Adding a Custom "Window" Menu to the SecureCRT® 5.0 Menu Bar

Note: This tip is for use with SecureCRT for Windows®.

The SecureCRT and CRT™ Window menu can be useful to system administrators who want to quickly switch between multiple instances of SecureCRT. For example, one group of sessions might be defined for routers or other network devices, and another defined by geographic location. The Window menu displays active sessions, letting you quickly switch from one SecureCRT session window to any other open SecureCRT session window.

With the introduction of tabs in SecureCRT 5.0, the Window menu is no longer part of the menu bar by default (and the CTRL+TAB keyboard shortcut now switches between tabs rather than between multiple SecureCRT session windows). However, since menus and toolbars are customizable, you can set up a custom menu that includes the Window menu.

You will first need to create the custom menu file. You can edit the default menu configuration file, Default.mnu, found in the SecureCRT data folder and save the file with a new name. Or you can create a new menu configuration file set up to display the Window menu like the Default_window.mnu custom menu file here:

   http://www.vandyke.com/support/tips/resources/default_window.txt (text file).

To use the example custom menu above, save this file in the SecureCRT application folder, or other safe location. When you save the file, make sure that you use the SecureCRT menu file extension .mnu.

Next, go to Global Options / Terminal and select this .mnu file in the "Custom menu and toolbar file" box. The SecureCRT menu bar will now display the Window menu.

SecureCRT's Help topic, "Customizing the User Interface", has more information on the format, syntax, and command strings to use when editing the menu and toolbar configuration file. You can also find out how to customize other parts of the user interface such as:

• Menu titles on the main window
• Menu options on the main window menus, the System menu, and right-click menus
• Accelerators
• Toolbar buttons
• ToolTips
• Status bar messages

If you need assistance setting up a custom menu, please contact VanDyke Software Support at .

Tip: To return SecureCRT to its default configuration, either delete any existing configuration files or clear the entry in the "Custom menu and toolbar file" entry box, and restart SecureCRT. This will force SecureCRT to return to default values.

Read more about the new features in SecureCRT.