The menu editor consist of two main
panels. The left most panel is the Programs menu tree. The menu tree
represents the actual position and organization of the items in the
Programs menu. In-between the two panels is a split bar that allows the
user to adjust the size of both panels that is under displayed. To
adjust the sizes, just click and drag the split bar to the desired
division size. If you want to only view a single panel, just click on
the arrows at the top of the split bar in the opposite direction of the
desired panel to be viewed. The right panel is the item configuration
panel. It allows the user to select the Menu Type, Command Type, the
individual configuration details and the desired functions to manipulate
the Programs menu. A user can basically add, delete and update any item
that they have selected. A selected item is the item that the user has
clicked on in the menu tree and it is also the item that is currently
highlighted. When a user add, delete or update an item in the menu tree,
it does not directly take effect in the actual Programs menu until the
user clicks on the Ok or Apply button to finalize the changes. If the
Ok button is clicked, the changes will take effect on the Programs menu
and the menu editor will be closed. The Apply button allows the changes
to take effect but the menu editor will not be closed. The progress bar
below the Add, Delete and Update buttons, shows the current progress of
the update changes done to the Programs menu. When the user clicks on
the Cancel button, no changes will occur to the actual Programs menu,
however, the menu tree will retain its current changes.
Configuration Parameters
There are two main type of items that the user can choose from the Menu Type option check box. The first item is a Menu, which is a submenu branch in the Programs menu. An example is the Game submenu shown below. The second is a Menu Item, which represents an actual application program on the system. An example is the Chess game program shown below. The Command Type option check box on the other hand has three application types for the user to select from. Selecting any of the Command Type options will also disable the invalid configuration options that cannot be made available to that specific option. These invalid options will be automatically gray out. The example shown below makes it clear to the user that a native application do not require a Jvm Option or a fully qualified class (FQC).
The Native option allows a non-Java application program to be added to the Programs menu. This option allows applications like Mozilla, Xterm, OpenOffice, Gimp and etc. to be used on the Java desktop. The Native option also make use of the current Linux environment path settings to find the desktop applications. Therefore applications that have been properly installed into your Linux environment do not require an absolute file path name, only the application name is required to activate them.
One way that the default desktop differs from the other non-Java desktops in that it supports the Java invokation mechanism intuitively in its activation system. The Jar option allows a Java program zipped into a Jar file to be executed like a native application. No other additional options are required to execute a Jar file, only the absolute file path name to the Jar file is required. An example is the jEdit program shown below. The Jvm option only needs to be used if there are additional customization options required such as limiting the Jvm memory usage, using the server Jvm rather than the default client Jvm and etc.
Adding A New Menu
A menu is used to categorize sets of applications that the user may like to group together. An example is to group all the desktop games into a submenu so that you don't have to look everywhere to find a particular game.
Configuration Parameters
There are two main type of items that the user can choose from the Menu Type option check box. The first item is a Menu, which is a submenu branch in the Programs menu. An example is the Game submenu shown below. The second is a Menu Item, which represents an actual application program on the system. An example is the Chess game program shown below. The Command Type option check box on the other hand has three application types for the user to select from. Selecting any of the Command Type options will also disable the invalid configuration options that cannot be made available to that specific option. These invalid options will be automatically gray out. The example shown below makes it clear to the user that a native application do not require a Jvm Option or a fully qualified class (FQC).
The Native option allows a non-Java application program to be added to the Programs menu. This option allows applications like Mozilla, Xterm, OpenOffice, Gimp and etc. to be used on the Java desktop. The Native option also make use of the current Linux environment path settings to find the desktop applications. Therefore applications that have been properly installed into your Linux environment do not require an absolute file path name, only the application name is required to activate them.
Native Option
One way that the default desktop differs from the other non-Java desktops in that it supports the Java invokation mechanism intuitively in its activation system. The Jar option allows a Java program zipped into a Jar file to be executed like a native application. No other additional options are required to execute a Jar file, only the absolute file path name to the Jar file is required. An example is the jEdit program shown below. The Jvm option only needs to be used if there are additional customization options required such as limiting the Jvm memory usage, using the server Jvm rather than the default client Jvm and etc.
Jar Option
The Class option allows a class file
Java program to be executed. This option allow raw class files to be
executed but unlike the Jar option, you need to specify the class path
as well as the fully qualified class definition in order to properly
execute the program. FQC or fully qualified class means the full package
and class name. It is similar to the import statement used in Java code
files except that it excludes the key word, import. An example is shown
below where there is a MyClass program (MyClass.class) and it resides in
a package named MyPackage (package directory), which is found in the
/usr/jd4x/jbin directory. If you require more help on this topic, please
refer to the Java documentation distributed together with your Java
toolkit.
Class Option
Adding A New Menu
A menu is used to categorize sets of applications that the user may like to group together. An example is to group all the desktop games into a submenu so that you don't have to look everywhere to find a particular game.
Adding A New Menu
To add a new menu, select the Menu
option in the Menu Type check box. When you select the Menu option, you
are not allowed to select the Command Type because a submenu does not
require any commands to be associated with it. A menu can only have a
label and/or an icon. If you want to find a desired icon file without
having to type the entire path of the icon file name, you can click on
the Browse button. It will produce a JD4X system file chooser for you to
browse through your file system and select the desired file. Once the
desired file has been selected, click on Accept to finalize your
selection.
System File Chooser
When all the parameters of the new menu
to be added has been configured, click on the add button to place
it into the menu tree. You can add any item into any position of the
menu tree by first selecting the existing item where you want the new
item to be added. Performing an add function will always add the new
item after the current selected item position. If no item has been
currently selected, then the menu editor will assume that you are trying
to add to the top level of the menu tree, which is directly in the
Programs menu. The menu editor will also allow you to nest unlimited
levels of submenu.
Add A New Menu Item
To add a new menu item, select the Menu Item option in the Menu Type check box. A menu item can have a label and/or an icon. Once that is done, you will need to select the correct Command Type to indicate what type of application the generated menu will have to execute. Only the necessary parameters will be enabled for you to configure. Refer to the section on configuration parameters for more details. Remember to finalize the changes by clicking the Apply or Ok button before closing the menu editor for it to take effect on the Programs menu after you are finished configuring the menu tree.
Deleting An Existing Menu or Menu Item
To delete a menu or menu item, just select the desired menu or menu item to be removed by clicking on the corresponding item on the menu tree and clicking the Delete button. The selected item in the menu tree will then be removed. Once you have finalized your changes, you can click on the Apply button for it to take effect on the actual Programs menu. Note that you can never remove the Programs menu. Selecting the Programs menu will only allow you to add, all other input parameters will also be disabled as shown below. Adding any item in this state will result in a new item entitled New Menu Item being added, you can then go back to select and edit it later.
Add A New Menu Item
To add a new menu item, select the Menu Item option in the Menu Type check box. A menu item can have a label and/or an icon. Once that is done, you will need to select the correct Command Type to indicate what type of application the generated menu will have to execute. Only the necessary parameters will be enabled for you to configure. Refer to the section on configuration parameters for more details. Remember to finalize the changes by clicking the Apply or Ok button before closing the menu editor for it to take effect on the Programs menu after you are finished configuring the menu tree.
Deleting An Existing Menu or Menu Item
To delete a menu or menu item, just select the desired menu or menu item to be removed by clicking on the corresponding item on the menu tree and clicking the Delete button. The selected item in the menu tree will then be removed. Once you have finalized your changes, you can click on the Apply button for it to take effect on the actual Programs menu. Note that you can never remove the Programs menu. Selecting the Programs menu will only allow you to add, all other input parameters will also be disabled as shown below. Adding any item in this state will result in a new item entitled New Menu Item being added, you can then go back to select and edit it later.
Selecting Programs Menu
Updating
An Existing Menu or Menu Item
If at anytime, you need to alter any of the current settings, just select on the desired item and make your changes. Once you have made your alteration, click on the Update button to make the changes take effect first on the menu tree before clicking on the Apply or Ok button. If you fail to update the menu tree first, the changes will not be reflected on the Programs menu when you press the Apply or Ok button.
If at anytime, you need to alter any of the current settings, just select on the desired item and make your changes. Once you have made your alteration, click on the Update button to make the changes take effect first on the menu tree before clicking on the Apply or Ok button. If you fail to update the menu tree first, the changes will not be reflected on the Programs menu when you press the Apply or Ok button.