---
name: "PerlPanel::MenuBase"
section: "3"
platform: "linux"
package: "perlpanel"
version: "1:0.9.1+cvs20051225-2.1"
release: "Debian 9 (Stretch)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/PerlPanel::MenuBase"
---

# PerlPanel::MenuBase(3)

a base class for PerlPanel menu applets.

## NAME

PerlPanel::MenuBase - a base class for PerlPanel menu applets.

## SYNOPSIS

```
        package PerlPanel::Applet::MyMenu;
        use base 'PerlPanel::MenuBase';
        use strict;
        sub create_menu {
                my $self = shift;
                $self->menu->append($self->menu_item(
                        'Hello World!',
                        $icon,
                        sub { print "Hello World!\n" }
                ));
                return 1;
        }
        1;
```

## DESCRIPTION

`"PerlPanel::MenuBase"` is a base class that does as much as possible to abstract the nuts-and-bolts details of building a PerlPanel menu applet. If you use `"PerlPanel::MenuBase"` to write a menu applet, you don't need to worry about menu hierarchies or icons - all that's done for you. Instead to can concentrate on building your menu backend.

## USAGE

`"PerlPanel::MenuBase"` is a base class - that means, you must write a Perl module that inherits from it. The `"use base"` line in the example above is one way you can do this. Then you simply override the `"configure()"` and `"create_menu()"` methods with your own.

## STANDARD METHODS

```
        $self->add_control_items;
```

This method appends the standard set of PerlPanel control options to the menu. The menu will subsequently look like this:

```
        |                               |
        | ----------------------------- |
        | Lock Screen                   |
        | Run Program...                |
        | Take Screenshot...            |
        | ----------------------------- |
        | Shut Down...                  |
        | Reboot...                     |
        | ----------------------------- |
        | Configure...                  |
        | Close Panel                   |
        | Add To Panel                > |
        | ----------------------------- |
        | About...                      |
        +-------------------------------+
```

```
        my $item = $self->menu_item($label, $icon, $callback);
```

This returns a ready-prepared Gtk2::ImageMenuItem. This method does a lot of hard work for you - `$label` is set as the text label for the item, and if defined, `$callback` is connected to the `'activate'` signal.

`$icon` can be either a file, a `"Gtk::Gdk::Pixbuf"`, or a stock ID. `"menu_item"` will automagically resize the icon to fit in with the rest of the menu.

```
        my $icon = $self->get_icon($string, $is_submenu_parent);
```

This method is deprecated and is no longer available. Use *PerlPanel::lookup\_icon()* instead.

## SEE ALSO

- •

  perlpanel

- •

  perlpanel-applet-howto

- •

  Gtk2