[syslinux] Problems with menu.c32, and some feature request for menu.c32

[Geert Stappers]

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On Sun, Mar 27, 2005 at 01:13:48AM -0500, Eugene Pressley wrote:
> I am resending this message because I have not recieved any response back.

And what have you done in those three days ?

> I have found two bugs in the menu.c32 utility, part of the
> syslinux-3.08-pre5 build, and have a couple of requests.
> 
> Problem 1:
> 
> If you use the ^ symbol to define a number as a hotkey,
> ex. MENU LABEL ^1 Option #1 , the menu will not print the number
> highlighted.  It will use it as a hot key, it just will not highlight
> it.  It does highlight the hotkey if a letter, A-Z, is specified.

You could have reply on the original posting with
chances on the syslinux manual where this behaviour is documented.

> Problem 2:
> 
> When the statement "MENU PASSWD" is used to define a password the label
> that it is used in and all following labels require that password.
> All preceding LABELs do not require a password.

Sounds to me like an interresting feature.
Normal boot doesn't need a password
and special boots do.

Those who want "only boot with password" should place "MENU PASSWD" on
top of the config file.

> 
> Request #1:
> When a timeout is spedified it would be nice if a countdown timer could
> be place on the screen, say the lower right hand corner.
> This could be enabled/disabled through a menu option.

IMNSHO it is very harsh to ignore a polite request.
So less harsh is to say: That is a request for adding bloat.

> Request #2:
> It would be nice if the following vars in the menu.c could be set in
> the config file so the program would not have to be recompiled
> to change these values.
> #define WIDTH		80
> #define MARGIN		10
> #define PASSWD_MARGIN	3
> #define MENU_ROWS	12
> #define TABMSG_ROW	18
> #define CMDLINE_ROW	20
> #define END_ROW		24
> #define PASSWD_ROW	11

And when or how benefits the bootloader from this?
Please elaborate the request.

> Request #3:
> Add an option to the config file that would enable HOTKEYING.
> What is hotkeying?
> Currently when you press a hotkey the menu item is highlighted and
> then you have to press enter to execute the menu item.
> HOTKEYING would, when the hotkey is pressed,
> highlight the menu item and automatically execute the menu item
> without the need to press the enter key.

I have no clue what the impact of that request is.
It will demand a (huge?) change on the user input routines.



Cheers
Geert Stappers

Who thinks that a bootloader should do bootloading.
(and when you want more, then do more)

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