Fireworks Pop Up Menus Behaving Baddly!...
SteadiClarke
I like Fireworks Pop-up Menus because they are easy to build, export and
integrate with Dreamweaver - and update later on.
I like that the Fireworks Pop-Up Menus can be whatever you want to create
using whatever font, background etc.. when you make the buttons that create
your navigation menu.
I looked at Project VII type menus, and it seems that although they supposedly
work better on ALL browsers, they seem to be limited to whatever designs you
purchase... unless I'm mistaken - and if I am, someone please enlighten me
immediately :)
What I don't like with Fireworks Pop-up (down) Menus is:
1. When Creating a pop-up menu, you can only select a few fonts - so if you
create a navigation menu with some cool scripty font for example, your
pull-down will be set with a boring Courier, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Sans or
Times New Roman or whatever "standard" font is available...
2. When creating a pop-up menu with one or several sub-menus, on Mac
platforms, especially with IE (5.2 or whatever) the pop-ups DON'T show up right
under the menu button... and often "miles away" from the menu button - that
just looks plain BAD from a design standpoint and even the most computer
illeterate person can figure out that this is a MISTAKE.
I've read countless Forum Postings and started to read (didn't finish 'cuz
they were just too darn long) a few "tutorials" on how to create pull down
menus NOT using Fireworks... but nothing seems to be as easy as Fireworks... IF
ONLY EVERYONE used PCs with I.E. or Firefox or Mac with Safari (as they should
anyway).. but there's nothing more embarrassing than to create a website for
someone who then goes and checks it with the "bad browser" and asks you "...Why
are the pull-downs not working well..?"
So I would love to know why, and more importantly HOW I can make those darn
Fireworks Pop-up menus work - even those with SEVERAL sub-menus if I choose to.
An example would be (trying to) view: http://www.glenlyonwinery.com with an IE
browser on a Mac - The pull-downs are all over the place and they don't stay
open when trying to mouse-over them... While in Safari or on a PC they work
just fine...
I've rested over the weekend (NOT!) and I'm prepared mentally to tackle on a
reading something (ANYTHING) that will ENLIGHTEN me and fix this crazy Pop-up
menus dilemma - Why isn't Macromedia fixing this?! Or have they, and I just
don't know that there is a patch? I'm currently using Fireworks MX 2004,
Release 7.0.2.295
Many thanks in advance to the person(s) who will really be able to help.
Murray *TMM*
> supposedly
> work better on ALL browsers, they seem to be limited to whatever designs
> you
> purchase... unless I'm mistaken - and if I am, someone please enlighten me
> immediately :)
You are deeply mistaken. You can use the free extensions (or not) along
with their methods to build any kind of menu you want.
> 2. When creating a pop-up menu with one or several sub-menus, on Mac
> platforms, especially with IE (5.2 or whatever) the pop-ups DON'T show up
> right
> under the menu button... and often "miles away" from the menu button
That's because you have most likely placed the call to mm_loadmenu() within
a table cell. It should only be flat on the page, not in a table.
> So I would love to know why, and more importantly HOW I can make those
> darn
> Fireworks Pop-up menus work - even those with SEVERAL sub-menus if I
> choose to.
You have already wasted more time than they are worth.
> Why isn't Macromedia fixing this?!
That's a very good question. You are not the only one who wants to know
this.
In your list of things you don't like about the menus, add the following -
* They are incompatible with DW Templates
* They are monstrously heavy compared to other simpler methods
* Their links are opaque to DW's file management - rename a linked file, or
move one, and every menu on every page breaks
* They are hardwired to pop at a z-index of 1 - this means that other
layers on the page with higher z-indices will fall ON TOP OF THE MENUS
* They will not produce the "pointer" cursor on hovering over the links
* They are opaque to search engine spiders - meaning your pages will NOT be
spidered unless you provide alternative navigation
* They are just bulky, balky, ugly, tedious, and unfriendly
Please don't use them.
If you would like to see examples of PVII methods used on a variety of
sites, take a look at my portfolio (http://www.great-web-sights.com)
--
Murray --- ICQ 71997575
Team Macromedia Volunteer for Dreamweaver
(If you *MUST* email me, don't LAUGH when you do so!)
==================
http://www.dreamweavermx-templates.com - Template Triage!
http://www.projectseven.com/go - DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
http://www.dwfaq.com - DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
http://www.macromedia.com/support/search/ - Macromedia (MM) Technotes
==================
"SteadiClarke" <webfor...@macromedia.com> wrote in message
news:d7im5o$fpj$1...@forums.macromedia.com...
SteadiClarke
"God Status" (in my book) and have TOTALLY ENLIGHTENED ME!...
I can't believe that this was THE FIX that I was looking for. Simply NOT
placing the Fireworks HTML inside a Table Totally FIXED the stupid error!...
Why isn't that posted ANYWHERE! That is So Beautiful! :) :) :)
Life is Beautiful. :)
I plan on checking into the Project VII menus - I know that you really dislike
the FW drop-down menus - I've read so many comments from you in other posts :)
Anyway, I really can't thank you enough!
Clarke
SteadiClarke
Murray *TMM*
It is standard knowledge that placing absolutely positioned elements inside
a table cell is a bad practice. When some pop-up menus "pop" - particularly
these ones, they rely on absolutely positioned elements to do that. Hence,
invoking the menus from within a table cell is tantamount to placing
absolutely positioned elements within that cell. This is just one of the
MANY unspoken and undocumented 'gotchas' lurking within the menus you have
chosen to use, and it's why inexperienced developers so often find
themselves alone in the dark alleys of those monstrous things.
> I know that you really dislike
> the FW drop-down menus
It goes well beyond that, Clarke. They were a mistake from the get-go.
They do a disservice to the community, and they are a blight on Macromedia's
name and reputation. You were seduced into using them by your confidence in
Macromedia, and that confidence was misplaced. Does Macromedia come to help
you out when you get in trouble with them? Uhhh - no. If you think I am
completely pissed about these things, you are just beginning to understand
the depth of my passion....
--
Murray --- ICQ 71997575
Team Macromedia Volunteer for Dreamweaver
(If you *MUST* email me, don't LAUGH when you do so!)
==================
http://www.dreamweavermx-templates.com - Template Triage!
http://www.projectseven.com/go - DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
http://www.dwfaq.com - DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
http://www.macromedia.com/support/search/ - Macromedia (MM) Technotes
==================
"SteadiClarke" <webfor...@macromedia.com> wrote in message
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