DOC HOME SITE MAP MAN PAGES GNU INFO SEARCH PRINT BOOK
 
Configuring Desktop menus

Mnemonics and accelerator keys

Mnemonics and accelerator keys let you choose a menu command without using the mouse.

The cmdname assigned to a menu_item clause can end in a string of the form:

   _m_key_keytext

The single character m defines a mnemonic for the menu command. The character m must occur in the name of the command, and the first occurrence of the character in the name will be shown underlined on the menu. No two commands should have the same mnemonic in a single menu.

The menus on a menu bar can also have mnemonics. To choose a menu command using its mnemonic, press <Alt> and the mnemonic for the menu, then the mnemonic for the menu command itself. For example, if the File menu has mnemonic F and the Open menu command has mnemonic O, you would press <Alt> then O.

The string key defines an accelerator key for the menu command, using the standard OSF/Motif syntax. For example, Ctrl<key>F represents the accelerator key <Ctrl>F.

The string key is an internal way of representing a key press, and so is not displayed. Instead, the string keytext will be right-justified in the menu.

   menu_item: New File_F_Ctrl<key>F_Ctrl+F

To choose a menu command you can press the accelerator key combination directly. No two commands available from the same menu bar should have the same accelerator key.


Next topic: Pull-down menus
Previous topic: Menu clauses and commands

© 2003 Caldera International, Inc. All rights reserved.
SCO OpenServer Release 5.0.7 -- 11 February 2003