[Cuis-dev] WorldMenu

[Hilaire Fernandes]

Hi Hernan, Luciano.

Le 27/05/2022 à 16:52, Hernan Wilkinson via Cuis-dev a écrit :
> Hi Luciano,
>  adding options to menus based on packages is already solved. Look at 
> the class DynamicMenuBuilder.
>  In fact, it is used to create the world menu beside other menues like 
> the editor menu.
>  Hilaire, does the DynamicMenuBuilder satisfy your needs?
Which needs? To define a completely different World Menu?

In Cuis, AFAIK, the world menu hierarchy is both defined with a mix of 
data declaration (see #worldMenuOptions) and code to build the menu by 
invoking data declaration (see #openMenu), mostly to establish the 
informal parent-child menus relationship.

A formal menu declaration decoupled of menu build up will make menu 
understanding and extension easier.

I will use a builder instance passed along the methods defining the 
menus. The menu data and relationship will be defined in these methods, 
then the menu build up done by the builder object. Changing/subclassing 
the builder will make possible to have different way to represent menu.

The methods used to defined the whole menu hierarchy will be identified 
with a dedicated pragma.

This is more less as implemented in Pharo, it is pretty neat and make 
the menu hierarchy easy to understand, you just need to search the 
method with a given pragma. In Cuis you have to search for all the 
methods defining the menu and submenu (different method names)

In DrGeo for example. The names of the method do not mater, only the pragma:

Main menu, is a regular menu without parent:

DrGeo>>worldMenu: aBuilder
     <drgeoMenu>
     (aBuilder item: 'New' translated)
         action: [ DrGeo newFullScreen ];
         icon: (self iconNamed: #smallNewIcon);
         order: 0.
../..
     (aBuilder item: #Tools translated)
         icon:    (self iconNamed: #tools);
         order: 5.

And submenu are identified by parent argument:

DrGeo>>toolsMenuOn: aBuilder
     <drgeoMenu>
     (aBuilder item: #'System Browser' translated)
         parent: #Tools translated;
         action: [ Smalltalk tools browser openOnClass: DrGeoSketch ];
         icon:    (self iconNamed: #smallObjects);
         help:'A source code browser to view, edit and save Dr. Geo 
code. I open the browser on the DrGeoCanvas class you can study to 
design your own Smalltalk sketch.'    translated.
     (aBuilder item: #'Workspace' translated)
         parent: #Tools translated;
         action: [Smalltalk tools openWorkspace bounds: RealEstateAgent 
leftMaximumUsableArea];
         icon:    (self iconNamed: #workspace);
         help: 'A window used as a scratchpad area where fragments of 
Pharo code can be entered, stored, edited, and evaluated.'    translated.

I wonder if pragma parameter parent: will make the menu hierarchy more 
explicit and the method a bit less verbose.

Then you can change your world menu with a simple WorldMorph 
desktopMenuPragma: #drgeoMenu

Just some food for thought

Hilaire

>
> Cheers!
> Hernan.

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