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The "Menu Bar" and drop down menus are the most common today. You could do your own menus, yet you will probably want to use the large amount of code provided by a GUI tool kit. The richest toolkit for menus is Motif. (Linux/Unix/macOS) Close behind is proprietary Microsoft Windows C++ classes. Next comes Java Swing/Swing2. The weakest we will look at is OpenGL with GLUT. Yet, strong by getting FLTK, the Fast Light ToolKit from www.fltk.org Defacto standardization makes some design issues obvious. The "File" is on the left of the "Menu Bar". The "Help" is on the right, or rightmost, of the "Menu Bar". Using defacto standard names helps average users. Using names that mean something to you are best for an application you write for your own use. Example programs to be covered are: In X Windows using Motif w4a.cIn OpenGL w4gl.c Not able to capture open menu. robot2.c could use sub menus In Java using Swing W4frame.java
For the more complex example, Spline Tutorial, download and compiler: (note package myjava; and import myjava.*; fix to suit) Spline.java SplineFrame.java Then you need the *.txt files that are read at execution time: SplineHelp.txt SplineAbout.txt SplineAlgorithm.txt SplineEvaluate.txt SplineIntegrate.txt
Clicking on menu bar 'Algorithm' (no 'File' items needed)
Clicking on menu bar 'Help' (Note that pull down menu can go outside the main window in Java.) Basically go through code. Explain how menubar is created. Explain how menus are created. Explain how menu items are created Explain how callbacks are coded to act when a menu item is selected. Show where to put code that responds to a menu item select. Can be in-line code if short and simple. Use function call to handle long or complex actions.
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