Navigation bar's appearance ???

[j4mes_bond25]

After spending few days, I've finally managed to create a banner along with the navigation bar, EXACTLY the way I wanted, which can be seen on:

http://darsh25.silverserve.co.uk/per...te/contact.php

All the links on the buttons work perfectly well (however, presently, I've ONLY uploaded Services & Contact files, so other links won't work).

Problem remains currently is that everytime, I click on any other link, I get the ENTIRE animation of the banner playing AGAIN. Is there a way, I could make this play ONLY ONCE when user enters the website & NOT when he/she browses from one page to another (from example from Contact to Services). Such a repeated animation, again & again, could be most probably annoying for viewers.

Lastly, all the links are buttons (understandably), I wonder if there's a way, that allows me to make the CURRENT SELECTED page link appearing "unique" (perhaps, with red background). For example, if someone clicks on Contact, they'll get to see "Contact.php". At this time, I'd want "Contact" button appearing RED & hence making it stand-out from other buttons (which has dual coloured gradients background). This is just to ensure that user know that they're CURRENTLY viewing certain page.

Perhaps, this can be achieved by changing the appearance of the button AFTER someone clicks on it. "Up, over, down" links of button doesn't support this (since, "up" is how the button appears without any action, "over" is only & as far as mouse stays over a button & "down" is ONLY for a split-second when user "clicks") but I want this particular button appearing differently AFTER they click on it (i.e. when they are reading the page this button is linked with).

All uploaded files can be seen on:
http://darsh25.silverserve.co.uk/personal_website

[Egg Bramhill]

Hi James.

Now that's loading as I'd expect it. Far faster.

I rarely do an HTML site these days, creating all my sites totaly in Flash.

One way you could do it is to use Frames, but I know these are frowned upon these days. Place the Flash banner & buttons in the top frame and have them load the content in the lower frame. Then you could use something like the selected mc in the fla I supplied to highlight the current page.

[j4mes_bond25]

Hi James.

Now that's loading as I'd expect it. Far faster.

I rarely do an HTML site these days, creating all my sites totaly in Flash.

One way you could do it is to use Frames, but I know these are frowned upon these days. Place the Flash banner & buttons in the top frame and have them load the content in the lower frame. Then you could use something like the selected mc in the fla I supplied to highlight the current page.

Right now, as you can see that I've all buttons on different layers. Would you say, I rather keep it that way & use some sort of "behaviour" like "onMouseOver", "play certain number of frame" etc.

Isn't there any script that allows me to play the entire animation ONLY when the visitor visits the website but NOT when the click on different buttons ???

[Egg Bramhill]

Only if you use frames sets. As it is at present it reloads the swf file anew for every button press.

[Availor]

James, I've recently learned that you can use Javascript code to control flash (I mean that you can active a frame within flash with HTML tags).

Another option would be to set a variable.

For example: playinganimation = 0; and then put this code:

if (playinganimation = 0) {
play ();
}
else {
stop();
}

But I suppose the most simple way would be as following: When I visit your site, I will go to the home page, so you just make different banners. One will be put inside the home page which will contain the animation. The other one will be put on the about, links etc... pages. I suppose this will be the most optimised stuff.

By the way, what exactly are you trying to do James?

[Availor]

By the way, James, I don't know PHP so how do you upload your site like that? I mean with the ability for the user to register (send you an email)?

I was asked if I could createa a site, but I dont' know how to make sucha form.

[j4mes_bond25]

By the way, James, I don't know PHP so how do you upload your site like that? I mean with the ability for the user to register (send you an email)?

I was asked if I could createa a site, but I dont' know how to make sucha form.

ONLY FEW "free webspace provider" allows user to upload PHP files (so Lycos does, that's why you could see my page, but NOT the Geocities).

This Contact form, has ALL the necessary validation so as to stop preventing user from typing wrong data & hence ensuring that the data we receive are valid.

It took me the vast deal of effort, since I'd to explore a lot in PHP before being able to make this form in around 2-3 weeks after reading 2-3 different books.

However, if you're into PHP then, try this website: http://www.tizag.com/ for the easiest php tutorial I ever came across. However, before you implement any of it, you'd need to get the PHP itself.

http://www.apachefriends.org/en/xampp.html give you the software that's everything you need i.e. PHP, MySQL (you may need it later on, if not now) & Apache, which you HAVE TO HAVE before executing any of the PHP.

Lastly, since PHP gets executed in the server itself (i.e. Apache), NO ONE could see the codes, at all (for example, a way to do so would be by using "view source code" option in the browser).

This means, you won't be able to see the codes I've typed in for this Contact form (i.e. NOT the php codes, but you could still see the HTML codes). This means, you could see the codes of the way I've DESIGNED the form but NOT the codes of the validation & the functionality of this Contact form.

If you need the code, I can arrage that for you later on.

[Availor]

Well Now I'm learning ActionScript and a bit of XML, I'm taking a course for ASP in a month. For now I can make a pretty neat Flash content with user forms and sound embeded, now I'm learning the integration between them and xml files. The only thing is that I need to connect the user form to the server and that is something I don't know.

Well, I've bought some books, I have time now so all I do is read them and watch the tutorials, guess I'm about to kick the road pretty soon.

Maybe I'll send you something to look at pretty soon

[Egg Bramhill]

Availor,

Your 'playinganimation' variable wouldn't work. The problem is that the swf file is reloaded with each page so 'playinganimation' will always = 0.

However I just love the lateral thinking of creating a different banner for all the other pages, that's a simple but pleasing solution.

Regarding asp php and mysql I only wish I had the time to study these. I've got books that I've bought but I just don't get the time to read them.

I'll have a look at James links.

[Availor]

Egg,

You do have the time. You have 24 hours a day. It's just not in your priority :-) Think about it.