A couple of issues I use some help with

[Goz]

I have upgraded a site from 7 to 8.0.3

Woodworking Centre

I have a long way to go yet to get this ready, but firstly i decided to change the format of the horizontal menu bar to reflect the colours used in the cascading menu on the left (thanks for that Norman). And, try as I might, I cannot seem to control anything on the horizontal menu bar apart from the background colour. I reckon CSS is controlling this but I have no idea how to find out which bit of my CSS is doing it. Anyone any ideas how I can figure this out?

My second problem is when I go to a section page that only has sub-sections and no products. The entire set of sub-sections is repeated. Example

If I go to a section page that has sub-sections and at least one product on there, then everything is displayed once. Example

Again, has anyone any clues about how I might track that one down?

Also, any feedback would be gratefully received.... I'm beginning to lose the will to live on this site!

thanks in advance

Andy

[wjcampbe]

On the design tab, click on the horizontal menu in the preview and look in the bottom left for the Layout code tab. If you work your way through the layers of code here, you will find the css bits identified by class=dadada statements.

Your two sub-section lists come from SubSectionListTop and SubSectionListBottom - you will need to set on or the other to "No Layout" to avoid this.

[fatoftheland]

adding to what wj posted... you can always create some custom css to go into the main actinic.css to redesign your layout. Simply wrap the actinic:variables in your <div id="whatever" class="whatever"> VARIABLE HERE </div> and this will then change the design as long as you specify what you have added to the actinic.css file.

For more info on css visit this site: http://www.w3schools.com/css/default.asp

[pinbrook]

adding to what norman posted

Who's that then?

Norman William John Rouxel Campbell or the Jo/Jan phenomena multiplying?

[Darren B]

Its this name thing again

thanks for the link

Darren

[fatoftheland]

doh my mistake your fault... hehe

[Goz]

thanks guys

Thanks for your replies. These problems are now cured.

Bill - I set one, t'other then both of those to "No Layout" without effect. Unfortunately, I'd over-ridden the cascading effect of "Use Parent" somewhere along the line when it was a V7 site! Fixed all that so thanks Bill.

Jon - thanks for the link to w3schools - I'd forgotton about that (but it was v.late and I should have been in bed!)

It's progressing if anyone wants to have a look and give me an honest opinion.

Woodworking Centre

thanks again

Andy

[leehack]

Hey Andy

The menus on the left hand side make the site look empty, as if it is a new site without much on it yet. I haven't seen a menu like that before and i like the effect, however i think it is a little too deep. I would much prefer to see on the home page a slighty longer list illustrating some of the things you sell and then have to use the menu after my interest has been gained. If i go to your sitemap, i see you have a large amount of great products. From the home page i would never think this. I'm not sure how your site is setup, but i'm presuming you have many nested sections. I'd try and refine these a little personally. To explain the feeling i get, this may help:

Imagine you have a car for sale and i turn up to have a look at it. You take me thru your house and into your garage and when we get there, the car has lots of boxes around it and you need to move these so i can get to have a look at it. This first 10 seconds when you open the garage door is where my impression of your company and website is created and as i watch the door open i have baited breath on what i'm going to get to see.

I feel blindfolded when i hit your site, what have you got, don't do it too strongly but shove em in my face and let me see them.

Try and think of this page as your best chance to catch a customers attention, let them know what you have. YOU don't have long to do it! I had a similar problem with the first site in my signature. The landing page had to make an impact and illustrate that it was worth staying on the site and it was full of products. I managed to achieve this i hope.

I am an avid woodworker myself, so a site like this should be of immense interest to me, however on landing, its lacking a little something. If i'm honest it looks a little home made and doesn't quite knit together. I think its the buttons and the body colour. This could of course be my eyes as things like this are a matter of taste.

One of the big differences between a homemade looking site and a professionally built site are IMO often the logo, graphics and the overall colour scheme and layout. There is no way this can be relayed as its just experience. If it was my site i would be looking to improve the logo. With a wood theme to the site, i would be looking to have the letters so they looked like they are carved in wood. Currently you have a wooden background with a cartoonish font on top etc.

In summary, you have a nice foundation, some great products, just fine tune the look and you should have a really nice site. It's in my favourites now anyway!!

Good luck.

[Goz]

It's been a long time...

I've been side tracked recently. Thanks for the reply Lee - I've made some amendments. I'd be grateful if you could take another look and tell me if it's going in the right direction...

The cartoonish font is the logo for the Woodworking Centre so no control over that!


thanks

Andy

[george]

How about a chiselled out 3D effect for the same font?

I think the wood gives the atmostphere of a woodworking centre, but perhaps the burgundy leans towards a suppiers image. I'd choose one of the other, not both.

I'd lose the banner under the nav bar.

Whats the deal with the worm?