Flash Nav Bar

Ben@WEBProp · 07-18-2003, 04:24 PM

As of now, I have a Javascript Nav Bar. I realize that it cannot be seen in non-Javascript browsers, and for some reason it can't be seen in netscape! So i go to thinking: "What about a flash drop-down menu"? What are the pro's and con's to a Flash Menu? What is the best way to do a drop-down menu in your opinion?

-Ben

ionsurge · 07-18-2003, 04:38 PM

Any menu in flash is easy, the only downside is that your visitors will have to have flash plugins.

Have a look at www.ultrashock.com for menu tutorials.

pardicity3 · 07-18-2003, 05:00 PM

If you are worried about your current nav bar not working if users don't have javascript turned on, then you should probably be even more worried about a flash navigation. It's really not extremely common that someone wouldn't have the flash plugin, but, afaik, more people don't have flash than don't have javascript.

Also--in most cases--a javascript menu would be more accessible than a flash menu. Atleast with a javascript menu there is usually hard coded html that can be read with a screen reader, but with flash, you got nothing.

Not trying to sway you from flash at all though, it can be a great tool. Heck, even brothercake used flash in one of his new sites. Though, it isn't for navigation purposes...

Ben@WEBProp · 07-18-2003, 05:42 PM

Oh yes, I had thought about the amount of people not having the ability to use flash as opposed to the amount of people not having Javascripts turned on...and your right. It would be more accessible.

I really love flash, though. I would eventually like to do a page entirely in Flash. I know this is extremely limited accessability, but it would be an optional version. http://www.blondergroup.com has a somewhat comparable example...but I want to do better.

What have you done as far as nav bars in the past that you found to be the best?

-Ben

bradyj · 07-18-2003, 06:23 PM

I've done a lot of flash sites (and, if you get into them, I'd reccommend starting to learn ActionScript -- which, is very similiar to JavaScript it seems) -- but I have usually done 'whole' sites in flash, not half html and half Flash.

Now adays, I try to keep my menus very simple using CSS and text -- to animate, I have done a little JavaScript. As for Flash, I have kept it, again, to just completely flash sites with very minimal HTML. But, I think flash is best kept to sites that utilize it as an online advertisement of their skills, like Design firms and Marketing firms. Other than Banners and ads, it seems a little 'overkill' so to speak.

brothercake · 07-18-2003, 06:57 PM

I'll come down a big "no" for flash navigation - for accessibility reasons; exactly the same reason why you hesitate at pure-JS navigation is why you should hesitate at pure flash navigation.

My favoured approached is dynamic menus based on semantic XHTML - you get menus for JS capable browsers but everything else can still see the navigation tree; like this - http://www.brothercake.com/scripts/listmenu/ (and if you look at them in moz with JS disabled the menus still work

)

bradyj · 07-18-2003, 10:04 PM

That is a fantastic example brothercake

I need to spend more time on your site

Ben@WEBProp · 07-18-2003, 10:18 PM

Hey, that's pretty cool!
Do you have anything that drops down to reveal sublevels like mine does only in XHTML? I am trying to look for a vertical drop-down type...

http://www.webpropertiesinc.com

Great site by the way! How long did it take you to learn all that?

-Ben

brothercake · 07-19-2003, 01:17 AM

you could try this one - http://www.gazingus.org/html/menuExpandable.html - it's not exactly the same as what you have, but it has the core functionality you want; the rest is just CSS.