I have just about figured how to make an extremely basic flash drop down menu, but I have one issue. First, this is how I created each category: Made a box with text, changed to button item, and made over effect do a drop down. Very simply made, but a slight issue. The button doesnt want to stay on the over state when you are over links in the dropdown. I checked it with normal font and it stays on over, but links mess it up. Any ideas from you flash experts?

Direct Link: http://maddenwii.vndv.com/topnav.swf

Example in site (top navigation): http://maddenwii.vndv.com/test.php

And for the site example, I know it looks weird and all. I was going to fix the positioning and all of the flash object once I get this small issue solved.

The thing is that you can have exactly the same 'thing' without using any flash.... people not having flahs wont be able to use your site :/, people having a bad connection will get to your nav slowly.. plys your nav is kind of messed up... while you navigate on the submenus it goes away and comes back.

Tho the idea is nice, i suggest having a css drop down menu.

Can css drop down menus be edited in an external program so I dont have to edit each individual page though?

And I know the flash drop menu looks like crap, just trying to figure out the dynamics before I put any real effort in.

I don't know what you mean by the program, but so you don't have to edit each individual page you can just use php include or html/javascript include.

cant you create the menu on the external css page and link that to every page?! then you wouldnt need to change every page but just the coding on that one page...

I'm trying to avoid the php include if I can. With the Flash menu, I just have to edit it in flash to edit all my pages.

Can i ask why you're trying to avoid the php include?
One other way which wouldn't be the best way, but you could do an iframe, but the drop down effect wouldn't look as nice.

And I'm sure you could do it with javascript, and have all the links and everything in a .js file.

I would rather do this in CSS. Much more user friendly approach.

Jacob.

The menu is good in design but you need to get rid of the bugs.

Usually JavaScript would be used for that.

I use it on a few sites and its just really annoys me because I like to use the design view in Dreamweaver and you cant view the design view with the php includes on there. So every time I edit a page I have to cancel the php includes out and its just a real pain in the ass.

As for the reason I'm not doing it in javascript, I dont know alot about javascript and I dont have the time to learn. I do know a fair amount about using flash and actionscript, so for time management purposes I've decided to stick with the flash.

What does the design view do? Is it a wysiwyg editor?

It's dreamweaver.

This is what it views when I have php include on:


While the view without the php includes looks like this:

You still never answered my question, is the Design View WYSIWYG

Basically meaning, you can edit your page on the "Design View" without having to go to the code tab.

Either way I hate Dreamweaver... I use RapidPHP but it's not free.

And not wanting to use php includes because of a personal inconvenience is just weird in my opinion. If it would help you make your site more easy and quick, then why go through the hassle of trying to find alternative ways.

Your website visitors don't care what the website preview looks like in dreamweaver. I'm a big fan of flash, but it should really only be used for interactive content. That menu can be done much more nicely using javascript within a php include so you can update all pages at once. Might make navigating easier for the googlebots as well. It also gives you the option of using that whitespace for something else (an ad perhaps?).

Well, I dont know nearly enough about javascript to even know where to start and I definitely dont have the time to learn at the moment. And as for updating all my pages at once, by using the flash I can do they simply by editing it in Flash Professions 8.

Well you can look online for js menus... but really combine CSS menus and php include for easy mod.

CSS menus like yours DD

Really look into this site... you'll find everything

And i personally would not suggest using Dreamweaver to look into codes... really its a big program that does SHIT. I think it was an admin here that introduced me with notepad++ (it edits most of the coding languages and highlights syntaxes.. really easy to modify JS / PHP / HTML / CSS) N++

I'm not a professional web designer or nor do I ever plan on becoming one. I was taught html a year ago in school using Dreamweaver. It is a program that I know how to use and can use with ease. I find Dreamweaver an easy program to use to create websites and have yet to found any real issues with it, thus I never plan on switching programs because I dont see the reason. I do use the combination of the design view and the code view when using dreamweaver however I tend to use the design view more because I like to see what I'm doing as I'm doing it and it saves time looking for the certain things in the coding that I want to alter. The code view does underline errors and helps speed up the code editing by automatically closing tags. You may think that dreamweaver is "a big program that does SHIT" however that isnt my opinion of it.

I'm assuming he says "a big program that does SHIT" by meaning it is a very bloated piece of software. I don't know about recent versions but I had dream weaver and the installation was over 150mb, and I found that to be pointless for what it does. The program I use now is only 8mb, installed, and does everything except the design view.

The problem with design view is that you can end up with more errors than not when you use it, and then trying to fix them ends up causing you problems later.

I understand using a program that is familiar, but sometimes it's better to just try new things. Nothing saying you have to make a permanent switch, just a small trial. And sorry if I sound like I'm pushing you into trying something new, I don't mean to, I just am explaining my point of view on the whole thing.

I know the problem but this should help ok.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHVYWcNitq4

This makes it simple to create and once done you can make up your own and play with it to do more creative buttons.

Your problem is the layers with your text they are not place correctly.

Monster-

Not bad, although I think you could make it a bit nicer in flash, because I've seen nicer ones with CSS and javascript.
Doing this in CSS at all is a better idea, the visitor might not have flash player installed.

It depends what he plans to use it for but the link I posted will help him figure out what he did wrong and as for nice looking flash buttons
they both can do the job nicely but I find it easy and much faster to create a nice looking menu in flash then in CSS and Javascript.
For example I can create a menu that will have reflections without having to go to Photoshop and animate it can be done easily.

Thanks for the help, turned out I did alot of things wrong. I appreciate it.