CSS Menu Help

[barrym67]

Hi there,

without having to search for a new forum, I thought I would post this here as an off-topic. I have been comissioned to make a website and I must admit that I am very new to CSS.

The client wants a vertical drop down menu such as the one that you will see on the Apple site: http://www.apple.com/startpage/

The menu is on the left hand side (and the right) - when you click on a header box the menu drops down. I have seen one at simply the best scripts, but it is not a css based one like on the Apple page.

Can anyone please advise as to how I can achieve this or know of a link, I would appreciate any help, my client is very fussy.

Thanks a stack.

[haakoo]

Hi,

It's javascript
Take a look here http://www.dynamicdrive.com/dynamicindex1/

Hans

[barrym67]

Thanks Hans

I did look at that page before and may have overlooked or missed something there. What I have done is save the Apple page - delete all unwanted text, graphics and links by process of emilination and kept testing the page to see if the menu still worked.

I then saw that it was dependant on a whole lot of .js files (as you said: javascript) - after examining these .js files I saw where they came from and now the whole problem is solved. Any person interested should take a look at this site: http://script.aculo.us/ and here is the download page http://wiki.script.aculo.us/scriptaculous/show/Usage and the code is for free.

I should have done this in the first place. Thank you for your reply. Now the trick is getting this to work. The web is advancing so quickly I am getting left behind!

[haakoo]

Hi Barry,

Thanks for that great link,like to go with the animation fx
I'm using flash but like to know other ways to get the same results

Hans

[Egg Bramhill]

Am I missing something here? This is the worst navigation page I've ever encountered. Firstly I see no drop down menus, so perhaps that would be a good place to start.

I'm using windows XP Home and Firefox 2.0.0.6

I am serious, I just can't navigate this site.

[haakoo]

Hi

Which you don't see,Egg??

[Egg Bramhill]

I see no drop down menu whatsoever. I see a horizontal "sub menu" that bears no relation to any sensible navigation.

I'm obviously missing something here, but what it is I have no idea.

[haakoo]

Hi Egg,

Is it for the apple site??
tested with same FF version as you have,no problems here
The dropdowns are on left and righthand side
the topbar,which seems to have dropdowns don't have them,are just buttons

Hans

(2B.OT,Got to sleep,have to take the kids to school in the morning)

[handrawn]

no probs here with FFox 2.0.0.6 - either site - as long as js enabled of course

[barrym67]

Hi Everyone

Problems I have noticed with that drop down menu is that it only works once the page has fully loaded. The page opens with all the menu's expanded out, once the script comes into action, they concertina closed.

I personally do not like this navigation method as their sub-links are so long, and when you go to a certain section and it expands, the section heading is so high you do not know where you are.

I would prefer it if you could open and close the menus, giving you more control, such as the one that I have on my site: http://www.psptubez.com/

I had started on some designs - but he did not like them. I see where he is coming from - he want's his site to have a "blog" feel to it and I know that is what will make him happy, so I must look for a blog template and add that fancy schmancy menu to it and he will be happy.

Here are some links to some designs that he was not happy with, but he left it wide open for me as he had given me no direction and then was not happy with what I had done, needless to say this is a silly way to operate and it made me mad. (when you are desperate for money you will do anything!!) The only thing I knew what he wanted was red, grey and blue (so what is the Apple site all about then I ask you??)

Here are the test pages he declined.

http://www.legyle.com/test/index.html

and

http://www.psptubez.com/test/index.asp

Do you guys think that it is suitable to have your menu based on javascript? Surely some internet folk do not have java enabled or is that an archaic thought?

I personally think that the Apple site is very boring, but the client likes the style and as I said he is very fussy. The upside is that the site is about diving with sharks and marine photography, at least the images will brighten it up, hopefully. I must just mention that the client is a very nice guy should he ever stumble upon this thread!