--- loncom/interface/lonhtmlcommon.pm	2010/02/15 17:02:47	1.182.4.12
+++ loncom/interface/lonhtmlcommon.pm	2009/07/02 17:22:33	1.226
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # The LearningOnline Network with CAPA
 # a pile of common html routines
 #
-# $Id: lonhtmlcommon.pm,v 1.182.4.12 2010/02/15 17:02:47 raeburn Exp $
+# $Id: lonhtmlcommon.pm,v 1.226 2009/07/02 17:22:33 bisitz Exp $
 #
 # Copyright Michigan State University Board of Trustees
 #
@@ -62,21 +62,6 @@ use Apache::lonlocal;
 use Apache::lonnet;
 use LONCAPA;
 
-sub coursepreflink {
-    my ($text,$category)=@_;
-    if (&Apache::lonnet::allowed('opa',$env{'request.course.id'})) {
-        return '<a href="/adm/courseprefs?phase=display&amp;actions='.$category.'">'.$text.'</a>';
-    } else {
-        return '';
-    }
-}
-
-sub raw_href_to_link {
-    my ($message)=@_;
-    $message=~s/(https?\:\/\/[^\s\'\"\<]+)([\s\<]|$)/<a href="$1"><tt>$1<\/tt><\/a>$2/gi;
-    return $message;
-}
-
 ##############################################
 ##############################################
 
@@ -91,13 +76,13 @@ Successful completion of an operation me
 sub confirm_success {
    my ($message,$failure)=@_;
    if ($failure) {
-      return '<span class="LC_error" style="font-size: inherit;">'."\n"
+      return '<span class="LC_error">'."\n"
             .'<img src="/adm/lonIcons/navmap.wrong.gif" alt="'.&mt('Error').'" /> '."\n"
             .$message."\n"
             .'</span>'."\n";
    } else {
       return '<span class="LC_success">'."\n"
-            .'<img src="/adm/lonIcons/navmap.correct.gif" alt="'.&mt('OK').'" /> '."\n"
+            .'<img src="/adm/lonIcons/navmap.correct.gif" alt="'.&mt('Ok').'" /> '."\n"
             .$message."\n"
             .'</span>'."\n";
    }
@@ -178,7 +163,7 @@ sub authorbombs {
     foreach (keys %bombs) {
 	if ($_=~/^$udom\/$uname\//) {
 	    return '<a href="/adm/bombs/'.$url.
-		'"><img src="'.&Apache::loncommon::lonhttpdurl('/adm/lonMisc/bomb.gif').'" border="0" /></a>'.
+		'"><img src="'.&Apache::loncommon::lonhttpdurl('/adm/lonMisc/bomb.gif').'" alt="'.&mt('Bomb').'" border="0" /></a>'.
 		&Apache::loncommon::help_open_topic('About_Bombs');
 	}
     }
@@ -237,9 +222,6 @@ sub select_recent {
 	unless ($value =~/^error\:/) {
 	    my $escaped = &Apache::loncommon::escape_url($value);
 	    &Apache::loncommon::inhibit_menu_check(\$escaped);
-            if ($area eq 'residx') {
-                next if ((!&Apache::lonnet::allowed('bre',$value)) && (!&Apache::lonnet::allowed('bro',$value)));
-            }
 	    $return.="\n<option value='$escaped'>".
 		&unescape((split(/\&/,$recent{$value}))[1]).
 		'</option>';
@@ -436,8 +418,8 @@ sub date_setter {
         ($tzname,$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)) {
-            ($tzname,$sec,$min,$hour,$mday,$month,$year) = &get_timedates($now);
 	    $sec=($defsec?$defsec:0);
 	    $min=($defmin?$defmin:0);
 	    $hour=($defhour?$defhour:0);
@@ -514,7 +496,7 @@ document.$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 
@@ -523,9 +505,9 @@ ENDJS
     unshift(@Months,'If you can read this an error occurred');
     if ($includeempty) { $monthselector.="<option value=''></option>"; }
     for(my $m = 1;$m <=$#Months;$m++) {
-        $monthselector .= qq{      <option value="$m"};
-        $monthselector .= ' selected="selected"' if ($m-1 eq $month);
-        $monthselector .= '> '.&mt($Months[$m]).' </option>'."\n";
+        $monthselector .= qq{      <option value="$m" };
+        $monthselector .= "selected " if ($m-1 eq $month);
+        $monthselector .= '> '.&mt($Months[$m]).' </option>';
     }
     $monthselector.= '  </select>';
     # Day
@@ -538,8 +520,8 @@ ENDJS
         $hourselector.=qq{<option value=''></option>};
     }
     for (my $h = 0;$h<24;$h++) {
-        $hourselector .= qq{<option value="$h"};
-        $hourselector .= ' selected="selected"' if (defined($hour) && $hour == $h);
+        $hourselector .= qq{<option value="$h" };
+        $hourselector .= "selected " if (defined($hour) && $hour == $h);
         $hourselector .= ">";
         my $timest='';
         if ($h == 0) {
@@ -996,20 +978,20 @@ sub Create_PrgWin {
 
 	#the whole function called through timeout is due to issues
 	#in mozilla Read BUG #2665 if you want to know the whole story
-	&r_print($r,'<script type="text/javascript">'."\n".
-        '// <![CDATA['."\n".
+	&r_print($r,'<script type="text/javascript">'.
+        '// <![CDATA['.
         "var popwin;
          function openpopwin () {
          popwin=open(\'\',\'popwin\',\'width=400,height=100\');".
         "popwin.document.writeln(\'".$start_page.
               "<h4>".&mt("$heading")."<\/h4>".
-              "<form action= \"\" name=\"popremain\" method=\"post\">".
+              "<form action=\"\" name=\"popremain\" method=\"post\">".
               '<input type="text" size="'.$width.'" name="remaining" value="'.
 	      &mt('Starting').'" /><\\/form>'.$end_page.
               "\');".
         "popwin.document.close();}".
-        "\nwindow.setTimeout(openpopwin,0)\n".
-        '// ]]>'."\n".
+        "\nwindow.setTimeout(openpopwin,0)".
+        '// ]]>'.
         '</script>');
 	$prog_state{'formname'}='popremain';
 	$prog_state{'inputname'}="remaining";
@@ -1043,14 +1025,14 @@ sub Create_PrgWin {
 # update progress
 sub Update_PrgWin {
     my ($r,$prog_state,$displayString)=@_;
-    &r_print($r,'<script type="text/javascript">'."\n".
-             '// <![CDATA['."\n".
-             $$prog_state{'window'}.'.document.'.
+    &r_print($r,'<script type="text/javascript">'.
+        '// <![CDATA['.
+        $$prog_state{'window'}.'.document.'.
 	     $$prog_state{'formname'}.'.'.
 	     $$prog_state{'inputname'}.'.value="'.
-	     $displayString.'";'."\n".
-             '// ]]>'."\n".
-             '</script>');
+	     $displayString.'";'.
+        '// ]]>'.
+        '</script>');
     $$prog_state{'laststart'}=&Time::HiRes::time();
 }
 
@@ -1103,15 +1085,15 @@ sub Increment_PrgWin {
     if ($user_browser eq 'explorer' && $user_os =~ 'mac') {
         $lasttime = '';
     }
-    &r_print($r,'<script>'."\n".
-             '// <![CDATA['."\n".
-             $$prog_state{'window'}.'.document.'.
+    &r_print($r,'<script>'.
+        '// <![CDATA['.
+        $$prog_state{'window'}.'.document.'.
 	     $$prog_state{'formname'}.'.'.
 	     $$prog_state{'inputname'}.'.value="'.
 	     $$prog_state{'done'}.'/'.$$prog_state{'max'}.
-	     ': '.$time_est.' '.&mt('remaining').' '.$lasttime.'";'."\n".
-             '// ]]>'."\n".
-             '</script>');
+	     ': '.$time_est.' '.&mt('remaining').' '.$lasttime.'";'.
+        '// ]]>'.
+        '</script>');
     $$prog_state{'laststart'}=&Time::HiRes::time();
 }
 
@@ -1119,11 +1101,11 @@ sub Increment_PrgWin {
 sub Close_PrgWin {
     my ($r,$prog_state)=@_;
     if ($$prog_state{'type'} eq 'popup') {
-	&r_print($r,'<script>'."\n".
-                 '// <![CDATA['."\n".
-                 'popwin.close()'."n".
-                 '// ]]>'."\n".
-                 '</script>'."\n");
+        &r_print($r,'<script>'.
+            '// <![CDATA['.
+            'popwin.close()'.
+            '// ]]>'.
+            '</script>'."\n");
     } elsif ($$prog_state{'type'} eq 'inline') {
 	&Update_PrgWin($r,$prog_state,&mt('Done'));
     }
@@ -1154,7 +1136,7 @@ sub crumbs {
     my $output='';
     unless ($noformat) { $output.='<br /><tt><b>'; }
     $output.='<font size="'.$size.'">'.$prefix.'/';
-    if (($env{'user.adv'}) || ($env{'user.author'})) {
+    if ($env{'user.adv'}) {
 	my $path=$prefix.'/';
 	foreach my $dir (split('/',$uri)) {
             if (! $dir) { next; }
@@ -1204,7 +1186,7 @@ sub spellheader {
 
     my $nothing=&javascript_nothing();
     return (<<ENDCHECK);
-<script type="text/javascript">
+<script type="text/javascript"> 
 // <![CDATA[
 //<!-- BEGIN LON-CAPA Internal
 var checkwin;
@@ -1290,8 +1272,8 @@ sub htmlareaselectactive {
     my @fields=@_;
     unless (&htmlareabrowser()) { return ''; }
     if (&htmlareablocked()) { return '<br />'.&enablelink(@fields); }
-    my $output='<script type="text/javascript" defer="defer">'.
-               '// <![CDATA[';
+    my $output='<script type="text/javascript" defer="1">'
+              .'// <![CDATA[';
     my $lang = &htmlarea_lang();
     foreach my $field (@fields) {
 	$output.="
@@ -1304,9 +1286,9 @@ sub htmlareaselectactive {
     oFCKeditor.Config['DefaultLanguage'] = '$lang';
 }";
     }
-    $output.="\nwindow.status='Activated Editfields';\n".
-             '// ]]>'."\n".
-             '</script><br />'.
+    $output.="\nwindow.status='Activated Editfields';\n"
+            .'// ]]>'
+            .'</script><br />'.
 	&disablelink(@fields);
     return $output;
 }
@@ -1332,19 +1314,19 @@ sub htmlareabrowser {
 =item breadcrumbs
 
 Compiles the previously registered breadcrumbs into an series of links.
-FAQ and BUG links will be placed on the left side of the table if they
-are defined for the last registered breadcrumb.  
 Additionally supports a 'component', which will be displayed on the
-right side of the table (without a link).
+right side of the breadcrumbs enclosing div (without a link).
 A link to help for the component will be included if one is specified.
 
 All inputs can be undef without problems.
 
-Inputs: $component (the large text on the right side of the table),
+Inputs: $component (the text on the right side of the breadcrumbs trail),
         $component_help
         $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
@@ -1370,22 +1352,21 @@ returns: nothing
     my @Crumbs;
     
     sub breadcrumbs {
-        my ($component,$component_help,$menulink,$helplink,$css_class,$no_mt) = @_;
-        #
-	$css_class ||= 'LC_breadcrumbs';
-        my $Str = "\n".'<table class="'.$css_class.'"><tr><td>';
+        my ($component,$component_help,$menulink,$helplink,$css_class,$no_mt, $CourseBreadcrumbs) = @_;
         #
+        $css_class ||= 'LC_breadcrumbs';
+
         # Make the faq and bug data cascade
-        my $faq = '';
-        my $bug = '';
-	my $help='';
-	# Crumb Symbol
-	my $crumbsymbol = '&raquo;&nbsp;';
+        my $faq  = '';
+        my $bug  = '';
+        my $help = '';
+        # Crumb Symbol
+        my $crumbsymbol = '&raquo;';
         # The last breadcrumb does not have a link, so handle it separately.
         my $last = pop(@Crumbs);
         #
         # The first one should be the course or a menu link
-	if (!defined($menulink)) { $menulink=1; }
+        if (!defined($menulink)) { $menulink=1; }
         if ($menulink) {
             my $description = 'Menu';
             my $no_mt_descr = 0;
@@ -1395,44 +1376,46 @@ returns: nothing
                     $env{'course.'.$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,
-                });
+            $menulink =  {  href   =>'/adm/menu',
+                            title  =>'Go to main menu',
+                            target =>'_top',
+                            text   =>$description,
+                            no_mt  =>$no_mt_descr, };
+            if($last) {
+                #$last set, so we have some crumbs
+                unshift(@Crumbs,$menulink);
+            } else {
+                #only menulink crumb present
+                $last = $menulink;
+            }
         }
-        my $links .= 
-            join($crumbsymbol,
+        my $links = join "", 
                  map {
-                     $faq = $_->{'faq'} if (exists($_->{'faq'}));
-                     $bug = $_->{'bug'} if (exists($_->{'bug'}));
+                     $faq  = $_->{'faq'}  if (exists($_->{'faq'}));
+                     $bug  = $_->{'bug'}  if (exists($_->{'bug'}));
                      $help = $_->{'help'} if (exists($_->{'help'}));
-                     my $result = '<a href="'.$_->{'href'}.'" ';
-                     if (defined($_->{'target'}) && $_->{'target'} ne '') {
-                         $result .= 'target="'.$_->{'target'}.'" ';
-                     }
-		     if ($_->{'no_mt'}) {
-			 $result .='title="'.$_->{'title'}.'">'.
-			     $_->{'text'}.'</a>';
-		     } else {
-			 $result .='title="'.&mt($_->{'title'}).'">'.
-			     &mt($_->{'text'}).'</a>';
-		     }
-                     $result;
-                     } @Crumbs
-                 );
-        $links .= $crumbsymbol if ($links ne '');
-	if ($last->{'no_mt'}) {
-	    $links .= '<b>'.$last->{'text'}.'</b>';
-	} else {
-	    $links .= '<b>'.&mt($last->{'text'}).'</b>';
-	}
-        #
+
+                     my $result = htmltag( 'a', 
+                                           $_->{no_mt} ? 
+                                            $_->{text} : mt($_->{text}), 
+                                           { 
+                                               href   => $_->{href},
+                                               title  => $_->{no_mt} ? 
+                                                $_->{title} : mt($_->{title}),
+                                               target => $_->{target},
+                                           });
+                     $result = htmltag( 'li', "$result $crumbsymbol");
+                     } @Crumbs;
+
+        #should the last Element be translated?
+        $links  .= htmltag( 'li', 
+                        htmltag( 'b', 
+                                 $last->{'no_mt'} ? 
+                                 $last->{'text'} : mt($last->{'text'}) ));
+
         my $icons = '';
-        $faq = $last->{'faq'} if (exists($last->{'faq'}));
-        $bug = $last->{'bug'} if (exists($last->{'bug'}));
+        $faq  = $last->{'faq'}  if (exists($last->{'faq'}));
+        $bug  = $last->{'bug'}  if (exists($last->{'bug'}));
         $help = $last->{'help'} if (exists($last->{'help'}));
         $component_help=($component_help?$component_help:$help);
 #        if ($faq ne '') {
@@ -1441,33 +1424,36 @@ returns: nothing
 #        if ($bug ne '') {
 #            $icons .= &Apache::loncommon::help_open_bug($bug);
 #        }
-	if ($faq ne '' || $component_help ne '' || $bug ne '') {
-	    $icons .= &Apache::loncommon::help_open_menu($component,
-							 $component_help,
-							 $faq,$bug);
-	}
-        #
-        $Str .= $links.'</td>';
-        #
-        if (defined($component)) {
-            $Str .= '<td class="'.$css_class.'_component">';
-            if ($no_mt) {
-                $Str .= $component;
-            } else {
-                $Str .= &mt($component);
-            }
-	    if ($icons ne '') {
-		$Str .= '&nbsp;'.$icons;
-	    }
-	    $Str .= '</td>';
+        if ($faq ne '' || $component_help ne '' || $bug ne '') {
+            $icons .= &Apache::loncommon::help_open_menu($component,
+                                                         $component_help,
+                                                         $faq,$bug);
         }
-        $Str .= '</tr></table>'."\n";
         #
+		
+
+        unless ($CourseBreadcrumbs) {
+            $links = htmltag('ol',  $links, { id => "LC_MenuBreadcrumbs"   });
+        } else {
+            $links = htmltag('ul',  $links, { id => "LC_CourseBreadcrumbs" });
+        }
+
+        if ($component) {
+            $links = htmltag('span', 
+                             ( $no_mt ? $component : mt($component) ).
+                             ( $icons ? $icons : '' ),
+                             { class => 'LC_breadcrumbs_component' } )
+                             .$links;
+        }
+        
+        $links = htmltag('div', $links, 
+                        { id => "LC_breadcrumbs" }) unless ($CourseBreadcrumbs) ;
+
         # Return the @Crumbs stack to what we started with
         push(@Crumbs,$last);
         shift(@Crumbs);
-        #
-        return $Str;
+        # Return the breadcrumb's line
+        return "$links";
     }
 
     sub clear_breadcrumbs {
@@ -1612,16 +1598,12 @@ ENDTWO
 
 sub role_select_row {
     my ($roles,$title,$css_class,$show_separate_custom,$cdom,$cnum) = @_;
-    my $crstype = 'Course';
-    if ($cdom ne '' && $cnum ne '') {
-        $crstype = &Apache::loncommon::course_type($cdom.'_'.$cnum);
-    }
     my $output;
     if (defined($title)) {
         $output = &row_title($title,$css_class);
     }
     $output .= qq|
-                                  <select name="roles" multiple="multiple" >\n|;
+                                  <select name="roles" multiple="multiple">\n|;
     foreach my $role (@$roles) {
         my $plrole;
         if ($role eq 'ow') {
@@ -1640,7 +1622,7 @@ sub role_select_row {
                 $plrole = &mt('Custom Role');
             }
         } else {
-            $plrole=&Apache::lonnet::plaintext($role,$crstype);
+            $plrole=&Apache::lonnet::plaintext($role);
         }
         if (($role ne 'cr') || (!$show_separate_custom)) {
             $output .= '  <option value="'.$role.'">'.$plrole.'</option>';
@@ -1655,15 +1637,15 @@ sub role_select_row {
 
 sub course_select_row {
     my ($title,$formname,$totcodes,$codetitles,$idlist,$idlist_titles,
-	$css_class,$crstype) = @_;
+	$css_class) = @_;
     my $output = &row_title($title,$css_class);
-    $output .= &course_selection($formname,$totcodes,$codetitles,$idlist,$idlist_titles,$crstype);
+    $output .= &course_selection($formname,$totcodes,$codetitles,$idlist,$idlist_titles);
     $output .= &row_closure();
     return $output;
 }
 
 sub course_selection {
-    my ($formname,$totcodes,$codetitles,$idlist,$idlist_titles,$crstype) = @_;
+    my ($formname,$totcodes,$codetitles,$idlist,$idlist_titles) = @_;
     my $output = qq|
 <script type="text/javascript">
 // <![CDATA[
@@ -1692,19 +1674,9 @@ sub course_selection {
 // ]]>
 </script>
     |;
-
-    my ($allcrs,$pickspec);
-    if ($crstype eq 'Community') {
-        $allcrs = &mt('All communities');
-        $pickspec = &mt('Pick specific communities:');
-    } else {
-        $allcrs = &mt('All courses');
-        $pickspec = &mt('Pick specific course(s):');
-    }
-
     my $courseform='<b>'.&Apache::loncommon::selectcourse_link
-                     ($formname,'pickcourse','pickdomain','coursedesc','',1,$crstype).'</b>';
-        $output .= '<input type="radio" name="coursepick" value="all" onclick="coursePick(this.form)" />'.$allcrs.'<br />';
+                     ($formname,'pickcourse','pickdomain','coursedesc','',1).'</b>';
+        $output .= '<input type="radio" name="coursepick" value="all" onclick="coursePick(this.form)" />'.&mt('All courses').'<br />';
     if ($totcodes > 0) {
         my $numtitles = @$codetitles;
         if ($numtitles > 0) {
@@ -1749,7 +1721,7 @@ sub course_selection {
             $output .= '</tr></table><br />';
         }
     }
-    $output .= '<input type="radio" name="coursepick" value="specific" onclick="coursePick(this.form);opencrsbrowser('."'".$formname."','dccourse','dcdomain','coursedesc','','1'".')" />'.$pickspec.' '.$courseform.'&nbsp;&nbsp;<input type="text" value="0" size="4" name="coursetotal" /><input type="hidden" name="courselist" value="" />selected.<br />'."\n";
+    $output .= '<input type="radio" name="coursepick" value="specific" onclick="coursePick(this.form);opencrsbrowser('."'".$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;
 }
 
@@ -1842,12 +1814,11 @@ sub course_custom_roles {
 #
 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;'.$title.'
-</div>
-';
+    return '<div class="LC_topic_bar">'
+          .'<img src="/res/adm/pages/bl_step'.$imgnum.'.gif"'
+          .' alt="'.&mt('Step [_1]',$imgnum).'" />'
+          .' '.$title
+          .'</div>';
 }
 
 ##############################################
@@ -1982,7 +1953,7 @@ sub set_form_elements {
             $values{$name}[$i] =~ s/([\r\n\f]+)/\\n/g;
             $values{$name}[$i] =~ s/"/\\"/g;
         }
-        if (($$elements{$name} eq 'text') || ($$elements{$name} eq 'hidden')) {
+        if ($$elements{$name} eq 'text') {
             my $numvalues = @{$values{$name}};
             if ($numvalues > 1) {
                 my $valuestring = join('","',@{$values{$name}});
@@ -2017,8 +1988,6 @@ sub set_form_elements {
                     $output .= qq|
       if (courseForm.elements['$name'].value == "$value") {
           courseForm.elements['$name'].checked = true;
-      } else {
-          courseForm.elements['$name'].checked = false;
       }|;
                 }
             }
@@ -2060,7 +2029,6 @@ sub set_form_elements {
         }
     }
     $output .= "
-    return;
 }\n";
     return $output;
 }
@@ -2103,6 +2071,238 @@ END
 }
 
 
+# USAGE: htmltag(element, content, {attribute => value,...});
+#
+# EXAMPLES: 
+#  - htmltag('a', 'this is an anchor', {href  => 'www.example.com', 
+#                                       title => 'this is a title'})
+#
+#  - You might want to set up needed tags like: 
+#
+#     my $h3  = sub { return htmltag( "h3",  @_ ) };
+#
+#    ... and use them: $h3->("This is a headline")
+#
+#  - To set up a couple of tags, see sub inittags
+#
+# NOTES:
+# - Empty elements, such as <br/> are correctly terminated, 
+#   i.e. htmltag('br') returns <br/> 
+# - Empty attributes (title="") are filtered out.
+# - The function will not check for deprecated attributes.
+#
+# OUTPUT: content enclosed in xhtml conform tags
+sub htmltag{
+    return
+        qq|<$_[0]|
+        . join( '', map { qq| $_="${$_[2]}{$_}"| if ${$_[2]}{$_} } keys %{ $_[2] } )
+        . ($_[1] ? qq|>$_[1]</$_[0]>| : qq|/>|). "\n";
+};
+
+
+# USAGE: inittags(@tags);
+#
+# EXAMPLES:
+#  - my ($h1, $h2, $h3) = initTags( qw( h1 h2 h3 ) )
+#    $h1->("This is a headline") #Returns: <h1>This is a headline</h1>
+#
+# NOTES: See sub htmltag for further information.
+#
+# OUTPUT: List of subroutines. 
+sub inittags {
+    my @tags = @_;
+    return map { my $tag = $_;
+                 sub { return htmltag( $tag, @_ ) }
+               } @tags;
+}
+
+
+##############################################
+##############################################
+
+# generate_menu
+#
+# Generates html markup for a menu. 
+#
+# Inputs:
+# An array of following structure:
+#   ({	categorytitle => 'Categorytitle',
+#	items => [
+#		    {	
+#           linktext    =>	'Text to be displayed',
+#			url	        =>	'URL the link is pointing to, i.e. /adm/site?action=dosomething',
+#			permission  =>	'Contains permissions as returned from lonnet::allowed(),
+#					         must evaluate to true in order to activate the link',
+#			icon        =>  'icon filename',
+#			alttext	    =>	'alt text for the icon',
+#			help	    =>	'Name of the corresponding helpfile',
+#			linktitle   =>	'Description of the link (used for title tag)'
+#		    },
+#		    ...
+#		]
+#   }, 
+#   ...
+#   )
+#
+# Outputs: A scalar containing the html markup for the menu.
+
+# ---- Remove when done ----
+# This routine is part of the redesign of LON-CAPA and it's 
+# subject to change during this project.
+# Don't rely on its current functionality as it might be 
+# changed or removed.
+# --------------------------
+sub generate_menu {
+    my @menu = @_;
+    # subs for specific html elements
+    my ($h3, $div, $ul, $li, $a, $img) = inittags( qw(h3 div ul li a 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_Box LC_400Box"}) if scalar(@links);
+    }
+
+    # wrap the joined @categories in another <div> (column layout)
+    return $div->(join('', @categories), {class => "LC_columnSection"});
+}
+
+##############################################
+##############################################
+
+=pod
+
+=item &start_funclist
+
+Start list of available functions
+
+Typically used to offer a simple list of available functions
+at top or bottom of page.
+All available functions/actions for the current page
+should be included in this list.
+
+If the optional headline text is not provided, a default text will be used.
+
+
+Related routines:
+=over 4
+add_item_funclist
+end_funclist
+=back
+
+
+Inputs: (optional) headline text
+
+Returns: HTML code with function list start
+
+=cut
+
+##############################################
+##############################################
+
+sub start_funclist {
+    my($legendtext)=@_;
+    $legendtext=&mt('Functions') if !$legendtext;
+    return "<fieldset>\n<legend>$legendtext</legend>\n"
+          .'<ul class="LC_funclist">'."\n";
+}
+
+
+##############################################
+##############################################
+
+=pod
+
+=item &add_item_funclist
+
+Adds an item to the list of available functions
+
+Related routines:
+=over 4
+start_funclist
+end_funclist
+=back
+
+Inputs: content item with text and link to function
+
+Returns: HTML code with list item for funclist
+
+=cut
+
+##############################################
+##############################################
+
+sub add_item_funclist {
+    my($content) = @_;
+    return '<li>'.$content.'</li>'."\n";
+}
+
+##############################################
+##############################################
+
+=pod
+
+=item &end_funclist
+
+End list of available functions
+
+Related routines:
+=over 4
+start_funclist
+add_item_funclist
+=back
+
+Inputs: ./.
+
+Returns: HTML code with function list end
+
+=cut
+
+##############################################
+##############################################
+
+sub end_funclist {
+    my($r)=@_;
+    return "</ul>\n</fieldset>\n";
+}
 
 1;