Add top menu icons

Author: vdavid

apps/desktop/src-tauri/src/lib.rs

@@ -314,6 +314,10 @@ pub fn run() {
             #[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
             menu::cleanup_macos_menus();
 
+            // Set SF Symbol icons on menu items (macOS only)
+            #[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
+            menu::set_macos_menu_icons();
+
             // Store the CheckMenuItem references in app state
             let menu_state = MenuState::default();
             *menu_state.show_hidden_files.lock_ignore_poison() = Some(menu_items.show_hidden_files);

apps/desktop/src-tauri/src/menu/CLAUDE.md

@@ -56,6 +56,16 @@ frontend when Settings or file viewer gains/loses focus. Iterates the `items` Ha
 Uses `objc2::exception::catch` because NSMenu operations can raise ObjC exceptions inside Tauri's
 `did_finish_launching` callback, which aborts on panic.
 
+### SF Symbol icons (macOS only)
+
+`set_macos_menu_icons()` runs post-construction via objc2 FFI, walking
+`NSApplication.mainMenu()` and calling `NSImage(systemSymbolName:)` + `setImage:` on each
+`NSMenuItem` matched by title. This produces true template images that auto-tint on
+selection highlighting. Also handles nested submenus (Sort by) via
+`apply_sf_symbols_to_nested_submenu`. Context menus do NOT have icons — Tauri doesn't expose the
+raw `NSMenu` pointer for context menus, and rasterized SF Symbol bitmaps via `IconMenuItem` look
+poor (no template auto-tinting).
+
 ## Platform differences
 
 | Aspect | macOS | Linux |
@@ -66,6 +76,7 @@ Uses `objc2::exception::catch` because NSMenu operations can raise ObjC exceptio
 | Mnemonics | Not used | `&` prefixes for GTK keyboard navigation, unique per submenu |
 | Help search | Native NSMenu search field via `setHelpMenu:` | Not available |
 | System cleanup | objc2 strips injected Edit items | Not needed |
+| Menu icons | SF Symbols via objc2 (menu bar) and IconMenuItem (context menus) | Not supported |
 
 ## Menu structure
 
@@ -101,6 +112,9 @@ also Window and Help.
 **Decision**: CheckMenuItems (view modes, show hidden) use separate event paths instead of `"execute-command"`.
 **Why**: CheckMenuItems auto-toggle their checked state on click. If the click also emitted `"execute-command"` and the frontend toggled the setting, the state would double-toggle (menu toggles once, frontend toggles again). Instead, these items emit `"settings-changed"` or `"view-mode-changed"` directly, treating the menu click as the authoritative state change.
 
+**Decision**: SF Symbol icons only on the menu bar, not on context menus.
+**Why**: Tauri doesn't support SF Symbols natively. For the menu bar, we walk `NSApplication.mainMenu()` post-construction via objc2 FFI and set SF Symbols directly on `NSMenuItem` objects — this produces true template images that auto-tint correctly. Context menus don't get icons because Tauri doesn't expose the raw `NSMenu` pointer, and the alternative (rasterized bitmaps via `IconMenuItem`) produces visually poor results (no template tinting, wrong size/weight).
+
 ## Gotchas
 
 - **No `Menu::default()`**: Both platforms build from scratch. The old approach inherited system

apps/desktop/src-tauri/src/menu/mod.rs

@@ -11,7 +11,9 @@ use tauri::{
 #[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
 use objc2::MainThreadMarker;
 #[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
-use objc2_app_kit::NSApplication;
+use objc2_app_kit::{NSApplication, NSImage, NSMenuItem as NSMenuItemAppKit};
+#[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
+use objc2_foundation::NSString;
 
 /// Menu item IDs for file actions.
 pub const SHOW_HIDDEN_FILES_ID: &str = "show_hidden_files";
@@ -416,6 +418,161 @@ fn cleanup_macos_menus_inner() {
     }
 }
 
+/// Sets SF Symbol icons on menu items post-construction via native AppKit API.
+///
+/// Tauri's menu API doesn't support SF Symbols, so we walk the NSMenu hierarchy after
+/// construction and call `NSImage(systemSymbolName:accessibilityDescription:)` + `setImage:`
+/// on each item, matching by title within each known submenu.
+#[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
+pub fn set_macos_menu_icons() {
+    let result = objc2::exception::catch(set_macos_menu_icons_inner);
+    if let Err(e) = result {
+        log::warn!("Failed to set macOS menu icons: {e:?}");
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
+fn set_macos_menu_icons_inner() {
+    let mtm = unsafe { MainThreadMarker::new_unchecked() };
+    let app = NSApplication::sharedApplication(mtm);
+    let Some(main_menu) = app.mainMenu() else {
+        return;
+    };
+
+    let count = main_menu.numberOfItems();
+    for i in 0..count {
+        let Some(top_item) = main_menu.itemAtIndex(i) else {
+            continue;
+        };
+        let Some(submenu) = top_item.submenu() else {
+            continue;
+        };
+        let title = submenu.title().to_string();
+
+        let mappings: &[(&str, &str)] = match title.as_str() {
+            "cmdr" => &[
+                ("Enter license key\u{2026}", "key"),
+                ("See license details\u{2026}", "key"),
+                ("Settings\u{2026}", "gearshape"),
+            ],
+            "File" => &[
+                ("Open", "arrow.up.forward"),
+                ("View", "document"),
+                ("Edit in editor", "pencil"),
+                ("Copy\u{2026}", "document.on.document"),
+                ("Move\u{2026}", "folder"),
+                ("New folder", "folder.badge.plus"),
+                ("Delete", "trash"),
+                ("Delete permanently", "trash.slash"),
+                ("Rename", "character.cursor.ibeam"),
+                ("Show in Finder", "arrow.forward.circle"),
+                ("Get info", "info.circle"),
+                ("Quick look", "eye"),
+            ],
+            "Edit" => &[
+                ("Cut", "scissors"),
+                ("Copy", "document.on.document"),
+                ("Paste", "clipboard"),
+                ("Move here", "document.on.clipboard"),
+                ("Select all", "checkmark.circle"),
+                ("Deselect all", "circle"),
+                ("Copy path", "link"),
+                ("Copy filename", "textformat"),
+            ],
+            "View" => {
+                // Also apply icons to the "Sort by" submenu items
+                apply_sf_symbols_to_nested_submenu(&submenu, "Sort by", &[
+                    ("Name", "textformat.alt"),
+                    ("Extension", "character.textbox"),
+                    ("Size", "ruler"),
+                    ("Date modified", "clock"),
+                    ("Date created", "calendar"),
+                    ("Ascending", "chevron.up"),
+                    ("Descending", "chevron.down"),
+                ]);
+
+                &[
+                    ("Switch pane", "rectangle.2.swap"),
+                    ("Swap panes", "arrow.left.arrow.right"),
+                    ("Command palette\u{2026}", "command"),
+                ]
+            }
+            "Go" => &[
+                ("Back", "chevron.left"),
+                ("Forward", "chevron.right"),
+                ("Parent folder", "arrow.up"),
+            ],
+            "Tab" => &[
+                ("New tab", "plus"),
+                ("Close tab", "xmark"),
+                ("Next tab", "arrow.right"),
+                ("Previous tab", "arrow.left"),
+                ("Pin tab", "pin"),
+                ("Close other tabs", "xmark.circle"),
+            ],
+            _ => continue,
+        };
+
+        apply_sf_symbols_to_submenu(&submenu, mappings);
+    }
+}
+
+/// Applies SF Symbol icons to menu items in a submenu, matching by title.
+#[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
+fn apply_sf_symbols_to_submenu(
+    submenu: &objc2_app_kit::NSMenu,
+    mappings: &[(&str, &str)],
+) {
+    let item_count = submenu.numberOfItems();
+    for j in 0..item_count {
+        let Some(item) = submenu.itemAtIndex(j) else {
+            continue;
+        };
+        if item.isSeparatorItem() {
+            continue;
+        }
+        let item_title = item.title().to_string();
+        for &(title, symbol_name) in mappings {
+            if item_title == title {
+                set_sf_symbol(&item, symbol_name);
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// Applies SF Symbol icons to items inside a nested submenu (e.g. "Sort by" inside "View").
+#[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
+fn apply_sf_symbols_to_nested_submenu(
+    parent: &objc2_app_kit::NSMenu,
+    submenu_title: &str,
+    mappings: &[(&str, &str)],
+) {
+    let count = parent.numberOfItems();
+    for i in 0..count {
+        let Some(item) = parent.itemAtIndex(i) else {
+            continue;
+        };
+        if let Some(child_menu) = item.submenu()
+            && child_menu.title().to_string() == submenu_title
+        {
+            apply_sf_symbols_to_submenu(&child_menu, mappings);
+            return;
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// Sets an SF Symbol image on a single NSMenuItem.
+#[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
+fn set_sf_symbol(item: &NSMenuItemAppKit, symbol_name: &str) {
+    let name = NSString::from_str(symbol_name);
+    if let Some(image) = NSImage::imageWithSystemSymbolName_accessibilityDescription(&name, None) {
+        item.setImage(Some(&image));
+    } else {
+        log::warn!("SF Symbol not found: {symbol_name}");
+    }
+}
+
 /// Builds the Sort by submenu (shared between macOS and Linux).
 fn build_sort_submenu<R: Runtime>(app: &AppHandle<R>, label: &str) -> tauri::Result<Submenu<R>> {
     let sort_by_name = MenuItem::with_id(app, SORT_BY_NAME_ID, "Name", true, None::<&str>)?;