Hiermenus Go Forth, I - DHTML Lab | 5

Hiermenus Go Forth, I:
Version 4 - The External Arrays

Another Important Note
This column contains many in-page illustrations. These are not created by the HM script. The code will be made public as it is discussed. For now, we provide hard-coded illustrations only.

Introduction

The Version 4 menu arrays are different in name, declaration and structure than their Version 3- counterparts.

If you are familiar with the Version 3- arrays, the modifications will be easy to follow.

Here, in tabular format are the differences between the old and new arrays. Give them the once over, then we'll discuss them:

Change	Version 3	Version 4
Name	arMenu1 = ... arMenu1_1 = ...	HM_Array1 = ... HM_Array1_1 =
Declaration	arMenu1 = new Array( ... )	HM_Array1 = [ ... ]
Top-Level-Menu Tree-Specific Parameters	arMenu1 = new Array( width, left_position, top_position, font_color, mouseover_font_color, background_color, mouseover_background_color, border_color, separator_color, ... )	HM_Array1 = [ [width, left_position, top_position, font_color, mouseover_font_color, background_color, mouseover_background_color, border_color, separator_color, top_is_permanent, top_is_horizontal, tree_is_horizontal, position_under, top_more_images_visible, tree_more_images_visible, evaluate_upon_tree_show, evaluate_upon_tree_hide], ... ]
Child-Menu Menu-Specific Parameters	n/a	HM_Array1_1 = [ [], ... ]
Item-Defining Elements	arMenu1 = new Array( ... item_display_text, item_link_url, item_has_child, item_display_text, item_link_url, item_has_child, ... )	HM_Array1_1 = [ ..., [item_display_text,item_link_url, item_is_rollover, item_permanently_highlighted, item_has_child], [item_display_text,item_link_url, item_is_rollover, item_permanently_highlighted, item_has_child], ... ]

Thus, using real-world syntax, the old and new arrays would look like this:

Type	Version 3	Version 4
Top-Level Menu Array	arMenu1 = new Array( 150, 220,310, "black","green", "#2D9B83","#4BB9A1", "black","black", "Experts", "https://www.webref.com/experts/",1, "Contents", "https://www.webref.com/index2.html",0 )	HM_Array1 = [ [150, 220,310, "black","green", "#2D9B83","#4BB9A1", "black","black", true, 1,0, true, true,1, "hideForms()","showForms()"] ["Experts", "https://www.webref.com/experts/", 1,0,1], ["Contents", "https://www.webref.com/index2.html", 0,0,0] ]
Child Menu Array	arMenu1_1 = new Array( "3-D","https://www.webref.com/3d/",0, "Design","https://www.webref.com/dlab/",0, "DHTML","https://www.webref.com/dhtml/",1, "JavaScript","https://www.webref.com/js/",0 )	HM_Array1_1 = [ [], ["3-D", "https://www.webref.com/3d/",1,0,0], ["Design", "https://www.webref.com/dlab/",1,0,0], ["DHTML", "https://www.webref.com/dhtml/",1,0,1], ["JavaScript", "https://www.webref.com/js/",1,0,0] ]

Yet Another Important Note
Don't Panic!. Yes, the arrays have quite a few differences. But, you are not expected to convert your old arrays by hand. The final page of this column hosts a cut-and-paste dynamic tool to convert your entire Version 3 array file to the Version 4 standard with a few mouse clicks.

We'll now move on to discuss the changes in detail, pausing first for a short recap of what the arrays are actually meant to do.

Produced by Peter Belesis and

All Rights Reserved. Legal Notices.
Created: Aug 08, 2000
Revised: Aug 08, 2000

URL: https://www.webreference.com/dhtml/column35/2.html