flash.display.NativeMenu (ActionScript 3.0)

Package	flash.display
Class	public class NativeMenu
Inheritance	NativeMenu EventDispatcher Object
Subclasses	ContextMenu

Language version:

ActionScript 3.0

Runtime version:

AIR 1.0

The NativeMenu class contains methods and properties for defining native menus.

AIR profile support: This feature is supported on all desktop operating systems, but is not supported on mobile devices or AIR for TV devices. You can test for support at run time using the NativeMenu.isSupported property. See AIR Profile Support for more information regarding API support across multiple profiles.

A native menu is a menu that is controlled and drawn by the operating system rather than by your application. AIR supports the following types of native menus:

Application menus are supported on OS X. Use the NativeApplication.supportsMenu property to test whether application menus are supported on the host operating system. An application menu is displayed on the Menu bar at the top of the Mac desktop. OS X provides a default menu for every application, but many of the menu commands are not functional. You can add event listeners to the default items, replace individual menus and items, or even replace the default menu entirely. Access the application menu object using the NativeApplication menu property.
Window menus are supported on Windows and Linux. Use the NativeWindow.supportsMenu property to test whether window menus are supported on the host operating system. A window menu is displayed below the window title bar. The area occupied by the menu is not part of the window stage. Applications cannot draw into this area. Assign a menu to a window using the NativeWindow menu property.
Dock icon menus are supported on OS X. Use the NativeApplication.supportsDockIcon property to test whether dock icons are supported on the host operating system. Items in a dock icon menu are displayed above the default items provided by the operating system. The default items cannot be accessed by application code. Assign a menu to the menu property of the application's DockIcon object.
System tray icon menus are supported on Windows and most Linux operating systems. Use the NativeApplication.supportsSystemTrayIcon property to test whether system tray icons are supported on the host operating system. A system tray icon menu is displayed in response to a right-click on the icon, in much the same fashion as a context menu. Assign a menu to the menu property of the application's SystemTrayIcon object.
Context menus are supported on all operating systems. Context menus are displayed in response to a user interface event, such as a right-click or a command-click on an InteractiveObject displayed in the application. The UI mechanism for showing the menu varies by host operating system and hardware. Assign a menu to the contextMenu property of an InteractiveObject. In AIR, a context menu can be created with either the NativeMenu class or the ContextMenu class. In Flash Player, only the ContextMenu class can be used. ContextMenus in AIR do not have built-in items; a default context menu is not displayed.
Pop-up menus are supported on all operating systems. Pop-up menus are functionally the same as context menus, but are displayed using the menu display() method rather than as a response to a user interface event. A pop-up menu is not attached to any other object. Simply create the native menu and call the display() method.

A menu object contains menu items. A menu item can represent a command, a submenu, or a separator line. Add menu items to a menu using the addItem() or addItemAt() method. The display order of the menu items matches the order of the items in the menu's items array.

To create a submenu, add a menu item to the parent menu object. Assign the menu object representing the submenu to the submenu property of the matching menu item in the parent menu.

Note: The root menu of window and application menus must contain only submenu items; items that do not represent submenus may not be displayed and are contrary to user expectation for these types of menus.

Menus dispatch select events when a command item in the menu or one of its submenus is selected. (Submenu and separator items are not selectable.) The target property of the event object references the selected item.

Menus dispatch preparing events just before the menu is displayed and when a key equivalent attached to one of the items in the menu is pressed. You can use this event to update the contents of the menu based on the current state of the application.

Note: If you are using the Flex Framework, consider using the FlexNativeMenu class. It is typically easier to define menus declaratively in MXML than it is to write ActionScript code to create the menu structure item-by-item.

Note: The AIR SDK includes the MenuBuilder framework (AIRMenuBuilder.js)for defining menus using XML or JSON notation. It is typically easier to define menus declaratively than it is to write JavaScript code to create the menu structure item-by-item.

	Property	Defined by
		constructor : Object A reference to the class object or constructor function for a given object instance.	Object
		isSupported : Boolean [static][read-only] Indicates whether any form of native menu is supported on the client system.	NativeMenu
		items : Array The array of NativeMenuItem objects in this menu.	NativeMenu
		numItems : int [read-only] The number of NativeMenuItem objects in this menu.	NativeMenu
		parent : NativeMenu [read-only] The parent menu.	NativeMenu
		prototype : Object [static] A reference to the prototype object of a class or function object.	Object

	Method	Defined by
		NativeMenu() Creates a new NativeMenu object.	NativeMenu
		addEventListener(type:String, listener:Function, useCapture:Boolean = false, priority:int = 0, useWeakReference:Boolean = false):void Registers an event listener object with an EventDispatcher object so that the listener receives notification of an event.	EventDispatcher
		addItem(item:NativeMenuItem):NativeMenuItem Adds a menu item at the bottom of the menu.	NativeMenu
		addItemAt(item:NativeMenuItem, index:int):NativeMenuItem Inserts a menu item at the specified position.	NativeMenu
		addSubmenu(submenu:NativeMenu, label:String):NativeMenuItem Adds a submenu to the menu by inserting a new menu item.	NativeMenu
		addSubmenuAt(submenu:NativeMenu, index:int, label:String):NativeMenuItem Adds a submenu to the menu by inserting a new menu item at the specified position.	NativeMenu
		clone():NativeMenu Creates a copy of the menu and all items.	NativeMenu
		containsItem(item:NativeMenuItem):Boolean Reports whether this menu contains the specified menu item.	NativeMenu
		dispatchEvent(event:Event):Boolean Dispatches an event into the event flow.	EventDispatcher
		display(stage:Stage, stageX:Number, stageY:Number):void Pops up this menu at the specified location.	NativeMenu
		getItemAt(index:int):NativeMenuItem Gets the menu item at the specified index.	NativeMenu
		getItemByName(name:String):NativeMenuItem Gets the menu item with the specified name.	NativeMenu
		getItemIndex(item:NativeMenuItem):int Gets the position of the specified item.	NativeMenu
		hasEventListener(type:String):Boolean Checks whether the EventDispatcher object has any listeners registered for a specific type of event.	EventDispatcher
		hasOwnProperty(name:String):Boolean Indicates whether an object has a specified property defined.	Object
		isPrototypeOf(theClass:Object):Boolean Indicates whether an instance of the Object class is in the prototype chain of the object specified as the parameter.	Object
		propertyIsEnumerable(name:String):Boolean Indicates whether the specified property exists and is enumerable.	Object
		removeAllItems():void Removes all items from the menu.	NativeMenu
		removeEventListener(type:String, listener:Function, useCapture:Boolean = false):void Removes a listener from the EventDispatcher object.	EventDispatcher
		removeItem(item:NativeMenuItem):NativeMenuItem Removes the specified menu item.	NativeMenu
		removeItemAt(index:int):NativeMenuItem Removes and returns the menu item at the specified index.	NativeMenu
		setItemIndex(item:NativeMenuItem, index:int):void Moves a menu item to the specified position.	NativeMenu
		setPropertyIsEnumerable(name:String, isEnum:Boolean = true):void Sets the availability of a dynamic property for loop operations.	Object
		toLocaleString():String Returns the string representation of this object, formatted according to locale-specific conventions.	Object
		toString():String Returns the string representation of the specified object.	Object
		valueOf():Object Returns the primitive value of the specified object.	Object
		willTrigger(type:String):Boolean Checks whether an event listener is registered with this EventDispatcher object or any of its ancestors for the specified event type.	EventDispatcher

Summary	Defined by
activate	[broadcast event] Dispatched when the Flash Player or AIR application gains operating system focus and becomes active.	EventDispatcher
deactivate	[broadcast event] Dispatched when the Flash Player or AIR application operating loses system focus and is becoming inactive.	EventDispatcher
displaying	Dispatched by this NativeMenu object immediately before the menu is displayed.	NativeMenu
preparing	Dispatched by the NativeMenu object when a key equivalent is pressed and immediately before the menu is displayed.	NativeMenu
select	Dispatched by this NativeMenu object when one of its menu items or an item in one of its descendant submenus is selected.	NativeMenu

items

property

items:Array [read-write]

Language version:

ActionScript 3.0

Runtime version:

AIR 1.0

The array of NativeMenuItem objects in this menu.

The array is sorted in display order.

Note: This property is read-only in AIR 1.0. It became read/write in AIR 1.1.

Implementation
public function get items():Array
public function set items(value:Array):void

numItems

property

numItems:int [read-only]

Language version:

ActionScript 3.0

Runtime version:

AIR 1.0

The number of NativeMenuItem objects in this menu.

Implementation
public function get numItems():int

parent

property

parent:NativeMenu [read-only]

Language version:

ActionScript 3.0

Runtime version:

AIR 1.0

The parent menu.

The parent of the root (top-level) menu object is null.

Implementation
public function get parent():NativeMenu

Constructor detail

NativeMenu

()

constructor

public function NativeMenu()

Language version:

ActionScript 3.0

Runtime version:

AIR 1.0

Creates a new NativeMenu object.

Method detail

addItem

()

method

public function addItem(item:NativeMenuItem):NativeMenuItem

Language version:

ActionScript 3.0

Runtime version:

AIR 1.0

Adds a menu item at the bottom of the menu.

When creating a context menu, you can add either NativeMenuItem or ContextMenuItem objects. However, it is advisable to use only one type of object in a context menu so that all items in the menu have the same properties.

Note: Adding an item to a menu can cause an application to hang if the item's submenu is set to the menu itself (causing a circular reference).

Parameters

item:NativeMenuItem — The NativeMenuItem object to add at the bottom of the menu.

Returns

NativeMenuItem

Throws

	`ArgumentError` — If `item` is `null`.

	`ArgumentError` — If `item` is a member of another menu.

addItemAt

()

method

public function addItemAt(item:NativeMenuItem, index:int):NativeMenuItem

Language version:

ActionScript 3.0

Runtime version:

AIR 1.0

Inserts a menu item at the specified position. The position is indexed from the top. Set the index parameter to zero to insert the item at the top of the menu. All types of menus: window, application, system tray icon, dock icon, context, and pop-up, index the menu position from the top.

Parameters

	`item:NativeMenuItem` — The NativeMenuItem object to insert.

	`index:int` — The (zero-based) position in menu at which to insert the menu item. Note: Adding an item to a menu can cause an application to hang if the item's submenu is set to the menu itself (causing a circular reference).

Returns

NativeMenuItem

Throws

	`ArgumentError` — If `item` is `null`.

	`ArgumentError` — If `item` is a member of another menu.

	`RangeError` — If the index is outside the bounds of the menu's `items` array.

addSubmenu

()

method

public function addSubmenu(submenu:NativeMenu, label:String):NativeMenuItem

Language version:

ActionScript 3.0

Runtime version:

AIR 1.0

Adds a submenu to the menu by inserting a new menu item.

Calling the addSubMenu() method is equivalent to creating a new menu item, adding it to the menu, and assigning a NativeMenu object to the item's submenu property.

Note: Adding a menu as a submenu of itself (in a circular reference) can cause an application to hang.

Parameters

	`submenu:NativeMenu` — The NativeMenu object that defines the submenu to be added.

	`label:String` — The display label for the menu item to be added.

Returns

NativeMenuItem — The NativeMenuItem object created for the submenu.

addSubmenuAt

()

method

public function addSubmenuAt(submenu:NativeMenu, index:int, label:String):NativeMenuItem

Language version:

ActionScript 3.0

Runtime version:

AIR 1.0

Adds a submenu to the menu by inserting a new menu item at the specified position.

Calling the addSubMenuAt() method is equivalent to creating a new menu item, inserting it at the desired position in the menu, and assigning a NativeMenu object to the item's submenu property.

Note: Adding a menu as a submenu of itself (in a circular reference) can cause an application to hang.

Parameters

	`submenu:NativeMenu` — The NativeMenu object that defines the submenu to be added.

	`index:int` — The position in the `items` array of this menu at which to insert the menu item to be added.

	`label:String` — The display label for the menu item to be added.

Returns

NativeMenuItem — The NativeMenuItem object created for the submenu.

clone

()

method

public function clone():NativeMenu

Language version:

ActionScript 3.0

Runtime version:

AIR 1.0

Creates a copy of the menu and all items.

Returns

NativeMenu

containsItem

()

method

public function containsItem(item:NativeMenuItem):Boolean

Language version:

ActionScript 3.0

Runtime version:

AIR 1.0

Reports whether this menu contains the specified menu item.

Parameters

item:NativeMenuItem — The NativeMenuItem object to look up.

Returns

Boolean — true if item is in this menu.

display

()

method

public function display(stage:Stage, stageX:Number, stageY:Number):void

Language version:

ActionScript 3.0

Runtime version:

AIR 1.0

Pops up this menu at the specified location.

Parameters

	`stage:Stage` — The Stage object on which to display this menu.

	`stageX:Number` — The number of horizontal pixels, relative to the origin of stage, at which to display this menu.

	`stageY:Number` — The number of vertical pixels, relative to the origin of stage, at which to display this menu.

getItemAt

()

method

public function getItemAt(index:int):NativeMenuItem

Language version:

ActionScript 3.0

Runtime version:

AIR 1.0

Gets the menu item at the specified index.

Parameters

index:int — The (zero-based) position of the item to return.

Returns

NativeMenuItem — The NativeMenuItem object at the specified position in the menu.

Throws

RangeError — If index is outside the bounds of the menu's items array.

getItemByName

()

method

public function getItemByName(name:String):NativeMenuItem

Language version:

ActionScript 3.0

Runtime version:

AIR 1.0

Gets the menu item with the specified name.

Note: The name property of menu items is not assigned by default.

Parameters

name:String — The string to look up.

Returns

NativeMenuItem — The NativeMenuItem object with the specified name or null, if no such item exists in the menu.

getItemIndex

()

method

public function getItemIndex(item:NativeMenuItem):int

Language version:

ActionScript 3.0

Runtime version:

AIR 1.0

Gets the position of the specified item.

Parameters

item:NativeMenuItem — The NativeMenuItem object to look up.

Returns

int — The (zero-based) position of the specified item in this menu or -1, if the item is not in this menu.

removeAllItems

()

method

public function removeAllItems():void

Language version:

ActionScript 3.0

Runtime version:

AIR 1.0

Removes all items from the menu.

removeItem

()

method

public function removeItem(item:NativeMenuItem):NativeMenuItem

Language version:

ActionScript 3.0

Runtime version:

AIR 1.0

Removes the specified menu item.

Parameters

item:NativeMenuItem — The NativeMenuItem object to remove from this menu.

Returns

NativeMenuItem

Throws

RangeError — If the item is not in this menu

removeItemAt

()

method

public function removeItemAt(index:int):NativeMenuItem

Language version:

ActionScript 3.0

Runtime version:

AIR 1.0

Removes and returns the menu item at the specified index.

Parameters

index:int — The (zero-based) position of the item to remove.

Returns

NativeMenuItem — The NativeMenuItem object removed.

Throws

RangeError — If index is outside the bounds of this menu's items array.

setItemIndex

()

method

public function setItemIndex(item:NativeMenuItem, index:int):void

Language version:

ActionScript 3.0

Runtime version:

AIR 1.0

Moves a menu item to the specified position. If the item is not already in the menu, calling this method adds the item to the menu.

Parameters

	`item:NativeMenuItem` — The NativeMenuItem object to move.

	`index:int` — The (zero-based) position in the menu to which to move the `item`.

Throws

RangeError — If index is outside the bounds of the menu's items array.

Event detail

displaying

event

Event object type: flash.events.Event
Event.type property = flash.events.Event.DISPLAYING

Language version:

ActionScript 3.0

Runtime version:

AIR 1.0

Dispatched by this NativeMenu object immediately before the menu is displayed.

Listen to this event to update the menu before it is displayed. A displaying event is also dispatched by the items in a menu.

The preparing event supersedes the displaying event and provides additional functionality. Listen for the preparing event or the displaying event, but not both.

Note: On Mac OS X, prior to AIR 2.6, menus and menu items dispatched a displaying event when the user pressed a key equivalent. (This event was not dispatched for key equivalent interaction on other operating systems.) As of AIR 2.6, displaying events are no longer dispatched when the user presses a key equivalent. Use the preparing event instead.

The Event.DISPLAYING constant defines the value of the type property of a displaying event object.

Note: This event does not go through a "capture phase" and is dispatched directly to the target, whether the target is on the display list or not.

This event has the following properties:

Property	Value
`bubbles`	`false`
`cancelable`	`false`
`currentTarget`	The object that is actively processing the Event object with an event listener.
`target`	The object that is about to be displayed.

preparing

event

Event object type: flash.events.Event
Event.type property = flash.events.Event.PREPARING

Language version:

ActionScript 3.0

Runtime version:

AIR 2.6

Dispatched by the NativeMenu object when a key equivalent is pressed and immediately before the menu is displayed.

Listen to this event to update the menu either before it is displayed, or when a key equivalent is pressed by the user. The preparing event is dispatched before the key equivalent is fully evaluated. You can enable, disable, add, or remove items from the menu in the preparing event handler and those changes will be in effect when the key equivalent is processed. For example, if you remove or disable the menu item assigned to the triggering key equivalent, then the sequence of events is effectively canceled and no select event is dispatched. A preparing event is also dispatched by the items in a menu.

The preparing event supersedes the displaying event and provides additional functionality. Listen for the preparing event or the displaying event, but not both.

select

event

Event object type: flash.events.Event
Event.type property = flash.events.Event.SELECT

Language version:

ActionScript 3.0

Runtime version:

AIR 1.0

Dispatched by this NativeMenu object when one of its menu items or an item in one of its descendant submenus is selected.

A select event bubbles from a menu item to its containing menu and on up through the parent menu chain to the root menu object. The target property of the event object references the selected NativeMenuItem object; the currentTarget property references this NativeMenu object.

The Event.SELECT constant defines the value of the type property of a select event object.

This event has the following properties:

Property	Value
`bubbles`	`false`
`cancelable`	`false`; there is no default behavior to cancel.
`currentTarget`	The object that is actively processing the Event object with an event listener.
`target`	The object on which an item has been selected.

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Class NativeMenu	Properties \| Methods \| Events