Select Option

[ajpaulus]

Hi

Is there a way that I can have a option link to a page?

For example, if you go to this site page that I am working on ...
http://www.searecovery.com/SRCTrial/...s/dealers.html

if they pick Alabama, how can I get it to link to an Alabama page of a list of dealers?

Thanks....

[brian.mark]

One option is to use JavaScript.

<select name="state" onChange="document.location=this.value">
<option value="/alabama.html">Alabama
<option value="/alaska.html">Alaska
</select>

Granted, any visitors without JavaScript turned on it won't work, but without a button to click I'm not sure you'd have many other options.

Brian.

[ajpaulus]

Thanks Brian...it works!

But can you tell me what I should put in the head so that this javascript works?

I get the error message in the status bar.

Thanks...

[brian.mark]

I'm using FireFox and I don't see any errors. What is the error message you're seeing?

Brian.

[ajpaulus]

That typical javascript error in the lower left column status bar....ERROR ON PAGE with the yellow exclamation point.

[brian.mark]

I checked it, and the first error is on line 45. You reference a doFlash() function in the body tag which doesn't exist.

The other error was on line 28, where you have the following:

<SCRIPT language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript"><script src="../findDOM.js"></script>

The nested script tags are causing your problem. It should be like follows:

<SCRIPT language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="../findDOM.js"></script>

Brian.

[ajpaulus]

God! You are so awesome! It works, thanks!

[ajpaulus]

One more question, Brian.

Which way should I code my Flash...the one on the dealer page or the one on my index page?

The way it is on my index page, I can't view it on Netscape, so I tried it the way I have it on my dealer page, but I am not sure which is the correct way.

[brian.mark]

Wish I knew Flash, ANYTHING about flash, other than it is hard to SEO because I get a lot of questions about it. It'd probably be best to ask for this bit of advice in the Flash forum here. Sorry I can't be of more help on that one.

Brian.

[ajpaulus]

Okay...one more...

which is the best way to have the navigation...the one on the dealer page or the index page? Or is it just preference/opinion?

I couldn't figure out how to do a drop down from the left side of the page, so I did it this way.

Your opinion please.

[brian.mark]

It really depends on your target audience. If you want it the most search engine friendly, then text links are the way to go. 50 links (for the states) on a page really becomes too much for usability, so for a person the drop-down is ideal.

As long as you can get to those pages via a sitemap, it really shouldn't matter from a spidering aspect. What's best for the user is best for the pocket book in the end, because spiders don't buy anything.

Brian.

[ajpaulus]

No, the navigation on the left side of the page, not the drop down for the states.

Which menu navigation is best...the index or the dealer page...they are different because I can't make up my mind.

Thanks...

[brian.mark]

I didn't even notice the hiding / expanding on the dealers page. Sorry, I totally missed what you were asking about.

Personally, if I landed at that page, I'd want more options presented to me. Fully expanded, it isn't all that big, so I wouldn't worry about leaving them all showing. It'll give people an idea of the products available form every page without much effort. Less effort = better.

You've got my vote for the style on the homepage, but either would be fine if you prefer the visual cleanliness of the closed up variety.

Brian.

[ajpaulus]

Yes, I was weighing the cleanliness versus the intuitiveness ...I will go with your opinion and have the hidden links displayed. Thanks a bunch!