--- loncom/interface/lonhtmlcommon.pm	2006/12/05 02:55:53	1.155
+++ loncom/interface/lonhtmlcommon.pm	2008/12/01 21:54:23	1.189
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # The LearningOnline Network with CAPA
 # a pile of common html routines
 #
-# $Id: lonhtmlcommon.pm,v 1.155 2006/12/05 02:55:53 albertel Exp $
+# $Id: lonhtmlcommon.pm,v 1.189 2008/12/01 21:54:23 droeschl 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
+}
+
+
 ##############################################
 ##############################################
 
@@ -140,6 +194,7 @@ sub select_recent {
     foreach my $value (sort(keys(%recent))) {
 	unless ($value =~/^error\:/) {
 	    my $escaped = &Apache::loncommon::escape_url($value);
+	    &Apache::loncommon::inhibit_menu_check(\$escaped);
 	    $return.="\n<option value='$escaped'>".
 		&unescape((split(/\&/,$recent{$value}))[1]).
 		'</option>';
@@ -310,6 +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 = '';
@@ -318,28 +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);
@@ -462,16 +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>');
         }
@@ -480,6 +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;
+}
+
+
 ##############################################
 ##############################################
 
@@ -548,20 +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 $epoch_time;
+        } else {
+            return undef;
+        }
     } else {
         return undef;
     }
@@ -631,6 +729,8 @@ sub javascript_nothing {
 ##############################################
 ##############################################
 sub javascript_docopen {
+    my ($mimetype) = @_;
+    $mimetype ||= 'text/html';
     # safari does not understand document.open() and loads "text/html"
     my $nothing = "''";
     my $user_browser;
@@ -644,7 +744,7 @@ sub javascript_docopen {
     if ($user_browser eq 'safari' && $user_os =~ 'mac') {
         $nothing = "document.clear()";
     } else {
-	$nothing = "document.open('text/html','replace')";
+	$nothing = "document.open('$mimetype','replace')";
     }
     return $nothing;
 }
@@ -681,7 +781,7 @@ Returns: a perl string as described.
 ##############################################
 ##############################################
 sub StatusOptions {
-    my ($status, $formName,$size,$onchange)=@_;
+    my ($status, $formName,$size,$onchange,$mult)=@_;
     $size = 1 if (!defined($size));
     if (! defined($status)) {
         $status = 'Active';
@@ -690,6 +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()"';
     }
@@ -851,8 +954,8 @@ sub Create_PrgWin {
          function openpopwin () {
          popwin=open(\'\',\'popwin\',\'width=400,height=100\');".
         "popwin.document.writeln(\'".$start_page.
-              "<h4>$heading<\/h4>".
-              "<form name=\"popremain\" method=\"post\">".
+              "<h4>".&mt("$heading")."<\/h4>".
+              "<form action= \"\" name=\"popremain\" method=\"post\">".
               '<input type="text" size="'.$width.'" name="remaining" value="'.
 	      &mt('Starting').'" /><\\/form>'.$end_page.
               "\');".
@@ -864,14 +967,13 @@ sub Create_PrgWin {
 	$prog_state{'window'}='window';
 	if (!$formname) {
 	    $prog_state{'formname'}=&get_uniq_name();
-	    &r_print($r,'<form name="'.$prog_state{'formname'}.'">');
+	    &r_print($r,'<form action="" name="'.$prog_state{'formname'}.'">');
 	} else {
 	    $prog_state{'formname'}=$formname;
 	}
 	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;
 	    
@@ -891,7 +993,7 @@ sub Create_PrgWin {
 # update progress
 sub Update_PrgWin {
     my ($r,$prog_state,$displayString)=@_;
-    &r_print($r,'<script>'.$$prog_state{'window'}.'.document.'.
+    &r_print($r,'<script type="text/javascript">'.$$prog_state{'window'}.'.document.'.
 	     $$prog_state{'formname'}.'.'.
 	     $$prog_state{'inputname'}.'.value="'.
 	     $displayString.'";</script>');
@@ -1002,13 +1104,15 @@ sub crumbs {
 		} 
 	    } else {
 		$path.='/'; 
+	    }	    
+            my $href_path = &HTML::Entities::encode($path,'<>&"');
+	    &Apache::loncommon::inhibit_menu_check(\$href_path);
+	    if ($form) {
+	        my $href = 'javascript:'.$form.".action='".$href_path."';".$form.'.submit();';
+	        $output.=qq{<a href="$href" $target>$dir</a>/};
+	    } else {
+	        $output.=qq{<a href="$href_path" $target>$dir</a>/};
 	    }
-            my $linkpath = &Apache::loncommon::escape_single($path);
-            if ($form) {
-		$linkpath=
-                    qq{javascript:$form.action='$linkpath';$form.submit();};
-            }
-	    $output.=qq{<a href="$linkpath" $target>$dir</a>/};
 	}
     } else {
 	foreach my $dir (split('/',$uri)) {
@@ -1082,46 +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 {
@@ -1140,16 +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);
@@ -1202,7 +1290,8 @@ Pushes a breadcrumb on the stack of crum
 
 input: $breadcrumb, a hash reference.  The keys 'href','title', and 'text'
 are required.  If present the keys 'faq' and 'bug' will be used to provide
-links to the FAQ and bug sites.
+links to the FAQ and bug sites. If the key 'no_mt' is present the 'title' 
+and 'text' values won't be sent through &mt()
 
 returns: nothing    
 
@@ -1223,6 +1312,8 @@ returns: nothing
         my $faq = '';
         my $bug = '';
 	my $help='';
+	# Crumb Symbol
+	my $crumbsymbol = ' &#x25b6; ';
         # The last breadcrumb does not have a link, so handle it separately.
         my $last = pop(@Crumbs);
         #
@@ -1230,20 +1321,23 @@ returns: nothing
 	if (!defined($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 $links .= 
-            join('-&gt;',
+            join($crumbsymbol,
                  map {
                      $faq = $_->{'faq'} if (exists($_->{'faq'}));
                      $bug = $_->{'bug'} if (exists($_->{'bug'}));
@@ -1252,13 +1346,22 @@ returns: nothing
                      if (defined($_->{'target'}) && $_->{'target'} ne '') {
                          $result .= 'target="'.$_->{'target'}.'" ';
                      }
-                     $result .='title="'.&mt($_->{'title'}).'">'.
-                         &mt($_->{'text'}).'</a>';
+		     if ($_->{'no_mt'}) {
+			 $result .='title="'.$_->{'title'}.'">'.
+			     $_->{'text'}.'</a>';
+		     } else {
+			 $result .='title="'.&mt($_->{'title'}).'">'.
+			     &mt($_->{'text'}).'</a>';
+		     }
                      $result;
                      } @Crumbs
                  );
-        $links .= '-&gt;' if ($links ne '');
-        $links .= '<b>'.&mt($last->{'text'}).'</b>';
+        $links .= $crumbsymbol if ($links ne '');
+	if ($last->{'no_mt'}) {
+	    $links .= '<b>'.$last->{'text'}.'</b>';
+	} else {
+	    $links .= '<b>'.&mt($last->{'text'}).'</b>';
+	}
         #
         my $icons = '';
         $faq = $last->{'faq'} if (exists($last->{'faq'}));
@@ -1320,8 +1423,8 @@ returns: nothing
 # row1
 # row2
 # row3   ... etc.
-# &submit_row(0
-# &end_pickbox()
+# &submit_row()
+# &end_pick_box()
 #
 # where row1, row 2 etc. are chosen from &role_select_row,&course_select_row,
 # &status_select_row and &email_default_row
@@ -1382,6 +1485,13 @@ END
     return $output;
 }
 
+sub row_headline {
+    my $output = <<"END";
+           <tr><td colspan="2">
+END
+    return $output;
+}
+
 sub row_title {
     my ($title,$css_title_class,$css_value_class) = @_;
     $css_title_class ||= 'LC_pick_box_title';
@@ -1390,10 +1500,13 @@ sub row_title {
     $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 $css_value_class>
 ENDONE
@@ -1460,7 +1573,14 @@ sub course_select_row {
     my ($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++) {
@@ -1533,8 +1653,7 @@ 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;
 }
 
@@ -1559,7 +1678,6 @@ sub status_select_row {
 sub email_default_row {
     my ($authtypes,$title,$descrip,$css_class) = @_;
     my $output = &row_title($title,$css_class);
-    my @rowcols = ('#eeeeee','#dddddd');
     $output .= $descrip.
 	&Apache::loncommon::start_data_table().
 	&Apache::loncommon::start_data_table_header_row().
@@ -1590,6 +1708,7 @@ 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 />
@@ -1620,6 +1739,25 @@ 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
 #
@@ -1830,6 +1968,113 @@ sub set_form_elements {
     return $output;
 }
 
+##############################################
+##############################################
+
+# javascript_valid_email
+#
+# Generates javascript to validate an e-mail address.
+# Returns a javascript function which accetps a form field as argumnent, and
+# returns false if field.value does not satisfy two regular expression matches
+# for a valid e-mail address.  Backwards compatible with old browsers without
+# support for javascript RegExp (just checks for @ in field.value in this case). 
+
+sub javascript_valid_email {
+    my $scripttag .= <<'END';
+function validmail(field) {
+    var str = field.value;
+    if (window.RegExp) {
+        var reg1str = "(@.*@)|(\\.\\.)|(@\\.)|(\\.@)|(^\\.)";
+        var reg2str = "^.+\\@(\\[?)[a-zA-Z0-9\\-\\.]+\\.([a-zA-Z]{2,3}|[0-9]{1,3})(\\]?)$"; //"
+        var reg1 = new RegExp(reg1str);
+        var reg2 = new RegExp(reg2str);
+        if (!reg1.test(str) && reg2.test(str)) {
+            return true;
+        }
+        return false;
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        if(str.indexOf("@") >= 0) {
+            return true;
+        }
+        return false;
+    }
+}
+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.
+# TODO:
+# check for empty values
+# --------------------------
+
+sub generate_menu {
+    my @menu = @_;
+    my $menu_html = qq|<div class="columnSection">|;
+
+    foreach my $category (@menu) { #FIXME: insert appropriate classnames for styles when they're finished.
+	$menu_html .='<div class="ContentBox">
+			<h3 class="">'.mt($category->{'categorytitle'}).'</h3>
+			<ul class="ListStyleNormal">';
+	foreach my $item ( @{ $category->{items} } ) {
+	    next unless $item->{'permission'};
+	    $menu_html .= qq|<li class="LC_menubuttons_inline_text"><a href="$item->{'url'}" title="|.mt($item->{'linktitle'}).'">';
+            if($item->{'icon'}){
+                $menu_html .= qq|<img class ="noBorder" src="/res/adm/pages/$item->{'icon'}" alt="|;
+		if($item->{'alttext'}){
+		    $menu_html .= $item->{'alttext'}.'"/></a>';
+		} else { #use linktext as alt text for the icon
+		    $menu_html .= qq|$item->{'linktext'}"/></a>|;
+                } 
+            }
+	    $menu_html .= qq|<a href="$item->{'url'}" title="|.mt($item->{'linktitle'}).'">';
+            $menu_html .= mt($item->{'linktext'}).'</a>';
+	    if (exists($item->{'help'})) {
+		$menu_html .= Apache::loncommon::help_open_topic($item->{'help'});
+	    }
+	    $menu_html .= '</li>';
+	}
+	$menu_html .= '</div>';
+    }
+    $menu_html .= qq|</div>|;
+    return $menu_html;
+}
+
+
 1;
 
 __END__