Abstract: The assignment of user entered strings to blank softkeys within a node or menu is automatic. As the user enters a command string, the new information is checked against the information on all of the softkeys in the node. If a match is found, and that match is not associated with a user definable softkey, nothing is done. If a match is found, and that match is associated with a user definable softkey, the age parameter on the string to be stored with respect to that softkey is set to 0 (0 is the youngest age character). The age of all of the other stored user defined strings for the menu is incremented by one.If no match is found, a search is made for a blank user definable softkey, searching from left to right (f1 to f8). If a vacancy is found, the information will be assigned to that softkey with an age of 0, and the age of all of the other user assignable softkeys in the menu will be incremented.