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Creating Custom Menus

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Abstract

Describes how to modify the "new style" XENTIS menu system.

Q&A:

Question:

I need to modify my menus so certain groups see only the REPORT menu. How do I do this?

Answer:

There are two different ways to do this. First, a little background. There are two different menu systems offered with XENTIS. The first (and original menu system for you old-timers) uses a file called "MENU.DAT" that is easily edited with a text editor. This menu system is referred to as the Select by Number menu system. It is the menu style invoked when running XENTIS.COM.

The alternate method is the Select by Name menu system. It is the menu style invoked when running XENTIS1.COM. It allows greater versatility to "jump" around from menu to menu and go directly to a specific menu function. An on-line maintenance utility is provided to design menus using this system. Please refer to the XENTIS Reference Manual for a complete discussion of these menu systems.

Our discussion today refers to the later, Select by Name menu system.

To create one menu to be used by an entire group of users that shows only the XENTIS/Report menu options, begin with the INITIAL SETUP:

I. INITIAL SETUP:

Make a copy XMENU_LINE.IDX and XMENU_SCREEN.IDX files. They are located in the XENTIS<version>$COMFILES directory. Include the word "original" (or other such word) so there is an original copy to restore if there are problems. You may also choose to make a copy and put it in a different directory. For example:
```
$ COPY XENTIS44$COMFILES:XMENU_LINE.IDX XENTIS44$COMFILES:XMENU_LINE_ORIGINAL.IDX
$ COPY XENTIS44$COMFILES:XMENU_SCREEN.IDX XENTIS44$COMFILES:XMENU_SCREEN_ORIGINAL.IDX
```
Copy XMENU_LINE.IDX and XMENU_SCREEN.IDX to a central common directory (e.g., DISKB:[ACCTG_USER]). It is helpful that the directory name is meaningful (e.g., [ACCOUNTING_USER], [PERSONNEL_GROUP], etc.). In this example the special menu is for the Accounting staff. Always include the word LINE or SCREEN to identify the file.
```
$ COPY XENTIS44$COMFILES:XMENU_LINE.IDX DISKB:[ACCTG_USER]ACCTG_LINE.IDX
$ COPY XENTIS44$COMFILES:XMENU_SCREEN.IDX DISKB:[ACCTG_USER]ACCTG_SCREEN.IDX
```
Copy XENTIS_LOGICALS.COM to DISKB:[ACCTG_USER]. It is helpful to include the group name specification to identify the file.
```
$ COPY XENTIS44$COMFILES:XENTIS_LOGICALS.COM DISKB:[ACCTG_USER]XENTIS_ACCTG_LOGICALS.COM
```
Edit DISKB:[ACCTG_USER]XENTIS_ACCTG_LOGICALS.COM to define at the process level the logicals XENTIS<version>$MENU_LINE_FILE and XENTIS<version>$MENU_SCREEN_FILE. They should point to DISKB:[ACCTG_USER]. These lines should read:
```
$ DEFINE/PROC/NOLOG XENTIS44$MENU_SCREEN_FILE DISKB:[ACCTG_USER]ACCTG_SCREEN.IDX
$ DEFINE/PROC/NOLOG XENTIS44$MENU_LINE_FILE DISKB:[ACCTG_USER]ACCTG_LINE.IDX
```
For each user who will use the custom Accounting menu, modify their LOGIN.COM to define the logical XENTIS<version>$COMFILES to point to DISKB:[ACCTG_USER] by inserting this line.
```
$ DEFINE/PROCESS/NOLOG XENTIS44$COMFILES DISKB:[ACCTG_USER]
```
Also include a line to execute the DISKB:[ACCTG_USER]XENTIS_ACCTG_LOGICALS.COM to make certain the correct menu file and screen files are being called. For example:
```
$ @DISKB:[ACCTG_USER]XENTIS_ACCTG_LOGICALS
```
Now that you have completed the INITIAL SETUP, let's focus on creating customized screens.

II. CREATING CUSTOMIZED SCREENS

It is important to execute steps 4 and 5 from above to ensure you are modifying ACCTG_SCREEN.IDX and ACCTG_LINE.IDX, NOT the standard menus.
Select the Utility menu from the XENTIS main menu. Then select Menu File Maintenance.
From this menu, select item 3 Generate a Menu File Report to get a report of the standard menu files. This is for recovery/clarity purposes.
Select Create or Maintain Menu Line Items.Delete the line items you do not want displayed on the menu. Typically this will be the Demo, Dictionary, Labelmaker, File, Update, Model, Word, Edit, Menu and Utility items. Be sure to delete line 010 from Main. DO NOT delete the MENU line items (i.e., MENUSCREEN, MENULINE and MENULIST) until all results have been tested and verified.

For example:

To delete a menu line item:

a. Enter "D" for delete.

b. Take the key default of 1.

c. At the MENU NAME prompt enter DEMO.

d. At the LINE SEQUENCE prompt either enter the line number or press return to get the first item.

e. At the question "Really delete?" enter Y to actually delete the item.

f. To list the next line number enter Y at the "List next record" prompt.

g. Once again the "Really delete?" prompt will be issued. Do NOT delete the MENULINE, MENUSCREEN or MENULIST line items until the menus appear as desired.

h. Exit the XENTIS menu system. Go back into XENTIS to verify results.

Note: To reach the Menu File Maintenance menu it will be necessary to use the "Menu Entry Text" name. This is the menu item 'name' that displays in the third column on the menu. The name can be used to invokethe menu item and to jump between menus. Enter the names MENUSCREEN, MENULINE or MENULIST. Use MENULIST (this is the same as item 3, Generate a Menu File Report, to produce a listing of what is now contained in the files).
Change the Menu Name on the 13 REPORT menu items from REPORT to MAIN. This causes these lines to appear on the main menu. It maybe desirable to change the name of the menu from "XENTIS Main Menu" to "XENTIS Report Menu" in the MENUSCREEN option (item #1 on the Menu File Maintenance menu Create or maintain a menu title).
Log into one of the accounting user's accounts (or create a test account which emulates an accounting user's account) and check to be certain it is set up correctly.