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The AddIn Editor is an integrated editor which offers many more options than those available through DHTML Menu Builder's user interface. Since DHTML Menu Builder generates code that is based on an editable template, you can modify the template to customize your menus even further than the program normally allows. These changes can also be reused in any DHTML Menu Builder project that you want. You can add features, do real-time
modifications to the menus, change standard settings, etc.
You can even add variables (parameters), so they can be
easily modified without having to re-run the AddIn Editor. All changes supported by AddIns are compiled into the JavaScript files ultimately generated by DHTML Menu Builder. You do not have to concern yourself with any additional files on your web site.
Please note that the AddIn Editor is only intended for use by advanced users with a working knowledge of HTML, DHTML, JavaScript, CSS, and the DOM of the latest browsers. (If you are not familiar with any of these terms, you probably should not be using the AddIn Editor.)
The AddIn Editor Window
The AddIn Editor window is composed of five main sections:
- The Section selector
This list displays all the standard functions
used by DHTML Menu Builder. Selecting a section from this list displays the contents of that section. The predefined functions can be
modified but not deleted. Any functions you create will also be found in this list.
In the DHTML Menu Builder code template, there is one special
section which is not a function. It's called GLOBAL. This is
where all the global variables used by the functions are
defined.
- The new code pane
This pane shows the modified code.
- The original code pane
This pane shows the original code as found on the default
template.
- The functions variable bar
This small bar shows all the variables defined on the selected
section.
- The description pane
This pane will show a small description of what the selected
function does.
Working with the AddIn Editor is very simple, and basic
customizations to the default template are easily implemented.
Basic Operations
Starting the AddIn Editor
To start the editor, click AddIn Editor on the Tools menu.
Creating a New AddIn
The easiest way to create an AddIn is to click
Properties on the
File menu .
Type the name and the description of the new AddIn and click
OK to save your changes.
Subsequent changes will be saved to a file under the
name of the AddIn. All the AddIns are saved in the same place, a
directory called AddIns under the folder where you installed DHTML
Menu Builder.
Opening a previously saved AddIn
To open an AddIn click Open on the File menu.
Then select which AddIn to open from the displayed list.
Deleting a previously saved AddIn
To delete an AddIn click Open on the File menu to display the AddIn file dialog.
Then select which AddIn to delete and click
Delete.
Note that you cannot undo this deletion.
Installing a new AddIn
Several AddIns are usually available for download on our web site. These typically
offer support for some of the most requested features.
To install a new AddIn, double-click the (downloaded) AddIn file. It will
be automatically installed into the correct folder.
Adding a new function
To add a function to the selected AddIn, click
Add on
Function menu.
The function name should be made of alphanumeric characters only and
the first character must be a letter. The naming conventions for the
JavaScript functions applies. Note that you should not add the
parameters declaration on the name.
Finally, if you wish, you can type a small description of what
the function does.
Editing or removing a custom Function
Default functions cannot be deleted although they can be edited. To edit a function, select the function from the list and then click
Edit on the
Function menu. To remove (delete) a custom function, select the function from the list and then click
Delete on the
Function menu.
Restoring the original code from a function
To restore the default code of the selected function, click
Restore on the
Function menu.
Parameters
The AddIn Editor supports inserting parameters in the
code. This is useful if you want some values changed without
having to re-edit the code in the AddIn Editor.
The Parameters menu offers options to
Add, Edit, Remove and Insert parameters to your code.
Changing the compilation value of these parameters can be
performed by clicking the Parameter Properties
button
,
which is located in the Advanced tab of the Project Properties
dialog. |