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HierMenus 5.0: New Parameters
For single window (i.e., no frames) sites, setting up HM5 is nearly
identical to the setup process for HierMenus version 4. All of the global, page specific,
and array specific variables supported in HM4 continue to be supported in HM5, and full
setup instructions for HM5 can be found here.
A pair of new parameters in the HM_Loader.js file, however, will need to be
configured for all HM5 implementations.
HM_ScriptDir and HM_GL/PG_ImageDir
One of our frequently asked questions for HM4 involves the placement of
the HM scripts and images on the Web site. Specifically, many users are confused by the
loading of the scripts and mistakenly think that the scripts must be duplicated and
placed into every directory of the site in order to work properly. You can house the
HM scripts in a single directory of your site; and in fact, this is the scenario that
we strongly recommend. We've previously addressed this concern in
FAQ entry #5;
which describes the necessary modifications to the HM_Loader.js file to allow
the storage of your scripts in a centralized directory.
With HM5 we've made this process even simpler, via the addition of two
new parameters in the HM_Loader.js file: HM_ScriptDir and
HM_GL/PG_ImageDir.
HM_ScriptDir
- Description:
- Identifies the location on the server where the
HM Scripts (HM_ScriptDOM.js, HM_ScriptIE4.js,
and HM_ScriptNS4.js) can be found. Though not strictly
necessary, HM_Loader.js is usually located here, as well.
- Value:
- String, or JS expression resulting in a string, indicating the
absolute or relative URL of the script directory ending in a slash. Can be an
empty string ("") in which case the scripts must physically be duplicated
into every directory of the site that contains a page or pages that will load
the scripts (not recommended).
- Comments:
- This is a required parameter; it must exist in the
HM_Loader.js file (even if it is empty).
When a URL is actually specified by this parameter, then it must always
end in a slash (/).
Note that HM_ScriptDir is not a global or page specific
parameter, it may be set only as described here and there are no "page
specific" overrides for it.
- Examples:
- The scripts are located in the directory the HTML page that
uses them is currently in (not recommended):
HM_ScriptDir="";
The scripts are located in a single central directory of the WebRef server:
HM_ScriptDir="http://webref.com/HMScripts/";
The scripts are located in the server's top level HMScripts directory
(regardless of the domain name used to access the site):
HM_ScriptDir="/HMScripts/";
- Default:
- None. As noted above, HM_ScriptDir must be
present in the HM_Loader File.
HM_GL_ImageDir and HM_PG_ImageDir
- Description:
- Identifies the location on the server where the
HM Images ("more" images indicating that a child menu is present,
and top and bottom scroll bar images) can be found.
- Value:
- String, or JS expression resulting in a string, indicating the
absolute or relative URL of the image directory ending in a slash.
- Comments:
- This parameter can be applied as a global (HM_GL_ImageDir,
set in HM_Loader.js) or a page specific (HM_PG_ImageDir)
parameter. Like HM_ScriptDir, the pathname used in this parameter
must end in a slash (/).
This directory will be prepended to the actual image names themselves.
- Examples:
- The images are located in a single central directory of
the WebRef server:
HM_GL_ImageDir="http://webref.com/HMImages/";
The images are located in the server's top level HMImages directory
(regardless of the domain name used to access the site):
HM_GL_ImageDir="/HMImages/";
The images are located in the same directory as HM_ScriptDir:
HM_ScriptDir="/HMScripts/";
HM_GL_ImageDir=HM_ScriptDir;
- Default:
- The same directory specified in HM_ScriptDir
Now let's have a look at the new parameters specifically
for cross-frames implementations.
  
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