Menu extra
Encyclopedia
A menu extra, menu item, menulet, or status item in Mac OS X
is a small icon or sometimes a word that appears at the right of the menu bar
. They often provide quick ways to use applications (e.g. iChat
) or display information (for example the system clock), or control system-level variables (for example audio volume). There are a number of third party menu items available. Menu extras are similar to items in the Microsoft Windows
notification area but are less common.
There are many menu extras supplied with Mac OS X, many independent 3rd-party menu extra applications, and many more supplied with 3rd-party products, most of which are installed from their parent application or system preferences pane, and may remain dormant until they are notified of an event (for example, Inkwell's menu extra will come and go when a graphics tablet
is connected and disconnected). While OS X provides no centralized tool to enable or configure menu extras, some of them can be rearranged and dragged off the menubar while depressing the ⌘ key. Also, all Apple-supplied menu extras can be found in the folder
Menu extras were introduced with Mac OS X v10.1
to replace Dock extras (docklings), and may thus be viewed as another attempt to bring the Control Strip
to OS X. There was some controversy when they were originally introduced due to Apple providing an API for third-party developers to use to create menu extras using the NSStatusItem class, while Apple used another private class called NSMenuExtra to develop their own menu extras. Menu extras based on NSMenuExtra automatically included a number of extra features not available to NSStatusItem-based extras, such as drag and drop install/uninstall and the ability to rearrange the extras by depressing the ⌘ key and dragging. The given reason for this is that NSMenuExtra-based menu extras operate within the address space of the SystemUIServer so faulty code in a menu extra could cause instability in a core part of the operating system.
In OS 10.4
, Spotlight
was introduced with a different element that is not a menu extra locked to the right corner of the menu bar.
Mac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
is a small icon or sometimes a word that appears at the right of the menu bar
Menu bar
A menu bar is a region of a screen or application interface where drop down menus are displayed. The menu bar's purpose is to supply a common housing for window- or application-specific menus which provide access to such functions as opening files, interacting with an application, or displaying...
. They often provide quick ways to use applications (e.g. iChat
IChat
iChat is an instant messaging software application developed by Apple Inc. exclusively for its Mac OS X operating system. It has audio, video and screen-sharing capabilities as well as text messaging...
) or display information (for example the system clock), or control system-level variables (for example audio volume). There are a number of third party menu items available. Menu extras are similar to items in the Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
notification area but are less common.
There are many menu extras supplied with Mac OS X, many independent 3rd-party menu extra applications, and many more supplied with 3rd-party products, most of which are installed from their parent application or system preferences pane, and may remain dormant until they are notified of an event (for example, Inkwell's menu extra will come and go when a graphics tablet
Graphics tablet
A graphics tablet is a computer input device that enables a user to hand-draw images and graphics, similar to the way a person draws images with a pencil and paper. These tablets may also be used to capture data or handwritten signatures...
is connected and disconnected). While OS X provides no centralized tool to enable or configure menu extras, some of them can be rearranged and dragged off the menubar while depressing the ⌘ key. Also, all Apple-supplied menu extras can be found in the folder
/System/Library/CoreServices/Menu Extras.Menu extras were introduced with Mac OS X v10.1
Mac OS X v10.1
Mac OS X version 10.1, code named "Puma", is the second major release of Mac OS X, Apple's desktop and server operating system. It superseded Mac OS X v10.0 and preceded Mac OS X v10.2. Version 10.1 was released on 25 September 2001 as a 'free update' to version 10.0...
to replace Dock extras (docklings), and may thus be viewed as another attempt to bring the Control Strip
Control Strip
The Control Strip is a user interface component of the "classic" System 7 Mac OS which and remained until the Macintosh OS X system replaced the class Macintosh OS in December 2001.- History :...
to OS X. There was some controversy when they were originally introduced due to Apple providing an API for third-party developers to use to create menu extras using the NSStatusItem class, while Apple used another private class called NSMenuExtra to develop their own menu extras. Menu extras based on NSMenuExtra automatically included a number of extra features not available to NSStatusItem-based extras, such as drag and drop install/uninstall and the ability to rearrange the extras by depressing the ⌘ key and dragging. The given reason for this is that NSMenuExtra-based menu extras operate within the address space of the SystemUIServer so faulty code in a menu extra could cause instability in a core part of the operating system.
In OS 10.4
Mac OS X v10.4
Mac OS X v10.4 Tiger is the fifth major release of Mac OS X, Apple's desktop and server operating system for Macintosh computers. Tiger was released to the public on 29 April 2005 for US$129.95 as the successor to Mac OS X Panther , which had been released 18 months earlier...
, Spotlight
Spotlight (software)
Spotlight is a system-wide desktop search feature of Apple's Mac OS X operating system. Spotlight is a selection-based search system, which creates a virtual index of all items and files on the system. It is designed to allow the user to quickly locate a wide variety of items on the computer,...
was introduced with a different element that is not a menu extra locked to the right corner of the menu bar.
External links
- Building NSMenuExtra - A Small Tutorial - article written by Rustam Muginov for Cocoa Dev Central
- NSMenuExtra – working with undocumented APIs - in depth and up to date article written by Fabio Gallonetto (last updated 4/02/10)
- NSStatusItem class - Apple developer documentation for NSStatusItem
- OS X menubar items - extensive list of menu extras (last updated 3/20/09)
- Managing OS X Menu Extras - tutorial and video demonstration that shows you how to add/delete and rearrange OS X menu extras