RE: Menus (was RE: Shortcuts ??)

[Paul Hepworth <phepworth s-vision com>]

> From: 	Justin Ross[SMTP:opiskin@hotmail.com]
> >Format
> >  \____ Paragraph
> >               \__________Indent
> >               \__________Line Spacing
> >               \__________Etcetera
> >
> >I cannot select "Paragraph" halfway through.
> >So it could be confusing to the user just when you can and can't 
> >select cascades.
> >Hence, the conditional cascade menu.
        ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

> If the menus are to have both these behaviors, that is, if an item
> such 
> as Paragraph above can have either a default sub-selection or can open
> 
> a, for instance, Paragraph dialog--if it will be able to do one or the
> 
> other, there should be some visual indicator for each kind of
> behavior.  
> I thought of two possibilities.
> 
> (1) Set it up so that each menu item can have only one of these two 
> behaviors.  If the item has a default sub-selection, italicize (or 
> bolden, or something) the text of that selection in the subsequent
> menu 
> (which, presumably, appears without having to hover over the little 
> arrow).  If, OTOH, the item opens a dialog or folder view, append a 
> "..." to the item's name when you hover over it (perhaps the "..."
> would 
> always be apparent, only grayed-out when not under the pointer).
> 
The Conditional Cascade Menu does all this already (see OS/2 / icewm /
DFM (although DFM's don't popup or indicate selected menu item as they
should yet)).
A selectable cascade is obvious because it has the arrow button while an
unselectable (normal) cascade does not.  The bold default on the cascade
is implemented in OS/2, of course; I just forgot to mention it.
If anyone hasn't tried conditional cascades and has access to OS/2, I
urge you to try them.  You'll like them!  We really should have them in
gnome/gtk!


Paul