[comp.sources.wanted] Need Suggestions; Menu Software

jim@bahamut.fsc.com (James O'Connor) (12/27/89)

In article <259@consult.UUCP>, bob@consult.UUCP (Bob Willey) writes:
> In article <1102@crpmks.UUCP> garyb@crpmks.UUCP (Gary Blumenstein) writes:
> >Can anyone out there recommend a decent menu generating utility that
> >will run under XENIX?  We have a need for such a program which will let  
> >us create a fairly extensive set of nested menus.  The program must be

I have been following the reponses for this very closely, since we too are
looking for new menu software.  But, I would like to add one more
qualification.

Not only should the product be able to run on Xenix, but should be able, via
source or binary availability, be able to run on other platforms as well.
We are trying to create a single user interface across currently existing
SCO Xenix, SCO Unix, and HP 9000 Model 800's running HP-UX.  There is also
no telling what kind of hardware we will end up with in the future.

Therefore, if anyone knows of a MULTI-VENDOR menu package, or of one that
is well enough written that the authors won't feel threatened by the
suggestion of porting it to a new machine (even when the resources to do the
port are freely offered), please let me know.

(BTW, this article is being posted as follow up to an article which suggested
MenuMagic as a good menu package, which it probably is, and I had hoped to be
able to use it, but it is only available for Xenix, and a conversation with
TKI led a friend of mine to believe that Xenix is all it would ever be
available for, except for perhaps SCO Unix.)

Thank you.
------------- 
James B. O'Connor			Work:	jim@tiamat.fsc.com
Data Processing Manager  		Play:   jim@bahamut.fsc.com
Ahlstrom Filtration, Inc.		UUCP:	uunet!tiamat!jim

shields@nccn.yorku.ca (Paul Shields) (01/03/90)

In article <1102@crpmks.UUCP> garyb@crpmks.UUCP (Gary Blumenstein) writes:
>Can anyone out there recommend a decent menu generating utility that
>will run under XENIX?  We have a need for such a program which will let  
>us create a fairly extensive set of nested menus.  The program must be
>able to exec() as the highest level shell and the interface must be
>text-based, consistent, terminal independant, and pleasing to look at.


I wrote one three years ago and have been using it here at nccn.yorku.ca
ever since.  The Institute for Space and Terrestrial Science adopted it
as its standard U.I. in 1988.  

I'll post it to the net if enough people out there want it.

It is...
 - text based;
 - pleasing to look at;
 - terminal independent
	-> makes use of termcap;
	-> is command based, because there is not really any standard
	   for cursor moves.
 - built to guide the computer-illiterate user
	-> case-insensitive, 
	-> commands and may be shortest unique string.
 - compact and fast;
 - a consistent menu hierarchy, not limited to a strict tree hierarchy
   (ie: multiple roots and common sub-menus are ok.)
 - easy to configure;
 - loads the menu configuration when it runs, making it customizable on
   a per-user / per-invocation basis; 
 - known to run on at least Xenix, MS-DOS, and BSD UNIX platforms;
 - written in C, with emphasis on modularity and portability. 

The thing it doesn't do,

>[...] The program must be able to exec() as the highest level shell

It was designed to run under csh, to keep it small in size.  I haven't
encountered problems with using it this way.

I will provide you with full sources (110 KB) and all the documentation
I have, if you'd like to have it. 

Please let me know.

--
Paul Shields
Programmer for the Native Computer Communications Network
shields@nccn.yorku.ca

jim@ic2020.UUCP (Jim Carter) (01/08/90)

in article <9001041152.AA04244@nccn.yorku.ca>, shields@nccn.yorku.ca (Paul Shields) says:
> To: nccn-rnews@nccn.yorku.ca
> 
> In article <1102@crpmks.UUCP> garyb@crpmks.UUCP (Gary Blumenstein) writes:
>>Can anyone out there recommend a decent menu generating ...
> I wrote one three years ago ...
> I'll post it to the net if enough people out there want it.

Sounds interesting, Please mail/post I would like to see this.
I would like to replace our simple menus with something that might
be a little more pleasing to the users.
--
Jim Carter (Sequoia Contact Lens,1355 11th Street,Reedley,CA,93654)
{...!csufres!csuf3b!ic2020!jim} 209/638-3939, Fax 209/638-5433