We all know about menus.There are many different kinds of graphical menus available.The various kinds of graphical menus are

1.Menu Bar

2.Pull-Down Menus

3.Cascading Menus

4.PopUp Menus

5.Tear Off Menus

6.Iconic Menus

7.Pie Menus

1.Menu Bar:

The highest level graphical system menu is commonly called the menu bar.The Menu bar consists of a series of textual words or buttons.These are used to represent the application alternatives or choices to the user.All primary window must have a menu bar.All menu bars must have an associated pull down menu which containing atleast 2 choices.It does not allows the user to turn off the display of the menu bar.The window title will be the menu bar title.It do not display choices that are never available to the user.It separate the bar from the remainder of the screen by a different background.They require the moving pointer from the main working area to select the choices.It consumes a full row of screen space.It usually do not hidden the screen working area.This is called Menu Bar.

2.Pull-Down Menus:

These are the first level menus which is used to provide access to the common and most frequently used application actions that take place on a wide variety of different windows.These are a smaller number of items.No window space is consumed when they are not used.These menus are easy to browse.The items are smaller than full sized buttons.It displays all possible alternatives.Each consists of atleast 2 choices.Title is not necessary for a pull down menu.If a pull down choice leads to another pull down,then it provide a cascade indicator to denote it.This is called Pull-Down Menus.

3.Cascading Menus:

A cascading menu is a sub menu which is derived from a higher level menu,most typically a pull down menu.It don not exceed 3 menu levels that is 2 cascades.This is called Cascading menus.

4.Popup Menus:

The choices may be presented to the user on the screen through popup menus.These menus appear in the working area.They do not use window space when not displayed.No pointer movement is needed if selected by button.They require a special action to see the menu.Their display location may not be consistent.This is called Popup Menus.

5.Tear Off Menus:

A tear off menu is a pull down menu that can be positioned any where on the screen.It possess all the characteristics of a pull down.It require extra steps to retrieve.It hides the screen working area.This is called Tear off menus.

6.Iconic Menus:

It is the picture of menu items or objects in a graphic form.The purpose of an iconic menu is to remind users of the functions,commands,attributes or application choices available.Icons must be meaningful and clear.This is called Iconic Menus.

7.Pie Menus:

A pie menu is a circular representation of menu items.It can be used as a alternative for pull down menu or popup menus.This is called pie menus.

This article is very useful for computer science engineering students.