QuickLink Image Menu

Class File Name: QLIM.class
Class File Size: 15.4K
Notice Tag: QuickLink Image Menu, Copyright (c) 1997 OpenCube Technologies, Registered 7432

Note: When testing this menu locally it is possible that a Java security exception will arise in Microsoft Internet Explorer (v3.02). To work around this, view your menu in Netscape or place the image files on the server and view the applet. This issue is a local problem only and will not arise once the applet is located on the internet.

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 the QuickLink Image Menu). The first part of the tag code="QLIM.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 QuickLink Image Menu parameter list). You may add as many parameters as the applet allows for, with the QuickLink Image Menu it is unlimited. (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 Parameters and how to define them:

Parameter 1 must be included in the applet tag in order for the applet to work. Most of the parameters will default if you fail to define them, however we suggest that you include all the parameters so the applet is ensured to give the desired look. Usually the easiest thing to do is cut and paste the applet tag info used in the sample and modify it to fit your web page.

Color Definition: This applet uses a simple RGB color scheme. To define a color in one of the color parameters use 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 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.

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 "picx0" to define, in this case, the x coordinate for the 1st image relative to the applet - "picx3" would define the x coordinate for the fourth image etc., etc.

The origin of the applets coordinate system is located at the upper left corner of the applet. The x (horizontal) coordinate start 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 start 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

Parameter 1
Attribute: Copyright notice.
param name="Notice"
value="QuickLink Image Menu, Copyright (c) 1997 OpenCube Technologies, Registered 7432"
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.

The Images

Parameter 3
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. This must be defined relative to the location of the QLIM.class file. (e.g. the class file is in a folder called Java and your images are located in a folder called images which is located in the Java folder. The image file tag would read "images/myimage.gif")

Parameter 4
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 5
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

Parameter 6
Attribute: Render Gray Scale Highlight of Image
param name = "hb&w"
Value = true or false, true = yes use gray scale highlight, false = no gray scale highlight

Parameter 7
Attribute: Highlight Image Filter Color
param name = "himagecolor"
Value = r,g,b Where r,g,b is the red, green, and blue components of the highlight filter color. To highlight your image using a bright blue filter use 0,0,255, to highlight with a green filter use 0,255,0, or highlight with any color, a gray color will darken or lighten the image colors uniformly.

Parameter 8
Attribute: Use Lighter Highlight
param name = "hlighten"
Value = true or false, true = yes use lightened highlight, false = no, use darkened highlight. Note: the color to highlight is defined using the "himagecolor" tag defined above, this tag simple further defines weather the highlight color will brighten or darken the image.

Parameter 9
Attribute: Use Transparent Gif Images?
param name = "gif"
Value = true or false, true = yes some or all of my images are transparent gif's, false = no, none of my gif images are transparent or I am using jpg images. If you are using .jpg images make shore this parameter is set to false. This parameter will effect performance slightly when set to true.

Parameter 10
Attribute: Filter out background in highlighted image.
param name = "transparent"
Value = true or false, true = yes the highlighted image will not effect the color defined by the "transparentcolor" tag, (see below) false = no, the highlighted image will encompass the entire image area. Basically this setting allows you to highlight the picture area and not the entire square space of a gif or jpg image.

Parameter 11
Attribute: Transparent Color
param name = "transparentcolor"
Value = R,G,B. Where R,G,B defines the red, green, and blue components of the transparent color to be unaltered when highlighting the image. Note: the Filter out background, "transparent" tag must be set to true, as described above, in orde to work.

Parameter 12
Attribute: Image Highlight Border Color
param name = "hcolor"
Value = R,G,B. Where R,G,B defines the red, green, and blue components of the color for the highlight square to be draw around the image when it is highlighted. To make the box invisible use the same color as the background color.

Parameter 13
Attribute: Image Highlight Border Distance from Image Border
param name = "hdist"
Value = X, Where X is the distance from the image borders of the highlight square.

The Associated Sub Menu Messages

Parameter 14
Attribute: Maximum Number of Sub Menu Descriptions Used
param name = "maxsubdescrips"
Value = X, Where x is the maximum number of sub menu descriptions for all the sub menus, If your largest sub menu has 6 messages defined the value of "maxsubdescrips" would = 6. Note: it is important to define this tag correctly, if the number is less then the maximum number of sub menu descriptions used the sub menus will not display anything past the number defined for this parameter.

Parameter 15
Attribute: Sub Menu Descriptions
param name = "desc0-0" - "descN-N"
Value = X, Where X is the message that corresponds to the index used to identify an image. (e.g to define a the first sub menu message for the first image use "desc0-0", to define the second sub menu message for the first image use "desc0-1", to define the second sub menu message for the third image use "desc2-1", etc.,etc.)

Parameter 16
Attribute: Message Bold
param name = "bold"
Value = true or false, true = yes bold text, false = normal text.

Parameter 17
Attribute: Message Italic
param name = "italic"
Value = true or false, true = yes bold text, false = normal text.

Parameter 18
Attribute: Font Size
param name = "size"
Value = X. Where X is the default size of the font for all messages.

Parameter 19
Attribute: Font
param name = "font"
Value = X. Where X is the name of the font to be used for all messages. (e.g. "Courier")

Parameter 20
Attribute: Text Color
param name = "menutextcolor"
Value = R,G,B. Where R,G,B define the red, green, and blue components of the color as described above.

Parameter 21
Attribute: Left and Right Margins
param name = "menutextcolor"
Value = X, Where X is the left and right margin to use for the menu message.

Parameter 22
Attribute: Center or Left Justify Text?
param name = "centertext"
Value = true or false, True = yes, Center Text - False = no, left justify text

The Associated Sub Menus

Parameter 23
Attribute: Sub Menu X (Horizontal) Offset from the left side of the Image
param name = "menux0" - "menuxN"
Value = X, Where X is the x offset from the left edge of the image 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.

Parameter 24
Attribute: Sub Menu Y (Vertical) Offset from the top of the Image
param name = "menuy0" - "menuyN"
Value = X, Where X is the y offset from the top of the image 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.

Parameter 25
Attribute: Sub Menu Color
param name = "menucolor"
Value = R,G,B. Where R,G,B defines the red, green, and blue components of the pop up sub menu color.

Parameter 26
Attribute: Sub Menu Outline Color
param name = "outlinecolor"
Value = R,G,B. Where R,G,B defines the red, green, and blue components of the pop up sub menus outline color.

Parameter 27
Attribute: Sub Menu Highlight Background Color
param name = "menuhlcolor"
Value = R,G,B. Where R,G,B defines the red, green, and blue components of the pop up sub menus highlighted background color.

Parameter 28
Attribute: Sub Menu Highlight Text Color
param name = "menuhltextcolor"
Value = R,G,B. Where R,G,B defines the red, green, and blue components of the pop up sub menus highlighted text color.

The Mouse

Parameter 29
Attribute: Mouse Delay
param name = "mousedelay"
Value = X, Where X is the delay in milliseconds for mouse coordinate checks as the mouse moves around the applet. This feature is useful when running multiple applets on the same page or when you want a delay time between when the mouse moves over an image and the sub menu pops up.

URL Links

Parameter 30
Attribute: Image URL Links
param name = "imagedesturl0" - "imagedesturlN"
value=X, where X is the link for the specific image. Fully qualify all URL's (e.g. "http://www.opencube.com")

Parameter 31
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 32
Attribute: Sub Menu URL Links
param name = "desturl0-0" - "desturlN-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", etc, to define a url link for the third images second sub menu message us "desturl2-1", etc., etc.) Fully qualify all URL's (e.g. "http://www.opencube.com")

Parameter 33
Attribute: Default Load Destination URL Where?
param name="loadwhere0-0" - "loadwhereN-N"
The "loadwhere" tag specifies where the document specified in the "desturlN-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

Other

Parameter 34
Attribute: Menu Images Loading... (Color)
param name = "loadcolor"
value=r,g,b Where r,g,b are the red, green, and blue components for the color of the loading images message, which appears when the applet first starts.

QuickLink Image Menu, � 1997, OpenCube Technologies