MultiUser Dialog Handler

Introduction

I found that i was constantly rewriting a pile of dialog handling functions in my scrips so i decided to write a single dialog handler script. It needed to have the following features;

• Support multiple simultaneous menus from different users, scripts and prims.
• Support fixed top buttons that will persist on lists.
• Support fixed bottom buttons with include Back and Exit buttons.
• Handle item lists > 12 and automatically insert << and >> buttons to scroll through the lists.
• Handle timeouts and communicate timeout back to calling script.
• Handles truncation of the buttons and text to stop errors in llDialog

Using The Script

Calling a Simple Menu

In the script that is calling the menu I use a function something like this.

<lsl> // Link Commands integer LINK_MENU_DISPLAY = 300; integer LINK_MENU_CLOSE = 310; integer LINK_MENU_RETURN = 320; integer LINK_MENU_TIMEOUT = 330;

DisplayMenu(key id) { // Menu Functions

   string  menuDescripter = "mymenu";  //An identifier to show what menu called the script. I often include the script name plus menu name.
   string  menuNavigate = "FALSE";      //Navigation buttons not displayed
   string  menuText = "This is the menu text that will be displayed.";  // The text will be trimmed to 510 characters
   string  menuButtons =  "TopLeft~Top~TopRight~Left~Center~Right~BottomLeft~Bottom~BottomRight";   // The buttons, each button separated by a '~'.
       
   llMessageLinked(LINK_THIS, LINK_MENU_DISPLAY, menuDescripter+"|"+menuNavigate+"|"+menuText+"|"+ menuButtons, id);

} </lsl>

This will display a menu that looks something like

This is the menu text that will be displayed.

TopLeft	Top	TopRight
Left	Center	Right
BottomLeft	Bottom	BottomRight

Calling a Simple Menu with Auto-Navigation Buttons

In this case we now add navigation buttons to the bottom of the script. Back and Exit buttons are added to the bootom and if necessary >> and << buttons. In the script that is calling the menu I use a function something like this.

<lsl> // Link Commands integer LINK_MENU_DISPLAY = 300; integer LINK_MENU_CLOSE = 310; integer LINK_MENU_RETURN = 320; integer LINK_MENU_TIMEOUT = 330;

DisplayMenu(key id) { // Menu Functions

   string  menuDescripter = "mymenu";  //An identifier to show what menu called the script. I often include the script name plus menu name.
   string  menuNavigate = "TRUE";      //The display of the bottom navigation buttons is set to TRUE
   string  menuText = "This is the menu text that will be displayed.";  // The text will be trimmed to 510 characters
   string  menuButtons =  "Owner~Group~All";                            // The buttons, each button separated by a '~'.  Buttons will be trimmed to 24 characters
       
   llMessageLinked(LINK_THIS, LINK_MENU_DISPLAY, menuDescripter+"|"+menuNavigate+"|"+menuText+"|"+ menuButtons, id);

} </lsl>

This will display a menu that looks something like this.

This is the menu text that will be displayed.

Owner	Group	All
	Back	Exit

Calling a Complex Menu

In the following case we will have 10 buttons that are going to be displayed. Because we will also display the bottom 3 buttons this will be spanned across 2 menus. We will also include 2 fixed buttons that always display at the top of the menu, PLUS each button has a unique descriptor that is displayed. Here is the menu call.

<lsl> // Link Commands integer LINK_MENU_DISPLAY = 300; integer LINK_MENU_CLOSE = 310; integer LINK_MENU_RETURN = 320; integer LINK_MENU_TIMEOUT = 330;

DisplayMenu(key id) { // Menu Functions

   string  menuDescripter = "mymenu"
   string  menuNavigate = "TRUE";
   string  menuText = "Main text displayed.~text1~text2~text3~text4~text5~text6~text7~text8~text9~text10"; 
   string  menuButtons =  "B1~B2~B3~B4~B5~B6~B7~B8~B9~B10";                            
   string  menuFixedButtons = "FIXED1~FIXED2"
       
   llMessageLinked(LINK_THIS, LINK_MENU_DISPLAY, menuDescripter+"|"+menuNavigate+"|"+menuText+"|"+ menuButtons+"|"+menuFixedButtons, id);

} </lsl>

This will display the following 2 menus

Menu1

Main text displayed.
item1
item2
item3
item4
item5
item6
item7

FIXED1	FIXED2	B1
B2	B3	B4
B5	B6	B7
	Back	>>

Menu2 (on clicking the >> button)

Main text displayed.
item8
item9
item10

FIXED1	FIXED2	B8
B9	B10
<<	Back	Exit

Parsing the returning Menu information

Note that if the user clicks on the << or >> buttons the calling script WILL NOT see any response. The correct menu is displayed. The calling script only receives a response when one of the buttons or Back/Exit are clicked. Clicking on a space button will cause the menu to redisplay.

The script that expects the response back from the menu has the following

<lsl> // Link Commands integer LINK_MENU_DISPLAY = 300; integer LINK_MENU_CLOSE = 310; integer LINK_MENU_RETURN = 320; integer LINK_MENU_TIMEOUT = 330;

default {

   link_message(integer intSenderNum, integer num, string message, key id) 
   { 
       if (num == LINK_MENU_RETURN)
       {
           list    returnMenu = llParseString2List(message, ["|"], []);
           string  menuDescriptor = llList2String(returnMenu,0);        // The idenfifying descriptor.  I sometimes use the name of the script plus menu and parent menu name    
           
           if (menuDescriptor == "mymenu")
           {    // Is this my menu that is sending this message?
                string  item = llList2String(returnMenu,1);             // The actual button pushed

                // id == the key of the menu user.
                // The button pressed in the menu is 'item', so now do something with it
           }
        }
        else if (num == LINK_MENU_TIMEOUT)
        {
            // We received a timeout (don't worry the listens are all dealt with) so you might want to IM the menu user.
        }
   }

} </lsl>

The Script

<lsl> // ******************************************************************** // // Menu Display Script // // Menu command format // string = menuidentifier | display navigate? TRUE/FALSE | menuMaintitle~subtitle1~subtitle2~subtitle3 | button1~button2~button3 {| fixedbutton1~fixedbutton2~fixedbutton3 optional} // key = menuuser key // // Return is in the format // "menuidentifier | item" // // menusDescription [menuchannel, key, menu & parent, return link, nav?, titles, buttons, fixed buttons] // menusActive [menuchannel, menuhandle, time, page] // // by SimonT Quinnell // // CHANGES // 2010/10/14 - Timeout message now gets sent to the prim that called the menu, not LINK_THIS. Also includes menuidentifier // // // ********************************************************************

// ******************************************************************** // CONSTANTS // ********************************************************************

// Link Commands integer LINK_MENU_DISPLAY = 300; integer LINK_MENU_CLOSE = 310; integer LINK_MENU_RETURN = 320; integer LINK_MENU_TIMEOUT = 330;

// Main Menu Details string BACK = "<<"; string FOWARD = ">>"; list MENU_NAVIGATE_BUTTONS = [ " ", "Back", "Exit"]; float MENU_TIMEOUT_CHECK = 10.0; integer MENU_TIMEOUT = 120; integer MAX_TEXT = 510;

integer STRIDE_DESCRIPTION = 8; integer STRIDE_ACTIVE = 4; integer DEBUG = FALSE;

// ******************************************************************** // Variables // ********************************************************************

list menusDescription; list menusActive;

// ******************************************************************** // Functions - General // ********************************************************************

debug(string debug) {

   if (DEBUG) llWhisper(0,"DEBUG:"+llGetScriptName()+":"+debug+" : Free("+(string)llGetFreeMemory()+")");

}

integer string2Bool (string test) {

   if (test == "TRUE") return TRUE;
   else return FALSE;

}

// ******************************************************************** // Functions - Menu Helpers // ********************************************************************

integer NewChannel() { // generates unique channel number

   integer channel;

   do channel = -(llRound(llFrand(999999)) + 99999);
   while (~llListFindList(menusDescription, [channel]));

   return channel;    

}

string CheckTitleLength(string title) {

   if (llStringLength(title) > MAX_TEXT) title = llGetSubString(title, 0, MAX_TEXT-1);
   
   return title;

}

list FillMenu(list buttons) { //adds empty buttons until the list length is multiple of 3, to max of 12

   integer i;
   list    listButtons;
   
   for(i=0;i<llGetListLength(buttons);i++)
   {
       string name = llList2String(buttons,i);
       if (llStringLength(name) > 24) name = llGetSubString(name, 0, 23);
       listButtons = listButtons + [name];
   }
   
   while (llGetListLength(listButtons) != 3 && llGetListLength(listButtons) != 6 && llGetListLength(listButtons) != 9 && llGetListLength(listButtons) < 12)
   {
       listButtons = listButtons + [" "];
   }
   
   buttons = llList2List(listButtons, 9, 11);
   buttons = buttons + llList2List(listButtons, 6, 8);
   buttons = buttons + llList2List(listButtons, 3, 5);    
   buttons = buttons + llList2List(listButtons, 0, 2); 
   
   return buttons;

}

RemoveUser(key id) {

   integer index_id = llListFindList(menusDescription, [id]);
   
   while (~index_id) 
   {
       integer channel = llList2Integer(menusDescription, index_id-1);
       RemoveMenu(channel, FALSE);
   }

}

RemoveMenu(integer channel, integer echo) {

   integer index = llListFindList(menusDescription, [channel]);

   if (index != -1)
   {
       key     menuId = llList2Key(menusDescription, index+1);
       string  menuDetails = llList2String(menusDescription, index+2);
       integer menuLink = llList2Integer(menusDescription, index+3);
       menusDescription = llDeleteSubList(menusDescription, index, index + STRIDE_DESCRIPTION - 1);
       RemoveListen(channel);

       if (echo) llMessageLinked(menuLink, LINK_MENU_TIMEOUT, menuDetails, menuId);
   }

}

RemoveListen(integer channel) {

   integer index = llListFindList(menusActive, [channel]);
   if (index != -1)
   {    
       llListenRemove(llList2Integer(menusActive, index + 1));
       menusActive = llDeleteSubList(menusActive, index, index + STRIDE_ACTIVE - 1);
   }

}

// ******************************************************************** // Functions - Menu Main // ********************************************************************

NewMenu(string message, integer senderNum, key id) { // Setup New Menu

   // menusDescription [menuchannel, key, menu & parent, return link, nav?,  titles, buttons, fixed buttons]

   list    temp = llParseString2List(message, ["|"], []);
   integer channel = NewChannel();
       
   if (llGetListLength(temp) > 2)
   {
       menusDescription = [channel, id, llList2String(temp, 0), senderNum,  string2Bool(llList2String(temp, 1)), llList2String(temp, 2), llList2String(temp, 3), llList2String(temp, 4)] + menusDescription;

       DisplayMenu(id, channel, 0);
   }
   else llOwnerSay ("ERROR: Dialog Script. Incorrect menu format");

}

DisplayMenu(key id, integer channel, integer page) {

   string  menuTitle;
   list    menuSubTitles;
   list    menuButtonsAll;
   list    menuButtons;   
   list    menuNavigateButtons;
   list    menuFixedButtons;

   integer max = 12;

   // Populate values
   integer index = llListFindList(menusDescription, [channel]);
   menuButtonsAll = llParseString2List(llList2String(menusDescription, index+6), ["~"], []);
   if (llList2String(menusDescription, index+7) != "") menuFixedButtons = llParseString2List(llList2String(menusDescription, index+7), ["~"], []);

   // Set up the menu buttons
   if (llList2Integer(menusDescription, index+4)) menuNavigateButtons= MENU_NAVIGATE_BUTTONS;
   else if (llGetListLength(menuButtonsAll) > (max-llGetListLength(menuFixedButtons))) menuNavigateButtons = [" ", " ", " "];
   
   // FIXME: add sanity check for menu page
   
   max = max - llGetListLength(menuFixedButtons) - llGetListLength(menuNavigateButtons);
   integer     start = page*max;
   integer     stop = (page+1)*max - 1;
   menuButtons = FillMenu(menuFixedButtons + llList2List(menuButtonsAll, start, stop));

   // Generate the title
   list tempTitle = llParseString2List(llList2String(menusDescription, index+5), ["~"], []);
   menuTitle = llList2String(tempTitle,0);
   if (llGetListLength(tempTitle) > 1) menuSubTitles = llList2List(tempTitle, 1, -1);
   if (llGetListLength(menuSubTitles) > 0)
   {
       integer i;
       for(i=start;i<(stop+1);++i)
       {
           if (llList2String(menuSubTitles, i) != "") menuTitle += "\n"+llList2String(menuSubTitles, i);
       }
   }
   menuTitle = CheckTitleLength(menuTitle);
   
   // Add navigate buttons if necessary
   if (page > 0) menuNavigateButtons = llListReplaceList(menuNavigateButtons, [BACK], 0, 0);
   if (llGetListLength(menuButtonsAll) > (page+1)*max) menuNavigateButtons = llListReplaceList(menuNavigateButtons, [FOWARD], 2, 2); 
   
   // Set up listen and add the row details
   integer menuHandle = llListen(channel, "", id, "");
   menusActive = [channel, menuHandle, llGetUnixTime(), page] + menusActive;

   llSetTimerEvent(MENU_TIMEOUT_CHECK);

   // Display menu
   llDialog(id, menuTitle, menuNavigateButtons + menuButtons, channel);

}

// ******************************************************************** // Event Handlers // ********************************************************************

default {

   listen(integer channel, string name, key id, string message)
   {
       if (message == BACK) 
       { 
           integer index = llListFindList(menusActive, [channel]);
           integer page = llList2Integer(menusActive, index+3)-1;
           RemoveListen(channel);            
           DisplayMenu(id, channel, page);
       }
       else if (message == FOWARD)
       { 
           integer index = llListFindList(menusActive, [channel]);
           integer page = llList2Integer(menusActive, index+3)+1;
           RemoveListen(channel);
           DisplayMenu(id, channel, page);
       }
       else if (message == " ")
       { 
           integer index = llListFindList(menusActive, [channel]);
           integer page = llList2Integer(menusActive, index+3);
           RemoveListen(channel);
           DisplayMenu(id, channel, page);
       }
       else 
       {
           integer index = llListFindList(menusDescription, [channel]);
           llMessageLinked(llList2Integer(menusDescription, index+3), LINK_MENU_RETURN, llList2String(menusDescription, index+2)+"|"+message, id);
           RemoveMenu(channel, FALSE);
       }
   }
   
   link_message(integer senderNum, integer num, string message, key id) 
   {
       if (num == LINK_MENU_DISPLAY) NewMenu(message, senderNum, id);
       else if (num == LINK_MENU_CLOSE) RemoveUser(id);
   }
   
   timer()
   {   // Check through timers and close if necessary
       integer i;
       list toRemove;
       integer currentTime = llGetUnixTime();
       integer length = llGetListLength(menusActive);   
   
       for(i=0;i<length;i+=STRIDE_ACTIVE)
       {
           if (currentTime - llList2Integer(menusActive, i+2) > MENU_TIMEOUT) toRemove = [llList2Integer(menusActive, i)] + toRemove;
       }

       length = llGetListLength(toRemove);
       if (length > 0)
       {
           for(i=0;i<length;i++)
           {
               RemoveMenu(llList2Integer(toRemove, i), TRUE);
           }
       }        
   }

}

</lsl>

See also

• Script Library