Adding Menus to the Menu Bar

Summary: Design Suggestion

Menu names are usually only one word, but can be longer. QuickCase:W bases the maximum length of a menu name on a physical distance rather than a specific number of characters. That distance, however, is about 25 characters long.

Applications generated by QuickCase:W use the Windows-standard ALT+letter sequence to activate menu items. Once active, the menu drops down and displays the commands on that menu.

QuickCase:W uses two versions of the same dialog box to set the properties for a menu and for a command (Figure 5.9). You add or edit menus and commands by changing the values in this dialog box.

The following list describes the options that apply to menus in the Insert Menu Item dialog box:

String

Sets the menu name to a string.

Separator

Places a vertical line in the menu bar to act as a visual separator between other menu names.

Name

The name for the menu. Places an ampersand in front of the letter that will activate the menu (for example, &File makes the “F” the hot key).

Active

Makes the menu initially active.

Grayed

Makes the menu (and any commands under it) initially inactive.

None

Does not link the menu with any commands, dialog boxes, or code.

Dropdown Menu

Links the menu to a standard dropdown menu. Double-chevron braces (<< >>) appear on the menu for adding commands.

·To add a new menu to the menu bar:

1.Do one of the following:

Click the double-chevron braces (<< >>) on the prototyped menu bar.

Press ALT+F6 to activate the prototyped window; press ALT again to activate the menu bar; highlight the double-chevron braces (<< >>) with the ARROW keys; and press ENTER.

The Insert Menu Item dialog box appears.

2.Type the name for the new menu, including an ampersand (&) in front of the letter that will activate the menu.

3.Choose the desired Link To option. By default, this option is a Dropdown Menu that creates a standard menu. Choose OK.

·To add a new menu between existing menus:

1.Make the prototyped window active by pressing ALT+F6. Press ALT again to activate the menu bar, highlighting the first menu.

2.Use the right ARROW keys to highlight the menu that will come after the new menu.

3.From the Edit menu, choose the Insert command. The Insert Menu Item dialog box appears.

4.Type the name for the new menu, including an ampersand (&) in front of the letter that will activate the menu.

5.Choose the desired Link To option. By default, this option is a Dropdown Menu that creates a standard menu. Choose OK.

The new name appears in the menu bar.

Dialog Box

Links the menu directly to a dialog box. This is nonstandard for a menu and not generally recommended. If you select this option, choose the Configure Link button to tell QuickCase:W which dialog resource you want to link to.

User-Defined Code

Links the menu to a separate file, including source-code statements. If you select this option, choose the Configure Link button to tell QuickCase:W which ASCII file you want to link to.

NOTE:

Avoid TAB and ESC as accelerators, since these keys are also used for system functions.