From owner-freebsd-questions  Thu Jun  1  7:18:23 2000
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Date: Thu, 01 Jun 2000 15:22:29 +0100
From: "J.C.Travers" <J.C.Travers@durham.ac.uk>
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To: webmaster@wmptl.com
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Subject: Re: Application menus
References: <39363EBB.A6BF8011@durham.ac.uk> <39366E15.73FBBFCF@wmptl.com>
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This isn't quite what I meant, I understand how to make menus manually
(i.e.using scripts with fvwm etc) but what I was wondering is if there
is anything automated.
The debian system is like this: every time a debian package is installed
(similar to pkg_add) it registers itself with a central database. Then
a  program called 'menu' reads this database and then allows the
window-managers to read this as a preconfigured menu that displays all
of the apps on the system. So when I start up windowmaker or kde etc, I
get a menu of all the apps on the system (not just kde ones) split into
sections (graphics, editors etc). 
I can't see that this would be hard to implement (afterall, doesn't
pkg_add register the packages somewhere) I was just wondering if it had
been done. I find it a little frustrating to not know exactly whats on
my system.

Thanks for the interest,
Cheers
John

P.s. I am now on the mailing list...

Nathan Vidican wrote:
> 
> "J.C.Travers" wrote:
> >
> > Is there a system in FreeBSD to register applications with a menu
> > database (just like the menu system in Debian) so that X windows menus
> > can be automatically created. If not is there a viable way to do this
> > (some sort of python script or something). For an idea of the sort of
> > thing look at the debian menu package, it seems very simple and easy to
> > implement, it just needs a field in the package config file.
> >
> > Cheers,
> > John Travers
> >
> > P.s. I'm not on the list, could you please post to me in person?
> >
> > To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org
> > with "unsubscribe freebsd-questions" in the body of the message
> 
> Most windowing environments, (eg KDE/GNOME), come with a menubar of some
> sort. KDE's application bar derives it's contents (by default using
> FreeBSD port anyhow) from /usr/local/share/applnk, directories/shortcuts
> as created with KFM. Similar in contrast to how M$ controls the 'Start'
> menu. If you want something script-based, then I'd suggest fvwm, or
> something along that line. I use qvwm (Win98 lookalike WM) on a few
> Sparcstations here, and you just need to have a .qvwmrc file containing
> the user(s) application menu, (rather simplistic form). I guess it all
> depends on what you intend upon accomplishing? I'm not sure what the
> Debian menu package looks like so I've nothing to compare to as far as
> that goes.
> 
> --
> Nathan Vidican
> webmaster@wmptl.com
> Windsor Match Plate & Tool Ltd.
> http://www.wmptl.com/


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