Milonic link keeps appearing in menus

Jan · Post by **Jan** » Tue May 25, 2004 1:41 am

The Milonic link appears as the first link in each menu on the page -- test page at http://coastline.cccd.edu/milonic_menu.asp -- about half the time, and usually goes away with page refresh. Obviously, we can't go live with this new menu until the problem's fixed, and I really like everything else about Milonic.

This is a registered unlicensed version (5.19) to be used for our college Web site, and I have made sure the link to Milonic is on the page. I tried adding the license number into the milonic.src file, but then the menu didn't work at all. A previous post suggested moving the <script> tags that load the menu scripts to just before the closing </body> tag. I wasn't sure which files were meant by this, but nothing I've tried has worked yet -- usually results in breaking the menus altogether.

In case it matters, I've been viewing/testing the pages using IE 6 on a computer running Windows XP.

If anyone has solved this problem, I'd REALLY appreciate some help! I want to use this menu, but having the wrong links come up just isn't acceptable for obvious reasons.

Post by **John** » Tue May 25, 2004 3:10 pm

Jan, I just did a long series of forced reloads of your page and did not have the Milonic link show up one time (XP Pro/IE 6). This particular 'feature' has been very stable. Is there any kind of pattern at all you can put to it?

Jan · Post by **Jan** » Tue May 25, 2004 5:55 pm

John, there's no particular pattern -- though the first 10-15 times I tried today, it didn't happen at all -- then it started and continues to happen 1/3 to 1/2 the time. I just checked using Netscape 7.1 and got the same problem! We're building the new pages in a separate area of the site (not live yet), and if you load http://coastline.cccd.edu/page.asp?LinkID=320, and then try incrementing (321, 322, 323, etc.), maybe you'll see what I'm seeing. It happens frequently enough that it's really going to make it impossible for me to continue to recommend that we switch to Milonic, even though, as I said, I like everything else about this menu so much better than what we're currently using (OpenCube).

Post by **John** » Tue May 25, 2004 6:07 pm

We need to chat!

I went all the way up to 350 and did not get the Milonic menu once. Stumped on this one. I've asked Andy to take a look, so don't give up yet. We'll get it!

rcranswick · Post by **rcranswick** » Tue May 25, 2004 6:28 pm

I'm seeing the problem.

It seems that that menu is loading before the page has completed, not finding the Milonic link at the bottom of the page (because it hasn't loaded yet) and displays the forced Milonic link.

I'm pretty sure there are other threads discussing this issue. Try a forum search.

Slow internet connections are useful after all!

Post by **John** » Tue May 25, 2004 6:59 pm

Many thanks, Richard. My connection here is a bit fierce. Guess yours takes a while to swim the pond!

Anyway, Jan, take...

Code: Select all

<!-- The following script contains browser detector and several menu functions -->
<script language="JavaScript" src="script/milonic_src.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
<!-- The following script makes exceptions for NN4 -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript">
if(ns4)_d.write("<scr"+"ipt language=JavaScript src=script/mmenuns4.js><\/scr"+"ipt>");		
  else _d.write("<scr"+"ipt language=JavaScript src=script/mmenudom.js><\/scr"+"ipt>"); 
</script>

...and put it at the end of the page, just before </body>.

Never tried this with inline menu code floating around, so I'm not exactly sure what's going to happen. I'm sure you'll let us know!

rcranswick · Post by **rcranswick** » Tue May 25, 2004 7:22 pm

Ours takes a while to cross the street, never mind the pond!

I haven't tested this but I suspect the drawMenus() call would need moving as well.

Post by **Andy** » Tue May 25, 2004 7:38 pm

Just posted an small update to the menu.

If you download the new menu and update the code files this should hopefully fix the problem.

The code will now return the URL to previous state once it finds the link to milonic.com

Cheers
Andy

Post by **John** » Tue May 25, 2004 7:51 pm

rcranswick wrote:I haven't tested this but I suspect the drawMenus() call would need moving as well.

Actually, now that I think about it, the whole thing is going to need moving if, in fact, the problem is a timing issue. Putting the code calls at the end leaves all the _data floating in the breeze before the code calls. Therefore - JS errors.

Looking at it locally now.

Post by **John** » Tue May 25, 2004 7:53 pm

Heh - that's what I get for taking a phone call in the middle of trying to post a message - somebody sneaks in and beats ya to it!

Thanks, boss!

Jan - update

kevin3442 · Post by **kevin3442** » Tue May 25, 2004 10:03 pm

Hi Jan,

One thing you might notice, if I understand the fix correctly, is that "Home" could appear briefly, followed by a brief flash of "MILONIC" and then back to "Home". if you do see that, you could combat it by making sure the link to milonic.com exist on the page before the menu renders. You could, for xample, place your menu data code (the stuff the normally goes in menu_data) at the bottom of the body, after the required link to milonic.com. Alternatively, since your link to milonic.com is in a div, define the div at the top of the body, but position the div at the bottom of the page. Do this before the menu data code. That way, the link to milonic.com will exist when the menu renders.

Just adding my two cents...

Kevin

Jan · Post by **Jan** » Fri May 28, 2004 1:11 am

Thanks so much to everyone who responded! Andy, I uploaded the update, and I've only seen the Milonic menu item come up once today and NOT go away, i.e., I did have to refresh the page in order to make it disappear. But for the most part, it seems to have solved the problem. Thank you very much!

Post by **John** » Fri May 28, 2004 4:40 am

Jan, it should work all the time. I'm sure Andy will take another look at this. Meanwhile, current is 5.20a, with 5.21 just around the corner.

Lokrin · Post by **Lokrin** » Sun Jun 06, 2004 4:50 am

I've been having the same problem.

Version 5.20 - Built: Monday May 24 2004 - 21:26

Free version.

Firefox and Opera under Linux.

Sometimes the page loads fine and sometimes it loads with the default MILONIC menu.

http://lokrin.net

My pages are php and I'm on a 56k modem.

The problem happens if I run a different JS before the milonic link on the page. Since the js takes time to load, the menu sometimes doesn't see the link. Refreshing sometimes helps and sometimes doesn't. Backing up a page usually works because of browser cache.

Anyway, I've placed the Milonic link directly into the menu_data.js file and it seems to work every time now, since that file loads with the rest of the Milonic files.

I've only been playing with the code for about a week. That's when I downloaded it. I still need to customize it a bit more and add some more submenus. I really like the menu, since my site is so huge. =P

Maz · Post by **Maz** » Sun Jun 06, 2004 4:11 pm

Not sure why you have changed the script at the top of the page you are missing the dom & nuns lines.
Try taking out the space in stylesheet.
Then move the milonic scripts just below body.
See if that helps. Although it may be the animated subimage that is delaying load time.

maz

Code: Select all

<link rel="stylesheet"                           href="http://websites.milonic.com/lokrin.net/nav/bn/default.css"   type="text/css" />
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://lokrin.net/scripts/milonic/milonic_src.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://lokrin.net/scripts/milonic/milonic1.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://lokrin.net/scripts/milonic/menu_data.js"></script>

Post by **John** » Sun Jun 06, 2004 11:25 pm

I'm unclear as to why the change in the menu calls as well.

Officially, you need to move up to 5.21, as 5.20 is now down-level and not supported.

Also, your link to Milonic is not correct. You have...

Code: Select all

<a href="https://milonic.com">Milonic.com</a>

It must be...

Code: Select all

<a href="https://milonic.com/">Milonic.com</a>

Note the closing / after .com (which is proper coding anyway).

Lokrin · Post by **Lokrin** » Mon Jun 07, 2004 2:01 am

1. As for the dom and nuns lines, I just copied and pasted and then fixed the urls. However, I just went back and check the install file, and the dom and nuns lines are they, so I don't know where I copied the lines from the first time. Now, though, when I copy and paste the correst lines the script does not show at all! Even though a page source shows the lines. So I went back to what I had, since it does work.

2. I just downloaded the source from your site about 2 weeks ago. So that download is now obsolete? Ok, I'll get the new version a little later.

3. Never heard anything about a URL being required to be closed. The <A> tag is closed with the </A> tag. I made the changes anyway.

4. The spaces where a left over from when I had alternate stylesheets. No big difference, but I removed them.

5. Moved the scripts to just below the <body> tag.

6. Tha animated gif isn't the delay problem, that I know of. There is a JS that calls a random function to print the random quote on the side. There also was a script to call the Code Amber Alert Ticker that had to be loaded from the Code Amber website. That one took a while to load, so I expunged it for the nonce. I'll try without the animated gif though. Hmm - Now the menu system is behaving slowly. Once I mouseover a link it takes several seconds to get a sub menu.

kevin3442 · Post by **kevin3442** » Mon Jun 07, 2004 7:04 pm

Lokrin wrote:...Anyway, I've placed the Milonic link directly into the menu_data.js file and it seems to work every time now, since that file loads with the rest of the Milonic files...

Hi Lorkin,

It's a nice idea, but I don't think it'll work. I believe the link to Milonic must be in the page's html, not in the menu. The link also has to be to the exact url:

http://milonic.com/

as mentioned on the milonic.com's home page, or it won't work in some browsers. The link you put in your menu_data.js file is not to that url (at least not currently), so it would have no effect on the forced MILONIC link in the menu. I therefore suspect that what you saw in your tests was just coincidence.

I mention this because I went to the url you provided, and "MILONIC" showed up and remained on your test item (IE6/Win2k/Cable). It only went away after I refreshed. Just thought you might want to know, since first-time visitors to your site might see that MILONIC link instead of what you want them to see.

The timing issues required to get the MILONIC link to disappear can generally be worked out.

Cheers,

Kevin

Lokrin · Post by **Lokrin** » Tue Jun 08, 2004 10:10 am

I forgot about the Realm Ring code at the bottom. It was a script called from someone's personal server and was -very- slow in loading.

I've recoded it to my own site (although I'm having a little problem getting the width right.) =)

Anyway, the loading problem is now much better. Since I also have all images, such as the HTML and CSS image all done from local server vice calling from other websites.

So, anyone having problems still with the MILONIC link showing in place of my link?

Post by **John** » Tue Jun 08, 2004 3:13 pm

Getting a JS error directed at mmenudom.js.