Nav Menu Advice
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So, I'm a WordPress convert building my first site with Concrete5. I have what seems like a fairly simple question, but I'm not quite sure how it works in practice with Concrete5, so I figured I would put it to the Forum to see what comes out. The question is really two-fold:
1) I have a basic two Auto Nav blocks on my home page, each of which generates an unordered list of links, which is styled by CSS and controlled by jQuery's Superfish (my own implementation, not the add-on). One block is a list of links to other on-site pages, while the other is a list of links to outside pages. I accomplished the second piece by creating a page called Outside Links, then adding my links underneath it in c5 admin. Then the Auto Nav is set to display only pages under "Outside Links." It seems counter-intuitive to me to create a blank page for this purpose, but it works. Are there better practices for this sort of thing that I'm not aware of?
2) I also have a second-level page type below this home page. Let's say there are six different versions of this page, each related to a particular location. I want the Auto Nav with external links to populate based on the location of that particular page. I assume I can just create other pages as I referenced earlier, like Southwest Links, then when editing the Southwest page, just adjust the Auto Nav block to display pages underneath Southwest Links. Again, this feels kind of goofy, even if it does work, so I'm just wondering if there are better practices out there.
Thanks!
1) I have a basic two Auto Nav blocks on my home page, each of which generates an unordered list of links, which is styled by CSS and controlled by jQuery's Superfish (my own implementation, not the add-on). One block is a list of links to other on-site pages, while the other is a list of links to outside pages. I accomplished the second piece by creating a page called Outside Links, then adding my links underneath it in c5 admin. Then the Auto Nav is set to display only pages under "Outside Links." It seems counter-intuitive to me to create a blank page for this purpose, but it works. Are there better practices for this sort of thing that I'm not aware of?
2) I also have a second-level page type below this home page. Let's say there are six different versions of this page, each related to a particular location. I want the Auto Nav with external links to populate based on the location of that particular page. I assume I can just create other pages as I referenced earlier, like Southwest Links, then when editing the Southwest page, just adjust the Auto Nav block to display pages underneath Southwest Links. Again, this feels kind of goofy, even if it does work, so I'm just wondering if there are better practices out there.
Thanks!
Thanks for the swift reply! I think you've got the idea. I actually have downloaded and installed the Manual Nav add-on. I haven't really played around with it yet, and I guess I was a bit unclear as to whether or not you pick items to go in the nav menu that weren't pages, like the external links. If that's the case, then this would seem to be a better way to go.
On more of an organizational note:
Does it make good sense to have a page type called Area Centers, for example, with a specific template that places a c5 area called localLinks in a particular spot, then manage each link nav separately at the block level using something like Manual Nav?
On more of an organizational note:
Does it make good sense to have a page type called Area Centers, for example, with a specific template that places a c5 area called localLinks in a particular spot, then manage each link nav separately at the block level using something like Manual Nav?
Just thought about this:
One advantage of working the Page angle is that I can tell the Auto Nav to list pages under "Southwest Links," and then the list automatically updates as I add or delete links under the page. I don't know if Manual Nav would allow such updating behind the scenes.
One advantage of working the Page angle is that I can tell the Auto Nav to list pages under "Southwest Links," and then the list automatically updates as I add or delete links under the page. I don't know if Manual Nav would allow such updating behind the scenes.
I mean, I guess it's where ever you want to put the data. You could even just make an html block with an unordered list in it. Or make an unordered list with the tinyMCE editor and add a style to typography.css that adds the class "nav" to the list.
As for the area thing. In 5.4 people would use the "Global Scrapbook" to create the autonav and then place it with their theme with a little php code. In 5.5+ you can use "Global Areas".
In a Page Type you would do
This area would be consistent with all pages of that page type. So whereever they are they would be the same. Sorry, I'm really bad at figuring out what people are talking about. haha.
As for the area thing. In 5.4 people would use the "Global Scrapbook" to create the autonav and then place it with their theme with a little php code. In 5.5+ you can use "Global Areas".
In a Page Type you would do
<?php $a = new GlobalArea('Some Nav'); $a->display($c); ?>
This area would be consistent with all pages of that page type. So whereever they are they would be the same. Sorry, I'm really bad at figuring out what people are talking about. haha.
You can add "External Link" pages in the sitemap for these. Which is what it sounds like you might be doing. Those are blank, they are just links.I'm not sure if there is a more way that is more contained in the block itself, as I think you are asking?
There are addons that allow you to created nav's that are not based on the sitemap. One good simple free on is
http://www.concrete5.org/marketplace/addons/manual-nav/...
Not sure if I'm completely understanding you, but maybe that could help. Let me know if that doesn't make sense.
Mike