Beginner needs help reformatting V9 Layout

[FrazerPart]

Hi everyone.
I'm completely new to Actinic and after much fumbling around, have managed to go "live" with my new site/store.
I've created 5 brochure items, that I would now like to have appear in a single drop down button. Is this going to be possible?

It might be easier if you take a look at the site - www.frazerpart.com

What I'd like to do is have the "911 History", "924 History", "944 History", "968 History" & "928 History" buttons all appear in a drop down button that is perhaps titled something along the lines of "Porsche vehicle history".

How difficult will it be to achieve this? Could somebody give me step by step instructions on how to do this? Can this be done in Actinic or is it a job for DreamWeaver? (I have copy of this too but I'm a complete numpty at using this aswell!)

I basically want the site to contain lots of useful "enthusiast" information as well as the online shop, but I don't want the left hand columns "cluttered" with single buttons when a series of drop down menus would tidy everything up.

I hope somebody can help me. I'm sure it can't be a big job !

[jont]

You can do this several ways.

CSS drop down list eg: http://www.alistapart.com/articles/horizdropdowns/ for starters

Javascript - eg: http://www.dynamicdrive.com/

both the above will need hand coding into your outer layout

You could also consider setting up the brochure pages as product sections and then sub-sections to point to the various categories and uses a simple fragment to hold the info

[malbro]

How difficult will it be to achieve this? Could somebody give me step by step instructions on how to do this? Can this be done in Actinic or is it a job for DreamWeaver? (I have copy of this too but I'm a complete numpty at using this aswell!)

I hope somebody can help me. I'm sure it can't be a big job !

You are right in saying it's not a big job IF you are OK using CSS with possibly a drop of Javascript. Actinic produces the basic listing that is needed, you just have to add a CSS file and slight mod to Actinic. I am working on something similar as a demo at the moment.

[NormanRouxel]

<select onchange="location.href=this.options[this.selectedIndex].value;">
<option value="#">Select a history</option>
<option value="http://www.frazerpart.com/acatalog/h911.html">911 History</option>
<option value="http://www.frazerpart.com/acatalog/h924.html">924 History</option>
.
.
</select>

[FrazerPart]

Norman,
I am assuming that the code you have provided is the code that I need to use to introduce a drop down menu.
Now, for my next question!
Where do I put it???

regards
Max

[NormanRouxel]

In your Overall Layout, where you want it to appear. The Starter Guide has articles on editing layouts to introduce new content.

[FrazerPart]

I have to say I am still struggling with this. I'm completely new to e-commerce software and have very little coding experience. The business isn;t in a position to pay a third party designer to do the work for me and as such, I'm having to do everything myself - which is why I keep posting on the forum.
I'd like to keep the layout on the site as is at the moment - I basically tweaked one of the Actinic themes.
How can I introuduce what has already been mentioned in previous postings on this thread?
I need jargon free and idiot proof instructions! Feel free to contact me outside of the forum if you feel this isn't the correct environment to be providing a bit of an Actinic Masterclass.
thanks in advance
max

[jont]

Switch to the design tab and navigate to the outer layout... press the yellow up icon in the code window to get the to the very top layout. You need to look and decide where you want the drop down box to appear .. if it is beneath the search box find the layout that inserts the simple search (it will be a purple colour) add in a <br> to force a new line and copy Normans code into place ... you will need to populate the <options> accordingly to point to your site.

HTH

[FrazerPart]

If I go for the solution that Norman suggests, how do I prevent the already created Brochure files from appearing in the theme menu? i.e. how do a prevent the duplication of "911 History" appearing both in the theme menu and also Norman's menu?