ET Message Menu - Documentation


 

 

Features

  • The menu consists of sections linked to URLs.
  • Each section can be composed of text and/or images and can have a background color and a border.
  • A separate image can be assigned to both the background and foreground.
  • Audio support.
  • Can load some or all of its parameters from a separate file.
  • Progressive loading. The menu will start to work when the alternating images and the sounds are loading.

Examples

Get started

  1. Start with a simple web-page where you want the applet. (E.g. Test.html)
  2. Copy the class files to the same directory as Test.html:
    ET_MessageMenu.class
    ET_Utility.class
    ET_Com.class
    (ET_ButtonPusher.class)
  3. Copy the applet and parameter tags from the simple example (or any other example, but it is safer to start with something simple.).
  4. If you get it to work you can add more parameters from the list below. Check out the other examples for inspiration. If you have problems, check the FAQ for more help.
  5. If you still don't get it right, read the tutorials at http://www.htmlgoodies.com/ regarding Java applets.
     
   

Parameters

This is the list of parameters that can be used in the HTML code with this applet. If the applet is unable to interpret a parameter, it will by be ignored.
 

Unlocking the applet

   NumericalKey
If you buy the applet collection you will get access to a web page where you can generate keys to unlock the applets. An unlocked applet will not show the "by Entanke, Click for info" text and it will not have the four second delay when it starts. Use the NumericalKey parameter to assign these keys to the applet. If you have a domain with several names (like www.domain.com, www2.domain.com) you have to get a key for every domain name and enter them separated by commas. When the applet is run from the local hard disk it will behave as if you have a valid key.
Values: 0-66000[,0-66000[,...]]
Default: none
Example: <param name="NumericalKey" value="3956,213">
 

External File

   ParameterFile
The file from where some (or all) of the parameters should be loaded. Each line in the parameter file contains the parameter name followed by the value of the parameter within quotation-marks.
Value: URL to file containing the parameters
Default: none
Example: <param name="ParameterFile" value="Parameters.txt">
 

Section Text

   S-n-Text
The text to be shown in section n. Text that is longer than the section width is automatically wrapped to fit. Use "<BR>" in the text to make a custom line break ("<BR>" has to be separated from the rest of the text by spaces). Each section has to have at least one text item or one image.
Value: string
Default: none
Example: <param name="S-1-Text" value="Welcome">
See Also: Section parameters.
 
    S-n-TextColor
The color of the text in section n.
Values: 000000 - ffffff
Default: 000000 (black)
See Also: Section parameters, Color notation.
 
    S-n-TextColorOver
The color of the text in section n when the user moves the mouse pointer over that section (if the section is linked to something with the S-n-URL parameter).
Values: 000000 - ffffff
Default: 0000ff (blue)
See Also: Section parameters, Color notation.
 
    S-n-TextColorClick
The color of the text in section n when the user clicks on that section (if the section is linked to something with the S-n-URL parameter).
Values: 000000 - ffffff
Default: ff0000 (red)
See Also: Section parameters, Color notation.
 
    S-n-TextSize
The size of the text in section n.
Values: 6 - 80
Default: 13
See Also: Section parameters.
 
    S-n-TextFont
The font name of the text in section n. Helvetica, TimesRoman, Courier, Dialog, and DialogInput are available on most computers.
Values: font name
Default: TimesRoman
See Also: Section parameters.
 
    S-n-TextStyle
The style of the text in section n.
Values: plain / bold / italic / bolditalic
Default: plain
See Also: Section parameters.
 
    S-n-TextUnderline
If the text in section n should be underlined.
Values: true / false
Default: false
See Also: Section parameters.
 

  Section Image

   S-n-Image
The image to be shown in section n. Each section has to have at least one text item or one image. Animated gifs are not supported.
Values: URL to image
Default: none
Example: <param name="S-1-Image" value="ball.gif">
See Also: Section parameters.
 
    S-n-ImageOver
The image to be shown in section n when the user moves the mouse pointer over that section (if the section is linked to something with the S-n-URL parameter). The image has to have the same height and width as the S-n-Image image.
Values: URL to image
Default: S-n-Image
See Also: Section parameters.
 
    S-n-ImageClick
The image to be shown in section n when the user clicks on that section (if the section is linked to something with the S-n-URL parameter). The image has to have the same height and width as the S-n-Image image.
Values: URL to image
Default: S-n-ImageOver
See Also: Section parameters.
 
    S-n-ImagePosition
Where the image should be placed relative to the text in section n. If the value is set to "center" then the text will be placed on top of the image.
Values: left / right / top / bottom / center
Default: left
See Also: Section parameters.
 

Section Background

   S-n-BGColor
The background color of section n. The value is either a color or "-1" representing no color (transparent)
Values: 000000 - ffffff / -1
Default: -1 (transparent)
See Also: Section parameters, Color notation.
 
    S-n-BGColorOver
The background color of section n when the user moves the mouse pointer over that section (if the section is linked to something with the S-n-URL parameter).
Values: 000000 - ffffff / -1
Default: S-n-BGColor
See Also: Section parameters, Color notation.
 
    S-n-BGColorClick
The background color of section n when the user clicks on that section (if the section is linked to something with the S-n-URL parameter).
Values: 000000 - ffffff / -1
Default: S-n-BGColorOver
See Also: Section parameters, Color notation.
 

Section Border

You can't have a border if you don't have a background color for the section.

   S-n-BorderType
The border type of section n. Choose "plain" if you want a one color border and choose "button" if you want a 3d-look border. Change the S-n-Margin parameter to give more space for the border (as the border "grows inward").
Values: none, plain, button
Default: none
See Also: Section parameters.
 
    S-n-BorderThickness
The thickness of the border in section n (if any). Change the S-n-Margin parameter to give more space for the border (as the border "grows inward").
Values: 1 - 20 (pixels)
Default: 2
See Also: Section parameters.
 
    S-n-BorderColor
The color of the border in section n (if any).
Values: 000000 - ffffff
Default: 000000 (black)
See Also: Section parameters, Color notation.
 
    S-n-BorderColorOver
The color of the border in section n (if any) when the user moves the mouse pointer over that section (if the section is linked to something with the S-n-URL parameter).
Values: 000000 - ffffff
Default: S-n-BorderColor
See Also: Section parameters, Color notation.
 
    S-n-BorderColorClick
The color of the border in section n (if any) when the user clicks on that section (if the section is linked to something with the S-n-URL parameter).
Values: 000000 - ffffff
Default: S-n-BorderColorOver
See Also: Section parameters, Color notation.
 

Section URL link

   S-n-URL
The URL connected to section n. You can use any URL type supported by your browser including http: and mailto:. Note that it is not possible to set any default values with S-d-URL or S-u-URL.
Values: URL to link
Default: none
Example: <param name="S-3-URL" value="fun.html">
See Also: Section parameters.
 
    S-n-URLFrame
The target frame of the URL connected to section n.
Values: _self / _parent / _top / _blank / frame name
Default: _self
See Also: Section parameters.
 
    S-n-URLText
The text to be shown in the browsers status bar when the user moves the mouse pointer over section n.
Values: string
Default: none
See Also: Section parameters.
 

Section Sounds

   S-n-SoundOver
The sound to be played when the user moves the mouse pointer over section n (if the section is linked to something with the S-n-URL parameter). Sun sound files (.au) should be the safest choice for your sounds if you want them to work on all platforms. If the applet won't accept your audio file, try changing the encoding and/or sampling rate.
Values: URL to sound
Default: none
See Also: Section parameters.
 
    S-n-SoundClick
The sound to be played when the user clicks on section n (if the section is linked to something with the S-n-URL parameter).
Values: URL to sound
Default: none
See Also: Section parameters.
 

Formatting within a Section

   S-n-Margin
The distance from the image and/or the text to the edge of section n.
Values: 0 - 50 (pixels)
Default: 0
See Also: Section parameters.
 
    S-n-Spacing
The distance between the image and the text in section n. If you use a negative value the image and text will be overlapped. Only applicable if there is a text item and an image file in the section.
Values: -200 - 100 (pixels)
Default: 5
See Also: Section parameters.
 
    S-n-Align
The alignment of the text and the image in section n. Only applicable if there is a text item and an image file in the section.
Values: left / center / right
Default: left
See Also: Section parameters.
 
    S-n-VAlign
The vertical alignment of the text and the image in section n. Only applicable if there is a text item and an image file in the section.
Values: top / center / bottom
Default: top
See Also: Section parameters.
 

Formatting Section Flow

   S-n-SectionWidth
The width of section n. Use this parameter to adjust how the text should wrap within the section, giving placement to the image and margins. Only use this parameter in combination with S-n-Text.
Values: 10 - 500 (pixels)
Default: automatic
See Also: Section parameters.
 
    S-n-SectionSpacing
The distance between section n and section n+1.
Values: 0 - 100 (pixels)
Default: 1
See Also: Section parameters.
 
    S-n-SectionAlign
The alignment of section n.
Values: left / center / right
Default: S-n-Align
See Also: Section parameters.
 
    S-n-SectionVAlign
The vertical alignment of section n.
Values: bottom / center / top
Default: bottom
See Also: Section parameters.
 

Section Stay pushed

  

S-n-StayPushed
If this parameter is set to true section n will render as clicked (as defined by the S-n-...Click parameters) when the html page linked with S-n-URL is shown in any frame of the browser. To make this work, even when you use the back-button on your browser, you must use the ET Button Pusher applet on every page linked to by the sections with "stay pushed", set to true. Here's a summary:

  1. You have decided that you want the sections to be rendered as clicked when the corresponding page is in view.
  2. You also have the applet in one frame of the browser with all "stay pushed" links targeted to another frame.
  3. Then add the S-n-StayPushed parameter for every section that you want to stay pushed or use S-d-StayPushed to make all sections stay pushed.
  4. Copy the ET_ButtonPusher.class to the same directory as the other classes.
  5. Add the ET Button Pusher applet code on all pages linked to by the sections in the main applet without parameters. (Something like <applet code="ET_ButtonPusher.class" width="2" height="2"></applet>)
  6. Wow, now it should work.

Values: true / false
Default: false
See Also: Section parameters.
 

Scroll Formatting

  		  Direction
Whether the menu should be vertical or horizontal.
Values: vertical / horizontal
Default: vertical
 
    ActiveArea
The area where the sections can be seen. Use this parameter to place the sections inside of the applet area. Note that the values are x,y,width,height and not x1,y1,x2,y2.
Values: x,y,width,height (pixels)
Default: 0,0,applet width,applet height
Example: <param name="ActiveArea" value="50,50,100,100">
 

Applet Background and Foreground

   BGColor
The color of the applet background.
Values: 000000 - ffffff
Default: ffffff (white)
See Also: Color notation.
 
    BGLoadingColor
The color of the applet background while the applet is loading. Note that if this parameter isn't used the applet background will have the color given in the BGColor parameter while the applet is loading.
Values: 000000 - ffffff
Default: BGColor
See Also: Color notation.
 
    BGImage
The background image (behind the sections). If the image is smaller than the applet area it will be repeated to cover the whole applet area.
Values: URL to image
Default: none
 
    FGImage
The foreground image. This image should be a transparent gif where the sections will be seen in the transparent parts of the image. Netscape 3 and Netscape 4 have a bug regarding the handling of transparent images if the upper left pixel is non-transparent. Some images will sometimes show up incorrectly. The solution is of course to make the upper left pixel transparent.
Values: URL to image
Default: none
 
   

Known Bugs

No known bugs.

If you find any other bugs please report them to us.
 

   

Future Features

It's always possible to improve an applet, but every feature creates more code, and more code will result in longer loading times.

Currently we don't have any new features planned for this applet.
 

 

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