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The first element in every top-level menu array (HM_Array1, HM_Array2, etc.) is an array containing parameters that affect the complete menu tree, that is, the top-level menu being defined and all child menus that may appear in its cascade. We will refer to the parameters in this array as the Tree-Specific Overhead Parameters
There are seventeen Tree-Specific Overhead Parameters. Providing values for any of these is OPTIONAL. If you provide no value, a null value or an empty string ("") value, there are no adverse effects. Default values for the parameters exist elsewhere and will kick in. These default values may be in the in-page parameters, to be discussed next column, or in the main external script.
We will not discuss setting the default values in this column, since we are dealing only with the arrays.
The Tree-Specific Overhead Parameters are defined in this order:
HM_Array1 = [ [ 0 width, 1 left_position, 2 top_position, 3 font_color, 4 mouseover_font_color, 5 background_color, 6 mouseover_background_color, 7 border_color, 8 separator_color 9 top_is_permanent, 10 top_is_horizontal, 11 tree_is_horizontal, 12 position_under, 13 top_more_images_visible, 14 tree_more_images_visible, 15 evaluate_upon_tree_show, 16 evaluate_upon_tree_hide ] ... ]
Notice that we are introducing multiple value-types for our parameters. A common error in using Version 3 was to include strings where integers were called for and vice-versa. Version 4 will accept either when a number is called for, and in many cases (like the above) will even accept a JS expression. The use of function calls and in-line JS statements gives you the ability to easily provide conditional values and to expand the script functionality.
So, let's look at the next parameter-elements.
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Created: Aug 08, 2000
Revised: Aug 08, 2000
URL: http://www.webreference.com/dhtml/column35/7.html
