
   * Accelerator bindings are automatically generated.
   * -activerelief option.
   * -gap option.
   * -keepopen option.
   * Cascades: -yalign, -xalign, -precommand

Notes:

  * Ignored: -bitmap, -selectcolor.
  * -hidemargin works properly on a per-entry basis.
    menu seems to treat it as a menu option even though it is specified per entry.
    I think -hidemargin would be better off as a menu option rather than an item option,
    but backwards compatibility is an issue.

Problems:

  * May be overeager in generating accelerator labels.
    The user may not want accelerator labels displayed for every item.
  * Has not been tested much.
  * At this time, flexmenu does not check to see if the entire menu is
    visible, and does not do any relocation of the menu.

Known Issues:

  * The clone command has only a very basic implementation.
  * Flicker with -selectimage.
    Currently, the menu layout is reapplied when a -image is changed
    to a -selectimage.
    This is just in case the -selectimage is a different size.
    If the assumption can be made that the image sizes are identical, this
    redraw could be removed.
  * The MacOS aqua theme cannot set background colors, so the
    active highlight changes the text color rather than the background color.