enigma-bbs/docs/configuration/menu-hjson.md

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---
layout: page
title: Menus
---
## Menus
The core of a ENiGMA½ based BBS is `menu.hjson`. Note that when `menu.hjson` is referenced, we're actually talking about `config/yourboardname-menu.hjson` or similar. This file determines the menus (or screens) a user can see, the order they come in and how they interact with each other, ACS configuration, etc. Like all configuration within ENiGMA½, menu configuration is done in [HJSON](https://hjson.org/) format. See [HJSON General Information](hjson.md) for more information.
Entries in `menu.hjson` are often referred to as *blocks* or *sections*. Each entry defines a menu. A menu in this sense is something the user can see or visit. Examples include but are not limited to:
* Classical Main, Messages, and File menus
* Art file display
* Module driven menus such as door launchers and other custom mods
Menu entries live under the `menus` section of `menu.hjson`. The *key* for a menu is it's name that can be referenced by other menus and areas of the system.
## Common Menu Entry Members
Below is a table of **common** menu entry members. These members apply to most entries, though entries that are backed by a specialized module (ie: `module: bbs_list`) may differ. See documentation for the module in question for particulars.
| Item | Description |
|--------|--------------|
| `desc` | A friendly description that can be found in places such as "Who's Online" or wherever the `%MD` MCI code is used. |
| `art` | An art file *spec*. See [General Art Information](/docs/art/general.md). |
| `next` | Specifies the next menu entry to go to next. Can be explicit or an array of possibilities dependent on ACS. See **Flow Control** in the **ACS Checks** section below. If `next` is not supplied, the next menu is this menus parent. |
| `prompt` | Specifies a prompt, by name, to use along with this menu. Prompts are configured in `prompt.hjson`. |
| `submit` | Defines a submit handler when using `prompt`.
| `form` | An object defining one or more *forms* available on this menu. |
| `module` | Sets the module name to use for this menu. |
| `config` | An object containing additional configuration. See **Config Block** below. |
### Config Block
The `config` block for a menu entry can contain common members as well as a per-module (when `module` is used) settings.
| Item | Description |
|------|-------------|
| `cls` | If `true` the screen will be cleared before showing this menu. |
| `pause` | If `true` a pause will occur after showing this menu. Useful for simple menus such as displaying art or status screens. |
| `nextTimeout` | Sets the number of **milliseconds** before the system will automatically advanced to the `next` menu. |
| `baudRate` | See baud rate information in [General Art Information](/docs/art/general.md). |
| `font` | Sets a SyncTERM style font to use when displaying this menus `art`. See font listing in [General Art Information](/docs/art/general.md). |
| `menuFlags` | An array of menu flag(s) controlling menu behavior. See **Menu Flags** below.
#### Menu Flags
The `menuFlags` field of a `config` block can change default behavior of a particular menu.
| Flag | Description |
|------|-------------|
| `noHistory` | Prevents the menu from remaining in the menu stack / history. When this flag is set, when the **next** menu falls back, this menu will be skipped and the previous menu again displayed instead. Example: menuA -> menuB(noHistory) -> menuC: Exiting menuC returns the user to menuA. |
| `popParent` | When *this* menu is exited, fall back beyond the parent as well. Often used in combination with `noHistory`. |
| `forwardArgs` | If set, when the next menu is entered, forward any `extraArgs` arguments to *this* menu on to it. |
## Forms
ENiGMA½ uses a concept of *forms* in menus. A form is a collection of associated *views*. Consider a New User Application using the `nua` module: The default implementation utilizes a single form with multiple EditTextView views, a submit button, etc. Forms are identified by number starting with `0`. A given menu may have mutiple forms (often associated with different states or screens within the menu).
Menus may also support more than one layout type by using a *MCI key*. A MCI key is a alpha-numerically sorted key made from 1:n MCI codes. This lets the system choose the appropriate set of form(s) based on theme or random art. An example of this may be a matrix menu: Perhaps one style of your matrix uses a vertical light bar (`VM` key) while another uses a horizontal (`HM` key). The system can discover the correct form to use by matching MCI codes found in the art to that of the available forms defined in `menu.hjson`.
For more information on views and associated MCI codes, see [MCI Codes](/docs/art/mci.md).
## Submit Handlers
TODO
## Example
Let's look a couple basic menu entries:
```hjson
telnetConnected: {
art: CONNECT
next: matrix
config: { nextTimeout: 1500 }
}
```
The above entry `telnetConnected` is set as the Telnet server's first menu entry (set by `firstMenu` in the Telnet server's config). The entry sets up a few things:
* A `art` spec of `CONNECT`. (See [General Art Information](/docs/art/general.md)).
* A `next` entry up the next menu, by name, in the stack (`matrix`) that we'll go to after `telnetConnected`.
* An `config` block containing a single `nextTimeout` field telling the system to proceed to the `next` (`matrix`) entry automatically after 1500ms.
Now let's look at `matrix`, the `next` entry from `telnetConnected`:
```hjson
matrix: {
art: MATRIX
desc: Login Matrix
form: {
0: {
//
// Here we have a MCI key of "VM". In this case we could
// omit this level since no other keys are present.
//
VM: {
mci: {
VM1: {
submit: true
focus: true
items: [ "login", "apply", "log off" ]
argName: matrixSubmit
}
}
submit: {
*: [
{
value: { matrixSubmit: 0 }
action: @menu:login
}
{
value: { matrixSubmit: 1 },
action: @menu:newUserApplication
}
{
value: { matrixSubmit: 2 },
action: @menu:logoff
}
]
}
}
//
// If we wanted, we could declare a "HM" MCI key block here.
// This would allow a horizontal matrix style when the matrix art
// loaded contained a %HM code.
//
}
}
}
```
In the above entry, you'll notice `form`. This defines a form(s) object. In this case, a single form by ID of `0`. The system is then told to use a block only when the resulting art provides a `VM` (*VerticalMenuView*) MCI entry. Some other bits about the form:
* `VM1` is then setup to `submit` and start focused via `focus: true` as well as have some menu entries ("login", "apply", ...) defined. We provide an `argName` of `matrixSubmit` for this element view.
* The `submit` object tells the system to attempt to apply provided match entries from any view ID (`*`).
* Upon submit, the first match will be executed. For example, if the user selects "login", the first entry with a value of `{ matrixSubmit: 0 }` will match (due to 0 being the first index in the list and `matrixSubmit` being the arg name in question) causing `action` of `@menu:login` to be executed (go to `login` menu).
## ACS Checks
Menu modules can check user ACS in order to restrict areas and perform flow control. See [ACS](acs.md) for available ACS syntax.
### Menu Access
To restrict menu access add an `acs` key to `config`. Example:
```
opOnlyMenu: {
desc: Ops Only!
config: {
acs: ID1
}
}
```
### Flow Control
The `next` member of a menu may be an array of objects containing an `acs` check as well as the destination. Depending on the current user's ACS, the system will pick the appropriate target. The last element in an array without an `acs` can be used as a catch all. Example:
```
login: {
desc: Logging In
next: [
{
// >= 2 calls else you get the full login
acs: NC2
next: loginSequenceLoginFlavorSelect
}
{
next: fullLoginSequenceLoginArt
}
]
}
```
### Art Asset Selection
Another area in which you can apply ACS in a menu is art asset specs.
```hjson
someMenu: {
desc: Neato Dorito
art: [
{
acs: GM[couriers]
art: COURIERINFO
}
{
// show ie: EVERYONEELSE.ANS to everyone else
art: EVERYONEELSE
}
]
}
```