dynamic menu

GenerateMenu = function(container, name, x, y, depth, node_xml) {
	// variable declarations
	var curr_node;
	var curr_item;
	var curr_menu = container.createEmptyMovieClip(name, depth);
	
	// for all items or XML nodes (items and menus)
	// within this node_xml passed for this menu
	for (var i=0; i<node_xml.childNodes.length; i++) {
		// movieclip for each menu item
		curr_item = curr_menu.attachMovie("menuitem","item"+i+"_mc", i);
		curr_item._x = x + i*curr_item._width;
		curr_item._y = y;
		curr_item.action = curr_item.attributes.action;
		curr_item.variables = curr_item.attributes.variables;
		curr_item.name.text = curr_item.attributes.name;
		curr_item.trackAsMenu = true;
		curr_item.onRelease = function(){
			Actions[this.action](this.variables);
			CloseSubmenus();
		};
		// item properties assigned from XML
		curr_node = node_xml.childNodes[i];
		curr_item.action = curr_node.attributes.action;
		curr_item.variables = curr_node.attributes.variables;
		curr_item.name.text = curr_node.attributes.name;
		
		// item submenu behavior for rollover event
		if (node_xml.childNodes[i].nodeName == "menu"){
			// open a submenu
			curr_item.node_xml = curr_node;
			curr_item.onRollOver = curr_item.onDragOver = function(){
				var x = this._x;
				var y = this._y + curr_item._height;
			
				GenerateMenu(curr_menu, "submenu_mc", x, y, 1000, this.node_xml);
				// show a hover color
				var col = new Color(this.background);
				col.setRGB(0xf4faff);
			};
		}else{ // nodeName == "item"
			curr_item.arrow._visible = false;
			// close existing submenu
			curr_item.onRollOver = curr_item.onDragOver = function(){
				curr_menu.submenu_mc.removeMovieClip();
				// show a hover color
				var col = new Color(this.background);
				col.setRGB(0xf4faff);
			};
		}
		
		curr_item.onRollOut = curr_item.onDragOut = function(){
			// restore color
			var col = new Color(this.background);
			col.setTransform({ra:100,rb:0,ga:100,gb:0,ba:100,bb:0});
		};
		
		
		// any item, menu opening or not can have actions
		curr_item.onRelease = function(){
			Actions[this.action](this.variables);
			CloseSubmenus();
		};
	} // end for loop
};

// create the main menu, this will be constantly visible
CreateMainMenu = function(x, y, depth, menu_xml){
	// generate a menu list
	GenerateMenu(this, "mainmenu_mc", x, y, depth, menu_xml.firstChild);
	// close only submenus if visible durring a mouseup
	// this main menu (mainmenu_mc) will remain
	mainmenu_mc.onMouseUp = function(){
		if (mainmenu_mc.submenu_mc && !mainmenu_mc.hitTest(_root._xmouse, _root._ymouse, true)){
			CloseSubmenus();
		}
	};
};

// closes all submenus by removing the submenu_mc
// in the main menu (if it exists)
CloseSubmenus = function(){
	mainmenu_mc.submenu_mc.removeMovieClip();
};

// This actions object handles methods for actions
// defined by the XML called when a menu item is pressed
Actions = Object();
Actions.gotoURL = function(urlVar){
	getURL(urlVar, "_blank");
};
Actions.message = function(msg){
	message_txt.text = msg;
};
Actions.newMenu = function(menuxml){
	menu_xml.load(menuxml);
};

// load XML, when done, run CreateMainMenu to interpret it
menu_xml = new XML();
menu_xml.ignoreWhite = true;
menu_xml.onLoad = function(ok){
	// create main menu after successful loading of XML
	if (ok){
		CreateMainMenu(265, 36, 0, this);
		message_txt.text = "message area";
	}else{
		message_txt.text = "error:  XML not successfully loaded";
	}
};
// load first XML menu
menu_xml.load("navigation.xml");