Brochure fragments side by side

[Jenny]

Can you have it so, if you had say 4 brochure fagments that 2 of them would be side by side and the next 2 below side by side..
Thanks
Jenny

[NormanRouxel]

It can be done but needs a bit of patching.

Auto Brochure Multi Columns.

Created 02-03-04 Author Norman Rouxel
  
This readme will allow you to lay Brochure Fragments out in any number of columns.
The number of columns can be altered by setting a Custom Property.


INSTALLATION


Edit Act_BrochurePrimary.html - replace the line:-


				NETQUOTEVAR:BROCHUREBODY<br>

with


<script language=JavaScript>
<!--
var currentcol = 0;
var brochurecols = CUSTOMVAR:BROCHURECOLS;
var newcols = brochurecols;
var colwidth = Math.floor(100 / brochurecols);
document.write('<table width=100%>');
function startfrag(){
if ( currentcol++ == 0 ) document.write('<tr>');
document.write('<td width="' + colwidth + '%" valign=top>');
}
function endfrag(){
if ( brochurecols == newcols )  // normal end of fragment
  {
  document.write('</td>');
  if ( currentcol >= brochurecols )
    {
    document.write('</tr>');
    currentcol = 0;
    }
  }
else   // we want start a new column count
  {
  document.write('</td>');
  while ( currentcol++ < brochurecols ) document.write('<td width="' + colwidth + '%">&amp;nbsp;</td>');
  document.write('</tr></table><table width=100%>');  // end previous table and start new
  currentcol = 0;
  brochurecols = newcols;
  colwidth = Math.floor(100 / brochurecols);
  }
}
function newcolcount(newcount){        // reset the column count
 newcols = newcount;
}
// -->
</script>
				NETQUOTEVAR:BROCHUREBODY<br>
<script language=JavaScript>
<!--
if ( currentcol != 0 )
 {
 while ( currentcol++ < brochurecols ) document.write('<td width="' + colwidth + '%">&amp;nbsp;</td>');
 document.write('</tr>');
 currentcol = 0;
 }
document.write('</table>');
// -->
</script>



In EVERY Brochure Fragment template:-

replace

<br>
<br>


with


<script language=JavaScript>
<!--
startfrag();
// -->
</script>
<noscript><br><br></noscript>


add the following above the final line ( usually <!-- **** HTML end --> )


<script language=JavaScript>
<!--
endfrag();
// -->
</script>


Make sure you do the above to ALL brochure fragment templates.  There are usually 8!

Thats all patching.


CONFIGURATION


In Actinic go to Advanced / Custom Properties, click the "+" and create a Customvar BROCHURECOLS.

Go to Design / Options / Site Defaults / Custom Properties, click the "+" and select BROCHURECOLS.
Set it's value to 2 (or whatever number of columns you want).
(if using Business uncheck Searchable and check Use as Customvar)


That's that.    


NOTES

You can change the number of columns on-the-fly.   
Unfortunately as Actinic don't allow Custom Properties to be set for Brochure fragments (tut-tut)
you have to fudge it with a little javaScript in the fragment text.

In the fragment BEFORE you want to change the column count add the text

!!<<script language=JavaScript>newcols=3</script>>!!

changing the 3 to suit - and the new column count will start at the next fragment.
You can, of course, use 1 to get a single column layout.

Luckily I'd already done this for multi-column products so most of the code was lying around.

Norman

[Jenny]

Norman,
much appreciated. I will be busy this afternoon.
Jenny

[NormanRouxel]

Post the URL when you get it working so I can take a peek.

Norman

[NormanRouxel]

Jenny,

I just amended my post above (the forum ate some   tags). Best go copy it again.

Norman

Note to Moderator. The forum replaces text like   even when within [ c o d e ] tags. I have to write them like & a m p ; n b s p ;
(without the spaces)

[Jenny]

I have got it working with 2 across, however it blows my whole theme out.. I have the custwidth set to 520.
J

[Jenny]

it's working...
Thanks so much
Jenny

[Jenny]

and people always want more..

Is it possible to have 1, then 2 by 2 and then 1?
Jenny

[NormanRouxel]

Is it possible to have 1, then 2 by 2 and then 1?

It's already in there. See the final note:-

You can change the number of columns on-the-fly.
Unfortunately as Actinic don't allow Custom Properties to be set for Brochure fragments (tut-tut)
you have to fudge it with a little javaScript in the fragment text.

In the fragment BEFORE you want to change the column count add the text (anywhere the fragment text).

!!<<script language=JavaScript>newcols=3</script>>!!

changing the 3 to suit - and the new column count will start at the next fragment.
You can, of course, use 1 to get a single column layout.

The 1st Fragment is slightly tricky. You would have to set the Property BROCHURECOLS in Actinic to 1 to get the first fragment full width. The in that fragment add

!!<<script language=JavaScript>newcols=2</script>>!!

Norman

[Jenny]

done..brilliant.
Jenny

[Terl]

Hi,

Please help... fairly new to Actinic.. so please be gentle.

In regard sto the above, I have added the script to the NETQUOTEVAR:BROCHUREBODY as indicated.

However, I cant seem to locate which files are the EVERY brochure template files... me being thick i guess.

There are 11 html files beginning with Act_Brochure..but none seem to have the 2 breaks in them.... which files should i be looking for??? Please can you assist.

Thank you

[Jenny]

Each brochure fragment has a template that defines how it looks. You need to edit everyone of these with the new code..
eg Act_ImageAndTitle.html
Go through and look at the Layouts of the fragments
jenny

[Terl]

Excellent.

Thanks Jenny.

[Jenny]

Good luck
Jenny

[Terl]

Hi again Jenny,

I seem to have got that working now for the fragments... but i'd somehow like to have the main products index page set into columns.... ie. 4 cols, 4 rows... ie 16 image links...

Any ideas??

Correct me if im wrong but what i have done so far wont do the products...will it?

Is it possible to create a specific layout template??