Suggest a menu script-small-powerful?

[MaineWeb]

I have a great menu on my new site that is about to be launched (http://64.179.21.94). The trouble is, it is very large in file size (about 50K) and will NOT work on a MAC.

It makes searching our inventory pretty slick, but I'm not sure it is worth the slow load time and compatibility issues. The owner of the site very much wants this kind of menu. Does anyone know of a script that might do the same thing but is smaller? I'm not much of a programmer, but I'll try just about anything. Thanks much.

[AlexBel]

I don't know, about you menu. I think visitors don't see it.

Like total I count weight your page without images.
It is 86K without images (it has included HTML, CSS and JS).

Names of files with images contain "spaces". As the result in HTML-code it is like "%20". It isn't a big problem but, you spoke about size.

You will find some goot example menu on the page Dynamic Drive DHTML or you can make little bit easier and light.

[spiderbait]

One thing I'm sure you could do is to make the link to your .js file for the menu an absolute link, rather than a relative one.

If your visitors can have their browser download the menu script on the first visit to your site and then not have to download it again on other pages, then it's not such a problem to have a large script based menu.

But if they have to request and download the menu script on every page of your site then it is going to deter visitors.

A relative link won't always be recognized by a visitor's browser as the same file they've already used so the browser will request it again. Whereas, if you specify the full URL to the script, most browsers will recognize that it is already in the browser's cache and will use the cached version rather than requesting it again.

Sometimes though, even this can't be relied on and the best solution is to actually specify the expiration date or "freshness" of an object such as this script. Not all web hosts will allow you to do this and you should consult with yours to see if it's possible.

For further info about caching and how it might be useful for you, try starting here:
http://www.mnot.net/cache_docs/

Hope this helps

[kiumars]

Hello,

I suggest if you try this very easy program "allwebmenu". Works perfect for your project. More you work with it more you find possibilities. Please check samples and reviews from this link where you can download the software too. http://www.likno.com

Best regards
Kiumars

[jhilgeman]

I've been using this program for several years now:

DHTML Menu Builder
http://software.xfx.net/utilities/dmbuilder/index.html

Pros:
- Code is compatible with just about every browser, Mac or PC.
- Completely automated - you don't have to know any coding.
- It's a Windows-based program, so it's pretty speedy (compared to a web-based application).
- Very flexible + wide variety of features (make vertical menus, horizontal menus, use icons, styles for individual links if you want, and a LOT more...).
- Lots of shortcuts for managing big menus.
- Ability to optimize the final code and generate different menu files for different browsers so code isn't wasted on unneeded compatibility stuff.
- Ability to preview menus.
- Very easy to use once you learn it, and can make some spectacular-looking menus.
- It seems like a one-man-project program by a guy named Xavier, so you often get his personal attention with support issues. He does a good job.

Cons:
- Code can still get a little big for some of the bigger and/or complex menus.
- Menus that I make using an older version have a slightly slower reaction/speed on Mac browsers than on Windows browsers. This might be fixed now.
- A bit of a learning curve at first, but it's -easy- once you get used to it.
- It's nice, but it ain't free. (I got a free copy for designing the logo a couple years back - it looks kinda cheesy now that I look at it.) I think right now it's $39.00, but it's one of the few programs that I would actually consider purchasing if I didn't have it already.

- Jonathan

[mark3738]

Originally Posted by MaineWeb

I have a great menu on my new site that is about to be launched (http://64.179.21.94). The trouble is, it is very large in file size (about 50K) and will NOT work on a MAC.

Hi MaineWeb
I am far from being expert on this subject too but noticed that your menu doesn't show in my Opera browser. I am sure also that if you continue to search Dynamic Drive and other sites you can find a menu that will appear the same to your client but not be so large in file size. The following site http://web-nova.com/ezmenu.asp has some interesting options that may help.

Mark

[suzn]

I've been using Pop-Up Menu Creator Pro by Anoxy Software http://popup.jscentral.com/ for a few years now and have been extremely pleased with it. The menu size it generates is extremely small and the script is linked from the page which really helps cut down on load time.

This is a short description of the program from it's help file:

Pop-Up is a program for creating Dynamic Hypertext Markup Language (DHTML) menus for Web Pages.

With the Pop-Up menu creator you can create your own custom menus, easy and fast (without knowing any JavaScript), just with the push of a few buttons.

Pop-Up menu has many configuration options including; Horizontal or vertical menus, multiple color schemes, image insertion, description boxes, varied activation methods, autoscrolling and drag & drop facilities.

Support is excellent and any upgrades have been free over the years. Honestly, I cannot say enough about this program and the navigational menu it creates. It's definitely worth a few minutes to check out the site.

Suzn

[publicgadfly]

I've been looking at the menu programs suggested. They look interesting.
I do have one '''''minor''''' point about xFX though~
their menus are so so transparent they are almost impossible to read :-(

Also, they seem to have a lot of objects loading.

[spiderbait]

I've used Coffee Cup's software for a lot of different projects. They offer lots of different free software including a dhtml menu builder...

check them out. I'd also be interested to hear anybody's reviews of their software if any of you have tried them

http://www.coffeecup.com/freestuff/

[ronniethedodger]

Okay...first off, I too had a problem with just a simple .js script file running on a Mac. Exactly the same problem as you.

I think I have solved the problem, but am still awaiting word back on the fix. I have a number of people testing it.

The code I used was from another site that actually worked on a Mac. I said great and used the code on my site....but no workie on the Mackie.

The problem from what I saw was that I moved the code into a .js file. But also the problem may be in the fact that the reference to this file is INSIDE OF A TABLE just as yours is nested inside of a table.

The fix I am awaiting word on is to put the reference to the .js file inside of the HEAD area. I am pretty sure (almost but not positive) that this will solve the problem.

Please...please...let me know if that works for you or if you are still having any problems, because I need this code to work on Mac and other browsers as well. One of the other browsers is a new one called FireBird, and the code will not run on it as well.

If anyone out there that is not using IE 6 on a PC (I know that works) could test my nav menu at the site listed in my signature and let me know if the SCRIPTED LINKS work, it would be greatly appreciated.

The links in particular are the ones labeled ORDER ONLINE, MENS PRODUCTS, and WOMENS PRODUCTS. All three are located in the horizontal nav bar in the header on each page.

[luvdavy]

Originally Posted by spiderbait

I've used Coffee Cup's software for a lot of different projects. They offer lots of different free software including a dhtml menu builder...

check them out. I'd also be interested to hear anybody's reviews of their software if any of you have tried them

http://www.coffeecup.com/freestuff/

Does that free menu download include the ability to make those little navigation boxes they use on their homepage? I need that! The source code looked like an ordinary mouseover code, but it didn't work by itself....

Jan

[ronniethedodger]

Originally Posted by MaineWeb

I have a great menu on my new site that is about to be launched (http://64.179.21.94). The trouble is, it is very large in file size (about 50K) and will NOT work on a MAC.

I just received the results of the testing I have done on both the Mac IE and Firebird browsers.

Move your <SCRIPT src="filename.js> references into the HEAD section. Your references are inside of a TABLE in the BODY section and some browsers will not parse it correctly. This is the same mistake that I had made....basicly the browsers are ignoring the <SCRIPT> references after the TABLE has been created.

Also...to avoid the delay in loading this file, do as spiderbait suggested and make this reference absolute. After the initial downloading of this file, it will be cached locally to the user's harddrive and will not need to be downloaded again.

With the above changes, I think you will find that you will not need to go out and review other menu options. If the customer is happy with it and you are happy with it, then that is all that counts. This solution will make it easier on you as well.

Let me know how you make out on this fix. I am interested in knowing about it.

Also, I would like to thank Terry Young over at Site Experts for all of his help on this problem.

[jhilgeman]

Originally Posted by publicgadfly

I've been looking at the menu programs suggested. They look interesting.
I do have one '''''minor''''' point about xFX though~
their menus are so so transparent they are almost impossible to read :-(

Also, they seem to have a lot of objects loading.

Howdy. Yes, xFx's site is loaded down with things - it's basically a mini showcase for the abilities of DMB and Javascripting. Transparency is one feature, so are icons, colors, yada yada. You can make menus look like just about anything you want, really.

- Jonathan

[MaineWeb]

Thank you all so much for your responses. Haven't been in for a few days, but I will read them all and check out your suggestions. I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks again.