Best Drop Down or Slider Menu Builder?

[bill t.]

I don't have 2003 (yet). I have been looking at various "Menu Builders"
(Ulead, Sothink, Linkos,xFX, MenuWeaver) and am wondering which application
offers the
easiest to build (for a non-programmer), most visually appealing and largest
variety of
Javascript menus. Is there one that meets this criteria head and shoulders
above the rest or should I just wait and pay another $99 to MS for 2003?
Thanks for any insight.

 

[Jim Buyens]

I don't know about Ulead, Sothink, Linkos,xFX, or MenuWeaver (never used
them) but don't buy FP2003 just for DHTML menus.

FP2003 has no specific feature for building DHTML menus. You *can* build
menus fairly easily with a feature called Behaviors, but they only work in
IE.


FP2003 has a lot of great and worthwhile features, but DHTML menus aren't
one of them.

Jim Buyens
Microsoft FrontPage MVP
http://www.interlacken.com
Author of:
*------------------------------------------------------*
|\----------------------------------------------------/|
|| Microsoft Office FrontPage 2003 Inside Out ||
|| Microsoft FrontPage Version 2002 Inside Out ||
|| Web Database Development Step by Step .NET Edition ||
|| Troubleshooting Microsoft FrontPage 2002 ||
|| Faster Smarter Beginning Programming ||
|| (All from Microsoft Press) ||
|/----------------------------------------------------\|
*------------------------------------------------------*

 

[bill t.]

Sad to hear, but thanks for the info.

I don't know about Ulead, Sothink, Linkos,xFX, or MenuWeaver (never used
them) but don't buy FP2003 just for DHTML menus.

FP2003 has no specific feature for building DHTML menus. You *can* build
menus fairly easily with a feature called Behaviors, but they only work in
IE.


FP2003 has a lot of great and worthwhile features, but DHTML menus aren't
one of them.

Jim Buyens
Microsoft FrontPage MVP
http://www.interlacken.com
Author of:
*------------------------------------------------------*
|\----------------------------------------------------/|
|| Microsoft Office FrontPage 2003 Inside Out ||
|| Microsoft FrontPage Version 2002 Inside Out ||
|| Web Database Development Step by Step .NET Edition ||
|| Troubleshooting Microsoft FrontPage 2002 ||
|| Faster Smarter Beginning Programming ||
|| (All from Microsoft Press) ||
|/----------------------------------------------------\|
*------------------------------------------------------*

 

[xmas]

Bill T,

My vote is for Sothink... (Haven't used the others) Sothink, Once you have
used it once or twice is fast, easy and has infinite looks (or feels) to
it..

 

[bill t.]

One vote for Sothink, then.

Bill T,

My vote is for Sothink... (Haven't used the others) Sothink, Once you have
used it once or twice is fast, easy and has infinite looks (or feels) to
it..

 

[jon spivey]

Jim,
which behaviour would you use to build a menu that only works in IE? The
Change Property behaviour would be the obvious choice - of course that
works in any browser.

 

[bill t.]

jon,
what are you talking about?

Jim,
which behaviour would you use to build a menu that only works in IE? The
Change Property behaviour would be the obvious choice - of course that
works in any browser.

 

[Dennis Blondell]

If you are still watching this post, I have asked a similar question about
menus a couple of days ago. I didn't know about Sothink but I see now it is
another option for me as well, at least for a sliding menu which is what I
need and have trouble finding. I have played around with Ulead's Menu.Applet
builder and it has the ability to create popup menu's as well as slider
menus very easily, with a verity of styles ($29.95). Sothink has Their
Sliding Menu ($25) has the ability of only doing sliding menus, for pop up
menus, (albeit, a very diverse range) you have to buy their DHTML Menu ($35)
as well. I think I will go with Ulead (cos I'm tight) if they answer my
email about browser compatibility. They just state that you should have Java
Virtual Machine for best viewing. I have downloaded Sothink to test and
compare with Ulead. Don't know about the others.

 

[bill t.]

Hi Dennis,

I'm not sure but I think the Sothink may be more advanced that Ulead. The
key is the Java Virtual Machine which the lawsuit between Sun and MS caused
MS to drop from Windows. If the Sothink software doesn't require the JVM it
may be the better choice. I also doubt you will hear anything back to the
email you sent.

 

[Dennis Blondell]

Thanks for that Bill, I did wonder about that. The problem I can see with
Sothink's menu (I Just had a play with it) is it doesn't seem to have a
'remember state' for it's menu. I need that function so the menu will stay
open when another page is loaded. May just have to create a cookie to do
that instead. I don't wana put the menu in a frame.

Looks like Sothink is winning!

 

[MollyAnn F.]

Let me know the final score.

Thanks for that Bill, I did wonder about that. The problem I can see with
Sothink's menu (I Just had a play with it) is it doesn't seem to have a
'remember state' for it's menu. I need that function so the menu will stay
open when another page is loaded. May just have to create a cookie to do
that instead. I don't wana put the menu in a frame.

Looks like Sothink is winning!


what pop

 

[bill t.]

Me too!

Let me know the final score.
now

 

[xmas]

You can put it in an include page and then include that in all the pages you
want...
OR you can use shared boarders...
OR if using FrontPage 2003 incorporate it in a DWT (Dynamic Web Template)

The DWT is the way I have been using it.. One change to the DWT and all
linked pages are changed.. KOOL!!!

 

[Dennis Blondell]

I have used a sliding menu in a shared border and it didn't remember the
open state when a menu item was clicked. When the link was opened, the menu
reverted back to its default closed state as it was being refreshed again. I
assume a DWT would work the same way. I got around this by sending a cookie
when any link in the menu was clicked and that recorded what menu tree was
expanded. This would be reflected when the menu was refreshed again. Not a
tidy way of doing things but it worked. I got the slider menu for free so
can't expect too much from it (only works in IE) and hence, want a good menu
app myself.

 

[chris leeds]

IMHO the xfx dhtml menu builder and their "developer version" are excellent.
I recently had a crash of one of my computer's hard drives and Xavier Flix
(the developer of the program) wrote me back with a download link, and all
my info so I could reload the software.
beyond that he offered me advice on recovering the hard drive and sent me a
couple of emails to find out how I was getting by with the situation!
Now that's a lot of service for a $65 purchase. I think he's just a
fundamentally good guy because there wasn't really any profit motive in it
for him other than just shooting my purchase info out to me.

well satisfied with the service and software. I have stopped using ulead's
menu.applet because of the java situation but it was a very nice and simple
menu maker. xfx is better but harder to learn.

good luck,
chris

 

[chris leeds]

if you're going to use this on an aspx page check out this:
http://www.aurigma.com/Support/Help/Content/Tutorials.htm

it's called "deep tree".
HTH

 

[chris leeds]

I remember seeing some free and interesting menu makers at
www.scriptocean.com

 

[Jim Cheshire]

I agree. Xavier is a fine person and one of the reasons I selected his
product as the number one tool in my review. I put a lot of stock in folks
who conduct their business with integrity.

--
Jim Cheshire
Jimco Add-ins
http://www.jimcoaddins.com
===================================
Co-author of Special Edition
Using Microsoft FrontPage 2003
Order it today!
http://sefp2003.frontpagelink.com

 

[bill t.]

Please tell me what is better about xfx than Ulead (or another menu builder)
since you have used both. Is "any"
Java Applet no longer to be used because of the JVM or are some still
viewable for people without the JVM?

By the way, I thought both of the Scriptocean menu builders were pretty
nice until I saw they each cost $39. (you have to dig to find it)

 

[chris leeds]

with the xfx you can do just about anything you want. the developer
addition (free if you buy the regular) will even let you populate your menu
from a database or external file.
It's about as complete a menu maker as exists. go to the xfx site,
http://software.xfx.net/
they've got a sale for November where the application is about 50% off.
the ulead menu maker is very easy to use but it's java so it's just not a
sure bet. I'd feel much more comfortable with the dhtml menu. either way,
using one of these things is a good reason to have a "site map", FrontPage
will generate these pretty nicely and you can customize the look of it with
..css.
I've got a simple menu made with the ulead app here:
http://northeastdigitalphoto.com/biz I did it quite a while ago and am
looking to revamp the site etc. with my newly found technology ;-)
HTH
btw bill, I've got an old and currently unavailable trial of the menu.applet
from ulead. contact me through http://nedp.net/support and I'll give it to
you.