XML List Menu documentation
 
 
UPDATE

The help documentation will be updated and improved with customer feedback.

* Before starting, check to see if you should download the latest readme.htm file from the server and replace this one (version on right top)
* Check the latest FAQ, tips and help topics on the FORUM

> TOP <

 
Quick Start

When you receive the product you will receive a .zip file. The zip file will contain the following files

  • xml_list_menu_1.fla (chrome)
    xml_list_menu_2.fla (pixels)
    xml_list_menu_3.fla (white)
    xml_list_menu_4.fla (bevel)
  • xml_list_menu_1.swf
    xml_list_menu_2.swf
    xml_list_menu_3.swf
    xml_list_menu_4.swf
  • listmenu.xml
    (listmenu3.xml)
  • /classes/listmenu.as
  • Readme.htm
  • /artistic/ (containing sample pictures)
  • /images/ (containing sample pictures)

Do the following steps to start using Listmenu;

  1. Unzip the .zip file
  2. Open Flash CS3
  3. Open any of the 4 .fla files and copy the component froms stage to your own .fla file
  4. Copy the /classes/ folder and listmenu.xml to the folder of your own .fla file
  5. In Flash CS3 Open the [Components] panel
  6. Select the Listmenu component on stage and open [Component Inspector], make changes to parameters if you need (see Parameters section in this Readme.
  7. Make changes to the Component library item and change it's assets to create the visual you like.

> TOP <

 
Component Parameters.
When you place the ListMenu component on stage, you will have a number of parameters you can modify to suit the menu to your needs. Below are detailed explanations about what every parameter does or customizes.
xmldata (String) =
The name of the .xml file. The component in trial and full version will include a sample "listmenu.xml" file which you can use as startpoint or template for your own .xml file

instantscroll (Boolean) = false
If set to true, then scroll will be instant without any visual gradual movement of the menu. If set to false, then the menu will graduately scroll to any new position. This influences the following: using scroll up/down, drag button, drag bar, next/previous and any external input

scrollspeed (Number) = 5
The speed, pixels per frame, with which the scroll up and scroll down buttons will move the menu up and down.

maskheight (Number) = 200
The part/area (height) of the menu which will be shown through a mask, in other words the visible height of the menu.

maskwidth (Number) = 175
The "visible width of the menu", used for calculations only! It is used for the horizontal positions of scroll bar and buttons. Notice that the actual mask "width" used in the script is increased, allowing you to use icons and other contents outside the visual button/area without them being cut-off by the menu mask.

itemspacing (Number) = 0
Extra/Additional space in pixels vertically between menu items

itemalpha (Number) = 0.3
Alpha transparency of the menu button part only. Transparency NOT used for item text, nor item bevel outline MovieClip, nor item mouseover animation MovieClip, nor item active animation MovieClip.

mainfontXoffset (Number) = 0 # override
Horizontal position of the main item text.

mainfontYoffset (Number) = 0 # override
Vertical position of the main item text

mainfontcolor (int) = 0xFFFFFF # override
Color of the main item text

mainfontcolormouseover (int) = 0xFFFF00 # override
Color of the main item text on mouse over

mainicon (String) = "" # override
Optional linkage name of Library item to be added as main item icon.

mainiconXoffset (Number) = -10
Horizontal position of the main item icon.

subfontXoffset (Number) = 0 # override
Horizontal position of the sub item text.

subfontYoffset (Number) = 0 # override
Vertical position of the sub item text

subfontcolor (int) = 0xFFFFFF # override
Color of the sub item text

subfontcolormouseover (int) = 0xFFFF00 # override
Color of the sub item text on mouse over

subicon (String) = "" # override
Optional linkage name of Library item to be added as sub item icon.

subiconXoffset (Number) = -10
Horizontal position of the sub item icon.

fontshadowXoffset (Number) = 1
If you have set addfontshadow to true, the horizontal offset position/distance of the shadow letter (compared to main letter position)

fontshadowYoffset (Number) = 1
If you have set addfontshadow to true, the vertical offset position/distance of the shadow letter (compared to main letter position)

framemodel (Boolean) = false
If set to true, then the menu items will open the links as "web pages" (getUrl type) instead of loading them as external .swf movies. Set to true, you can use any type of webpage link (htm, html, asp, php, swf, etc) since the listmenu will assume the link will be opened as in a browser window.
If set to false, then the menu items will load the links as external .swf movies (LoadMovie type)

targetframe (String) = "mainFrame" - # override
If set framemodel to true, the default frame name of where the links will be opened.

addpreloader (Boolean) = true
If set framemodel to false, this will add a preloading progress animation when contents are loaded after a menu item click

loadcenter (Boolean) = false
If set framemodel to false, loaded contents will use loadXpos and loadYpos as the left top position to place the contents. If you set this to true, then the contents will use the X/Y positions as the center point to place contents.

loadXpos (Number) = 200
If set framemodel to false, the horizontal positions where loaded links (external .swf movies) will be loaded in relation to listmenu position

loadYpos (Number) = 0
If set framemodel to false, the vertical positions where loaded links (external .swf movies) will be loaded in relation to listmenu position

loadmask (Boolean) = false
If set framemodel to false, if set loadmask to true, the loaded links (external .swf movies) will be loaded under a mask. This way only a certain area will make the loaded movies visible.

loadmaskwidth (Number) = 100
If set framemodel to false, if set loadmask to true, the horizontal width of the mask area where the loaded links (external .swf movies) will be visible

loadmaskheight (Number) = 100
If set framemodel to false, if set loadmask to true, the vertical height of the mask area where the loaded links (external .swf movies) will be visible

dopullout (Boolean) = false
If set to true, then the listmenu will make main categories being pull-out type. The list menu will start automatically with all main menu items pulled-in (showing no sub items). When selecting a main item, the prior selected main item will be pulled-in hiding its sub items.

pulloutmulti (Boolean) = false
If set dopullout to true, if pulloutmulti to true, the list menu will allow more then one main item being pulled-out at the same time.

dolistoptions (Boolean) = true
If set to true, the list menu will add the {listoptions] movieclip above the list with the option to search and show all/main buttons.

searchcasesensitive (Boolean) = false
If set to true, the listoptions search field will search and match only exact upper-/lowercase letters in the list.

flag (String) = "new"
Optional string name you are using to flag certain marked menu item nodes. In the Library you'll find a MovieClip [- listoptions show flag]. If you copy its layer to MovieClip [listoptions] then an additional button is added to the options/search clip with a button which will show only items marked with the flag tag in the list. It can be used for instance as a quick toggle between all and new 'products' in the list.

activecategories (Boolean) = false
If set to true, when searching the listmenu it will check if a main item has been marked active (with the checkbox on the right side of the main menu item. If the item is not actively marked, it will not be searched and its matching sub items will not be included in the search result (list after search)

mainremain (Boolean) = false
If set to true, then the list menu will always show main items. If the list is searched or re-generated e.g. by the "flag"-button, even if the main items do not match they'll still be included in the list.

donextprevious (Boolean) = false
If set to true, below the list menu 'next' and 'previous' buttons will be added to quickly scroll through the list
> TOP <

activekeyboardarrows (Boolean) = false
If set to true, the keyboard up/down will scroll the menu if in focus and the right/left arrows will function as next/previous item buttons
> TOP <
 
Overriding specific properties of xml node entries

Item options
The following tags can be included into xml <menuitem> nodes to override their default values. Possible for both Main and Sub nodes

  • main="true" (only include this to make a menuitem a main item)
  • flag="new" (see flag. Optional flag name, you can choose the flag name "new" in the component Parameter Panel)

  • fontcolor="0x00FF00" (replace value with your own)
  • fontcolormouseover="0xFF00FF" (replace value with your own)
  • fontXoffset="5" (replace value with your own)
  • fontYoffset="5" (replace value with your own)
  • itemicon="icon_cube" (replace value with your own)
  • loadXpos="100" (replace value with your own)
  • loadYpos="100" (replace value with your own)
  • targetframe="bottomFrame" (replace value with your own, only available if framemodel set to true)
  • fontscale="1.3" (replace value with your own) (This tag will rescale the textvalue and textvalueshadow text fields in the items with factor "fontscale")

> TOP <