I see that space is reserved to the left of the text, which is currently used for the selected/checked image. In other languages, tools, this space can also be used for an icon image to make the menu item stand out for common actions (New, Open,Save, Print, etc.). In those tools, when such an icon is used, checked state is represented not with a check icon, but with some sort of highlighting. This would allow users to quickly identify common and standard functions at a glance.
For example, Visual Studio WinForms adds a background-highlighting around the image. GAMBAS (BASIC) does the same. So does Lazarus (FreePascal). NetBeans (Java, w/ Swing) seems to highlight the entire menu-item by reversing the foreground (not as impressed with that as with the others, where the highlighting looks almost like a button was pressed, even on the menu-items without an icon).
Note: I have run across the documentation for AfxAddIconToMenuItem, and I will be looking into it, but it would be nice to be able to do this at design-time like the buttons. UPDATE: Having looked at that, I'll wait and see if this feature is likely to become available.--SJS
I see that space is reserved to the left of the text, which is currently used for the selected/checked image. In other languages, tools, this space can also be used for an icon image to make the menu item stand out for common actions (New, Open,Save, Print, etc.). In those tools, when such an icon is used, checked state is represented not with a check icon, but with some sort of highlighting. This would allow users to quickly identify common and standard functions at a glance.
For example, Visual Studio WinForms adds a background-highlighting around the image. GAMBAS (BASIC) does the same. So does Lazarus (FreePascal). NetBeans (Java, w/ Swing) seems to highlight the entire menu-item by reversing the foreground (not as impressed with that as with the others, where the highlighting looks almost like a button was pressed, even on the menu-items without an icon).
Note: I have run across the documentation for
AfxAddIconToMenuItem, and I will be looking into it, but it would be nice to be able to do this at design-time like the buttons. UPDATE: Having looked at that, I'll wait and see if this feature is likely to become available.--SJS