Navigations/Menu's [Archive] - ScriptLance Forum

contrid

02/28/2006, 16:43

When you create a navigation or menu bar for a site, which method do you use?

Tell me more about your way of creating navigations.

Personally I use different methods for different sites.

digitalnature

02/28/2006, 17:03

yes, depends on what people want.

i preffere css because you can create a nice list based menu, without having to change design each time you add a menu item.

contrid

02/28/2006, 17:08

yes, depends on what people want.

i preffere css because you can create a nice list based menu, without having to change design each time you add a menu item.

I agree.
I also love CSS formatting, and one can really make very appealing and attractive navigations with the use of images and other elements.

For the record....
Have you ever used Photoshop to create rollover buttons?
I haven't really, but I would like to learn how it works. I should probably read the help files.

IRN101

02/28/2006, 17:43

Depends on the client and the target audience. Sometimes graphical rollovers, sometimes CSS and text.

If the target audience is wealthier then I more often want to control the font on the navigation and will use graphics.

contrid

02/28/2006, 17:51

Well...
Flash has always been a winner.

There are no limitations when creating a Flash navigation. Wheter you focus on a colourful or a professional and coporate look, Flash is always the answer.

But it does have it's disadvantages. Like the links integrated into the '.swf' aren't HTML/PHP links, so they can't be used directly as URL's.

digitalnature

03/01/2006, 05:22

I agree.
I also love CSS formatting, and one can really make very appealing and attractive navigations with the use of images and other elements.

For the record....
Have you ever used Photoshop to create rollover buttons?
I haven't really, but I would like to learn how it works. I should probably read the help files.

i slice the design in photoshop as usual, then use js.

eg:
<a href="#"><img src="images/someimage.gif" onmouseout="this.src='images/someimage.gif'" onmouseover="this.src='images/someimage-over.gif'" /></a>

xtro

03/01/2006, 05:40

i slice the design in photoshop as usual, then use js.

eg:
<a href="#"><img src="images/someimage.gif" onmouseout="this.src='images/someimage.gif'" onmouseover="this.src='images/someimage-over.gif'" /></a>

What difference is there in using your code and using the 'create rollover' button in dreamweaver?

digitalnature

03/01/2006, 06:13

dreamweaver's code uses "document.images" which doesn't work in firefox.

xtro

03/01/2006, 06:25

Wow! thanks for that! - I've been having some problems with my rollovers in firefox but they were fine in IE. Cheers!

contrid

03/01/2006, 10:14

thanks.

i guess that js is a solution, but i really don't like working with that.

i will stick with css, flash and normal links. What do you think?

contrid

03/01/2006, 10:18

dreamweaver's code uses "document.images" which doesn't work in firefox.

honestly I have used the 'create rollover button' feature in DW, and the navigation still seems to work in FF.

IRN101

03/01/2006, 17:08

contrid

03/01/2006, 17:12

Yes, that's what I mean with Flash navigations don't have direct links which are read by the browser.

But then again you can place a good Flash navigation at the top of the page, and create a neat footer link bar with normal footer links at the bottom of the page.

After all, SEO is only 3-7% of your content....if you know what I mean.

hexadesigns

03/01/2006, 21:22

CSS is my best bet, if the client leaves the deal on me otherwise I have to put whatever the client wants. Just a info - CSS navs are SE friendly as well they give nice rollover effects. There is a question about browser compatibility however basic stuff seems to work for all the standard browsers.

Contrid I disagree with the 3-7% stuff you said. For example suppose you pick up a newspaper for reading, you are pre-prepared about its layout, you know how it is going to be, you expect nothing unexpected. But imagine this - you pick up a newspaper and start reading, on the 2nd page you find its white and on the 3rd page you see its reversely printed. You are bound to go WTF instantly...trash the paper and get a new one. Similarly SE bots expect things in certain protocol from you. If you spice up with a flash nav they will go WTF as well and give you poor marks...this does not mean there are not PR5 sites with flash navs...but making a site > PR4 with a flash nav and flash content is very costly compared to making a site without any flash.

contrid

03/01/2006, 21:31

very true....

all I'm saying is that if you are coding your site focussed on SEO for major search engines, you need to keep your main keywords within the 3-7 % mark.

a flash navigation won't make any difference.

xtro

03/02/2006, 04:11

Here's the problem I have now:

http://xtro32.com/portfolio.htm

The only rollover that works in firefox is the 'web grafix' button, but all the others are fine. But they are all ok in IE.

Can you do me a favour and see if they're working in your firefox?

Cheers,

contrid

03/02/2006, 04:29

xtro

03/02/2006, 06:01

Thanks Contrid, for checking it out. It's all very strange. I did each button in exactly the same way.:confused:

IRN101

03/02/2006, 09:17

There is a difference between them. Remove the "id".

Broken in FF:
alt="Banners" name="image13" width="233" height="72" border="0" id="image13">

Working in FF: (The only one that doesn't have an ID. The rest do.)
alt="Web Grafix" name="Image16" width="233" height="71" border="0">

After 10 years of this stuff I got good at finding the little differences. ;)

xtro

03/02/2006, 11:26

I bow down before you and will from this day hense refer to thee as 'guru'.

Thanks a bunch!

IRN101

03/02/2006, 12:15

Not a problem. Glad I could help. :D

Trust me I've run into this stuff a million times. Do a page and then try and figure out why in the hell it doesn't look the same on all browsers... I've pulled out some hair before. LOL

contrid

03/02/2006, 13:10

Great, you really know much.

Stupid question :
Why does the 'id=""' cause the navigation not to work correctly in FF. The ID is for CSS, right.....or what? No idea.

xtro

03/02/2006, 13:53

Hey hey, it works! Thanks guru!

Actually that's the first time I've been in the code bit of dreamweaver - christ, talk about scary. It was like standing on the edge of an abyss.

contrid

03/02/2006, 13:59

Hey hey, it works! Thanks guru!

Actually that's the first time I've been in the code bit of dreamweaver - christ, talk about scary. It was like standing on the edge of an abyss.

Great, glad you got that fixed.

Uhm...
Can you tell me what was wrong. I am puzzled. I don't really understand what the problem was. I would like to know. (Knowledge is POWER). :)

xtro

03/02/2006, 14:02

couldn't tell you, haven't got the faintest. Why is the sky blue?

Ask the guru! (he'll probably know why the sky's blue, too)

contrid

03/02/2006, 14:14

couldn't tell you, haven't got the faintest. Why is the sky blue?

Ask the guru! (he'll probably know why the sky's blue, too)

Now that's really funny!

F*@$ Spiderman.........Xtro's got a new hero!!!

xtro

03/02/2006, 14:20

Yep, IRN101 is da man, as the Americans say!

contrid

03/02/2006, 14:27

Off the topic....

Do you think you can teach me some works in 3ds Max?
That will be great. I have no idea how you create those 3d renders.
Wish I could do that.

xtro

03/02/2006, 14:49

here's the secret - vray. It's a global illumination renderer that makes a box look like art!

Have a go at my lighthouse tut -

http://xtro32.com/tutorials/lighthouse/lighthouse01.htm

that has all the basics.

IRN101

03/02/2006, 16:06

Why does the 'id=""' cause the navigation not to work correctly in FF. The ID is for CSS, right.....or what? No idea.

I'm pretty sure it is because FF is using the ID to specify a specific style that overrides the inline JS. Since there is no style listed for the ID, IE defaults to whatever the inline is.

id="image13"
FF is giving the image the style of "image13". Even though there is none.
IE isn't giving it one, or doesn't render the "id" as a style.

But I could be wrong too.

contrid

03/02/2006, 16:20

Ok, that's a reasonable answer which makes sense.

But I am thinking where the ID came from in the first place.

Anyways, thanks for you response. It is helpfull...and I am sure that you are right.

IRN101

03/02/2006, 16:22

The sun isn't yellow, it is white...

When you look at it the lightwaves coming straight at you are the longer waves. The reds, yellows, etc.

The shorter wave frequencies, blues & purples, are dispersed by the gases in the atmosphere.

This is essentially a giant prismatic effect.

I almost went into a careen in physics... No joke.

xtro

03/03/2006, 11:43

Wow, you can speak Chinese, too!

IRN101

03/03/2006, 12:28

LMAO

Took 5 years of French, 3 years of Latin, 3 years of German, 1 year of Italian, but no Chinese. ;)

xtro

03/03/2006, 12:31

No Spanish? I thought all you Americans spoke Spanish?

IRN101

03/03/2006, 17:40

Nope... My brother-in-law is fluent and my wife speaks it moderately. Anyway, I live in Massachusetts, we're closer to Canada than Mexico. :)