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HM_OnBuildMenus

Description:

The custom (user defined) method that is called before the initial menu build of each new page.

Value:

JavaScript function.

Applies To:

Globally.

Browser Compatibility:

HM_OnBuildMenus is supported in all browsers.

Parameters:

None.

Comments:

HM_OnBuildMenus is a HierMenus Menu Event Hook; a means for you to execute your own custom JavaScript code from within normal HierMenus processing. All menu event hooks expect to be set to the name of a custom function (typically of your own creation, although the HM_Loader.js file contains some custom functions designed for use with event hooks), a function literal, or a dynamically generated function.

The function you create for use with this menu event hook should be designed as a method of the default menu object, i.e., the internal object that HierMenus creates to track the various default parameters that are assigned to all menus (that do not themselves have more specific parameter settings). Thus, the this keyword, within the context of your custom function, refers directly to the default menu object. Unlike other menu event hooks, HM_OnBuildMenus is not implemented as a method of a menu or item element; therefore you must assign it within HM_f_UpdateDefaults or HM_o_PageDefaults.

HM_OnBuildMenus will execute once per page load, typically just after the page has finished loading, regardless of the CreateOnLoad settings of individual menus. Even if all menus are defined with CreateOnLoad set to false, HM_OnBuildMenus will still fire.

For further usage and implementation information, see the mini-tutorial Menu Event Hooks.

Example Method:

// write a message to the status bar 
// indicating the initial build of the menus
function HM_fc_MenuBuild() {
   window.status="Now building hierarchical menus";
}

Example Settings:

// Ok:
HM_OnBuildMenus:HM_fc_MenuBuild,
HM_OnBuildMenus:null,  // remove hook for this menu

// Incorrect:
HM_OnBuildMenus:"HM_fc_MenuBuild",
   // do not quote function names here
HM_OnBuildMenus:"null", 
   // do not quote null here

Default:

null

See Also:

HM_OnVisibilityToggle, HM_OnMove, HM_OnCreateMenu, HM_OnMenuCreated, HM_OnItemHilite, HM_OnItemClick, HM_OnItemHover, HM_OnCreateItem, HM_OnItemCreated, HM_OnMenuOver, HM_OnMenuOut, HM_OnItemOver, HM_OnItemOut, HM_OnLink, setTrans, killTrans, Menu Event Hooks Mini-Tutorial