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Thread: Nav bar issue

  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2011
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    Default Nav bar issue

    I have a nav bar that is simply text running vertically down the side of the page. Currently mousing over an item causes a blue box to appear over it. The client wants instead for the text to become larger and bolder. I sent a tech request and was told to use the Alpha nav bar because it already does this, but it doesn't. And I've tried everything to change the colors (with no success) and there's no option to change font size. Editing nav bars seems impossible. What am I missing?

    Thanks in advance for your help. I've been using NetObjects Fusion for many, many years and bought Xara on a whim last year. I'm liking it more and more but find it very frustrating when I can't figure out how to do something simple like this.

    Kit

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Nav bar issue

    Hello Kit and welcome to TalkGraphics

    I too have used NetObjects Fusion (since version 3). I still use it, but only occasionally. Designer or Web Designer are just so much better.

    As near as I can see, the Alpha Nav Bar does not even have a mouse over state.

    You will need to create individual buttons. You can make the rectangle the same color as the page so the text will just appear to be text. On the mouse over version, make the text larger and bolder. Create a new pair of buttons like this for each page. Then select both states for the first button and from the Arrange menu, select Apply Soft Group. Repeat for the other buttons. Then link each button, select all of the buttons and from the Arrange menu select Repeat on All Pages. (Best to do this after all your pages have been created).

    I have attached a file with three buttons. Preview all pages and you can see how the buttons work.

    Because your client wants the type to changes size, you cannot use a standard navigation bar. What you might want to try, if you want to create the new button bar with the Nav Bar Tool is keep the text the same size, but make the mouse over state darker.
    Attached Files Attached Files

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Nav bar issue

    Kit

    I learning new software can be very daunting and Web Designer works very differently from NOF. So if any of this does not make sense post here and we'll help you sort it out.

  4. #4
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    Default Re: Nav bar issue

    Thank you for your prompt reply. Sadly, your answer made absolutely no sense to me at all. I looked at what you sent, I tried what you suggested and am now in the process of duct taping the top of my head back on. I don't know from Soft Groups and whether I'm supposed to stack them first or what. I am just going to tell the client that it's not possible. I also got a response from tech support that may have been translated from the original Greek. Maybe I'm just having a bad day. As irritating as this is, it's nice to know there's support out there -- as you know, NetObjects support fell off the face of the earth several years ago.

    Kit

  5. #5
    Join Date
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    Default Re: Nav bar issue

    Hi Kitrinka,

    I too am a refugee from the beautiful but beleaguered Netobjects Fusion. I think Fusion literally fused into my being, because it has taken me a while to get in the groove of Xara. I upgraded to Designer Pro 7 on Friday, and am finding that somehow the penny has really dropped suddenly. It's probably because there have been so many excellent changes to the interface. Suddenly it's a lot easier to work with site pages, which of course is the feature to beat in Fusion.

    I don't know if this helps but I find it much easier to make a navbar from scratch than try to edit the design of an existing nav bar. If you want the same look just harvest the graphics from the Xara navbar to make your own new one. Would prefer not to have to do it, but it's quick and efficient. Yesterday I spent a long time playing with existing nav bars, and as soon as I ungrouped them to make design changes, I could never get them all back together again to work as a bar. This was even with the manual open and two tutorials. There must be some knack I don't yet have. But that said, apart from missing the legendary site management tool of Fusion, which I doubt any software company will ever, ever match (sense a gauntlet being thrown down there, Xara?) I can't imagine any way back to it.

    Hope you have better luck with the nav bars. Let me know if you find the holy grail of taking them to pieces and putting them back together again - properly. (PS even when I got one working again, it didn't update the instances on the other pages, which it was set to do. Just not sure where I am going wrong.)

    Best wishes.

    Ali

  6. #6
    Join Date
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    Location
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    Default Re: Nav bar issue

    Ali - I found this link on another thread and it was invaluable in helping me with the nav bar issue: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVg67eQfm7M

    When I was done I made sure to highlight the nav bar and then choose "Update Repeating Objects" to make sure all the changes made it to the other pages. Worked great for me except that in IE9 it looks like a mess. I was ready to tear my hair out until I had my hubby check the site on his 'puter running IE8 and it looked great, as it did in Firefox. So when you make any changes, make sure you check the site with a couple of different browsers before you commit hari kari.

    BTW, I was using a nav bar that was part of a theme so the YouTube tutorial I sent you worked like a charm. Give it a shot. And good luck!!

    Kit

  7. #7
    Join Date
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    Default Re: Nav bar issue

    Hi Kit

    Thanks for that. I am quite sure I am doing something wrong. I tend to make stupid mistakes nowadays as well as exotic ones.

    I will watch the movie asap.

    Best wishes.

    Ali

 

 

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