Re: creating a sub-menu

[ken]

n 03/12/2013 06:22 PM Stephen Berman wrote:
> On Tue, 12 Mar 2013 03:38:09 -0400 ken <gebser@mousecar.com> wrote:
>
> > On 03/07/2013 09:14 AM Stephen Berman wrote:
> >
> > > [...] If you want a submenu, then instead of
> > > a command name, the third item in your menu-item list should be a
> > > (variable whose value is a) keymap defining the menu items of the
> > > submenu, e.g., something like the following:
> > >
> > > (defun kg-insert-ä ()
> > >     (interactive)
> > >     (insert "ä"))
> > >
> > > (defun kg-insert-Ä ()
> > >     (interactive)
> > >     (insert "Ä"))
> > >
> > > (defvar xascii-menu
> > >     (let ((menu (make-sparse-keymap "Insert non-ASCII characters")))
> > >       (define-key menu [kg-insert-Ä]
> > >         '(menu-item "Insert `Ä'" kg-insert-Ä :keys "C-x a A"))
> > >       (define-key menu [kg-insert-ä]
> > >         '(menu-item "Insert `ä'" kg-insert-ä :keys "C-x a a"))
> > >       menu))
> > >
> > > (define-key menu-bar-edit-menu [xascii-menu]
> > >     `(menu-item "Insert non-ASCII characters" ,xascii-menu))
> > >
> > > Steve Berman
> >
> > Thanks, Steve,
> >
> > I tried this code and it is definitely progress over mine in that it displays
> > menu items under the "Insert non-ASCII characters" heading. However, those
> > non-ASCII characters (e.g., `Ä' and `ä') don't display in the menu under that
> > heading properly; probably owing to the menu subsystem of the emacs frame not
> > handling utf-8... or 8-bit characters of any kind.
>
> They display fine in the menu in my Emacs.  If you're using a
> Unicode-capable Emacs (23 or later), they should display for you too,
> unless some setting in your system, or maybe some X setting, is
> preventing it.

Good to know.  I'll have to remember that when I eventually get around 
to upgrading.  Until then I can use the '\xxx' (decimal) representations 
of them.


> >                                                      Secondly, the key combos
> > (e.g., C-xaA and C-xaa) remain undefined.
>
> The use of :keys in a menu item is only for displaying in the menu the
> string corresponding to a key binding that you have defined elsewhere,
> either using global-set-key, local-set-key, or, if you only want them to
> be used in a specific key map, using define-key.

Alright!  Didn't know that was needed, but cool, done already a lot... 
that's cake.


> > But you've advanced the code over what I had and I appreciate that very much.
> > The bit of explanation you provide is also helpful.  Together with the bits in
> > the Elisp Manual and other sources on the web, the total picture on adding a
> > sub-menu into an existing menu heading is starting to come together, though
> > still I'm far from being able to articulate it the way I want and would need
> > in order to be helpful to anyone else.  So I'll work on it more in whatever
> > spare moments I have. I'm sure I'll get it eventually.
>
> Good luck!
>
> Steve Berman

Thanks again, Steve.  Luck be with you too.