Want to make drop down boxes under my links

How to make drop down boxes under my links

[amythepoet]

HI,

I'd like to add some drop-down boxes under my links, whcih are at the top of the page.

How do I do this please?

[tedster]

Are you talking showing the user more links when they hover on a menu item, giving more menu options under the link that is already displayed?

The common way to this is with DHTML (javascript plus css). Here's a good thread about it:
[webmasterworld.com...]

There are many DHTML menu systems (sometimes called dropdown menus) available, both free and paid. It's pretty complex to start from scratch -- especially when cross-browser issues come into play.

[amythepoet]

Thank you so much.

Yes, you got it, what you said is exactly what I would like to do. I am just trying to give the user an easy navigation system. Let's say I sold painting and want to direct the user to watercolor paintings, well, if at the top, the menu said paintings, and then when you hovered over it, it dropped down and said watercolors, and then oils, and then drawings, etc, do you feel it would make it easier for the reader?

I think it would, but it sounds like it is a complex project.

[tedster]

I have a strong dislike for those menus -- and everytime I had the chance to remove them from a client's site, the site performed measurably better. They may make some sense to the people who already know the site's content well (like the developers and owners and frequent visitors) but they can be killers for a first/second time visitor who needs to know two things very quickly: "Where am I? and "What can I do here?"

I wrote a longish rant about this last year:
[webmasterworld.com...]

My opinion is that a well designed Information Architecture and standard menu links is a much better way to go. Here are some posts about that topic:

Information Architecture for the Small Site - part 1 [webmasterworld.com]
Information Architecture for the Small Site - part 2 [webmasterworld.com]
Putting Information Architecture Into Practice [webmasterworld.com]

And a note -- given what I continue to see around the web, apparently my opinion is the minority. But somehow, I don't think the site owners who are jumping into DHTML menus like lemmings are actually measuring their results.

[amythepoet]

Oh, I see, makes sense to me.

I am going to read the posts you just mentioned.

I feel you are the expert.

[tedster]

Well, I've got some experience along with some strong opinions - thanks for the vote of confidence. Still, I am aware that in many ways I'm in the minority.

[BeeDeeDubbleU]

<Still, I am aware that in many ways I'm in the minority.>

Perhaps, but include me in!

I hate these menu systems, particularly the horizontal drop downs. I have visited sites where I end up with cramps in my fingers trying to get the bl**dy menu to stay in position while I find my way to my goal. When this happens I find myself becoming highly antagonistic towards the website and the company it advertises.

[amythepoet]

I'm still confused as to the best way to do this.

:(

[RaefWolfe]

Somewhat ressurecting a dead topic here, but I have a related question.

On my site I use dropdowns that you click and they remain open until they are clicked for the link or clicked closed.

Are these less annoying to visitors, or is it still a case of 'well I still don't know what I want'?

[tedster]

I'd say slightly less annoying -- but still very annoying. In fact, because this kind of functionalty is seen less seldom, I'd guess that many visitors would feel like your site menus might be broken in some way,

[old_expat]

Hello tedster and other folks,

What a great topic. I read tedsters very excellent posts on navigation and saw it as a probable requirement for my site, which falls in the 700+ page range and will probably never exceed 1500 pages .. or if it does, the categorization should still work.

I built a sample/trial menu system (I use full text menus with ssi) with categories across the top and category specific menus down the left side.

My site is a *typical* travel site that attempts to cover a country.

My trial Top Menu loks like this:

Home - Information - Destinations - See & Do - Travel Maps - Hotels - FAQ

Most are pretty obvious. The reason that I selected "Travel Maps" for a main category is because I have quite a number of my own travel maps and more to add.

Also, FAQ .. my faq is the most extensive faq on the country anywhere on the web (I think) with almost 200 pages.

Hotels - pretty obvious and about 30% of my revenue.

I can easily tailor "left side" menus for each section.

One problem(?) is existing site structure. I have 27 directories on the site. They are named with good keywords.

I think I know how to make the menu system work with all the directories (like creating better "destinations" and "see & do" pages.

I shudder at all the 404s I would see .. and the consequent drop in traffic .. if I went to 7 directories.

At the moment, I don't have site search.

How would you suggest I proceed?

[tedster]

The menu and information architecture that the user sees do NOT need to mirror the directory structure. Since the site is already rolling along happily, just keep the old urls for each page but organize the links to these pages in a new way visually.

Make sense?

[old_expat]

tedster .. thanks big time,

"The menu and information architecture that the user sees do NOT need to mirror the directory structure. Since the site is already rolling along happily, just keep the old urls for each page but organize the links to these pages in a new way visually.

Make sense?"

110% :)

One additional issue .. destinations.

Would adding a second horizontal "sub-menu" below the first confuse the issue too much? One part of me says it would, even if only the top 7 destinations made up the sub menu.

Another one of those messages I hear tells me that such a sub-menu gets a user 1 click closer .. assuming that one of those destination main pages is where s/he wants to go

[tedster]

Yes, you can have auxiliary menus -- but make sure they don't distract the eye from the main choices. I've seen this done very effectively and not so effectively. It's all about the graphic treatment.