Subject: FVWM: What *is* a menu??

From: John <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 22 Feb 1999 19:52:55 +0000

Hi All,

The subject sounds silly doesn't it? But after reading all
the documentation I can find, I'm still not sure. Is it a
window?, a function?, a hidden button? or maybe an Icon?.
And whatever it is, how do I change its style either
globally or individually.  Is it possible to use something
like 'style "<whatever a menu is?>"  ClickToFocus' ?

Specifically what I'd like to be able to do is to set the
sub-menus so that they don't pop up until clicked and then
stay up until the screen is clicked. Plus if possible have
different colors for each menu. MenuStyle doesn't appear to
give me these options.

Any help or good document recommendations would be greatly
appreciated.

John Carline

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From: [email-masked] (Paul D. Smith)
Date: 22 Feb 1999 16:01:39 -0500

%% John <[email-masked]> writes:

  j> The subject sounds silly doesn't it? But after reading all
  j> the documentation I can find, I'm still not sure. Is it a
  j> window?, a function?, a hidden button? or maybe an Icon?.

None of the above.  It's a menu.

:)

You know, those things that contain lists of choices and allow you to
select one of them, whereupon whatever action that choice is bound to is
done.

You create them with AddToMenu and remove them with DestroyMenu.  Then
you bind them to keys, mouse clicks, buttons, or other menus.

  j> And whatever it is, how do I change its style either globally or
  j> individually.

You don't say what version of fvwm you're using, but assuming it's the
latest stuff, you can change the "style" of a menu with the MenuStyle
command.

Things that are controlled by the menu style include: the color scheme
(foreground, background, "grey-out" (disabled items), selected item,
plus fancy stuff like gradients), the font, the way submenus are
displayed (overlapping or not? etc.), how the cursor is warped (if at
all) when the menu appears, if there's a side picture, etc. etc.

You then use ChangeMenuStyle to apply a specific style to a specific
menu.  The "default" MenuStyle "*" applies to all menus which haven't
had ChangeMenuStyle set for them.

See the fvwm man page for details.

  j> Is it possible to use something like 'style "<whatever a menu is?>"
  j> ClickToFocus' ?

  j> Specifically what I'd like to be able to do is to set the
  j> sub-menus so that they don't pop up until clicked and then
  j> stay up until the screen is clicked.

This, however, isn't part of the style of the menu, but rather how it's
invoked.  There are two ways to invoke a menu: Popup and Menu.  If you
invoke a menu with Popup, then it's not sticky; if you release the mouse
button without selecting anything, the menu just disappears.

If you invoke the menu with Menu, then it (potentially) sticks.

For example:

  Mouse 1 R A Menu Utilities

Clicking mouse-1 in the root window will post a menu Utilities; it will
stick.  Whereas this:

  Mouse 1 R A Popup Utilities

doesn't stick: if you click and release, the menu disappears again.

  j> Plus if possible have different colors for each menu. MenuStyle
  j> doesn't appear to give me these options.

Sure it does.  In spades!  :)  Look again.  Maybe you need a newer
version of fvwm.

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From: John <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1999 01:22:57 +0000

Appreciate the response Paul.

> select one of them, whereupon whatever action that choice is bound to is

Hmmmmm! What an amazing concept. I was afraid someone would tell me that. :-)

I was hoping that it might be related to one of the above classes so that I could
manipulate it. Oh Well, evidently not,

> latest stuff, you can change the "style" of a menu with the MenuStyle

I'm using Version 2.0.46-BETA-3

> See the fvwm man page for details.

Ok! Where did you get that "ChangeMenuStyle" command? It isn't in my man pages.
Maybe I do have an older version? The only option for style under MenuStyle in my
man page is Fvwm or Mwm. Does it perhaps mean Fvwm commands or Mwm commands?

> invoked.

Good point.  Maybe I'm attacking this the wrong way?  Does anyone know a way to
prevent the menu from recognizing the fact that the pointer is over a popup menu
item until it's clicked?

> There are two ways to invoke a menu: Popup and Menu.  If you

Menu comes very close to doing what I want, but when I use menu the triangle to
the right of the selection item does not show. (I really do like that triangle.)
That, of course, makes it very difficult to tell if it's a sub-menu or an program.
I tried to add a pixmap in it's place, but have yet to find a method of putting it
to the right.

> Sure it does.  In spades!  :)  Look again.  Maybe you need a newer

Maybe I do.:)  I think I'll go surfing and read the latest man pages online.

Anyone has any more suggestions, I'd appreciate them.

Thanks again Paul

John Carline

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From: Dominik Vogt <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1999 02:37:48 +0100

On Tue, Feb 23, 1999 at 01:22:57AM +0000, John wrote:
>...

Of course you should fetch a copy of fvwm-2.2 that will
be released today. I think it has all you want. The
MenuStyle command has been changed substantially in 2.2
and allows a lot more configuration. Just a hint: you
will want to try

  MenuStyle * PopupDelayed, PopupDelay 10000000

This will delay showing the popup menus for about
three hours :)

Bye

Dominik

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Dominik Vogt, [email-masked]
Reply-To: [email-masked]

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From: John <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1999 05:15:48 +0000

Dominik Vogt wrote:

> and allows a lot more configuration.

Hot Damm!!!   What a perfect world! :-))))

Some days are just better than other days.

> Just a hint: you

Three hours will be just perfect. Thank you very much :)

John Carline

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From: [email-masked] (Paul D. Smith)
Date: 23 Feb 1999 00:26:07 -0500

>> This will delay showing the popup menus for about

  j> Three hours will be just perfect. Thank you very much :)

You say that now, but just watch: in a year or so you'll have forgotten
about this and you'll leave your mouse on your menu while you go out for
dinner, and when you come back the menu will be popped.

Then, you'll submit a bug report to us about it.

Just wait, it'll happen!! :)

PS. Dominik; on a more serious note it'd be nice if there was a better
    way to say 'never' than just giving an enormous timeout... don't you
    think?

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From: Dominik Vogt <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1999 13:16:25 +0100

>     way to say 'never' than just giving an enormous timeout... don't you

Oops, of course you can do that. I was too lazy to loot at the manpage,
but now that I did I remember the reason why I had to distinguish
between the 'PopupDelay' and 'PopupDelayed' options: Saying 'no' and
'infinite' delay didn't fit nicely into one integer:

  MenuStyle * PopupDelayed, PopupDelay 0
                                      ^^^

will do.

Bye

Dominik