Menu/Toolbar Entries or Editor Context Menu

The following controls are available for this extension point:

Controls Description
Menu label (Available only when top-level Menu/Toolbar Entries node is selected) The text to appear on the menu bar as the name of the custom menu. Optionally, an ampersand (&) before a character in this string makes that character a shortcut key (pressing Alt plus the shortcut key opens the menu).
Name The name of the option. If you are adding a menu option, this is the text that will appear on the menu.
Accelerator (Optional) A key sequence that can be used to activate the program without use of the mouse. You can use Ctrl, Alt, or both, plus a shifted or unshifted character or function key. You must type the key names, separated with + (no spaces). The following examples are valid accelerator sequences:

Ctrl+Shift+Z

Alt+S

Ctrl+Alt+ Shift+F10

If you are adding a menu option, the assigned key sequence will appear on the menu along with the program name.

The sequence must not be assigned to another function. If you specify an accelerator that is already in use, it will be disabled for both operations. To view existing assignments, select Window > Preferences > General > Keys.

Icon (Optional) An image to appear on the menu and/or toolbar button. The image file must be in the icons directory of the extensibility plugin (by default, com.openedge.pdt.extensibility.user), or a subdirectory in that path.

An image size of 16x16 pixels is recommended for best results.

If you add a toolbar option without specifying an icon, the program name appears on the toolbar.

Tooltip (Optional) Text to appear in a popup window when the user rests the mouse pointer over the toolbar button. If you leave this field blank, the option name is used.

Tootips have no effect in menus.

Program name The executable ABL program (.p, .w, or .r file) to run when the menu or toolbar option is chosen. If the file is not in your Propath, include the full path.

The value of this field works in conjunction with the value of the Configuration field, as follows:

  • If you want this program to run externally, also choose a launch configuration in the Configuration field. The program you enter overrides the initial program specified in the configuration definition.
  • If you simply want the menu or toolbar option to launch an external configuration and run the initial program as specified in the configuration definition, choose the appropriate entry in the Configuration field and leave the Program name field blank.
Parameters (Optional) The parameters, if any, with which the program is to run.
Configuration The drop-down list for this field shows the launch configurations defined for your workspace. Choose the launch configuration under which you want the menu or toolbar option to run the program. (See the instructions above for the Program name field.)
Action appearance (Available only when adding an entry under Menu/Toolbar Entries) A radio button set that lets you specify whether the option is to appear on the menu, the toolbar, or both.
Run persistent An option to run the specified program as a persistent procedure.