Floating Menus

[Mike Askew]

Firstly I would like to say this update is a visually pleasing one and much welcomed :)

However, would it be possible to provide an option in individual user's controls to disable such functionality? I have found two downsides to it on my current work machine which partially impact the sites useability.

Once again my IE8 install (Can't be changed as machine is set to a specific dev config) is letting me down on page rendering once the menu is floating resulting in the following:

Edit: The menu works fine as long as the page is scrolled to the top, but as soon as it becomes a floating menu the render breaks.

And secondly the same laptop also happens to run a lower resolution screen (1366x768), which is painful as it is, which therefore seems to make my favourite loitering page, live activity feed, seem quite cramped and takes a precision scroll to fit the whole feed on the page :)

I know minor issues and the fact im forced to use an old browser doesn't help but wondered if it would be possible to restrict the floating menu :)

On any of my other machines where I have normal browsers and 1920x1080 its a lovely update!

[Dani]

Thanks so much! I'm glad that you like it.

Without going into too much detail, it is definitely not in the cards at this time, I'm afraid to say, to disable it as a profile option.

However, I will add that the option currently only exists on navigation pages and not actual forum threads because it seems to me that it's most valuable when jumping around forums from other forums. When reading actual threads, I suspect you want to see as much of the posts as possible (especially when reading long code snippets). There are also some other small issues on article pages such that it's a violation of Google's TOS to have the AdSense ads covered up by dropdown menus (which they would be if the dropdown menu floated down the page), and the medium rectangle already slides down as it is. Too many moving parts on the same page is a bit cluttering.

However, I will find a way to do it if you guys think it would be very useful.

[Mike Askew]

Its alright if it is hard to disable, I will just put up with the rendering fails it causes as a result of me using IE8 :)

[Dani]

It's not that it's hard to disable from a technical standpoint as much of it being a choice to significantly limit the number of options in the control panel. It's actually a web design no-no to give end-users the ability to change UI elements. Just one of the things that irks me :)

The dropdown menus don't work in IE 8 but everything else does? It degrades nicely though, right? IE 8 is suuuch a smallll percentage of our audience.

[Mike Askew]

It degrades so that a tiny tiny part of the menu renders but effectively breaks all the drop-downs. Yeah I realise, I don't like having to use it myself but it happens to be on this laptop :(

[Ancient Dragon]

I'm confused -- I don't see any changes of the menus (in Chrome anyway). Is this about dockable menus?

[Dani]

When on forum listing pages, as you scroll down the page, the top navigation menu floats down with you.

[Ancient Dragon]

Oh! so it does -- good going Dani :) :)

[Mike Askew]

Already implemented a float lock when viewing threads by the looks of it :)?

[Dani]

Already implemented a float lock when viewing threads by the looks of it :)?

That was the original intended behavior (to not work on thread pages). As per: http://www.daniweb.com/community-center/daniweb-community-feedback/threads/452686/floating-menus#post1962884

[<M/>]

I like this feature... enough said :)

One thing though, that "feature" (i am not sure what it really is called) doesn't show when i am in the community center. it shows in all of the other forums.

[Dani]

That's so weird, really?? It doesn't happen when you're in an actual thread, but it should work on all non-thread pages (homepage, all navigation pages, control panel, etc)

[Ancient Dragon]

Works in Community Center for me using Chrome.

[<M/>]

That's so weird, really?? It doesn't happen when you're in an actual thread, but it should work on all non-thread pages (homepage, all navigation pages, control panel, etc)

Oh... i see, i was looking at a thread compared to another forum's page. Never mind (pretend i didn't report any problems)

[Dani]

Who here thinks that it should work on thread pages? Show of hands, please.

[deceptikon]

I think it should work on all pages. Consistency is important, for one thing. For another, I often move to another forum from within a thread and that currently involves jumping to the top of the page for the dropdowns. So it's also enlightened self interest based on my own usage patterns. ;)

[Mike Askew]

I do agree that it should be on all pages, for the same reason of I like to skip from threads to another forum and it makes that easier :)

[<M/>]

Who here thinks that it should work on thread pages? Show of hands, please.

Me, it will help a lot and as deceptikon says, "Consistency is important, for one thing"

[Dani]

Would the "Favorite Forums" popup menu in the bottom toolbar (the way it worked before the migration) be equally suitable? It's really tough to add the floating header to thread pages, and if that alternative would suit your needs just as well, then that's a win-win.

[deceptikon]

Hmm, I'll give that a shot for a bit and let you know.

[Dani]

No, what I mean is, it's not an existing feature. We used to have it before the migration. It would be much easier to implement so I was wondering if I went down that route instead, it would be just as good?

[deceptikon]

Oh, I see. Actually, I don't remember that particular feature, so I'm not in a position to do more the speculate on how useful it would be. But if it just pops up the favorite forums then I'd say it's not equivalent because I often navigate to forums other than my favorites. Granted that's a moderator pattern rather than something I'd do as a regular member, so my needs are a little biased. ;)

[Dani]

But if it just pops up the favorite forums then I'd say it's not equivalent because I often navigate to forums other than my favorites.

Yes, that's what it did. There was a little star icon next to My Favorite Forums and when you clicked on it in the bottom toolbar, it popped up your list of favorite forums.

[pritaeas]

Not sure if this is related to the new menu, but when I press [end], my page doesn't go to the end the first time (Opera and IE). The bottom bar is hiding behind the floating purple bar. It's annoying. (only in the forum's article view)

[Dani]

I'm confused what you mean. Which pages does it appear on? Forum's article view?? Huh?

[pritaeas]

Forum overview page. Whatever you call it ;) where it lists articles.

[Dani]

Can you take a screenshot please?

[pritaeas]

Browsed to Web Dev. Hit [end] key. Only one bottom bar showing (screenshot, scrollbar not entirely at bottom). Press [end] again. Two bars showing and scrollbar full bottom position.

[Dani]

I believe that's by design?? (of the operating system / browser)

[pritaeas]

Then why do I not experience this on a discussion page (like this one)?