Menu editor

Overview: menus in the emulation window

The line at the top of the emulation window typically contains the menu bar. Click the menu bar to open submenus from which you can select actions such as [Edit]/[Paste Special]/[Detect for Blockmode Insert].

The structure of the menu system can be customized as required.

• System administrators usually perform these customizations when configuring the system: from the default menus, administrators select the appropriate menus for their implementation and make the menus available for their users as menu files.
• From this list, users simply select the appropriate menu file.

However, if required, you can also customize the menu bar using the menu editor.

Overview: menu editor

Using the menu editor, you can individually customize the menu system of the emulation window and then save your changes as a menu file. Special programming knowledge is not required.
Further details about the procedure are described below:

• You start the menu editor in the emulation window.
• You select a menu item in the emulation window.
• You can move, delete or modify the item.
• You can insert a new item
  that you select from an overview of functions.
• You can undo your changes one at a time.
• You can save the modified menu as a file.

You immediately see the results of these changes before you exit the menu editor.

If required, you can also perform special tasks such as:

• Loading or deleting another menu file.
• Editing the generated JavaScript source code of the current menu file.

Note:

• The menu system of the LogWeb/Ajax terminal emulation is written in JavaScript (as are all components).
• For customization, you can modify the JavaScript source code of each menu file, which requires the corresponding programming knowledge.
• The menu editor simplifies the customizing process by automatically generating the JavaScript source code for you.
• The menu editor gives you an overview of functions with the most important functions that you can easily select.

Starting, using and exiting the menu editor

You usually start the menu editor by selecting [Extras]/[Configure]/[Menuline]/[Edit Menuline]. Contact your system administrator if this item does not appear in your emulation window.

To exit the menu editor, click the X symbol in the title bar. You can then continue working in the emulation window.

The menu editor is displayed as a dialog in the emulation window:

Basic operation:

• You can move the dialog to an appropriate position in the emulation window (click the blue title bar and then drag) or change the size (click the blue border and then drag).
• In the menu editor, you use the fixed menu bar to access important functions such as
  • file: Exit the menu editor, as well as save, open or remove a menu file.
  • edit: Undo changes, as well as edit the current JavaScript source code directly.
  • view: Set up the contents of the overview of functions.
  • functions: Display the overview of functions for selection.
• The command move menu element is used to easily move or delete a selected menu item. This area contains buttons that are only visible if you select a menu item in the emulation window.
• In the lower edit menu element area, you can change a selected menu item or insert a new item.

Note:

• Before you can edit a menu item, you must select it in the emulation window.
• You can undo the changes one at a time, by selecting [edit]/[undo] in the menu editor.

Selecting a menu item

Before you can edit a menu item, you must select it in the emulation window.

• Move the mouse over the menu bar in the emulation window.
• If the item is a submenu, it is automatically expanded.
• Click the item that you want to select.
• The selected item is displayed in red in the emulation window.
• The properties of this item are displayed in the menu editor.
• You can then move, delete or edit this item, or use it to insert a new menu bar item.

In the following example, the menu item [Session]/[Hardcopy Preview] was selected in the emulation window: It appears with a plain-colored background, and its properties are shown in the menu editor in the "Text" und "Action" fields:

Note:

• As long as a menu item is selected and displayed in red, submenus in the emulation window are no longer expanded if you move the mouse over the submenu. The emulation menu appears to be "frozen".
• By re-selecting the same item, you "unlock" the menu and the submenus are accessible again.
• Apart from this, you can change your selection at any time by clicking another item.

Moving or deleting a menu item

The buttons for moving or deleting the item are found in the menu editor, under move element:

• You must first select the menu item in the emulation window.
• In the upper section move element of the menu editor, you will then find the buttons for moving or deleting the item.

Note:

• You can only move an item within its submenu.
• You can also move the "anchor" of a submenu.
• You cannot delete the last item of a submenu.
  Instead, you can delete the complete submenu by selecting its anchor and then deleting it.
• You can undo the changes one at a time by selecting [edit]/[undo] in the menu editor.

Modifying a menu item

You can easily modify the text displayed in the menu:

• You must first select the menu item in the emulation window.
• In the lower section of the menu editor under edit menu element, the properties of the selected item are displayed.
• You can now modify the Text displayed in the menu.
• Click "Update".

The type of menu item is also displayed in the section title:

• Separator: Displayed as dividing line and contains no further text.
• Action: Call the JavaScript function that is specified as action.
• Link: Call the submenu that is specified as action.
• Checkbox: Displayed as field that can be selected and the specified text.
• Radio: Displayed as radio buttons together with the specified texts.
• Select: Displayed as list with the specified text.

Note:

• The JavaScript function is displayed for your reference in the Action field, which is triggered when the menu item is activated. We recommend that you avoid changing these parameters.
• If you select "show details", additional fields are displayed:
  • Init: an initializing function that is executed before the menu item is displayed.
  • Disabled: a condition that specifies whether the element may currently be selected.
  You should change neither of these parameters.

Adding a new menu item

You can select additional functions from the overview of functions and add them to your menu:

• You must first determine where to insert them. To do this, select a menu item in the emulation window.
• Then, click "functions" on the editor menu.
  The list of available functions is expanded.
• On the functions menu, select the required item.
  In the lower section of the menu editor, the properties of the selected item are displayed.
• Click into the Text field.
• The overview of functions disappears and you can now change the text.
• Click one of the "insert" buttons.

Note:

• If you only want to insert a separator, select the required item from the "Programming Functions" category.
• You can also insert a complete submenu from the overview:
  • In the overview of functions, click the submenu.
  • The submenu is displayed.
  • Click Text field.
  • The overview of functions closes, and you can insert the complete submenu.
• If necessary, you can create a menu from scratch and insert it:
  • From the "Programming Functions" category, select the required item.
  • As usual, in the Text field, enter the text that is to be displayed.
  • In the Action field, enter a (unique) JavaScript name for the new submenu.
    The name must begin with lwh.menu.; example: lwh.menu.meinMenu.
  • Insert the new menu.
  Initially, the new submenu is "empty" and contains only a separator.
  You fill it by selecting menu items from the overview of functions and inserting them into the submenu as described above.
• Common selection options of the menu system are usually displayed in the overview of fucntions, such as check boxes
       " Display flashing cursor".
  If required, you can instead display the relevant single actions in a list to select them, for example
  "INVERT: Display flashing cursor"
  To do so, in the editor menu, you must select [view]/[convert functions to actions].

Undoing changes

You can undo all the changes that you make one at a time.

• In the editor menu, select [edit]/[undo].
• The last change is undone.
• The menu displayed in the emulation window is reset accordingly.

Saving a menu file

All changes that you make using the menu editor are instantly displayed in the emulation window; you must however, save them explicitly if you want them to still be available after restarting the emulation:

• In the editor menu, select [file]/[save file as].
• The "save file" dialog is displayed.
• Enter a name for the menu file.
• Click "save".
• If you click "cancel", the menu file is not saved.

Note:

• You cannot undo "save file as" by using [edit]/[undo].
  However, you can delete the file on the server.
• If you are not authorized to save files, this could be due to your system settings.
  In this case, contact your system administrator.
• You can only save files on the server.
  Only the system administrator can give other users access to these files.

Loading a menu file

If required, you can load another menu file in the editor and then edit this file:

• Select [file]/[open file] in the editor menu.
• The "open file" dialog is displayed.
• Select the required menu file.
• Click "open".
  The file is loaded and the menu is displayed in the emulation window.
• If you click "cancel", the menu file is not loaded.

Note:

• If you load a menu file, this will overwrite the previous menu.
• You can restore this menu by clicking undo.
• You can only load files from your user directory or from your group directory.
  Only the system administrator can give you access to files belonging to other users or groups.

Deleting a menu file

If you no longer need a menu file, you can delete the file on the server:

• In the menu editor, select [file]/[remove file].
• The "remove file" dialog is displayed.
• Select the required menu file.
• Click "remove".
• If you press "cancel" instead, the menu file is not deleted.

Note:

• If you are not authorized to delete files, this could be due to your system settings.
  In this case, contact your system administrator.
• You can only delete files on the server if the files are in your user directory.
  Only the system administrator can delete files belonging to other users or groups.
• You cannot undo "remove file" by using [edit]/[undo].

Displaying and directly changing source code

It is usually sufficient to edit menus with the menu editor options. If required, however, you can display and edit the generated source code directly:

• In the editor menu, select [edit]/[JavaScript source].
• In the menu editor, a text area appears with the JavaScript source text.
• You can then change the source code.
• Click "update" to apply the changes.
• If you clear the "edit current source" check box, your changes are lost.
• The source code is hidden again.

Note:

• The description of menu files gives you an introduction to generated JavaScript source texts.
• To make changes to the source text of the JavaScript menu file, the corresponding programming knowledge and knowledge of the LogWeb/Ajax programming interfaces is required ( API ).
• You can also directly undo changes to the source text by selecting [edit]/[undo] in the menu editor.