Configuring Menu Items


Overview

Tasks

Included with

Tivoli Service Desk

Overview

What menu items do

Menu items define the menu names and menu commands that appear in the menu bar. You can design a custom menu bar for each system profile.

Using menu items

You assign a menu item for each menu name that appears in the menu bar. You also assign a menu item for each menu command that appears in these menus. Each system action assigned to the profile should be represented by a menu command.

Menu columns

Menu column numbers represent the order in which the menus appear. Menus are numbered from left to right. The maximum number of menus that can appear in one line in a menu bar varies by the length of the menu names, monitor resolution and whether or not the Tivoli Service Desk window is maximized. Menu names wrap to additional lines in the menu bar where needed.

Standard menu bars

Each of the standard profiles has an associated menu bar which is already set up for your use.

Custom menu bars

You can create a custom menu bar for any profile. This includes both the standard profiles supplied with Tivoli Service Desk and the profiles that you create.

Menu Item dialog box

Use the Menu Item dialog box to configure menu items when working with the preview image of a Tivoli Service Desk menu.

To access the Menu Item dialog box:

  1. In the Profile Configuration dialog box, select the profile to which the menu bar belongs.
  2. Choose the Menu Items tab.
  3. In the profile's Menu Items tab, choose Menu Bar.
  4. From the menu bar, choose any menu item.
    Result: The Menu Item dialog box appears.

Tasks

Displaying the menu items for a profile

Each menu bar is composed of menu items that define the menu names and menu commands. Each menu bar is associated with a specific profile. Menu bars do not exist independently of profiles.

To display the menu items for a profile:

  1. In the Profile Configuration dialog box, select the profile to which the menu items belong.
  2. Choose the Menu Items tab.
    Result: The menu items for the currently selected profile appear In the profile's Menu Items tab.

Previewing a menu bar

Preview a menu bar to check its current appearance. Any changes you make to a menu bar are immediately reflected in the preview image.

Use this preview image to verify the position and name of each menu in the menu bar for the selected profile. You can also verify the names and position of each menu command in each menu.

To preview the menu bar:

  1. In the Profile Configuration dialog box, select the profile to which the menu bar belongs.
  2. Choose the Menu Items tab.
  3. In the profile's Menu Items tab, choose Menu Bar.
    Result: A non-working version of the Tivoli Service Desk main window appears. The menu bar for the currently selected profile is displayed in this window.
    Note: You can move and resize this window exactly as you can the Tivoli Service Desk main window. Selecting a menu command in preview mode opens the Menu Item dialog box where you can edit the menu item. See Editing a menu item.

Adding a menu to a menu bar

The menu bar is blank for any new profiles you create. The first step in creating a new menu bar is to add menus. Menus should be logical groupings of the system actions assigned to the current profile. For example, all system actions that affect the help system could appear on a Help menu. Standard application options such as exiting the application, running utilities, and printing reports could appear on a File menu.

Note: There are two ways you can add menus. You can modify the preview image of the menu or you can enter the required information in the profile's Menu Items tab.

To add a menu to a menu bar using the preview image:

  1. In the Profile Configuration dialog box, select the profile to which the menu bar belongs.
  2. Choose the Menu Items tab.
  3. In the profile's Menu Items tab, choose Menu Bar.
  4. From the menu bar, choose the word <Insert...>.
    Result: A blank menu appears.
  5. From the blank menu, choose the phrase <Insert new menu item here...>.
    Result: The Menu Item dialog box appears.
  6. In the Menu Column Text box, type the menu name.
  7. In the Menu Item text box, type the name of the first menu item on this new menu.
  8. In the Menu Item dialog box, choose Add.

To add a menu to a menu bar using the Menu Items tab:

  1. In the Profile Configuration dialog box, select the profile to which the menu bar belongs.
  2. Choose the Menu Items tab.
  3. In the Column box, type a number representing a vacant menu column.
    Tip: Type 1 for the first menu, 2 for the second, and so on. For more information on menu column numbers, see Menu columns.
  4. In the Row box, type 0 (zero).
    Note: All menu names appear in the menu bar. The menu bar is always row 0 (zero).
  5. Do not make a selection in the System Action list; clear the System Action list, if necessary.
    Note: Menus do not invoke system actions. Menus display a list of menu commands.
  6. In the Menu Text box, type the menu name.
  7. In the profile's Menu Items tab, choose Add.

Adding a menu command to a menu

After you name and position the menus, you can add the appropriate menu commands to each menu.

Unassigned positions are eliminated when users access a menu. For example, if you assign menu commands to rows 1 and 3 and skip row 2, row 2 is omitted when users access the menu.

Note: There are two ways you can add menu commands to menus. You can modify the preview image of the menu or you can enter the required information in the profile's Menu Items tab.

To add a menu command to a menu using the preview image:

  1. In the Profile Configuration dialog box, select the profile to which the menu bar belongs.
  2. Choose the Menu Items tab.
  3. In the profile's Menu Items tab, choose Menu Bar.
  4. From the menu bar, choose the menu on which you want the menu command to appear.
  5. From the menu, choose the phrase <Insert new menu item here...>.
    Result: The Menu Item dialog box appears.
  6. From the System Action list, select the system action you want this menu command to invoke.
    Note: Only the system actions already associated with the currently selected profile appear in the System Action list.
  7. In the Menu Item Text box, type the menu command name.
  8. In the Menu Item dialog box, choose Add.

To add a menu command to a menu using the Menu Items tab:

  1. In the Profile Configuration dialog box, select the profile to which the menu bar belongs.
  2. Choose the Menu Items tab.
  3. In the Column box, type the column number of the menu on which you want the menu command to appear.
    Example: If you want the menu command to appear on the Call menu and this menu is in the first column, type 1.
  4. In the Row box, type the number of the position on the menu where you want the menu command to appear.
    Example: If you want the menu command to appear on the third line of the menu, type 3.
    Tip: You can not assign a new menu command to a position already occupied by a menu command. If necessary, you can renumber the menu commands to make a place for the new menu command.
  5. From the System Action list, select the system action you want this menu command to invoke.
    Note: Only the system actions already associated with the currently selected profile appear in the System Action list.
  6. In the Menu Text box, type the menu command name.
  7. In the profile's Menu Items tab, choose Add.

Inserting a separator line in a menu

You can use separator lines to organize and group menu commands. If you need to make room for a separator line in a menu, see Shifting menu items.

To insert a separator line in a menu using the preview image:

  1. In the Profile Configuration dialog box, select the profile to which the menu bar belongs.
  2. Choose the Menu Items tab.
  3. In the profile's Menu Items tab, choose Menu Bar.
  4. From the menu bar, choose the menu on which you want the separator line to appear.
  5. From the menu, choose the phrase <Insert new menu item here...>.
    Result: The Menu Item dialog box appears.
  6. In the Menu Text box, type separator.
    Note: The entry is not case-sensitive: you can type separator, SEPARATOR, or Separator.
  7. In the Menu Item dialog box, choose Add.

To insert a separator line in a menu using the Menu Items tab:

  1. In the Profile Configuration dialog box, select the profile to which the menu bar belongs.
  2. Choose the Menu Items tab.
  3. In the Column box, type the column number of the menu on which you want the separator line to appear.
    Example: If you want the separator line to appear on the Edit menu and this menu is in the first column, type 1.
  4. In the Row box, type the number of the position on the menu where you want the separator line to appear.
    Example: If you want the separator line to appear on the third line of the menu, type 3.
    Note: You can not assign a separator line to a position already occupied by a menu command. If necessary, renumber the menu commands to make a place for the separator line.
  5. In the Menu Text box, type separator.
    Note: The entry is not case-sensitive: you can type separator, SEPARATOR, or Separator.
  6. In the profile's Menu Items tab, choose Add.

Shifting menu items

You can move menu commands down the menu to make room for a new menu command or a separator line.

To shift menu items using the preview image:

  1. In the Profile Configuration dialog box, select the profile to which the menu bar belongs.
  2. Choose the Menu Items tab.
  3. In the profile's Menu Items tab, choose Menu Bar.
  4. From the menu bar, choose the menu item immediately below the place where you want to insert a new menu item or a separator line.
    Result: The Menu Item dialog box appears.
  5. In the Menu Item dialog box, choose Shift.
    Result: The selected menu item and everything following it are moved down one position.

To shift menu items using the Menu Items tab:

  1. In the Profile Configuration dialog box, select the profile to which the menu bar belongs.
  2. Choose the Menu Items tab.
  3. Select the menu item immediately below the place where you want to insert a new menu item or a separator line.
  4. In the profile's Menu Items tab, choose Shift.
    Result: The row number is incremented by one for the selected menu item and everything following it in the menu.

Editing a menu item

You can edit both the menu items you create and the ones included in the menu bars associated with system-defined profiles. You can change any of the elements that define a menu item. You can:

To edit a menu item using the preview image:

  1. In the Profile Configuration dialog box, select the profile to which the menu bar belongs.
  2. Choose the Menu Items tab.
  3. In the profile's Menu Items tab, choose Menu Bar.
  4. From the menu bar, choose the menu item you want to edit.
    Result: The Menu Item dialog box appears.
  5. Make any necessary changes to the Menu Column Text, System Action, and Menu Item Text boxes.
  6. In the Menu Item dialog box, choose Replace.

To edit a menu item using the Menu Items tab:

  1. In the Profile Configuration dialog box, select the profile to which the menu bar belongs.
  2. Choose the Menu Items tab.
  3. From the Menu Items table, select a menu item.
    Result: The current menu item position, icon file, system action, and ToolTip appear in the corresponding boxes on the Menu Items tab.
  4. Make any necessary changes to the Column, Row, System Action, and Menu Text boxes.
  5. In the profile's Menu Items tab, choose Save.

Deleting a menu item

You can delete any of the menu items appearing in either the toolbars you create or the toolbars associated with standard profiles.

To delete a menu item using the preview image:

  1. In the Profile Configuration dialog box, select the profile to which the menu bar belongs.
  2. Choose the Menu Items tab.
  3. In the profile's Menu Items tab, choose Menu Bar.
  4. From the menu bar, choose the menu item you want to delete.
    Result: The Menu Item dialog box appears.
  5. In the Menu Item dialog box, choose Delete.
    Result: The menu item is immediately removed from the previewed image of the menu bar.

To delete a menu item using the Menu Items tab:

  1. In the Profile Configuration dialog box, select the profile to which the menu bar belongs.
  2. Choose the Menu Items tab.
  3. From the Menu Items table, select a menu item.
  4. In the profile's Menu Items tab, choose Delete.
    Result: The menu item is immediately removed from the Menu Items tab. If previously visible, it no longer appears in the preview image of the menu bar.