init_menu(3)

💖 init_menu(3) 💖

okay bestie, gather round, because we're talking about init_menu from the Allegro manual — yes, the Allegro game programming library, the iconic one. this is the low level menu initialisation girlie. she's not the main character of the menu world (that's do_menu()), but she's the one who lets you be the main character. periodt. 💅

✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

#include <allegro.h>

MENU_PLAYER *init_menu(MENU *menu, int x, int y);

🌸 DESCRIPTION 🌸

so like, this function gives you lower level access to the exact same functionality as do_menu(), except — and this is the slay part — it lets you combine a popup menu with your own program control structures. 🦋

it initialises a menu, and it hands you back a pointer to a menu player object. that object is your bestie for the rest of the ride, because you use it with update_menu() and shutdown_menu(). 🫶

and with those functions?? you could literally implement your own version of do_menu() — like, your own bespoke, handcrafted, artisanal do_menu(). the lines are right here, no cap:

MENU_PLAYER *player = init_menu(menu, x, y);

while (update_menu(player))
   ;

return shutdown_menu(player);

look at her. the while loop with the lonely little semicolon body. the way she just... spins until update_menu(player) says stop. 😭 it's giving minimalism. it's giving control. iykyk. 💜

👑 SEE ALSO 👑

• update_menu(3) — the one who keeps the party going 💃
• shutdown_menu(3) — the one who cleans up after 💖
• do_menu(3) — the high level diva who does all of this for you already ✨

and that's the whole page, babe. this one's from Allegro, version 4.4.3 — so go forth, build your own menu loop, and be the do_menu() you wish to see in the world. 🎀 mwah. 💅🌈⭐