Sub Section Navigation

[fibonacci-d]

I am creating an Actinic website at the moment that uses a bespoke layout and product navigation elements that are split into two lists - shop by section and by brand (nav elements on the left). It is up on trials server at:-

http://trials.actinic.com/trials/trial49615/

Once I am in a product section (Boys Clothing as current example), I can list all of that Parent Section's children within the sub-menu appearing at the top of the main column (in this example 'Jumpers' & 'Trousers') using the following code:-

<ul>
<actinic:block type="ParentSectionList" ><li><actinic:variable Name="SectionName"/> </li></actinic:block>
<actinic:block type="ChildSectionList" ><li>><a href="<actinic:variable Name="SectionPageName"/>"><actinic:variable Name="SectionName"/></a></li></actinic:block>
</ul>

OK - all fine so far.
The problem I have is that I want to KEEP the sub menu as it appears here on the subsequent pages - i.e. when viewing Jumpers / Trousers products list & when viewing the extended info page. At present it just shows the page's parent section list - 'Jumpers' for the jumpers page & 'Trousers' for the trousers page...

Is there an easy way of doing this? Perhaps a blockif condition I could use around the code above so that for all product pages the sub menu displayed maintains that product sections' product sub section list?

Thanks for any help, hope this isn't totally confusing.
Chris

[TraceyG]

Hi Chris,

To achieve what you want you would need to create a new variable with the following settings:

name: SectionNumber
prompt: Section Number
place of setting: section
allow empty value: ticked
allow <use parent> as an option: ticked

Then give each of your top level sections a unique number for this variable(ie 'Boys' = 1, 'Girls' = 2, 'Baby' = 3, etc).

Put the following code into your layout:

<actinic:block if="%28%3cactinic%3avariable%20name%3d%22SectionLevel%22%20%2f%3e%20%3e%200%29%20AND%20%28%3cactinic%3avariable%20name%3d%22IsSearchInterfaceUsed%22%20%2f%3e%20%3d%3d%20False%29" >
<actinic:block type="EntireSectionList" >
<actinic:block if="%3cactinic%3avariable%20name%3d%22SectionNumber%22%20%2f%3e%20%3d%3d%20%3cactinic%3avariable%20name%3d%22MainSection%3a%3aSectionNumber%22%20%2f%3e" >
>	<a href="<actinic:block if="%3cactinic%3avariable%20name%3d%22IsLoginPageSuppressed%22%20%2f%3e%20AND%0d%3cactinic%3avariable%20name%3d%22UnregCustomersAreNotAllowed%22%20%2f%3e" ><actinic:variable name="SectionPageName" /></actinic:block><actinic:block if="%28%3cactinic%3avariable%20name%3d%22IsLoginPageSuppressed%22%20%2f%3e%20%3d%3d%20false%29%20OR%0d%28%3cactinic%3avariable%20name%3d%22UnregCustomersAreNotAllowed%22%20%2f%3e%20%3d%3d%20false%29" ><actinic:variable name="SectionURL" /></actinic:block>" >
   <Actinic:Variable Name="SectionName"/>
	</a>
</actinic:block>
</actinic:block>
</actinic:block>

I hope this helps.

[fibonacci-d]

Hi Tracy,
Thanks for that - I've implemented it into the code as you suggest and it seems to work quite nicely. Have a look if you have the time ;]
Many Thanks,
Chris

[fibonacci-d]

Trac(e)y - I do get a coding error though when I upload:-

Error in condition (Variable 'SectionLevel' is used out of context).

It doesn't seem to be problematic wrt the working of the site but still - when I eventually hand the site over to the client and they have to keep clicking 'No' to looking at the coding error every time they upload it isn't ideal... Is this normal for this particular workaround or could it be my code?
Thanks.
Chris

[TraceyHand]

Trac(e)y - I do get a coding error though when I upload:-

Error in condition (Variable 'SectionLevel' is used out of context).

It doesn't seem to be problematic wrt the working of the site but still - when I eventually hand the site over to the client and they have to keep clicking 'No' to looking at the coding error every time they upload it isn't ideal... Is this normal for this particular workaround or could it be my code?
Thanks.
Chris

This coding error is very common when a condition such as this is used in the outer layout (and has been discussed many times before)

Surrounding the problematic code with another blockif

PageType == "Section" (obviously created properly) should eliminate the coding error.

[fibonacci-d]

Hi Tracey,
I think this has sorted it - I tried to add this also the the extended info page but that just knocked out the sub menu altogether... anyway fingers crossed this has done it.
Chris
ps - yep, i should have searched the forum first ;]

[TraceyHand]

what did you try to add to the extended info page?
The main code or the sectionlevel blockif?
You won't need the sectionlevel blockif on an extended info page so that could be why it killed the menu.

[sgtbash]

Im trying to do the same, but backwards

Hi all,

Just read through this post thinking i may help, but I am unsure.

I am trying to do the same but "backwards"

Site Structure:

Nineplus (Main Brochure Page)
Company (Main Catalog Page)
>Company
>>Our Heart
>>News
>>History
>>Advertising
>>Team Riders
>>Happy Campers
>Surf
>Fashion
>Essentials
>Lotus Surf
>Shop
>Information

What i want to be able to do is show the sub section links of the Company Sub section (Our heart, news, etc...)

on the main catalog page (Company)

You should be able to see what i mean here:
http://dswebhost.co.uk/testsites/nineplus2008-8412/

There is only one navigation set here:
Company / Nineplus Surf / Nineplus Hasu Fashion ... Etc

If you click on the company link (it takes you to the company page, which is the first section of the main catalog pages)

I want the navigation to look like that.

With the 1st level sections at the top
(Company / Nineplus Surf ...)

and the sub sections of the company section under that.
(Our Heart / News / Nineplus History ...)

I also want to do this on the
Main catalog index page

But for only those two pages (main index & acatalog/index)

The rest are all going to use thier own sections and sub sections.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Dan

[sgtbash]

I've managed to do it!!!!!
I cant believe how Ive done it myself, but I have:

I used parts of the code above but insted of using the variable "MainSection::SectionNumber" which i dont understand and also didnt seem to want to work.

Here is the code I used

<actinic:block type="EntireSectionList" >
<actinic:block if="%3cactinic%3avariable%20name%3d%22SectionNumber%22%20%2f%3e%20%3d%3d%201" >
<actinic:variable name="Nineplus Sub Section List" value="Nineplus 2nd Level Sub Section List" />
</actinic:block>
</actinic:block>

Sorry that doesnt really explain much very well, but Im a bit dumfounded how I actually got it working.
If anyone can explain - please do! He He

[sgtbash]

Hmm,

OK, so ive got it working for a sub section list below the current document but I cant get it working for the one above - like this thread is about...

Can anyone help?

You will see what I mean at:
http://dswebhost.co.uk/testsites/nin...g/Company.html

If you go into any of the pages below "Welcome"

The bottom (Sub section) Menu will dissapear, I want it to stay and display the same links.

I have searched and searched and searched the forums for some help, but seem to only be able to find sub section related things other than what i want.

[dyingtosaythis]

Hi there,

Sorry to interrupt your thread, but I have to say I love the design of your site so far. I had a question for you, the thumbnails that you have on your section pages, does Actinic generate these for you or did you add script to achieve the thumbnail layout? Looks really good! I am curious about how to achieve such a professional thumbnail layout.

Thanks
Steph

[sgtbash]

Hi there,

Sorry to interrupt your thread, but I have to say I love the design of your site so far. I had a question for you, the thumbnails that you have on your section pages, does Actinic generate these for you or did you add script to achieve the thumbnail layout? Looks really good! I am curious about how to achieve such a professional thumbnail layout.

Thanks
Steph

Hi,

Sorry to burst both our bubbles, but the site at the moment has very little actinic content and is taken from the HTML & CSS page that our designer has created.
Everything below the 3 images at the top (Colour, Apparel & Passion) is basic HTML & CSS NOT created by actinic.

This site is in the process of being made into an actinic site and should look the same when done.

But thanks for your comment, I will pass it on to our designer.

Dan

In the meantime, does anyone have any ideas on how I can get this navigation to work?

[sgtbash]

Got it working but still not right

Ok, so ive got the example that this thread is initially about working, but its not quite what I want.

It lists the sections parent section which I dont want.

Ive narrowed down what i want to be able to do...

"List a sections siblings."

Here is a screen shot of my current heirachy:


And if you go to say the our heart page
Click Here
Image for you lazy ones:


You can see the top level of navigation which is correct and directly underneath it a (2nd) level navigation.

All i want this to be is a list of that sections siblings.
So the "Our Heart" page would have a list of:

Our Heart / News / Nineplus History / Advertising / Team Riders / Happy Campers

This surly cant be that hard to impliment, i have searched high and low, but haven't found what i need - or i've been very silly and read right over the top of it.

PLEASE someone help me!!!

2 Notes: I AM aware that "Mail List" is missing from my links, this is intentional & I cant get the method above to work with a list layout so it will correctly input "/" itself.

[TraceyG]

If I've read it correctly, you just want to remove 'Welcome' from the 2nd menu. Would the following condition help:

<actinic:variable name="SectionLevel" /> > 1

[jont]

Error in condition (Variable 'SectionLevel' is used out of context).

This often happens when focussed on a brochure page - switch to a product section and it usually disappears - another little quirk of Actinic