Menu script looks wrong

[sbilheimer]

I've been playing with a drop-down menu script. I'm not a programmer, however. It doesn't contract and expand with the window, so when the browser isn't fully opened, it looks awful. And it's off again, as for being the exact width of the table under it. The URL is

http://www.perimenopausesupport.com.

If anyone has a suggestion, I'd really appreciate it. I'll use a different script if there is one that works better. Or maybe I need to make it smaller. Is there a way to do this kind of menu through FrontPage???? Thanks, Susan

 

[MrBelfry]

Hi Susan

I spent far to many months trying to get a similar navigation system working on my own site. My advice is to work out an alternative that doesn't rely on you having to reload your page everytime I resize the browser and is dependant on me having a certain window size. In short get rid of the script. Alternatively you could put the navigation down the side and tile your links

MrBelfry

 

[TheConeHead]

check out

http://www.dynamicdrive.com

and

http://www.javascriptsource.com

for good nav scripts...

 

[sbilheimer]

AAAAARRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH! OK, now I feel better. Well, at least I know I'm not alone. Thanks so much. Susan

 

[palbano]

The concept that someone who is not a programmer can just write some code and it will work because anyone can do it, is a Hollywood illusion.

-pete

 

[Lrnmore]

Hello Susan,

All the above may be good advice, since you've
worked so hard to build your menu already I'll
share what worked for me....

Use a div with a transparent image
with a set width and height then lay the menu on top
of it....

You would help us help you if you tell us where
you obtained the menu script.

<td height=&quot;20&quot; colspan=&quot;4&quot;>
<div id='MenuPos' style='position:relative; width:785px; height:25px;'>
<img src='nwimg/transparent.gif' width='785px' height='25px'></div></td>




2b||!2b

 

[sbilheimer]

You mean a spacer, right? I've been reading about them. But am unsure how to use. I'll study that. I bought this script from Brothercake.com. I do have some programming, just enough to be dangerous.

And, Pete, whether an illusion or not, some of us just don't have the money to pay smarter guys to do this stuff, so we just have to learn by the seat of our pants! Cause everyone has the right to try to learn and make the best website we can.

I appreciate all the feedback and suggestions.

Susan

 

[dwarfthrower]

Hi Susan... Don't get discouraged. Pete wasn't implying that you should pay someone to do it for you. He's actually one of the most helpful and dedicated members of this site.

We all have to start somewhere, the big mistake is thinking that you will be able to learn everything all at once. Or that tools like frontpage will 'help' you become a better programmer.

One of the main problems with your menu is that you simply have too many options for a horizontal menu to be feasible. In order to have all the menu options fit in the screen, the text would be so small as to be almost unreadable. Unfortunately this will probably prompt a fundamental rethink of your site's layout. Perhaps a menu down the side would work better for you - or maybe you can make do with fewer options along the top.

As MrBelfry pointed out too, having the page reload every time the user resizes the browser is not the friendliest approach. There are plenty of ways to structure a site to handle browser resizing out there.

Take your time, learn a little each day.


_{Never be afraid to share your dreams with the world.
There's nothing the world loves more than the taste of really sweet dreams.}

 

[Lrnmore]

Susan,
The things you are looking for:

1) You bought it, so can they support their product?
Did they give a support site or like

2) I had the same problem, my menu would be all over
until I made the above changes.

You keep posting let us know how you are doing:
These are the things I would suggest you look for, or
find a person to ask at their support site.

In the script you have variables for alignment sometimes
top, bottom left,right find these and make changes see
how it reacts,

Your object of course is to let the page control the
location of the menu not the menu script so to get all
this to work together can be hairy.

Looks to me like your menu is set to center and your
page is set to center so the 2 are in conflict, that may
or may not be the precise problem but it is those same
sort of scenarios that my above post was a solution for
on my page.

Maybe the best advice I would be able to give is this:

Ask the provider for 6-8 sites using this menu
see if their sites match the lay-out of your site
see what happens when you resize their windows,
give it a thorough test if it works there then we
just need to find out what's different about those
pages and yours....

Notice in particular how it reacts with such items
as your login form which might be under it

It is a nice looking menu and very functional, I believe it
is too early to give up on it.

If you decide to pursue, post some of the users of the menu on this forum and we'll be glad to see how they implemented the menu division.

Good Luck


2b||!2b

 

[sbilheimer]

Thanks again. I did contact the site and he told me to move the includes to the bottom of the body section. I sent him the information you suggested, but he didn't understand, so I will play with it and try to implement myself.

I wasn't upset with Pete at all. I'm a tech writer, and I know how frustrating it is for experts who have spent the time to really learn to help people who have a bits and pieces of knowledge that they are devouring in gulps. Not the best way to learn. <grin>

I appreciate the encouragement, and especially the &quot;keep posting.&quot;

Susan

 

[sbilheimer]

I just relooked at this thread I started and wanted to update it. I ended up using an entirely different javascript code that works absolutely perfectly!!!! And I did anchor the menu, so it's not shifting at all (well, Netscape is still a bit weird)!

http://www.burmees.nl/

http://www.dynamicdrive.com

Here's my site again:

http://www.perimenopausesupport.com

Thanks to everyone for their help.

Susan