PullAsideMenu

A PullAsideMenu is available if a MenuItem has an arrow in it pointing off to 
the right. Selecting such a MenuItem exposes a PullAsideMenu. As with all 
menus, there are multiple methods for exposing, selecting items in, and 
dismissing PullAsideMenus. This section covers all Methods, as well as the 
possible mix and match of Methods, for these three activities.


Methods to expose a PullAsideMenu

Method1: (Mouse Drag)
If you use Method1 to expose the menu that the PullAsideMenu's MenuItem resides 
in, just moving the cursor over that MenuItem (keeping the button down, of 
course) exposes the PullAsideMenu. If you release the button while the cursor 
is positioned over a PullAsideMenu's MenuItem, the PullAsideMenu stays up for
subsequent interaction.

If you use a different Method to expose the parent menu, you may switch to 
Method1 (to expose and select from a PullAsideMenu) by mousing down and 
holding the button down in the PullAsideMenu's MenuItem from the exposed parent 
menu.

Method2: (Mouse Click)
If you use Method2, Method3, or Method4 to expose the parent menu, click the 
first mouse button on the PullAsideMenu's MenuItem to expose the PullAsideMenu. 
The menu stays up for subsequent manipulation.

Method3: (Mnemonic)
You can also use the keyboard to expose PullAsideMenus. If you use Method2, 
Method3, or Method4 to expose the parent menu, type the underlined mnemonic of 
the PullAsideMenu's MenuItem title to expose the PullAsideMenu. 

Method4: (Arrow Keys)
You may use the arrow keys to expose a PullAsideMenu, but only after using 
Method2, Method3, or Method4 to expose the PullAsideMenu's parent menu. Once 
the parent menu is exposed, the up and down arrow keys move the selection bubble
from MenuItem to MenuItem. To expose a PullAsideMenu, position the bubble on an 
appropriate MenuItem (one with a right arrow in it) and press the right arrow 
button to pull aside the hidden menu. Press the left arrow button to move back 
to the parent menu and dismiss the PullAsideMenu (without making a selection).


Methods to make a selection from a PullAsideMenu

Method1: (Mouse Drag)
When you expose a PullAsideMenu via Method1, continue holding down the button 
while you move the cursor inside the PullAsideMenu. As you move the mouse up 
and down, the MenuItem beneath the cursor bubbles up slightly in 3D fashion. If
you release the button when this happens, you activate that MenuItem.

If the MenuItem hides a PullAsideMenu, the hidden menu appears as you move over 
that MenuItem. If you release the button when this happens (before moving into 
the PullAsideMenu), the hidden menu stays up for subsequent interaction. 

If you expose a PullAsideMenu with any other Method, you may still use Method1 
to make a selection, but you must switch to Method1 by mousing down and holding 
the first mouse button inside the PullAsideMenu. 

Method2: (Mouse Click)
After you expose a PullAsideMenu with any Method except for Method1, click the 
first mouse button with the cursor on the desired MenuItem.

Method3: (Mnemonic)
Once a PullAsideMenu is exposed with Method2, Method3, or Method4 (above), you 
may activate a MenuItem by typing its mnemonic. Unlike exposing the 
PullDownMenu with a mnemonic, a selection by mnemonic does not use the Alt key; 
just use the mnemonic itself.

Method4: (Arrow Keys)
Once a PullAsideMenu is exposed with Method2, Method3, or Method4, you may use 
the arrow keys (Up and Down) to move the selection bubble up and down within 
that menu. When you have bubbled the MenuItem you want, press the Return key 
to make the selection. If the MenuItem hides another PullAsideMenu, the 
selection exposes the PullAsideMenu.

Method5: (Accelerator)
A key sequence appears to the right of a MenuItem's title if a MenuItem has an 
accelerator. Usually, accelerators utilize the Ctrl key. To activate the 
MenuItem, type out the accelerator key sequence. For example, Sun MTPScan ships 
with an accelerator sequence of Ctrl-Q for the Quit MenuItem in the File 
PullDownMenu. To quit the application, hit the Q key while holding down the 
Ctrl key. You cannot use an accelerator to expose a menu.


Methods to dismiss a PullAsideMenu without making a selection:

Method1: (Mouse Drag)
If you expose a PullAsideMenu with Method1 and decide not to make a selection, 
move the cursor outside the PullAsideMenu and release the button. Since the 
cursor is not on a MenuItem, no selection is made. If you still want to leave 
the parent menu active, just move the cursor over another MenuItem.

Method2: (Mouse Click)
If you expose a PullAsideMenu with Method2, Method3, or Method4 and want to 
dismiss the menu without making a selection, move the cursor outside the 
PullAsideMenu and click the button. Since the cursor is not on a MenuItem, no 
selection is made.

MethodESC: (Escape Key)
If you expose a PullAsideMenu with Method2, Method3, or Method4 and want to 
dismiss the menu without making a selection, press the ESC key and the menu will
disappear.

See also: MenuItem, PullDownMenu 
