Home > Components > Dock Menu FX

Dock Menu FX

Published on Oct. 23rd 2009
22.303 downloads
You need to have Adobe Flash Player installed in order to view the component. You can download it from here: http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/

Features

- both horizontal and vertical alignment
- customizable min and max images width and height
- three expanding directions
- images spacing
- optional auto scrolling
- resizable to the extent of 1680 x 1050 pixels
- multiple scrolling properties and speed
- various roll over behaviors
- HTML formatted tooltip

Installation instructions for:

Step 1. SWF embedding

Download the dock-menu.zip package and put all the files from this package into the same folder with the HTML file in which you want the component to be embedded.

You should know first of all that the SWF file is the one that actually represents the component, while the other files (settings.xml, images.xml and JPGs in the images folder) are the assets that the SWF file uses.
A short explanation on how SWFs and XMLs interacts you will find here.

Open your HTML file with a text editor and insert somewhere between the <head> </head> tags the following lines:

<script type="text/javascript" src="swfobject.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript">
var flashvars = {};
var params = {};
params.scale = "noscale";
params.salign = "tl";
params.wmode = "transparent";
params.allowScriptAccess = "always";
var attributes = {};
swfobject.embedSWF("DockMenuFX.swf", "DockMenuDiv", "600", "200", "9.0.0", false, flashvars, params, attributes);
</script>

For a fast and easy publishing, the best thing to do is to have the SWF file, the HTML file which embeds the SWF, the swfobject.js file, and the assets that the SWF uses (XMLs, JPGs folder) in the same folder.
If that is not possible, please read this detailed article on how to specify the paths correctly.

The above code itself isn't enough to publish the SWF file on your webpage. You just need to add a div somewhere in the body section of your page (between the <body> </body> tags of your HTML file).
So, in a specific location of your HTML body section insert this div:

<div id="DockMenuDiv"></div>

Step 2. Customization

You'll be able to define a maximum size of 1680 in width and 1050 in height in the 3rd and 4th arguments of the swfobject.embedSWF() function above. Usually the same values as for dockWidth and dockHeight (which you will set below).

Now you will have to define the properties of your Dock Menu.

You can do that in two ways:
1. By editing the settings.xml file, or much simpler, set your values on the Live Demo above and press Generate settings.xml button, then select all (Ctrl+A) and copy-paste over the existing content of settings.xml file.

2. By using FlashVars. Right after this line:

var flashvars = {};

insert the values you desire for each property, like this:

flashvars.imagesXML = "images.xml";
flashvars.direction = "horizontal";
flashvars.dockWidth = "600";
flashvars.dockHeight = "200";
flashvars.spacing = "5";
flashvars.expandingDirection = "center";

Note that the properties written through FlashVars will override those written in the settings.xml file.

For a transparent background set in settings.xml file:

<backgroundColor value="0" />

or through FlashVars:

flashvars.backgroundColor = "0";

Now all you have to do is to put your own images, add the tooltip text and add the behavior for when clicking each image. All these through the images XML file. Open the XML file with a text editor and define in each row the image path, the URL to go to when clicking the image, the target (_self for the same browser window, or _blank for a new browser window), and the tooltip text.
You can have as many images as you like. To add a new image add a new row in the XML file.

The Lightbox functionality (showing a bigger image and a description when clicking on an image) can be added following the steps from this tutorial.

DockMenuFX.swf embeds only the Arial and Verdana font. To be able to embed any other font you’ll need the Dock Menu Flash component.

If you'll want to use the Dock Menu in Flash projects (FLA files), the Dock Menu is available as a Flash component (MXP file) in the paid package

Instructions on how to use the Dock Menu component in Flash you will find here.

You can see an example on how to add a product in your Wordpress article/page here and how to add it in your theme or as a widget here.

Make sure your Wordpress version is greater than 2.8 and your hosting provider is using PHP5.

 

1. There are two files to download:

    a. WordPress Plugin that you have to install and activate

    b. Free package

2. Create a new folder inside your wp-content folder called flashxml, inside this folder create a new one called dock-menu-fx and copy the content of the free package there

3. If you copied the free package to a location different than the one above, go to Dock Menu FX from the Settings tab in your WordPress Dashboard and update the path accordingly

4. Add [dock-menu-fx][/dock-menu-fx] where you want the Flash to show up in your post/page

5. If you want to make the Dock Menu FX part of your theme, edit the template files and add <?php fxdockmenu_echo_embed_code(); ?> where you want it to show up

6. Customize your Dock Menu FX using the Live Demo from the top of this page. Download the ZIP file and use the included settings.xml file to overwrite wp-content/flashxml/dock-menu-fx/settings.xml

7. To use your own images, upload them to wp-content/flashxml/dock-menu-fx/images and update the wp-content/flashxml/dock-menu-fx/images.xml file accordingly

 

Additional settings file

To embed the Dock Menu FX more than once, you will need another settings file and (probably) another set of images. Let's assume your new file is called settings2.xml. Add [dock-menu-fx settings="settings2.xml"][/dock-menu-fx] where you want the Flash to show up in your post/page. If you made the Flash part of your theme, add the file name as the first argument of the fxdockmenu_echo_embed_code() function call (for example <?php fxdockmenu_echo_embed_code("settings2.xml"); ?>).

 

Add as widget

To add the Dock Menu FX as a widget, go to Widgets from the Appearance tab in your WordPress Dashboard, then drag and drop the Dock Menu FX from Available Widgets to the widget area you want. You can specify a different settings.xml file and an alternative content for users without Adobe Flash Player from the widget's settings.

 

No Flash support text

To support visitors without Adobe Flash Player, you can provide alternative content by adding the text between [dock-menu-fx] and [/dock-menu-fx]. If you made the Flash part of your theme, add the text as the second argument of the fxdockmenu_echo_embed_code() function call (for example <?php fxdockmenu_echo_embed_code("", "Alternative content"); ?>).

 

Change WMODE

By default, the WMODE value is transparent but you can change it to window from the Dock Menu FX in the Settings tab in your WordPress Dashboard. For widgets, this can be done from the widget's settings. If you want to have a different WMODE value in a specific place, it can be done like this: [dock-menu-fx wmode="window"][/dock-menu-fx]. If you're using the PHP function, here's an example on: <?php fxdockmenu_echo_embed_code("", "", 0, 0, "window"); ?>.

 

If you have PHP4

To make it work with PHP4, add [dock-menu-fx width="400" height="300"][/dock-menu-fx] where you want the Flash to show up in your post/page. If you made the Flash part of your theme, add the width and height as the third and fourth argument of the fxdockmenu_echo_embed_code() function call. Don't forget to provide your own width and height values, since 400 and 300 are just examples.

 

Getting rid of the FlashXML.net label

To remove the FlashXML.net label from the top-left corner you'll need to buy the paid package. Once you'll do that, simply use the SWF file from the paid package to overwrite the SWF file from the wp-content/flashxml/dock-menu-fx/ folder.

1. Download the free package. You need to host all the included files from the package on your own domain because Facebook doesn't allow file hosting.

2. Log in to your Facebook account.

3. Search for the Static HTML: iframe tabs application and select it.

4. Click on Add Static HTML to a page button and you'll be prompted for the page where you want the app to be added.

5. Once added you'll see on the left side menu of your page a new tab with a star icon called Welcome. Click on it to edit it.

6. Add the following HTML embedding code in the text field:

<script type="text/javascript" src="http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/swfobject/2.2/swfobject.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript">
var flashvars = {};
flashvars.folderPath = "http://www.yourdomain.com/product_folder/";
var params = {};
params.scale = "noscale";
params.salign = "tl";
params.wmode = "transparent";
params.allowScriptAccess = "always";
params.allowFullScreen = "true";
var attributes = {};
swfobject.embedSWF("http://www.yourdomain.com/product_folder/ProductName.swf", "DivFlashComponent", "600", "400", "9.0.0", false, flashvars, params, attributes);
</script>
<div id="DivFlashComponent"></div>

Don't forget to use your own URL for the product's location, name, width and height.

7. Click preview to see how it looks or save changes. The product is now added to the Welcome tab of your page.

8. Optional: To change the tab's name, called by default Welcome, edit your page, go to the Apps tab and click Edit Settings option next to the Static HTML: iframe tabs application to enter the name you want.

9. Optional: To make the tab your default landing tab (first thing your visitors see on your page) edit your page and go to the Manage Permissions tab and change the Default Landing Tab.

Getting rid of the FlashXML.net label

To remove the FlashXML.net label from the top-left corner you'll need to buy the paid package. Once you do that, simply use the SWF file from the paid package to overwrite the SWF file from the location where you hosted all the files from the free package.

The module is used for adding the product in one or more pages in a given position (e.g. top, bottom, sidebar) while the plugin is used for adding the product inside a specific article.

You can see an example on how to install a module in your Joomla 1.5 website here, how to install a plugin in your Joomla 1.5 website here, how to install a module in your Joomla 1.6 website here and how to install a plugin in your Joomla 1.6 website here.

Make sure your Joomla version is at least 1.5 and your hosting provider is using PHP5.

 

Joomla Module Instructions:

1. There are two files to download (both under GPL License):

    a. Joomla Module (version 1.5 or version 1.6, 1.7 & 2.5) that you have to install and enable

    b. Free package

2. Create a new folder inside your Joomla folder called flashxml, inside this folder create a new one called dockmenufx and copy the content of the free package there

3. If you copied the free package to a location different than the one above, update the Path from module's parameters accordingly

4. Customize your Dock Menu FX using the Live Demo from the top of this page. Download the ZIP file and use the included settings.xml file to overwrite flashxml/dockmenufx/settings.xml

Note that the Joomla Module can only be used once in your website.

 

Joomla Plugin Instructions:

1. There are two files to download (both under GPL License):

    a. Joomla Plugin (version 1.5 or version 1.6, 1.7 & 2.5) that you have to install and enable

    b. Free package

2. Create a new folder inside your Joomla folder called flashxml, inside this folder create a new one called dockmenufx and copy the content of the free package there

3. If you copied the free package to a location different from the one above, update the Path from plugin's parameters accordingly

4. Add {dockmenufx}{/dockmenufx} where you want the Flash to show up in your article

5. Customize your Dock Menu FX using the Live Demo from the top of this page. Download the ZIP file and use the included settings.xml file to overwrite flashxml/dockmenufx/settings.xml

6. The default name for the settings file is settings.xml, but if you want to use another file (for example settings2.xml), specify the name like this: {dockmenufx settings=settings2.xml}{/dockmenufx} where you want the component to show up in your article

7. In some cases the width and height will not be read from the settings.xml file but you can specify them like this: {dockmenufx width=400 height=300}{/dockmenufx}. Don't forget to provide your own width and height values, since 400 and 300 are just examples.

 

Changing WMODE

By default, the WMODE value is transparent but you can change it to window from the module/plugin's parameters. If you want to have a different WMODE value in a specific article, it can be done like this: {dockmenufx wmode=window}{/dockmenufx}.

 

Getting rid of the FlashXML.net label
To remove the FlashXML.net label from the top-left corner you'll need to buy the paid package.
Once you will do that, simply use the SWF file from the paid package to overwrite the SWF file from the flashxml/dockmenufx/ folder.

Below you will see instructions on how to install and use the Dock Menu Component in Flash (available for Flash 8, Flash CS3, CS4 and Flash Player 9 or later).

For basic instructions on how to integrate the Dock Menu’s SWF file into HTML/PHP, click here.

You can watch an installation video tutorial of a very similar component in Flash (3D Carousel Menu FX) by clicking here.

To create an instance of the DockMenu on the stage: from the Components panel (Ctrl+F7) drag & drop the DockMenu component on the stage

To give a name to that instance for further use in ActionScript: click on the component instance on the stage and from the Properties panel (Ctrl+F3) enter a name (let’s say DockMenu) in the text input

To access the properties of the DockMenu (read or modify) during different moments of your Flash application: simply access in ActionScript:

DockMenu.property_name = value;

Any property of the DockMenu could be accessed that way. The names of the properties are identical with the ones you see on the Live Demo.

The properties of the DockMenu can be of any of the three types: Number, String, Boolean. I assume it’s intuitive of which type each property is.

Warning! Setting the parameters of the DockMenu component in the Component Inspector window (Shift+F7) and in the same time having a settings.xml file populated with different values for each property, the properties from the settings.xml file will have priority (meaning that a parameter set in the Component Inspector will be ignored if that parameter is also defined in the XML file)

Now maybe the most useful information consists in the events the DockMenu is dispatching, and instructions on how to catch these events.

So when the user clicks on an image, the DockMenu dispatches:

- thumbReleased (when the mouse was released)

Along with these events, the id of the thumb pressed or released is being dispatched.

Usually you will use just one of these two, personally I like to use thumbReleased.

Other events:

- rollOverThumb

- rollOutThumb

- thumbLoaded

(all these three come too with the id of the thumb being rolled over / rolled out / loaded)

- allThumbsLoaded

- rollOverDock

- rollOutDock

Note: the order of the ids is given by the order of the images in the images.xml file.

Here is an example on how to catch these events:

in AS2

var event1:Object = new Object();
DockMenu.addEventListener("thumbReleased", event1);
event1.thumbReleased = function (obj:Object) {
	trace (obj.id);
}

in AS3

addEventListener("thumbReleased", thumbReleased,true);
function thumbReleased(event:Event):void
{
	trace("thumbReleased " + DockMenu.id);
}

If you’ll catch the events of the DockMenu and create different behaviors for clicking the thumbs, you may want to deactivate the option of going to a specific URL address in the images.xml file. To do that, simply delete the url or target attributes in the images.xml file.

You can watch the second part of this video to see more accurately how the instructions above on catching events can be applied in Flash (the video shows a very similar product, 3D Carousel Menu, but the method is identical for DockMenu).

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Comments

jk

Posted one year ago

Hello.
I’ve figured out about fade in.

I have one more question. I like to use Japanese characters in Tooltip.
Is there any way I can use Japanese characters in Tooltip?
Please advise.
Thank you.

FlashXML Support

Hi,

Go to this link and follow the tutorial.

jK

Posted one year ago

Hello.
I have a question. In your dock menu.swf file, dock menu appears in fade in fashion at the beginning.
Could you tell me how to do that.
I’m using Flash CS4. I’m beginner.

Thank you.

FlashXML Support

Hi,

Please give more details on the matter.

Marco Antonelli

Posted one year ago

Hi. I’m trying to instal the module in joomla.
I created the two folders but the system allowes me to upload the“settings.xml” but not the “images.xml” file.
It shows as errror message: “possible IE XSS attak founded”

How can i risolve this problem????

thank you for reply

FlashXML Support

Hi,

Sorry but we don’t know why you get that error. Our XML files are no threat to your system.

Jean

Posted one year ago

I have created the dock menu, embedded it into Flash CS5 and it is located toward the top of the flash file. The mouse click works fine taking the user to another page. I need to make the mouseOver cause different text to be displayed in the content area below the menu but within the embedded flash. Can you give me some pointers! Thanks!

FlashXML Support

Hi,

Send us the link to your website and we will check it out.

Jean Campbell

Posted one year ago

The dock menu is great and easy to install. Love it! There is one thing I need to figure out how to do and am not skilled in action script to figure it out. I am working with a2 and need different text to display when I mouse over menu items. Please advise.

Thanks,
Jean

FlashXML Support

Hi,

You can add different texts to images by opening the images.xml file and editing in the <photo> the CDATA of each image that you want to change the text to.

See all comments

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