[bojangles]

I�m redesigning my company�s web site using CSS and frames. I�ve placed an interactive menu across the top of the screen, with lots of layers and JavaScript. When it works correctly, rolling over any menu item will pop up a submenu, from which you can then select a link. Only problem is that Netscape 7.02 for Windows doesn�t seem to like that. The drop-down rollovers are pretty flaky�they flicker a lot (when they actually work at all) and the drop-down disappears altogether when the user tries to select an option below the bottom of the title layer (which is completely unrelated).

Everything works just fine in Opera 7.0.1 for Windows and in every Mac browser I�ve been able to throw at it, but I really need it to work in Win NS7. (IE6 for Windows is a lost cause; the css implementation is so pitiful, I�ve started rewriting the entire site for it, complete with a message that high-end features will be disabled.)

Any help would be appreciated!

New S&S Fire Apparatus site

[Simon Mundy]

You may have to roll your sleeves up and start re-writing some of the code that DreamWeaver has created.

I've been experimenting with cross-platform dropdowns for a couple of years now and can safely say that's it's a major PITA.

Here are my findings so far (feel free to set me straight if you find something that's awry):

- It's a good idea to create dropdown's dynamically with JavaScript rather than hard-code them into a page. Why? Because browsers that don't support CSS/JavaScript won't render them incorrectly if they're not there! And also you can save bandwidth by using your JavaScript to create menus on the fly. The only tradeoff is speed, but if they're written properly they won't bog your browser down too much.

- I'd convert those JPG's in your dropdowns to text. For the subtle variation in type with the glow vs the amount of time needed to load all those dropdowns, I'd say in the long run it would be much neater/cleaner/smarter to have the dropdowns text-based.

- Forget HierMenus. It is cross-browser, but its performance on Mac browsers is abysmal, and more often than not it keeps reporting errors. It's WAY too feature-rich and will slow your browsing to no end.

- Try www.dynamicdrive.com as a good starting point for writing your own dropdowns. They have some great code, cross-browser, cross-platform goodness.

- Don't bother supporting Netscape 4 with your dropdowns. It's way dead now. Stick with <DIV>'s and excellent CSS support. Look forward not backward. Anyway, dropdowns are a nice feature but not a 'must-have' for any site.

- It's still early days, but we're getting to the point now where we can almost start writing rudimentary dropdown menus with CSS only. Take a look at http://www.meyerweb.com/eric/css/edge/menus/demo.html

Hope this has helped. I can offer more specific advice if you like - just drop me a private message if you would like some code to get you started.