menu paradigm of Rev/MC and other goofiness

Ivers, Doug E Doug_Ivers at lord.com
Mon Feb 24 08:22:01 EST 2003


Does anyone else besides me think that the way menuItems are implemented is goofy?

First of all, there should be a menuItem name, number, & id separate from the menuItem text, just like there is for controls.  Why was the paradigm used for buttons, fields, cards, etc. abandoned when menus were implemented?  I suppose it is a consequence of equating menu with button?  It seems so inconsistent.

Second, the use of character codes in the text of a menu item to create checkmarks and hot keys seems particularly archaic and problematic.  Of course there are ways to provide a new paradigm without giving up compatibility (think:  "set the menuObjects to true; set the checkMark of menuItem 4 of menu "Preferences" to true).

I don't claim to have all the answers for this, but the menu paradigm is goofy.  Another thing that bothers me is the gyrations required to deal with Transcript's quotes (the inability to nest quotes), but that is a topic for another thread.

Maybe a new interest group should be formed?
P rogrammers
A gainst
T ranscript
G oofiness

-- D

P.S.  I don't currently have access to the improve list, so when replying, please cc that list so this thread gets the appropriate visibility.




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