Menu items not displaying in IE 5.00.xxxx

Poster: lsevert
Dated: Monday May 12 2003 - 23:27:07 BST

in IE 5.5 and above, my menu displays correctly, but elements "hide" behind other items on the screen in IE < 5.5.

link: http://www.rasorsedge.com/WPHC2/index2.htm

Thanks!

Poster: John
Dated: Tuesday May 13 2003 - 20:55:22 BST

See if http://www.milonic.co.uk/menu/overforms_sample.php helps.

still problem

Poster: lsevert
Dated: Wednesday May 14 2003 - 17:59:47 BST

thanks! i tried but it still does not work properly.

so i still have a problem.

Poster: John
Dated: Wednesday May 14 2003 - 18:24:35 BST

Sorry. I don't have anything lower than 6 loaded. Maybe somebody else here does.

Poster: kevin3442
Dated: Wednesday May 14 2003 - 19:10:52 BST

Hi,

The problem is caused by the iframe you use to display your main content. In older browsers, iframes are "windowed" - sort of like another copy of the browser embedded inside your page. They do not respond to layering, essentially always occupying the top layer. In newer browsers, iframes are "windowless" - they are just another element produced by your browser, and as such can be affected by zindexes. This problem isn't specific to Milonic menus; it's a general problem that affects any DHTML element that uses layering (includig other menu systems).

With your current page layout, your only option for allowing your menu to be seen in older browsers would be to put the iframe inside a div, then hide the entire div when the menus are in use. This would not affect the site visitor's experience when using a newer browsers. But in older browsers, the content in the iframe would disappear when you open a menu and reappear when the menu closes. You can do it, but you may not like the visual effect, given that almost all of your content is in the iframe. You might also be interested to know that anyone using Netscape 4.x will not be able to see any of you iframe content, because NS4 doesn't support the iframe tag.

Other choices would be to redesign the site layout so that the menus do not overlap with the iframe, or use regular frames instead of an iframe.

Not the greatest news probably, but at least you have the facts. Hope it helps,

Kevin

thanks!

Poster: lsevert
Dated: Wednesday May 14 2003 - 19:31:54 BST

Thank you, Kevin.

i really didn't want to go back to using frames -- my current "live" site is using them -- just may have to on the new version.

using the iframe keeps me from having to have so many pages...when all i have to do is pull content into the iframe.

Poster: kevin3442
Dated: Wednesday May 14 2003 - 19:45:08 BST

Hi Laurie,

Yeah... iframes definitely have advantages, but they just don't play well with dhtml in older browsers. I wonder if you could bump the iframe down and try using horizontal submenus instead of vertical? Or, you could do some browser detection and warn people with older browsers that they should upgrade their browser to visit your site.

Kevin

Poster: lsevert
Dated: Wednesday May 14 2003 - 23:59:13 BST

that might work but some of my menu lists are long and have several levels. how far down would i have to bump the iframe?

i am going to try you suggestion of using regular frames.

as for browser detection, i don't know enough DHTML (of course, i use other people's stuff, that's why i'm using the Milonic menu).

making the submenus horizontal is defeated by my many levels.

thank you so much for your help.

closure

Poster: lsevert
Dated: Thursday May 15 2003 - 14:36:21 BST

To anyone interested....

i removed the iframe from my pages and the menu works great in IE < 5.5. i don't have any way to test in Netscape yet but i am making the assumption that it works okay there too.

thanks for you help, guys!

Poster: John
Dated: Thursday May 15 2003 - 15:46:30 BST

We appreciate the feedback on your resolution, Laurie. That's how we all learn.

Welcome to the 'gang'...