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Adding and modifying items in the application menu
Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2026 4:30 pm
by AlexM_Cogapp
I'm building an app and would like to add a ’Check for Updates…” item to the application menu.
Can’t see how to do it.
The About menu item and corresponding code seems to get put in the Help menu script.
I tried putting ’Check for Updates…” there, but no joy.
There doesn’t seem to be any documentation (none, anyway, that I can find).
Any suggestions?
best
Alex
Re: Adding and modifying items in the application menu
Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2026 5:00 pm
by dunbarx
Hi.
Have you worked with the "MenuBuilder" utility? It is what I use to create menus and modify existing ones. Find it in the "Tools" menu. It takes a little practice, but is intuitive, powerful and complete.
Craig
Re: Adding and modifying items in the application menu
Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2026 5:15 pm
by Klaus
Hi Alex,
on my Mac I very often see "Check for updates..." in the "Help" menu.
Maybe just put it there? Or do I misunderstand your question?
Best
Klaus
Re: Adding and modifying items in the application menu
Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2026 5:26 pm
by AlexM_Cogapp
dunbarx wrote: ↑Tue Jan 20, 2026 5:00 pm
Hi.
Have you worked with the "MenuBuilder" utility? It is what I use to create menus and modify existing ones. Find it in the "Tools" menu. It takes a little practice, but is intuitive, powerful and complete.
Craig
Yes the Menu Builder works well - thank you.
It's just modifying the Application menu that is elusive.
Re: Adding and modifying items in the application menu
Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2026 8:56 pm
by dunbarx
Alex.
I have never done so, but isn't the "Application" menu as open to modification as any other?
Craig
Re: Adding and modifying items in the application menu
Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2026 7:03 pm
by FourthWorld
AlexM_Cogapp wrote: ↑Tue Jan 20, 2026 5:26 pm
Yes the Menu Builder works well - thank you.
It's just modifying the Application menu that is elusive.
The Application menu is not directly addressable in LiveCode.
What items you see there from your application are put there by the engine. The Hide item is automatically added, while About is moved from the last item in the Help menu and Preferences is moved from the last item in your Edit menu.
The moved items allow you to edit the items for their customary placement on other platforms, moved to Applications for macOS.
But confirming your observation that the Application menu is not directly edible in LC is only mildly useful; you're still left with the question of providing a UI for initiating update checks.
Perhaps the check could be done automatically on launch, with an option to turn that off in Preferences.
We know users like to fiddle with things like that, even when the fiddling is redundant. So perhaps a button could be put into the About box, or an item in the Help menu.