ViaJcart - User Manual - Chapter 3

User Manual

Chapter 3 - Menu file creation

This is one the most delicate thing in the ViaJCart setup. You have to be VERY CAREFUL when changing this file. The positioning if each character is VERY IMPORTANT. Certain lines need to start in the position 1 or position 2. After you get basic idea, you will be able to create professional quality menus.

Note: Microsoft IE 5.0 now uses .cat extension for their purposes. It is in conflict with our catalog. You can give any extension you like to your catalog files, .txt for example, as long as you specify the same extension in JSCMenu.ini file.

Symbols definitions:

| : horizontal field separator character
{ : begin or open menu character
} : end or close menu character
- : vertical menu separator

Basic Menu Format:

TopMenuOption|{
SubMenuOption|CatalogFile+BannerFile,URL+TextFile
}

TopMenuOption or SubmenuOption ---- is a character string description of this menu selection.
CatalogFile ---- is the name of the catalog file in the Cat directory (it can have any extension)
BannerFile ----- is the name of the .gif or .jpg file in the Pic directory
URL ---------------- is the Url/Link for the banner
TextFile --------- is the name of the Animated Text file (see Creating Animated Text File section below)

The TopMenuOption is the top-level menu description. The '|' separates two items. First item is the TopMenuOption description and the second item is '{'. The '{' represented an open menu command. The SubMenuOption starts in the column two. This is VERY IMPORTANT. After '|' separator character the catalog file name follows together with image banner for this catalog file and up to 100 lines of description text file. The '*' can be use to represent default banner and suppress text file. For more information on how to create catalog files see Chapter 4. The '}' will close this menu. We will provide several examples of creating menus. We believe that the best way to learn is by example. We will use computer store concept for this.

You can open default catalog of your choice automatically when this cart initially loads. This is very convenient if you want to show your customers specific items, Sale items for example. To do this put a ‘*’ in the first position of SubMenuOption description: SubMenuOption. The ‘*’ will not appear on the menu. This is just an indicator for ViaJCart on which catalog to load. See example below.

Example: One Menu with two items. The sale.txt will be loaded automatically when the ViaJCart™ first opens.

Computers|{
Desktop|desktop.txt+desktop_ban.gif,http://www.vssd.com+desktop_anm.txt
*Sale|sale.txt+sale_banner.gif+sale_anm.txt
}

Example 1: One Menu with two items and no text descriptions.

Computers|{
Desktop|desktop.txt+desktop_ban.gif+*
Notebooks|notebook.txt+notebook_ban.gif+*
}

Example 2: Same as example 1 but with separator.

Computers|{
Desktop|desktop.txt+desktop_ban.gif+*
-
Notebooks|notebook.txt+notebook_ban.gif+*
}

Example 3: Three top menus with two items each
Note: no spaces between lines and all items start in column two.

Computers|{
Desktop Computers|desktop.txt+desktop_ban.gif+desck.txt
-
Notebook Computers|notebook.txt+notebook_ban.gif+noteb.txt
}
Scanners|{
Hand-Held Scanners|hand_scan.txt+scanban.gif+*
-
Flatbed Scanners|flat_scan.txt+flatscan.gif+*
}
Software|{
Graphics Software|graphware.txt+*+*
Publishing Software|software.txt+*+*
}

Example 4: Three top menus with submenus on the first one.
Note: In the first menu Computers, we have two submenus Systems and Printers. They start in column two and have their own open and close symbols {}. The items with in these submenus start in the column three.
Don't forget an '|' separator character.

Computers|{
Systems|{
Desktop Computers|desktop.txt+desktop_ban.gif+desck.txt
  -
  Notebook Computers|notebook.txt+notebook_ban.gif+noteb.txt
}
Printers|{
Laser|laser.txt+*+*
Ink-Jet|inkjet.txt+*+*
}
}
Scanners|{
Hand-Held Scanners|hand_scan.txt+scanban.gif+*
  -
Flatbed Scanners|flat_scan.txt+flatscan.gif+*
}
Software|{
Graphics Software|graphware.txt+*+*
Publishing Software|software.txt+*+*
}

The best way is to study examples above and experiment with top level menus and submenus. This structure gives you great flexibility with the menus. You can have up to 10 levels of submenus.

You don not have to use .cat extension for catalog files. Use anything you like as long as you point to the same extension in your JSCMenu.ini.

IMPORTANT: Each description in the sub-menu for the catalog must be unique.

For instance, the following example is incorrect because the descriptions "Desktop Computers" are the same for Budget and Power Computers. Although they are in the different menus, they MUST be unique.

Budget Computers|{
Desktop Computers|bdesktop.txt+desk_ban.gif+desck.txt
-
Notebook Computers|bnotebook.txt+note_ban.gif+noteb.txt
}
Power Computers|{
Desktop Computers|pdesktop.txt+desk_ban.gif+desck.txt
-
Notebook Computers|pnotebook.txt+note_ban.gif+noteb.txt
}

Change the example above to have different names:

Budget Computers|{
Budget Desktop Computers|bdesktop.txt+desk_ban.gif+desck.txt
-
Budget Notebook Computers|bnotebook.txt+note_ban.gif+noteb.txt
}
Power Computers|{
Power Desktop Computers|pdesktop.txt+desk_ban.gif+desck.txt
-
Power Notebook Computers|pnotebook.txt+note_ban.gif+noteb.txt
}

This way each description is unique.

Displaying Selected Catalog during Start Up.

Normally when you start the shopping cart program, none of the catalogs will be selected. The list area will be empty. You can specify in the menu file which catalog file to select when program starts. This is useful is you have sales or only one catalog. All you have to do is to put ‘*’ in the first position of the menu item description. The ‘*’ character will not appear on the screen.

Example:
Computers|{
Systems|{
  Desktop Computers|desktop.txt+desktop_ban.gif+desck.txt
   -
*Notebook Computers|notebook.txt+notebook_ban.gif+noteb.txt
}
Printers|{
   Laser|laser.txt+*+*
   Ink-Jet|inkjet.txt+*+*
}
}
Scanners|{
   Hand-Held Scanners|hand_scan.txt+scanban.gif+*
   -
   Flatbed Scanners|flat_scan.txt+flatscan.gif+*
}
Software|{
   Graphics Software|graphware.txt+*+*
   Publishing Software|software.txt+*+*
}

In this example the "Notebook Computers" catalog will be opened and displayed automatically on start up. Especially useful for if you want to display sale catalog items first.

Creating Animated Text File

You can display text messages under the banner on the main window. Create text file in the Txt directory with the following format and specify this name in the Menu file.

BACKGROUNDCOLOR=red,green,blue
CCSSTTString
CCSSTTString
CCSSTTString
.
.
.

Up to 100 lines.

Where:
CC - Two positions for color: Choose from 30 preset colors.
Click here for your color choices

SS - Size of characters

Example: 12 or 14 for regular size and 24 or 30 for large. The best thing to experiment and see what happens.

TT - Time interval between next message in tenth of a second.

Example:
50 means 5 seconds
99 means 9.9 seconds - this is the maximum that you can have
10 one second
05 half second
01 one tenth of a second - the smallest value

String is any string that will fit into a window.

Example:

BackgroundColor=102,0,0
211610 Browse our selection of our TOP SELLING Inkjet and Laser Printers
121610 Brilliant Photo Quality on any paper
141610 Multiple options for your small, medium, or large office
221610 with excellent personal and professional performance
021610 Buy with CONFIDENCE We have the best support in the industry
161610 ........Order Today..........

next

Chapter 1 - Installation
Chapter 2 - JSC.ini control file
Chapter 3 - Menu file creation
Chapter 4 - Catalog files
Chapter 5 - Checking out process
Chapter 6 - Order; Encryption/Decryption process
Chapter 7 - ViaJcart Customization with JSCStrings.ini
Chapter 8 - Audio Setup
Chapter 9 - Real-Time Credit Card Processing
Chapter 10 - Troubleshooting
Chapter 11 - Upgrade From 1.x to 2.x