Infinite Menus - Image Menu

Class File Names: im.class, imrend.class
Total Size: 21K
Notice Tag: "Infinite Menus, Copyright (c) 1997 OpenCube Technologies, Registered 1033"

Important Applet Information:

Note: All images must have a corresponding sub menu or the applet will not load. To use a specific image without its corresponding sub menu showing simply add a one message sub menu for the image and set its position off the applet area.

Note: Images in Java can sometimes be rendered inappropriately depending on the the platform and browser being used. jpg images are the most reliable and should work fine under most scenarios such as Win96, NT, and Mac OS using Netscape or Internet Explorer. low color definition gifs (usually 16 colors and less) are often rendered spotty by Netscape.

Note: A class format error in Netscape usually indicates that the class file cannot be found or was not uploaded in binary format to the server.

Uploading the applet to the Server

Once you are finished customizing the applet you will need to upload the HTML page containing the applet tag and the class files to your web server. Be shore to upload the class files in binary format and ensure that they are located in the same folder as identified by the codebase= value in the applet tag (see below for more information on the codebase value).

How to use the applet tags:

The applet tag identifies the location, class file name, and size of a Java applet. Below is a small sample applet tag (or view the source for this document to see the applet tag for the above implementation of this applet). The first part of the tag code="myclass.class" identifies the name of the Java program. The second part codebase="java/" identifies the relative location of the file (leave codebase blank if the class file is located in the same directory as the HTML document).

The third and fourth part of the applet tag identifies the width and height of the applet (usually measured in screen pixels).

The parameters are defined below the applet start tag with the parameter name first, followed by the value of the parameter. (see below for the complete parameter list). You may add as many parameters as the applet allows for. (If a parameter is not working, first double check that its spelling and case are typed correctly.)

The last part works like all other HTML tags and defines the end of the applet tag </applet>.

The Required Parameters:

Parameter 1, the notice tag, must be included in the applet tag in order for the applet to work. The only other required parameters are at least one image file name and highlight image file name. Usually the easiest way to customize your applet is to cut and paste the applet tag used in the sample and modify it to fit your web page

Defining Colors:

This applet uses a simple RGB or Hexadecimal color definition scheme. On most systems (depending on the software being used to choose a color) its easier to define a color using RGB, however since most web pages define colors using a HEX value we have allowed for both methods of color definition. To define a color using RGB use commas to separate the values such as 255,255,255 (White). To define a color using a hexadecimal value use a pound sign ('#') followed by a 6 digit hex value in the rage of 000000 - FFFFFF (e.g. #FFFFFF is equal to the color White).

Note: There is a possible bug, depending on the platform in Netscape 4.0, with Hexadecimal color definition. When users may be viewing this applet with Netscape 4.0 use a RGB color definition scheme to avoid the possibility of an error.

Color Definition with RGB: To define a color in one of the color parameters using RGB choose a value between 0 - 255 for the red, green, and blue components separated by commas and typed out in the correct r,g,b order. Below is a sample of how a color parameter using RGB should look, the example specifies several different sample colors for the "bgcolor" parameter.

WHITE: <param name="bgcolor" value="255,255,255">
GREEN: <param name="bgcolor" value="0,255,0">
BLACK: <param name="bgcolor" value="0,0,0">
YELLOW: <param name="bgcolor" value="255,255,0">
OFF WHITE: <param name="bgcolor" value="240,239,234">

The best way to choose the exact color you are looking for without having to guess the numbers is to access your systems Color Picker. Color Pickers usually allow you to drag the mouse over a rainbow type color grid to select a color, and show you the appropriate RGB values. In windows the Color Picker is accessible through MS Paint as well as a majority of the popular Imaging and HTML Authoring Software.

Defining Multiple attributes with One Parameter:

Parameters used to customize a specific image location or message are indicated using a range, such as "imagefile0" - "imagefileN". To define a parameter for a specific image or message (available when noted as above), use "imagefile0" to define, in this case, the first main menu image, "imagefile1" would define the second main menu image, etc.

The Applet Coordinate System:

The origin of the applets coordinate system is located at the upper left corner of the applet. The x (horizontal) coordinate starts at the left border with 0 and go as far to the right as the applet is wide (defined with the width tag - see above). The y (vertical) coordinate starts at the top of the applet with 0 and go down as far as the applet is high (defined with the height tag - see above).

The Applet Parameters

The Applet

Parameter 1
Attribute: Copyright notice.
param name="Notice"
value="Infinite Menus, Copyright (c) 1997 OpenCube Technologies, Registered 1033"
Note: This must be included for the applet to work.

Parameter 2
Attribute: Applet Background Color
param name = "bgcolor"
Value = R,G,B, Where R,G,B are the red, green, and blue components of the applets background color.

Parameter 3
Attribute: Default Status Bar Text when mouse is over applet
param name = "onsbtext"
value="X", where X is the message to appear in the status bar when the mouse is over the applet but not over a URL link.
DEFAULT: OpenCube - Infinite Menus Menu

Parameter 4
Attribute: Default Status Bar Text when mouse is off applet
param name = "offsbtext"
value="X", where X is the message to appear in the status bar when the mouse is not over the applet.
DEFAULT: Java by OpenCube

The Images

Parameter 5
Attribute: Image File Locations and Names
param name = "imagefile0" - "imagefileN"
Value = X. Where X is the relative location and name of the image file to be displayed in the applet area as a main menu image. This must be defined relative to the location of the HTML document which contains the applet.

Parameter 6
Attribute: Image x (horizontal) locations
param name = "picx0" - "picxN"
Value = X. Where X is the horizontal location of the left border of the image relative to the left margin of the applet. If your applet width is defined as 100, picx="50" would place the left border of the image horizontally dead center.

Parameter 7
Attribute: Image y (vertical) locations
param name = "picy0" - "picyN"
Value = X. Where X is the vertical location of the top border of the image relative to the top of the applet.

The Highlighted Images

Note: The images defined as Highlight images appear as the mouse moves over a main menu image. The highlighted images are automatically placed directly over the main menu image to which they correspond and therefore should have the same dimensions as the main menu image to which they belong.

Parameter 8
Attribute: Image File Locations and Names
param name = "switchfile0" - "switchfileN"
Value = X. Where X is the relative location and name of the image file to be displayed in the applet area when the mouse is over a main menu image. This must be defined relative to the location of the HTML document which contains the applet.

The Associated Sub Menus Descriptions

Parameter 9
Attribute: Sub Menu Descriptions
param name = "desc0-0-0..." - "descN-N-N..."
Value = X, Where X is the message that corresponds to the index used to identify an image as well as its parent sub menu if applicable. To define level 1 sub menus (the first menu to appear as the mouse moves over an image) use "descN-N", e.g. "desc0-0" refers to the first sub menu description for the first image, "desc0-1" refers to the second sub menu description for the first image. To branch another sub menu of a previous sub menu extend the reference, e.g. "desc0-1-0" would force a new menu to pop up as the mouse passed over the second description in the first sub menu defined by "desc0-1", "desc0-1-1" would add another description to this new second level sub menu. Sub menus may be branched indefinitely in any configuration.

Parameter 10
Attribute: Font
param name = "font"
Value = X. Where X is the name of the font to be used for all sub menu messages. (valid Java font names: "Courier", "Helvetica", "TimesRoman", "Dialog", "DialogInput")
DEFAULT: Helvetica

Parameter 11
Attribute: Font Size
param name = "size"
Value = X. Where X is font size of the font for all sub menu messages.
DEFAULT: 12

Parameter 12
Attribute: Font Style
param name="fontstyle0" - "fontstyleN"
value= bold, italic, bolditalic, plain
DEFAULT: plain

Parameter 13
Attribute: Default Text Color
param name = "menutextcolor"
Value=r,g,b or #000000 - #FFFFFF - See above for more information on defining colors.
DEFAULT: Black

Parameter 14
Attribute: Left and Right Margins
param name = "lrmargin"
Value = X, Where X is the left and right margin to use for the sub menu messages.
DEFAULT: 4

Parameter 15
Attribute: Center or Left Justify Text?
param name = "centertext"
Value = true or false, True = yes, Center Text - False = no, left justify text
DEFAULT: Left Justified

Positioning the Sub Menus

Note: To specify the placement of a given sub menu point to the sub menus base index value, e.g. "menuxoffset1-2" would refer to the sub menu defined for the third menu description for the second images initial sub menu, "mainxoffset1-2-0" would refer to the first sub menu of the sub menu associated with the third menu description for the second image, "mainxoffset2" would refer to the third images initial sub menu. See the "descN-N-N" tag for more information. If the menu is an initial sub menu of an image the values described below are offsets from the top left corner of the image, if the menus is a sub menu of a sub menu the values described below are offsets from the top left corner of the sub menus parent sub menu. To specify placement above or to the left of the parent image or sub menu use a negative value with the parameters below.

Parameter 16
Attribute: Sub Menu X (Horizontal) Offset from the left side of the Image or Sub Menu
param name = "menuxoffset0-0..." - "menuxoffsetN-N..."
Value = X, Where X is the x offset from the left edge of the image or sub menu using the coordinate system described above. A value of 0 would place the sub menu's left border at the left edge of the image or at the left edge of its parent sub menu.
DEFAULT: 15

Parameter 17
Attribute: Sub Menu Y (Vertical) Offset from the top of the Image or Sub Menu
param name = "menuyoffset0-0..." - "menuyoffsetN-N..."
Value = X, Where X is the y offset from the top of the image or sub menu using the coordinate system described above. A value of 0 would place the sub menu's top border at the top edge of the image or at the top edge of its parent sub menu.
DEFAULT: 15

Customizing Sub Menu Colors

Note: The index N for a specific color property identifies a sub menu level, all the sub menus on the level inherit the property of the parameter used with N. A sub menu level must exist (defined using the "descN-N-N..." tag) in order to define a property for it. The second sub menu level (a sub menu branched off from a main menu images sub menu) starts with the number 0. To define a property for the second level menus use "menutextcolor0", to define a text color for the third level menus use "menutextcolor1", etc. Level definitions cannot be skipped, in other words to define a property for the third sub menu level you must also define a property for the second sub menu level. What happened to the first level sub menus? The first level sub menus are defined using the default parameters (a parameter with no index, e.g. "menutextcolor").

Note: It is not actually necessary to sequentially define all specific level color properties, so long as at least one of the parameters is specifically defined for each level and is equal to or greater then any of the other level parameters non sequential index specifications. For example, say you have 4 levels of sub menus and you want to specifically define a menu color for each level, however you want to use the same text color on each level except for the fourth level. To do this you must define each levels menu color first. The level one menu color would be defined using "menucolor", level 2 using "menucolor0", level 3 using "menucolor1", and level 4 using "menucolor2". Since you have sequentially defined all your levels using the "menucolor" you are free to skip around with any other level parameters. This means that defining the text color for level 4 only requires one "menutextcolor2" tag.

Parameter 18
Attribute: Default Sub Menu Background Color
param name = "menucolor"
Value=r,g,b or #000000 - #FFFFFF - See above for more information on defining colors.
DEFAULT: Yellow

Parameter 19
Attribute: Specific Sub Menu Background Color
param name = "menucolor0" - "menucolorN"
Value=r,g,b or #000000 - #FFFFFF - See above for more information on defining colors.

Parameter 20
Attribute: Default Text Color
param name = "menutextcolor0" - "menutextcolorN"
Value=r,g,b or #000000 - #FFFFFF - See above for more information on defining colors.
DEFAULT: Black

Parameter 21
Attribute: Specific Text Color
param name = "menutextcolor0" - "menutextcolorN"
Value=r,g,b or #000000 - #FFFFFF - See above for more information on defining colors.

Parameter 22
Attribute: Default Sub Menu Outline Color
param name = "menuoutlinecolor"
Value=r,g,b or #000000 - #FFFFFF - See above for more information on defining colors.
DEFAULT: Black

Parameter 23
Attribute: Specific Sub Menu Outline Color
param name = "menuoutlinecolor0" - "menuoutlinecolorN"
Value=r,g,b or #000000 - #FFFFFF - See above for more information on defining colors.

Parameter 24
Attribute: Default Sub Menu Highlight Background Color
param name = "menuhlcolor"
Value=r,g,b or #000000 - #FFFFFF - See above for more information on defining colors.
DEFAULT: Red

Parameter 25
Attribute: Specific Sub Menu Highlight Background Color
param name = "menuhlcolor0" - "menuhlcolorN"
Value=r,g,b or #000000 - #FFFFFF - See above for more information on defining colors.

Parameter 26
Attribute: Default Sub Menu Highlight Text Color
param name = "menuhltextcolor"
Value=r,g,b or #000000 - #FFFFFF - See above for more information on defining colors.
DEFAULT: Black

Parameter 27
Attribute: Default Sub Menu Highlight Text Color
param name = "menuhltextcolor0" - "menuhltextcolorN"
Value=r,g,b or #000000 - #FFFFFF - See above for more information on defining colors.

URL Links

Parameter 28
Attribute: Image URL Links
param name = "imagedesturl0" - "imagedesturlN"
value=X, where X is the link for the specific image. URL's can be defined relative to the HTML document containing the applet or fully qualified.

Parameter 29
Attribute: Specific Load Destination Image URL Where?
param name="imageloadwhere0" - "imageloadwhereN"
The "loadwhere" tag specifies where the document specified in the "imagedesturlN" tag should be loaded. The default is "_self"

"_self" show in the current frame
"_parent" show in the parent frame
"_top" show in the top-most frame
"_blank" show in a new unnamed top-level window
"name" show in a new top-level window named name

Parameter 30
Attribute: Sub Menu URL Links
param name = "desturl0-0-0..." - "desturlN-N-N..."
value=X, where X is the link for the specific sub menu message. (e.g. to define a link for the first images first sub menu message use "desturl0-0" for the second use "desturl0-1", to define a link for the first sub menu message which is related to the first images initial sub menus second description use "desturl0-1-0", etc. For more information regarding this process see the "descN-N-N..." parameter. URL's can be defined relative to the HTML document containing the applet or fully qualified.

Parameter 31
Attribute: Default Load Destination URL Where?
param name = "loadwhere0-0-0..." - "loadwhereN-N-N..."
The "loadwhere" tag specifies where the document specified in the "desturlN-N-N..." tag should be loaded. The default is "_self"

"_self" show in the current frame
"_parent" show in the parent frame
"_top" show in the top-most frame
"_blank" show in a new unnamed top-level window
"name" show in a new top-level window named name

Infinite Menus, � 1996, OpenCube Technologies