Programming Microsoft Visual C++

In all the book's examples to this point, mouse clicks have triggered most program activity. Even though menu selections might have been more appropriate, you've used mouse clicks because mouse-click messages are handled simply and directly within the Microsoft Foundation Class (MFC) Library version 6.0 view window. If you want program activity to be triggered when the user chooses a command from a menu, you must first become familiar with the other application framework elements.

This chapter concentrates on menus and the command routing architecture. Along the way, we introduce frames and documents, explaining the relationships between these new application framework elements and the already familiar view element. You'll use the menu editor to lay out a menu visually, and you'll use ClassWizard to link document and view member functions to menu items. You'll learn how to use special update command user interface (UI) member functions to check and disable menu items, and you'll see how to use keyboard accelerators as menu shortcut keys.

Because you're probably tired of circles and dialogs, next you'll examine two new MFC building blocks. The rich edit common control can add powerful text editing features to your application. Property sheets are ideal for setting edit options.