Newbie struggling with a menu

[idledragon]

I'm trying to replicate an existing menu and I'm hoping that someone might be able to help.  Basically, I want to migrate the current site to CMSMS so my wife can easily update it.  (I'm a literature person and everything thus far has gone smoothly, but I can't seem to wrap my brains around this part).

The original menu looks like the picture below.



The left side shows what can be expanded (with a + that is actually a picture), and the right side show the category exapnded (the plus gets swapped out with a - that is a picture as well).

Of course the other trick is replicating the line in between, but that somehow seems more manageable.

I'd appreciate any and all help!

[Vin]

Sure, it's in the documentation: http://wiki.cmsmadesimple.org/index.php/User_Handbook/Admin_Panel/Layout/Menu_Manager#section_expand
(Read the help for the Menu Manager in Extensions > Modules, click on the MenuManager module).

[idledragon]

Thank you very much for pointing me that direction.

Do you know if there a way to not us or with this setup?  Since it is a for a school website, I have to be consistent with the menu (meaning I really need to be using + and - that are click able to open and close the menu item).  The image would swap out and not be just a 'static' + sign.  I realize I probably wasn't clear in my initial post.


The other thing I noticed is that when I'm using ul and/or li the menu gets moved over to the middle significantly.

[Pierre M.]

Hello,

I think it is all about CSS and not CMSms specific.

Your bordered '+' can be a CSS bordered '+' or an image.
The layout and look and feel of ul and li is CSS controled. Put divs, links and classes anyway you want in HTML.

I find your menu a very standard one : copy a sample template and replace the dot/arrow by a '+'.

Pierre M.

[idledragon]

Getting the dot to be a minus really isn't where I'm having an issue.

The challenge I've having is actually swapping out the image + to -, in the original menu system there is some javascript that is doing this, but I can't figure out how to integrate it into the template. 

It definitely isn't a CMSMS issue, I was just hoping someone might have a suggestion or to in order to swapimages.

What is funny is that I just noticed a "+ Additional Options" below the 'reply box' for this forum that does exactly what I want to do 

[Vin]

Sure, what you need is some cooperation of CSS and javascript.
This link might be worth seeing for you: http://www.scss.com.au/family/andrew/webdesign/explorertree/

[idledragon]

Thanks Vin,

This does help somewhat and it is how my original menu is set up, I just can't wrap my brain around how to integrate it in with CMSMS menu template.  The problem comes with allowing CMSMS to control what shows up in the menu.  Does that make sense?

It is just too much for the squirrel in my head to process.

[Pierre M.]

The problem comes with allowing CMSMS to control what shows up in the menu.  Does that make sense?

Have you tried to patch the menu template ? the associated CSS ?

Pierre M.

[idledragon]

The problem comes with allowing CMSMS to control what shows up in the menu.  Does that make sense?

Have you tried to patch the menu template ? the associated CSS ?

Pierre M.

I have attempted to patch the menu template, the CSS I'm using is set by the university (so I won't/can't modify it).  I'm planning on attempting again this evening, but I think I know just enough to be dangerous.  I will post if I get if figured out, but it may just be over my head.  I have a friend that is willing to attempt to help, but he is swamped until April.  So unless I figure it out, I'm kind of in a holding pattern.  I will certainly post the results.

I do really appreciate your attempts to help.

[idledragon]

Just a quick update.  I came closer by modifying the 'menu_with_icons' template.

Replacing the images wasn't a problem, but the from the css defined a 'line' in the menu, not to mention I couldn't figure out how to get an 'onclick swapimage' image 'thing' working.  So I'm going to have to wait for help from my friend.  Another issue I was having was that at times I would have menu items that had sub-items hidden, but it would appear to visitors that they could expand it when they actually couldn't.

BUT I did figure out a quick way to work around things temporarily.  Basically I'm using the old menu structure (with s and a working swapimage).  I set that up as a menu template and have it contained within a table.  I pull that as I would any other menu.  The bad thing is that my menu items still won't be selected/configuralbe by CMSMS and I will have to code specific links that I want.

Why is this a positive?  I can alter the menu in one place and apply it to 4-5 different page tempates that I'm using for the site.

I have to set the menu issue aside for now and work on the rest of the site, but I will post back at some point...hopefully with a full solution and code.