Custom Dialogs

Hi,

I researching the proper way to have custom dialogs.

This useful post shows how to build custom dialogs directly with the Object API.
RE: LUA: UI

I am wondering if we can build menus and overlays the same way MA does it, as you can see in:
.../MALightingTechnology/gma3_[version]/shared/resource/lib_menus

Each Menu have these files:
- menu.xml

- menu.uixml

- menu.lua

The menu.xml file defines a menu name, for example

<Menu Lock="Yes"  Name="AtFilterOverlay".../>

These Menus are like Plugins, just instead of calling them with the "Plugin" keyword, we can call them with the "Menu" keyword.

This command will open the "AtFilterOverlay":

Menu AtFilterOverlay

So what now?

I can't seem to be able to add my own menu, that could be called with the "Menu" keyword.
I tried putting the menu files under ".../MALightingTechnology/gma3_[version]/shared/resource/lib_menus" but with no success.

Anyone wants to try and research this?

Ok, Solved it.

All I had to do was run "ReloadUI" after adding a menu (-:

So to summarise, if you add somewhere under:
.../MALightingTechnology/gma3_[version]/shared/resource/lib_menus

These files:

- my_menu.xml

- my_menu.uixml

- my_menu.lua

And run "ReloadUI"

Then you can load you menu using command: "Menu [You Menu Name]"

Using it in a Plugin

So I guess you plugin would have to "Install" the menu files in the menus folder
(.../MALightingTechnology/gma3_[version]/shared/resource/lib_menus)
which is not in the user library, it's part of the version.
You need to make sure there is no collisions yeah !!!

This means, your plugin should handle a case where the files are not there (if someone loaded an old show file with a newer version)