How to integrate my menu into Concrete 5.7
Permalink
Hi, I'm completely new to Concrete 5 and have started with version 5.7.4.1 and following this great beginner tutorial athttps://www.concrete5.org/documentation/developers/5.7/designing-for... I have now integrated my own custom design based on Bootstrap 3.
Further to this, i have also replaced the header and footer with the php code (for example-
<?=$view->inc('my-directory-for-header-area-in-theme-folder/header.php');?>
My question is this. I already had a main navigation menu in my html/ css website before i brought it into Concrete 5.7 and apart from the home page itself, the rest of the menu pages aren't actually set up and don't link anywhere (i'm yet to create those pages and was hoping/ thought that the best way to do this would be via Concrete 5 going forward).
However, how would i get my own menu to work within Concrete 5.7? For example, i have used the 'add page' icon inside the admin/ editor and now created all my pages and sub pages.. but at this stage they have no relation to the menu on the front public facing side of the site.. So i guess what i'm trying to say is how do i get to a point where if i add pages and sub pages in the admin area, they appear in the main menu of my site? Or alternatively, do i even need to do it this way, is it possible or better to just create all of my pages manually in html and css, and then make them editable via Concrete 5? Hope this makes sense and apologies if this all sounds a bit stupid or misunderstood. I'm working through the extensive documentation but still haven't got it clear in my head how this aspect of creating pages works. Any pointers or help would be greatly appreciated.
Further to this, i have also replaced the header and footer with the php code (for example-
<?=$view->inc('my-directory-for-header-area-in-theme-folder/header.php');?>
My question is this. I already had a main navigation menu in my html/ css website before i brought it into Concrete 5.7 and apart from the home page itself, the rest of the menu pages aren't actually set up and don't link anywhere (i'm yet to create those pages and was hoping/ thought that the best way to do this would be via Concrete 5 going forward).
However, how would i get my own menu to work within Concrete 5.7? For example, i have used the 'add page' icon inside the admin/ editor and now created all my pages and sub pages.. but at this stage they have no relation to the menu on the front public facing side of the site.. So i guess what i'm trying to say is how do i get to a point where if i add pages and sub pages in the admin area, they appear in the main menu of my site? Or alternatively, do i even need to do it this way, is it possible or better to just create all of my pages manually in html and css, and then make them editable via Concrete 5? Hope this makes sense and apologies if this all sounds a bit stupid or misunderstood. I'm working through the extensive documentation but still haven't got it clear in my head how this aspect of creating pages works. Any pointers or help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for your reply. I have tried this but as it stands the current main navigation menu only exists as html within the page/ file i've brought into Concrete 5 (in the application/themes/my-custom-theme). How would i get the navigation menu in my html page to interact with Concrete 5 as i'm guessing this is something i need to do in order for the two to work with each other if that makes sense.
If i follow the steps you've suggested, when in any given page that i've created and published within Concrete 5, i then select the gear icon and 'design' gives me one option to choose the template (as i have only one template so far), and selecting 'location' looks like something i've already done when creating the pages in the document tree.. but the given page doesn't correspond or populate in the main menu of the site visible on the front end/ public facing side.
If i follow the steps you've suggested, when in any given page that i've created and published within Concrete 5, i then select the gear icon and 'design' gives me one option to choose the template (as i have only one template so far), and selecting 'location' looks like something i've already done when creating the pages in the document tree.. but the given page doesn't correspond or populate in the main menu of the site visible on the front end/ public facing side.
Add an "Auto Nav" block to your header, which as the name suggests, automatically generates the navigation for you.
You can create a custom template for it, so that the classes of the auto nav match your existing hardcoded nav,
You can create a custom template for it, so that the classes of the auto nav match your existing hardcoded nav,
Hi amberleaf,
Do you have a link to your website?
When you created your theme, did you include a global area for adding navigation?
A global area is an area that is shared between pages, so a block placed in the global area on one page will display on all other pages that share that specific global area.
To manage your site navigation, you will need an auto-nav block. It will handle getting your site links and displaying them. The auto-nav block will be added to a global area.
https://www.concrete5.org/documentation/using-concrete5-7/in-page-ed...
I recommend switching to the Elemental theme and seeing how the auto-nav block is used in the site navigation.
Do you have a link to your website?
When you created your theme, did you include a global area for adding navigation?
A global area is an area that is shared between pages, so a block placed in the global area on one page will display on all other pages that share that specific global area.
To manage your site navigation, you will need an auto-nav block. It will handle getting your site links and displaying them. The auto-nav block will be added to a global area.
https://www.concrete5.org/documentation/using-concrete5-7/in-page-ed...
I recommend switching to the Elemental theme and seeing how the auto-nav block is used in the site navigation.
Thanks a lot for this information, its pointed me along the right way. I'm only just picking this up again now and my knowledge is perhaps a lot more basic than presumed (i only just picked up Concrete 5.7 for the first time a day or two ago relatively speaking). So i will figure out how to modify my template so that i can drag an 'Autonav' block onto it/ or how to create a global area for this, and then how to create the custom template. I will update my progress on this post for the benefit of anyone else who may find the information useful. Thanks again to you both for the feedback. (unfortunately i don't have a link to the site right now but will include it as soon as ready).
then you can place it under another page:
- visit the page
- under page design, location, etc (the 2nd icon on the top-left, the wheel), you choose location
- select the parent page
now it should show up in your navigation menu
Of course, you will also need to give your page a title, and when ready publish it.