Improving the VFP Menu Designer
As many in the community know, I have a strong affinity towards menus, having creating GenMenuX way back when and it still runs even under VFP 8 without any modifications.
One of the questions that came out during the closing session was will there ever be any changes to the Menu Designer?
Now, no one on the panel was a Softie (from MS) so no one can say what their plans are, however, I have been recently working on a new Menu Designer that works with the existing MNX file structure but makes it easier to do all the great things that can be done with VFP 8.
A few key features:
- in-line editing of labels. So you can double-click on a label and change how it reads.
- a property sheet to control what options are selected. The property sheet allows users to set ALL of the available attributes for a menu
- built-in link to GENMENUX and menu generation. In fact, when you save your menu, the MPR file will be automatically created so you can try it out for real.
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So where is it? Well, it's still in design phases but when it's ready for at least a beta, it will be posted. The revised menu designer will be Public Domain so anyone who wants to use it, distribute it, play with it, can do so.
Honestly, I kind of liked hearing someone ask about the menu designer at DevCon. It's been so many years since people have thought about menus that one would think they had disappeared completely!
So if you have any comments on what you would like to see in a new menu designer, let me know by emailing vfpmenu@aksel.com!
As many in the community know, I have a strong affinity towards menus, having creating GenMenuX way back when and it still runs even under VFP 8 without any modifications.
One of the questions that came out during the closing session was will there ever be any changes to the Menu Designer?
Now, no one on the panel was a Softie (from MS) so no one can say what their plans are, however, I have been recently working on a new Menu Designer that works with the existing MNX file structure but makes it easier to do all the great things that can be done with VFP 8.
A few key features:
- in-line editing of labels. So you can double-click on a label and change how it reads.
- a property sheet to control what options are selected. The property sheet allows users to set ALL of the available attributes for a menu
- built-in link to GENMENUX and menu generation. In fact, when you save your menu, the MPR file will be automatically created so you can try it out for real.
-
So where is it? Well, it's still in design phases but when it's ready for at least a beta, it will be posted. The revised menu designer will be Public Domain so anyone who wants to use it, distribute it, play with it, can do so.
Honestly, I kind of liked hearing someone ask about the menu designer at DevCon. It's been so many years since people have thought about menus that one would think they had disappeared completely!
So if you have any comments on what you would like to see in a new menu designer, let me know by emailing vfpmenu@aksel.com!
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