How to create a left side menu

How to create a left side menu

There are many different ways to create a left side menu with frame sets.

Way #1: with normal links.

1) open a new hypertext (”File >New hypertext”)

2) move the left bar and create a couple of frames (this step actually creates new pages)

3) in the left frame, write something like this:

page1

page2

page3

4) in the right frame, write something like "This is the page 1"

5) use "File >Add new page", and create a new empty page

6) move the left bar and create a couple of frames

7) use right mouse button in the left frame, then "Choose page in frame". Here you can choose for the left frame the same page created at the step #2 (there is a group of items called "page in frame": you have to select "choose existing one" so you will see the preview and can choose the page)

8) write something like "This is the page 2" in the right frame

9) use “Hypertext >Cover” to go to the first page

10) select the text “page2” on the left frame

11) use "Insert >Link", and select as destination "This is the page 2"

12) use “Hypertext >Cover” to go to the first page if needed

You can repeat 5..12 for “page3” and so on.

Use "Hypertext >Readonly" to test your work.

In the step 6 you can also use “Format >Advanced frameset manager” to copy the frame layout from the one created in step 2.

Way #2: with special links (this way is also useful for placing music in the menu frame).

1) open a new hypertext

2) move the left bar in order to create a couple of frames

3) in the left frame, write something like this:

page1

page2

page3

4) in the right frame, write "This is the page 1"

5) select the text "page1"

6) use "Insert >Special link"

7) choose the 4th tab ("in frame or window")

8) on the frame preview, click on the right frame. Read the labels: this means you're telling CDFrontEnd that a click on the link will replace the selected frame with the destination page you're going to select; Press OK

9) as destination, choose the page “This is the page1" (from the first tab)

10) now use "Hypertext >Cover" to go back to the first page in the window

11) in the left frame, select "page2"

12) use "Insert >special link"

13) choose the 4th tab ("in frame or window")

14) on the frame preview, click on the right frame. Read the labels: this means you're telling CDFrontEnd that a click on the link will replace the selected frame with the destination page you're going to select

15) as destination, choose "new empty page" (last tab)

16) write "This is the page 2" in the page

16b) an interesting tip now is to use the Advanced Frameset Manager (”Hypertext” menu) to copy in the present page the same layout used in the page 1 (this is not needed; may be useful for example if from the page 14 that uses a different frame set, you want to jump to the page 2 directly and want to see the frame set)

17)use "Hypertext >Cover" to go back to the first page

You can repeat steps 11..17 for “page3” and so on.

Remember, always go to the first page, then use "Hypertext >Readonly" to test your work: the special links do not work in the editor mode; and the various links do recycle the frameset on the first page, so if you don't start from the first page, you won't see frames.

Tutorial

Frameset management in CDFrontEnd