Nested Templates - OMEGA

OMEGA - EZTree Menu (easier to implement)

*New Feature* Focused Bread Crumbs
For a more clear view, try focused breadcrumbs
Query String Menu item for DYNAMIC PAGES
Need to have pages that use a database like MySql, MS Access, SQL Server or Oracle? No problem. Just create create the menus as usual and just add the query string at the end of the url as you normally do. It's that easy!!
catalog.asp?id=10&cat=22&subcat=43
Embedded Breadcrumbs
Please also see other these other tree styles:
1. Big Icons
2. Inverse Background
  
  (black background)
3. Image Only
  
  (e.g. Custom Fonts)
4. Note: You still have full customization of the entire tree
  so you are not limited to these styles show above
Unlimited Levels
with context highlighting. Note: it's best not to add too many levels or you may have very little room on the right hand side to work with.
Full Auto Updating: Fully integrated with Dreamweaver MX and MX 2004

If you change or rename a file name in Dreamweaver, it's links and url's are updated. If you move a file to a different folder, it's links are also automatically updated via Dreamweaver.

Full Customization
Menu items can be
1. images: e.g.
2. text: e.g. Annual Report
3. both images and text (e.g.- Annual Report)
MAXIMUM Performance
existing tree menus have to use either: frames, a server side dll, very complex CSS, and/or complicated javascript. This can mean loading almost the entire site menu for each page. Which means SLOW.........(Why load the entire site menu if you are not going to visit every single page in the entire site anyway?)
REAL-TIME CRITICAL Data
see how it handles time sensitive data with the
Real-time Database Tree Menu Architecture

Embedded Breadcrumbs
Each level is highlighted to allow the user to quickly see main categories on the tree menu for faster surfing just like regular breadcrumbs.
NO FRAMES needed or desired to make this work
NOTE: pay close attention to competitors products as they may need frames to make it work.
Bookmarkable Tree Menu System drag and drop anywhere, including the menu into your Favorites folder
No Server-Side DLL's needed
Some tree menus require you to install a server side DLL on the web server to get it to work. This system doesn't need it.
No complicated JavaScript needed. In fact, the only JavaScript used is simple rollover code. Most Tree menus have to use very complicated javascript to make it work or some server side .DLL item.
Extreme Cross-Browser Compatibility
(e.g. things will line up properly..)
This works in Netscape 4.x browsers and visually impaired screen readers, Section 508 compliance. No worrying about the menu being too wide or overlapping in this other browser. Uses simple table tags that consistently work in any browser.
Auto-Toggle Expand/Collapse for faster surfing
(Just like your Microsoft I.E. Favorites Panel)
No CSS hacks or workarounds used.
No worrying about whether the menu is misaligned or chopped off in this browser but works well in that other browser. No complicated CSS used. Thus, CSS workarounds and hacks for cross-browser compliance are not needed. That's why it can be used on Netscape 4.x browsers, Macs, and screen readers

NOTE: Beware of menus systems that partially work, i.e. 'gracefully degrade'...in other words, fully expanded menus in Netscape 4.x or Mac Browsers. How are you really supposed to read anything if the menu is a mile in length? Fully expanded menus totally defeats the purpose of a tree menu in the first place and you end up scrolling forever to get to the bottom of the page.
Real Time Database Tree Menu Architecture:
(dynamic menus do's and don't and
a common sense solution for real-time critical data)
A totally dynamic left hand navigation will only confuse the user as everything is always changing. The tree menu should familiar and consistent map for the user. Real-time critical data should use a simple text alert of new data instead of listing all the data

A simple single text message or icon alerting the user of something new or changes to the database, such as the MyYahoo Mail's "new mail alert", is far far smarter and common sense solution than having a dynamic data driven navigation menu.
Never tie a real time tree menu items to files in a folder that you drop stuff in. You should never bog down the navigation tree to constantly look up and see the contents of a folder. The contents of a folder should always be displayed in the center of a single web page; NOT on the left hand tree menu.

Being alerted by a simple text message or icon of new or changed data is different than dynamically listing all the data
Thus, auto folder content tie-in should be at the web page level, not the tree menu items level.

Real Life Example:

MyYahoo navigation list of stocks VERSUS getting an alert only if a stock changes a preset amount in price, or volume or news
It's basically an architectural issue. One should ask, do we really need the dynamic info inside the navigation bar? Couldn't we just have a simple alert notification message or icon instead? Why couldn't it be on the main part of the page? eBay has it's auctions on the center of the page, Google and Yahoo have it on the center. People can easily navigate to any dynamic item in the center and the user will always be instantly alerted of anything new or changed. Of what real and practical benefit to the user will it be it's on the left instead of the center. Just how much money are we going to make in the first place by having it that way?

Wasn't the menu system supposed to be familiar, easy-to-use, and easy-to-find things? How is someone going to find things if the menu keeps changing all the time? What happened to consistency and familiarity?

Imagine how annoying it would be if Amazon.com randomly changed the positions and names of all their familiar tab buttons on their menu bar every hour of the day.

If the dynamic content is so important, shouldn't an entire page be dedicated to it so users can easily see it like an auction. If it was on the left hand navigation menu and it's dynamic and it's so important, wouldn't their very next click be on the item itself as opposed to so other part of the menu.

The only thing that might need it is something like a MyYahoo portal with stocks, airline information, and sports scores. And that is where everything on the left hand and the right hand is dynamic. But then again, a lot of that stuff on MyYahoo is delayed and cached anyway due to the additional load from the dynamic portion.

Furthermore, even the MyYahoo Mail only displays a"new mail alert" that you have new mail waiting. And It certainly doesn't list every single message you just received on the left hand menu.
So if only every single menu item and the entire web page is dynamically changing, then you should consider something else and that would be a tremendous hassle anyway. Otherwise, even if only a portion of the menu is dynamic, that dynamic code should only be put on those pages that reference that menu section anyway as the static portions shouldn't suffer. (e.g. number of shopping cart items in your basket)

NOTE: Please start with the MOST BASIC nested template example, ALPHA, before using this one....you can save a lot more time and have a lot less frustration.

10 to 15 minutes is all it takes, OK?

This Nested Template is kept simple in order for you to easily adapt it with your existing templates as well as understand what is going on, "template programming-wise" as it can get pretty confusing.
Nevertheless, because it's using Templates and Library Items, massive changes across the entire web site can be made with the click of the button. AND massive changes across a selected part of the web site can also be made.
Nested Templates are great for big sites that have their own sections while maintaining a consistent navigation across the entire site. Moreover, each section can also have customization that will also propagate through it's own set of pages.