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HM_OnItemClick

Description:

The custom (user defined) method that is called whenever a menu item with a ClickStart child menu or a menu item with a valid link is clicked.

Value:

JavaScript function.

Applies To:

Menu Items.

Browser Compatibility:

HM_OnItemClick is supported in all browsers.

Parameters:

(itemEl)

itemEl is the HTML element for the menu item

Comments:

HM_OnItemClick 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 item object, i.e., the internal item object that HierMenus creates to track the various unique parameters of the item itself. Thus, the this keyword, within the context of your custom function, refers directly to the item object.

The item object (referred to by this) is not the same as the item element. The item object is the internal structure that HierMenus uses to track various pieces of information specific to this item. The item element is the actual HTML page element that represents the item itself. You access the item object via the this keyword within your custom method; you access the item element via the first parameter passed to the function.

When using HM_OnItemClick note that it is not guaranteed that the action that is being called for is strictly necessary on the menu item. For example, HierMenus may call for a menu item to be "clicked" when, in fact, its ClickStart child menu is already showing.

HM_OnItemClick will only fire on those items that HierMenus itself would respond to via a mouse click. Specifically, it will only be fired when the user clicks on a menu item that has a valid link to be followed, or a child menu that is set to be displayed on click (a child menu where ClickStart is true).

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

Example Method:

// write a message to the status bar 
// describing the clicking of a menu item
function HM_fc_ItemClick(itemEl) {
   window.status="Item "+this.ItemCount+" of menu "+
                 this.MenuID+" was just clicked.";
}

Example Settings:

// Ok:
HM_OnItemClick:HM_fc_ItemClick,
HM_OnItemClick:null,  // remove hook for this item

// Incorrect:
HM_OnItemClick:"HM_fc_ItemClick",
   // do not quote function names here
HM_OnItemClick:"null", 
   // do not quote null here

Default:

null

See Also:

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