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Features / Usability

Features / Usability


Which way is the best to build a menu to those my needs? So many possibilities... (new to TikiWiki)

posts: 55

First of all, TikiWiki is a great software with so many possibilities. This is great! But as always with a lot of possibilities, there is a huge amount of things to learn. I don't want you to solve my problems, but please point me in the right direction. Thanks!

I want to build a wiki site as a collection of information, which I want to allow to grow, but at the same time I want to stay ahead of things. I want it to be well structured, including a navigation bar/menu. Tiki seems to be very well suited for that.

What is the best and most manageable way to implement a navigation menu with the following needs?

  • several levels (at least 4 to 5)
  • Bootstrap-type (normal navigation bar), not Superfish-type (floating menu)
  • each item should have the opportunity to be a link ("must be a link" would be OK as well) - no matter if there are subitems or not
  • should fold dynamically as the user wishes (for example using those little triangles in front)
  • would be great if it builds itself automatically on the basis of my structure-tree that I already maintain


I would be grateful if someone points me into the right direction what i should watch out for in the documentation, there are just too many ways to (maybe) do such a thing... i'm a bit overwhelmed in the moment.

posts: 8633 Israel

Welcome Ralf.

Yes Tiki is a great software with many ways and options to reach a goal.

Seems you have a project here but about your menu I have short advises.

posts: 55

Thanks for your Answer.

I am using Tiki 21 LTS. Forgot to mention that. Sorry. When it's available, I'll upgrade to 24 LTS.

Nobody needs to open all the levels - but can, if wanted. For now, I just added a custom Module and put all the links to the pages I have by now (only 10 in 4 levels). Levels are just indented using html & n b s p ;, because + does not work - even with wiki syntax enabled. :-( Now I'm only missing the little triangle to fold it all. Maybe that's possible using js.

This many levels may not be super user friendly, but it's a way to sort a knowledge base similar to wikipedia (just more managed and very specialized). The only other solution I can think of, ist just to scrap it altogether or use a special page for it. Maybe that is a solution for later times... for now, I want the navigation bar.

posts: 8633 Israel
FootlooseTraveller wrote:
Now I'm only missing the little triangle to fold it all. Maybe that's possible using js..../... similar to wikipedia

  1. There is a CSS class to create the arrow (from memory, please check) something like with-sf-arrow:after
  2. May be we are not talking about the same thing when we talk about level. I don't see menu level or sub-level here: https://en.wikipedia.org

posts: 55

Yes, Wikipedia does not feature such a menu. I'll have to read about how to use html, css and js in a module (no need for a guest to edit this, so no safety issue), then it should be no problem to implement it - unless there is a better/easier option.

I want a menu like this - just with those arrows in front of ever level, that has sublevels:

  • Homepage
  • Topic 1
    • Topic 1.1
    • Topic 1.2
  • Topic 2
    • Topic 2.1
      • Topic 2.1.1
    • Topic 2.2
      • Topic 2.2.1
      • Topic 2.2.2
      • Topic 2.2.3
        • Topic 2.2.3.1
          • Topic 2.2.3.1.1
      • Topic 2.2.4
  • Topic 3


And it should be collapsible into:

  • Homepage
  • Topic 1
  • Topic 2
  • Topic 3

posts: 55

Yes, it is for structuring the wiki pages. I read about structures and already tested them. I'm not a friend of the menu that shows up at the top of the pages that are in the structure. Is it possible to hide that completely when using structures? Even now that I completely deleted the structure, those pages show the structure button on theyr top right, where you can activate and deactivate said top menu - it just is an empty leftover. Maybe it's a bug, maybe not. I'm too unexperienced to say.

About your second link: This is the whole paragraph it links to:

See "Structures User" -> Dead Link

You can either make a navigation menu from a "menu Id" or from a "structure Id". -> How do I do that? Is that the top menu that shows up automatically?

All in all, this text doesn't help.


posts: 55

What do you mean by breadcrumb? Is that the name of the icon in the top right corner? On normal pages never been in a structure it only consists of the menu for page activities and only shows itself if there are any (like "edit page"). The structures menu next to it is just empty if you open it - but only displays on pages that have been part of a structure. In my opinion, it should be hidden, if empty, just like the actions menu.

"You can either make a navigation menu from a "menu Id" or from a "structure Id"
It will use your structures to create a menu with many children you like... "
Now I still don't know where to begin with. Where is 'it'?

Thanks for your effort and patience with me in both threads, it is really appreciated.


posts: 55

After some search I finaly found the screen from your screenshot. Modules -> Add Module -> ModuleName = Menu. That was the missing link.

Unfortunately, it seems like the menu created uses the method from "Menu" functionality, i.e. it is only capable of 2 levels. My structure uses more levels and so the resulting menu is a mess, not usable. I'm using Tiki 21 LTS.

If I used a {toc} in a custom menu, it would not be foldable, right (did not try yet)?

posts: 126886 United Kingdom
FootlooseTraveller wrote:
Unfortunately, it seems like the menu created uses the method from "Menu" functionality, i.e. it is only capable of 2 levels. My structure uses more levels and so the resulting menu is a mess, not usable. I'm using Tiki 21 LTS.


If you try setting bootstrap=n on the module it might work better, Bootstrap only recognises two levels. You then might need to play about with css=y and the pref setting for Smart Menus, i think it's a bit confusing in 21.x (but better in 23.x i think)

HTH

posts: 55
Jonny Bradley wrote:
...pref setting for Smart Menus...


Thanks for the hint. When I use CSS Menu it is always folded down to topmost level and shows floating menus. I guess these "pref setting for Smart Menus" are somewhere else to find? Where do I find those?

I want a menu that folds like the tree in file explorers, not a floating one.


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