The following example demonstrates adding a hint handler to your application for handling menu selections. Hints will be displayed in the status panel's caption.

Example:
type
  TForm  = class(TForm)
    Panel : TPanel;
    MainMenu : TMainMenu;
    MenuItemFile: TMenuItem;
    MenuItemOpen: TMenuItem;
    MenuItemClose: TMenuItem;
    OpenDialog : TOpenDialog;
    procedure FormCreate(Sender: TObject);
    procedure MenuItemCloseClick(Sender: TObject);
    procedure MenuItemOpenClick(Sender: TObject);
  private
    { Private declarations }
   procedure HintHandler(Sender: TObject);
  public
    { Public declarations }
  end;
var
  Form : TForm ;
implementation
{$R *.DFM}
procedure TForm .FormCreate(Sender: TObject);
begin
  Panel .Align := alBottom;
  MenuItemFile.Hint := 'File Menu';
  MenuItemOpen.Hint := 'Opens A File';
  MenuItemClose.Hint := 'Closes the Application';
  Application.OnHint := HintHandler;
end;
procedure TForm .HintHandler(Sender: TObject);
begin
  Panel .Caption := Application.Hint;
end;
procedure TForm .MenuItemCloseClick(Sender: TObject);
begin
  Application.Terminate;
end;
procedure TForm .MenuItemOpenClick(Sender: TObject);
begin
  if OpenDialog .Execute then
    Form .Caption := OpenDialog .FileName;
end;