--- loncom/interface/lonhtmlcommon.pm	2007/09/14 23:24:18	1.162
+++ loncom/interface/lonhtmlcommon.pm	2009/04/04 20:06:37	1.206
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # The LearningOnline Network with CAPA
 # a pile of common html routines
 #
-# $Id: lonhtmlcommon.pm,v 1.162 2007/09/14 23:24:18 banghart Exp $
+# $Id: lonhtmlcommon.pm,v 1.206 2009/04/04 20:06:37 bisitz Exp $
 #
 # Copyright Michigan State University Board of Trustees
 #
@@ -62,6 +62,60 @@ use Apache::lonlocal;
 use Apache::lonnet;
 use LONCAPA;
 
+
+##############################################
+##############################################
+
+=pod
+
+=item dragmath_button
+
+Creates a button that launches a dragmath popup-window, in which an 
+expression can be edited and pasted as LaTeX into a specified textarea. 
+
+  textarea - Name of the textarea to edit.
+  helpicon - If true, show a help icon to the right of the button.
+
+=cut
+
+sub dragmath_button {
+    my ($textarea,$helpicon) = @_;
+    my $help_text; 
+    if ($helpicon) {
+        $help_text = &Apache::loncommon::help_open_topic('Authoring_Math_Editor');
+    }
+    my $buttontext=&mt('Edit Math');
+    return <<ENDDRAGMATH;
+                <input type="button" value="$buttontext", onclick="javascript:mathedit('$textarea',document)" />$help_text
+ENDDRAGMATH
+}
+
+##############################################
+
+=pod
+
+=item dragmath_js
+
+Javascript used to open pop-up window containing dragmath applet which 
+can be used to paste LaTeX into a textarea.
+ 
+=cut
+
+sub dragmath_js {
+    my ($popup) = @_;
+    return <<ENDDRAGMATHJS;
+                <script type="text/javascript">
+                  function mathedit(textarea, doc) {
+                     targetEntry = textarea;
+                     targetDoc   = doc;
+                     newwin  = window.open("/adm/dragmath/applet/$popup.html","","width=565,height=500,resizable");
+                  }
+                </script>
+
+ENDDRAGMATHJS
+}
+
+
 ##############################################
 ##############################################
 
@@ -231,7 +285,7 @@ sub checkbox {
         $Str .= 'value="'.$value.'"';
     } 
     if ($checked) {
-        $Str .= ' checked="1"';
+        $Str .= ' checked="checked"';
     }
     $Str .= ' />';
     return $Str;
@@ -253,7 +307,7 @@ sub radio {
         $Str .= 'value="'.$value.'"';
     } 
     if ($checked eq $value) {
-        $Str .= ' checked="1"';
+        $Str .= ' checked="checked"';
     }
     $Str .= ' />';
     return $Str;
@@ -311,6 +365,7 @@ The method used to restrict user input w
 sub date_setter {
     my ($formname,$dname,$currentvalue,$special,$includeempty,$state,
         $no_hh_mm_ss,$defhour,$defmin,$defsec,$nolink) = @_;
+    my $now = time;
     my $wasdefined=1;
     if (! defined($state) || $state ne 'disabled') {
         $state = '';
@@ -319,28 +374,25 @@ sub date_setter {
         $no_hh_mm_ss = 0;
     }
     if ($currentvalue eq 'now') {
-	$currentvalue=time;
+	$currentvalue = $now;
     }
     if ((!defined($currentvalue)) || ($currentvalue eq '')) {
 	$wasdefined=0;
 	if ($includeempty) {
 	    $currentvalue = 0;
 	} else {
-	    $currentvalue = time;
+	    $currentvalue = $now;
 	}
     }
     # other potentially useful values:     wkday,yrday,is_daylight_savings
+    my $tzname;
     my ($sec,$min,$hour,$mday,$month,$year)=('','',undef,'','','');
     if ($currentvalue) {
-	($sec,$min,$hour,$mday,$month,$year,undef,undef,undef) = 
-	    localtime($currentvalue);
-	$year += 1900;
+        ($tzname,$sec,$min,$hour,$mday,$month,$year) = &get_timedates($currentvalue); 
     }
     unless ($wasdefined) {
+        ($tzname,$sec,$min,$hour,$mday,$month,$year) = &get_timedates($now);
 	if (($defhour) || ($defmin) || ($defsec)) {
-	    ($sec,$min,$hour,$mday,$month,$year,undef,undef,undef) = 
-		localtime(time);
-	    $year += 1900;
 	    $sec=($defsec?$defsec:0);
 	    $min=($defmin?$defmin:0);
 	    $hour=($defhour?$defhour:0);
@@ -415,7 +467,7 @@ document.$formname.$dname\_year.value,
     }
 </script>
 ENDJS
-    $result .= '  <span style="white-space: nowrap;">';
+    $result .= '  <span class="LC_nobreak">';
     my $monthselector = qq{<select name="$dname\_month" $special $state onchange="javascript:$dname\_checkday()" >};
     # Month
     my @Months = qw/January February  March     April   May      June 
@@ -463,16 +515,19 @@ ENDJS
         $cal_link = qq{<a href="javascript:$dname\_opencalendar()">};
     }
     #
+    my $tzone = ' '.$tzname.' ';
     if ($no_hh_mm_ss) {
         $result .= &mt('[_1] [_2] [_3] ',
-                       $monthselector,$dayselector,$yearselector);
+                       $monthselector,$dayselector,$yearselector).
+                   $tzone;
         if (!$nolink) {
             $result .= &mt('[_1]Select Date[_2]',$cal_link,'</a>');
         }
     } else {
         $result .= &mt('[_1] [_2] [_3] [_4] [_5]m [_6]s ',
                       $monthselector,$dayselector,$yearselector,
-                      $hourselector,$minuteselector,$secondselector);
+                      $hourselector,$minuteselector,$secondselector).
+                   $tzone;
         if (!$nolink) {
             $result .= &mt('[_1]Select Date[_2]',$cal_link,'</a>');
         }
@@ -481,6 +536,35 @@ ENDJS
     return $result;
 }
 
+sub get_timedates {
+    my ($epoch) = @_;
+    my $dt = DateTime->from_epoch(epoch => $epoch)
+                     ->set_time_zone(&Apache::lonlocal::gettimezone());
+    my $tzname = $dt->time_zone_short_name();
+    my $sec = $dt->second;
+    my $min = $dt->minute;
+    my $hour = $dt->hour;
+    my $mday = $dt->day;
+    my $month = $dt->month;
+    if ($month) {
+        $month --;
+    }
+    my $year = $dt->year;
+    return ($tzname,$sec,$min,$hour,$mday,$month,$year);
+}
+
+sub build_url {
+    my ($base, $fields)=@_;
+    my $url;
+    $url = $base.'?';
+    foreach my $key (keys(%$fields)) {
+        $url.=&escape($key).'='.&escape($$fields{$key}).'&amp;';
+    }
+    $url =~ s/&amp;$//;
+    return $url;
+}
+
+
 ##############################################
 ##############################################
 
@@ -549,20 +633,33 @@ sub get_date_from_form {
     if (defined($env{'form.'.$dname.'_month'})) {
         my $tmpmonth = $env{'form.'.$dname.'_month'};
         if (($tmpmonth =~ /^\d+$/) && ($tmpmonth > 0) && ($tmpmonth < 13)) {
-            $month = $tmpmonth - 1;
+            $month = $tmpmonth;
         }
     }
     if (defined($env{'form.'.$dname.'_year'})) {
         my $tmpyear = $env{'form.'.$dname.'_year'};
-        if (($tmpyear =~ /^\d+$/) && ($tmpyear > 1900)) {
-            $year = $tmpyear - 1900;
+        if (($tmpyear =~ /^\d+$/) && ($tmpyear >= 1970)) {
+            $year = $tmpyear;
         }
     }
-    if (($year<70) || ($year>137)) { return undef; }
+    if (($year<1970) || ($year>2037)) { return undef; }
     if (defined($sec) && defined($min)   && defined($hour) &&
-        defined($day) && defined($month) && defined($year) &&
-        eval('&timelocal($sec,$min,$hour,$day,$month,$year)')) {
-        return &timelocal($sec,$min,$hour,$day,$month,$year);
+        defined($day) && defined($month) && defined($year)) {
+        my $timezone = &Apache::lonlocal::gettimezone();
+        my $dt = DateTime->new( year   => $year,
+                                month  => $month,
+                                day    => $day,
+                                hour   => $hour,
+                                minute => $min,
+                                second => $sec,
+                                time_zone => $timezone,
+                              );
+        my $epoch_time  = $dt->epoch;
+        if ($epoch_time ne '') {
+            return $epoch_time;
+        } else {
+            return undef;
+        }
     } else {
         return undef;
     }
@@ -632,6 +729,8 @@ sub javascript_nothing {
 ##############################################
 ##############################################
 sub javascript_docopen {
+    my ($mimetype) = @_;
+    $mimetype ||= 'text/html';
     # safari does not understand document.open() and loads "text/html"
     my $nothing = "''";
     my $user_browser;
@@ -645,7 +744,7 @@ sub javascript_docopen {
     if ($user_browser eq 'safari' && $user_os =~ 'mac') {
         $nothing = "document.clear()";
     } else {
-	$nothing = "document.open('text/html','replace')";
+	$nothing = "document.open('$mimetype','replace')";
     }
     return $nothing;
 }
@@ -682,7 +781,7 @@ Returns: a perl string as described.
 ##############################################
 ##############################################
 sub StatusOptions {
-    my ($status, $formName,$size,$onchange)=@_;
+    my ($status, $formName,$size,$onchange,$mult)=@_;
     $size = 1 if (!defined($size));
     if (! defined($status)) {
         $status = 'Active';
@@ -691,6 +790,9 @@ sub StatusOptions {
 
     my $Str = '';
     $Str .= '<select name="Status"';
+    if (defined($mult)){
+        $Str .= ' multiple="multiple" ';
+    }
     if(defined($formName) && $formName ne '' && ! defined($onchange)) {
         $Str .= ' onchange="document.'.$formName.'.submit()"';
     }
@@ -852,7 +954,7 @@ sub Create_PrgWin {
          function openpopwin () {
          popwin=open(\'\',\'popwin\',\'width=400,height=100\');".
         "popwin.document.writeln(\'".$start_page.
-              "<h4>$heading<\/h4>".
+              "<h4>".&mt("$heading")."<\/h4>".
               "<form action= \"\" name=\"popremain\" method=\"post\">".
               '<input type="text" size="'.$width.'" name="remaining" value="'.
 	      &mt('Starting').'" /><\\/form>'.$end_page.
@@ -871,8 +973,7 @@ sub Create_PrgWin {
 	}
 	if (!$inputname) {
 	    $prog_state{'inputname'}=&get_uniq_name();
-	    &r_print($r,$heading.' <input type="text" name="'.$prog_state{'inputname'}.
-		     '" size="'.$width.'" />');
+	    &r_print($r,&mt("$heading [_1]",' <input type="text" name="'.$prog_state{'inputname'}.'" size="'.$width.'" />'));
 	} else {
 	    $prog_state{'inputname'}=$inputname;
 	    
@@ -1085,46 +1186,13 @@ ENDLINK
 }
 
 sub htmlareaheaders {
-    if (&htmlareablocked()) { return ''; }
-    unless (&htmlareabrowser()) { return ''; }
-    my $lang='en';
-    if (&mt('htmlarea_lang') ne 'htmlarea_lang') {
-	$lang=&mt('htmlarea_lang');
-    }
+    return if (&htmlareablocked());
+    return if (!&htmlareabrowser());
     return (<<ENDHEADERS);
-<script type="text/javascript">
-_editor_url='/htmlarea/';
-_editor_lang='$lang';
-</script>
-<script type="text/javascript" src="/htmlarea/htmlarea.js"></script>
-<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/htmlarea/htmlarea.css" />
+<script type="text/javascript" src="/fckeditor/fckeditor.js"></script>
 ENDHEADERS
 }
 
-# ------------------------------------------------- Activate additional buttons
-
-sub htmlareaaddbuttons {
-    if (&htmlareablocked()) { return ''; }
-    unless (&htmlareabrowser()) { return ''; }
-    return (<<ENDADDBUTTON);
-    var config=new HTMLArea.Config();
-    config.registerButton('ed_math','LaTeX Inline',
-			  '/htmlarea/images/ed_math.gif',false,
-			    function(editor,id) {
-			      editor.surroundHTML('&nbsp;<m>\$','\$</m>&nbsp;');
-			    }
-			  );
-    config.registerButton('ed_math_eqn','LaTeX Equation',
-			  '/htmlarea/images/ed_math_eqn.gif',false,
-			    function(editor,id) {
-			      editor.surroundHTML(
-				     '&nbsp;\\n<center><m>\\\\[','\\\\]</m></center>\\n&nbsp;');
-			    }
-			  );
-    config.toolbar.push(['ed_math','ed_math_eqn']);
-ENDADDBUTTON
-}
-
 # ----------------------------------------------------------------- Preferences
 
 sub disablelink {
@@ -1143,16 +1211,33 @@ sub enablelink {
     return '<a href="'.&HTML::Entities::encode('/adm/preferences?action=set_wysiwyg&wysiwyg=on&returnurl=','<>&"').&escape($ENV{'REQUEST_URI'}).'">'.&mt('Enable WYSIWYG Editor').'</a>';
 }
 
+# ------------------------------------------------- lang to use in html editor
+sub htmlarea_lang {
+    my $lang='en';
+    if (&mt('htmlarea_lang') ne 'htmlarea_lang') {
+	$lang=&mt('htmlarea_lang');
+    }
+    return $lang;
+}
+
 # ----------------------------------------- Script to activate only some fields
 
 sub htmlareaselectactive {
     my @fields=@_;
     unless (&htmlareabrowser()) { return ''; }
     if (&htmlareablocked()) { return '<br />'.&enablelink(@fields); }
-    my $output='<script type="text/javascript" defer="1">'.
-	&htmlareaaddbuttons();
-    foreach(@fields) {
-	$output.="\nHTMLArea.replace('$_',config);";
+    my $output='<script type="text/javascript" defer="1">';
+    my $lang = &htmlarea_lang();
+    foreach my $field (@fields) {
+	$output.="
+{
+    var oFCKeditor = new FCKeditor('$field');
+    oFCKeditor.Config['CustomConfigurationsPath'] = 
+	'/fckeditor/loncapaconfig.js';    
+    oFCKeditor.ReplaceTextarea();
+    oFCKeditor.Config['AutoDetectLanguage'] = false;
+    oFCKeditor.Config['DefaultLanguage'] = '$lang';
+}";
     }
     $output.="\nwindow.status='Activated Editfields';\n</script><br />".
 	&disablelink(@fields);
@@ -1193,6 +1278,8 @@ Inputs: $component (the large text on th
         $menulink (boolean, controls whether to include a link to /adm/menu)
         $helplink (if 'nohelp' don't include the orange help link)
         $css_class (optional name for the class to apply to the table for CSS)
+        $no_mt (optional flag, 1 if &mt() is _not_ to be applied to $component
+           when including the text on the right.
 Returns a string containing breadcrumbs for the current page.
 
 =item clear_breadcrumbs
@@ -1218,15 +1305,23 @@ returns: nothing
     my @Crumbs;
     
     sub breadcrumbs {
-        my ($component,$component_help,$menulink,$helplink,$css_class) = @_;
+        my ($component,$component_help,$menulink,$helplink,$css_class,$no_mt, $no_realBreadcrumb) = @_;
         #
 	$css_class ||= 'LC_breadcrumbs';
-        my $Str = "\n".'<table class="'.$css_class.'"><tr><td>';
+        my $Str1 = '<ol id="LC_MenuBreadcrumbs">';
+	
+		if($no_realBreadcrumb){
+			$Str1 = '<ul class="LC_CourseBreadcrumbs">';
+		}
+
+        my $Str = '';
         #
         # Make the faq and bug data cascade
         my $faq = '';
         my $bug = '';
 	my $help='';
+	# Crumb Symbol
+	my $crumbsymbol = '&raquo;&nbsp;';
         # The last breadcrumb does not have a link, so handle it separately.
         my $last = pop(@Crumbs);
         #
@@ -1234,20 +1329,23 @@ returns: nothing
 	if (!defined($menulink)) { $menulink=1; }
         if ($menulink) {
             my $description = 'Menu';
+            my $no_mt_descr = 0;
             if (exists($env{'request.course.id'}) && 
                 $env{'request.course.id'} ne '') {
                 $description = 
                     $env{'course.'.$env{'request.course.id'}.'.description'};
+                $no_mt_descr = 1;
             }
             unshift(@Crumbs,{
                     href   =>'/adm/menu',
                     title  =>'Go to main menu',
                     target =>'_top',
                     text   =>$description,
+                    no_mt  =>$no_mt_descr,
                 });
         }
-        my $links .= 
-            join('-&gt;',
+        my $links .= '<li>'.
+            join('</li><li>'.$crumbsymbol,
                  map {
                      $faq = $_->{'faq'} if (exists($_->{'faq'}));
                      $bug = $_->{'bug'} if (exists($_->{'bug'}));
@@ -1265,12 +1363,12 @@ returns: nothing
 		     }
                      $result;
                      } @Crumbs
-                 );
-        $links .= '-&gt;' if ($links ne '');
+                 ).'</li>';
+        $links .= '<li>'.$crumbsymbol if ($links ne '');
 	if ($last->{'no_mt'}) {
-	    $links .= '<b>'.$last->{'text'}.'</b>';
+	    $links .= '<b>'.$last->{'text'}.'</b></li>';
 	} else {
-	    $links .= '<b>'.&mt($last->{'text'}).'</b>';
+	    $links .= '<b>'.&mt($last->{'text'}).'</b></li>';
 	}
         #
         my $icons = '';
@@ -1290,23 +1388,33 @@ returns: nothing
 							 $faq,$bug);
 	}
         #
-        $Str .= $links.'</td>';
+		
+
+		if($no_realBreadcrumb){
+        	$Str1 .= $links.'</ul>';
+		} else {
+        	$Str1 .= $links.'</ol>';		
+		}
         #
         if (defined($component)) {
-            $Str .= '<td class="'.$css_class.'_component">'.
-                &mt($component);
+            $Str .= "\n".'<table class="'.$css_class.'">'
+                   .'<tr><td class="'.$css_class.'_component">';
+            if ($no_mt) {
+                $Str .= $component;
+            } else {
+                $Str .= &mt($component);
+            }
 	    if ($icons ne '') {
 		$Str .= '&nbsp;'.$icons;
 	    }
-	    $Str .= '</td>';
+	    $Str .= '</td></tr></table>'."\n";
         }
-        $Str .= '</tr></table>'."\n";
         #
         # Return the @Crumbs stack to what we started with
         push(@Crumbs,$last);
         shift(@Crumbs);
         #
-        return $Str;
+        return "$Str\n$Str1";
     }
 
     sub clear_breadcrumbs {
@@ -1333,7 +1441,7 @@ returns: nothing
 # row1
 # row2
 # row3   ... etc.
-# &submit_row(0
+# &submit_row()
 # &end_pick_box()
 #
 # where row1, row 2 etc. are chosen from &role_select_row,&course_select_row,
@@ -1375,6 +1483,9 @@ returns: nothing
 # routines, but can also be called directly to start and end rows which have 
 # needs that are not accommodated by the *_select_row() routines.    
 
+{ # Start: row_count block for pick_box
+my @row_count;
+
 sub start_pick_box {
     my ($css_class) = @_;
     if (defined($css_class)) {
@@ -1382,6 +1493,7 @@ sub start_pick_box {
     } else {
 	$css_class= 'class="LC_pick_box"';
     }
+    unshift(@row_count,0);
     my $output = <<"END";
  <table $css_class>
 END
@@ -1389,26 +1501,38 @@ END
 }
 
 sub end_pick_box {
+    shift(@row_count);
     my $output = <<"END";
        </table>
 END
     return $output;
 }
 
+sub row_headline {
+    my $output = <<"END";
+           <tr><td colspan="2">
+END
+    return $output;
+}
+
 sub row_title {
+    $row_count[0]++;
+    my $css_class = ($row_count[0] % 2)?'LC_odd_row':'LC_even_row';
     my ($title,$css_title_class,$css_value_class) = @_;
     $css_title_class ||= 'LC_pick_box_title';
     $css_title_class = 'class="'.$css_title_class.'"';
 
     $css_value_class ||= 'LC_pick_box_value';
-    $css_value_class = 'class="'.$css_value_class.'"';
 
+    if ($title ne '') {
+        $title .= ':';
+    }
     my $output = <<"ENDONE";
            <tr class="LC_pick_box_row">
             <td $css_title_class>
-	       $title:
+	       $title
             </td>
-            <td $css_value_class>
+            <td class="$css_value_class $css_class">
 ENDONE
     return $output;
 }
@@ -1430,6 +1554,9 @@ ENDTWO
     return $output;
 }
 
+} # End: row_count block for pick_box
+
+
 sub role_select_row {
     my ($roles,$title,$css_class,$show_separate_custom,$cdom,$cnum) = @_;
     my $output;
@@ -1437,7 +1564,7 @@ sub role_select_row {
         $output = &row_title($title,$css_class);
     }
     $output .= qq|
-                                  <select name="roles" multiple >\n|;
+                                  <select name="roles" multiple="multiple">\n|;
     foreach my $role (@$roles) {
         my $plrole;
         if ($role eq 'ow') {
@@ -1473,7 +1600,14 @@ sub course_select_row {
     my ($title,$formname,$totcodes,$codetitles,$idlist,$idlist_titles,
 	$css_class) = @_;
     my $output = &row_title($title,$css_class);
-    $output .= qq|
+    $output .= &course_selection($formname,$totcodes,$codetitles,$idlist,$idlist_titles);
+    $output .= &row_closure();
+    return $output;
+}
+
+sub course_selection {
+    my ($formname,$totcodes,$codetitles,$idlist,$idlist_titles) = @_;
+    my $output = qq|
 <script type="text/javascript">
     function coursePick (formname) {
         for  (var i=0; i<formname.coursepick.length; i++) {
@@ -1546,8 +1680,7 @@ sub course_select_row {
             $output .= '</tr></table><br />';
         }
     }
-    $output .= '<input type="radio" name="coursepick" value="specific" onclick="coursePick(this.form);opencrsbrowser('."'".$formname."'".','."'".'dccourse'."'".','."'".'dcdomain'."'".','."'".'coursedesc'."','','1'".')" />'.&mt('Pick specific course(s):').' '.$courseform.'&nbsp;&nbsp;<input type="text" value="0" size="4" name="coursetotal" /><input type="hidden" name="courselist" value="" />selected.<br />'."\n";
-    $output .= &row_closure();
+    $output .= '<input type="radio" name="coursepick" value="specific" onclick="coursePick(this.form);opencrsbrowser('."'".$formname."','dccourse','dcdomain','coursedesc','','1'".')" />'.&mt('Pick specific course(s):').' '.$courseform.'&nbsp;&nbsp;<input type="text" value="0" size="4" name="coursetotal" /><input type="hidden" name="courselist" value="" />selected.<br />'."\n";
     return $output;
 }
 
@@ -1558,7 +1691,7 @@ sub status_select_row {
         $output = &row_title($title,$css_class,'LC_pick_box_select');
     }
     $output .= qq|
-                                    <select name="types" multiple>\n|;
+                                    <select name="types" multiple="multiple">\n|;
     foreach my $status_type (sort(keys(%{$types}))) {
         $output .= '  <option value="'.$status_type.'">'.$$types{$status_type}.'</option>';
     }
@@ -1602,6 +1735,7 @@ sub email_default_row {
 
 sub submit_row {
     my ($title,$cmd,$submit_text,$css_class) = @_;
+    $submit_text = &mt($submit_text);
     my $output = &row_title($title,$css_class,'LC_pick_box_submit');
     $output .= qq|
              <br />
@@ -1632,6 +1766,25 @@ sub course_custom_roles {
 
 ##############################################
 ##############################################
+
+# topic_bar
+#
+# Generates a div containing a numbered (static image) followed by a title
+# with a background color defined in the corresponding CSS: LC_topic_bar
+#
+sub topic_bar {
+    my ($imgnum,$title) = @_;
+    return '
+<div class="LC_topic_bar">
+    <img alt="'.&mt('Step [_1]',$imgnum).
+              '"src="/res/adm/pages/bl_step'.$imgnum.'.gif" />&nbsp;
+    <span>'.$title.'</span>
+</div>
+';
+}
+
+##############################################
+##############################################
                                                                              
 # echo_form_input
 #
@@ -1879,6 +2032,109 @@ END
     return $scripttag;
 }
 
+##############################################
+##############################################
+
+# generate_menu
+#
+# Generates html markup for a menu. 
+#
+# Inputs:
+# An array of following structure:
+#   ({	categorytitle => 'Categorytitle',
+#	items => [
+#		    {	
+#           linktext    =>	'Text to be displayed',
+#			url	        =>	'URL the link is pointing to, i.e. /adm/site?action=dosomething',
+#			permission  =>	'Contains permissions as returned from lonnet::allowed(),
+#					         must evaluate to true in order to activate the link',
+#			icon        =>  'icon filename',
+#			alttext	    =>	'alt text for the icon',
+#			help	    =>	'Name of the corresponding helpfile',
+#			linktitle   =>	'Description of the link (used for title tag)'
+#		    },
+#		    ...
+#		]
+#   }, 
+#   ...
+#   )
+#
+# Outputs: A scalar containing the html markup for the menu.
+
+# ---- Remove when done ----
+# This routine is part of the redesign of LON-CAPA and it's 
+# subject to change during this project.
+# Don't rely on its current functionality as it might be 
+# changed or removed.
+# --------------------------
+sub generate_menu {
+    my @menu = @_;
+
+    # usage: $wrap->(element, content, {attribute => value,...});
+    # output: content enclosed in html conform tags
+    my $wrap = sub {
+        return
+            qq|<$_[0]|
+          . join( '', map { qq| $_="${$_[2]}{$_}"| } keys %{ $_[2] } )
+          . ($_[1] ? qq|>$_[1]</$_[0]>| : qq|/>|). "\n";
+    };
+    
+    # subs for specific html elements
+    my $h3  = sub { return $wrap->( "h3",  @_ ) };
+    my $div = sub { return $wrap->( "div", @_ ) };
+    my $ul  = sub { return $wrap->( "ul",  @_ ) };
+    my $li  = sub { return $wrap->( "li",  @_ ) };
+    my $a   = sub { return $wrap->( "a",   @_ ) };
+    my $img = sub { return $wrap->( "img", @_ ) };
+    
+    my @categories; # each element represents the entire markup for a category
+   
+    foreach my $category (@menu) {
+        my @links;  # contains the links for the current $category
+        foreach my $link (@{$$category{items}}) {
+            next unless $$link{permission};
+            
+            # create the markup for the current $link and push it into @links.
+            # each entry consists of an image and a text optionally followed 
+            # by a help link.
+            push @links, $li->(
+                        $a->(
+                            $img->("", {
+                                class => "LC_noBorder LC_middle",
+                                src   => "/res/adm/pages/$$link{icon}",
+                                alt   => mt(defined($$link{alttext}) ?
+                                $$link{alttext} : $$link{linktext})
+                            }), {
+                            href  => $$link{url},
+                            title => mt($$link{linktitle})
+                            }).
+                        $a->(mt($$link{linktext}), {
+                            href  => $$link{url},
+                            title => mt($$link{linktitle}),
+                            class => "LC_menubuttons_link"
+                            }).
+                         (defined($$link{help}) ? 
+                         Apache::loncommon::help_open_topic($$link{help}) : ''),
+                         {class => "LC_menubuttons_inline_text"});
+        }
+
+        # wrap categorytitle in <h3>, concatenate with 
+        # joined and in <ul> tags wrapped @links
+        # and wrap everything in an enclosing <div> and push it into
+        # @categories
+        # such that each element looks like:
+        # <div><h3>title</h3><ul><li>...</li>...</ul></div>
+        # the category won't be added if there aren't any links
+        push @categories, 
+            $div->($h3->(mt($$category{categorytitle}), {class=>"LC_hcell"}).
+            $ul->(join('' ,@links),  {class =>"LC_ListStyleNormal" }),
+            {class=>"LC_ContentBoxSpecial LC_400Box"}) if scalar(@links);
+    }
+
+    # wrap the joined @categories in another <div> (column layout)
+    return $div->(join('', @categories), {class => "LC_columnSection"});
+}
+
 1;
 
 __END__