THE HYPERCARD CENTER

HyperTalk Reference

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doMenu

doMenu itemName [without dialog] ¬

   [with keys]

doMenu itemName, menuName ¬

   [without dialog] [with keys]

The doMenu command performs the action specified by the item name and menu name just as if the user chose the item directly from the menu.

without dialog bypasses the dialog box that would normally appear after the commands Delete Stack and Convert Stack, and, when a background field is selected, after Cut Field and Clear Field.

with keyschooses the named menu command with the shift, option, and/or Command keys pressed.

To determine from a script which keys were specified, look at param(6) of the original command.

HyperCard sends the doMenu command as a message to the current card when the user selects a menu item. ItemName is the exact name of the menu item selected, and menuName is the exact name of the menu that contains the menu item. To handle the doMenu message, use this form:

on doMenu theItem,theMenu

   statements

end doMenu

Note: A doMenu handler can override a menuMessage.

Examples

doMenu "Next"

-- Add another Open Stack command:

put "Open Stack..." after menu "Go" with menuMsg "beep"

doMenu "Open Stack...", "Go" -- just beeps

doMenu "Open Stack...", "File" -- does an open stack

doMenu "Calculator" -- desk accessory from the Apple menu

doMenu "Cut Field" without dialog -- with a bkgnd field selected

doMenu "Open Stack..." with shiftKey -- checks "New Window" checkbox

doMenu "Print Card" with shiftKey -- shows print dialog

on doMenu theItem,theMenu

  if theItem is "Quit HyperCard" then answer "Bye!" with "Later"

  pass doMenu -- all doMenu messages, including the quit, are passed

end doMenu

Demo Script

on mouseUp

  set cursor to watch

  doMenu "Background","Edit" -- view the background layer

  wait 45

  doMenu "Background","Edit" -- return to the card layer

end mouseUp

Placeholders

itemName

A text expression that evaluates to the name of a menu item on one of HyperCard’s menus (or a menu created by the user).

For example:

"New Stack..."

"Back"

"Stack Info..."

menuName

A text expression that evaluates to the name of one of HyperCard’s menus or of a menu created by the user.

For example:

"File"

"Edit"

"Go"

"MyMenu"

HyperTalk Reference

Version 0.8b4 (July 4, 2025)