Hi,

issue with Accordion menu (see picture)


When I position it in sidebar-2 position in loads the way I want it.
When in grid-2 position it loads expanded and with ugly spaces between main-menu-item and sub-menu-items. Also I can't seem to load it NOT-expanded.

Why don't I simply use the sidebar-2 position then? Because it seems to span vertically over the whole page and compresses my main content as can be seen in the pic. Also that position is in the wrong place vis-a-vis the video. The video is in grid-1.

So:
How do I get accordion menu to load into grid-2 but in the design that it does in sidebar-2?

Second question: If it is simply an matter of suffix or so, can you point me to a link where I can read up on how to manipulate the appearance of these menus?

Third question: If I relaunch a site now, would you recommend to go straight to zentools2 at this stage, while still building the site from the ground up (also moving from J!2.5 tto J!3 at the same time)?

Thoughts much appreciated.

Best

Peter

Hi

Do you have a link for the site?

Thanks
Paul

Hello Paul,

still on XAMPP localhost I'm afraid

Hi

Are you loading the grid2 module on just the home page?

Have you tried adjusting the width of the sidebar via the template layout tab in the template settings?

Cheers
Paul

Paul,

I am loading the module on a number of pages with the same result everywhere. I have now tried to load the module in a full-page-width grid position (see attached) and the result is exactly the same, just bigger. Also tried different grid positions with the same result.

Whenever I load the menu in a grid position this happens. Seems to be either systemical or intented. Can that behaviour be switched off, or otherwise I need to reconsider my options here.

Hi Peter,

Can I just check you familiar with resizing the positions?

www.joomlabamboo.com/blog/how-to-joomla/how-to-resize-position-widths-in-t3-templates

I'm a bit unclear what you mean by "either systemical or intented"
Are we talking styling or the position width on the page?

Cheers
Paul

Paul,

it is clear, I am not doing a good job of explaining myself. Sorry about that. May I try again.

I have attached three images, Picture-1 is immediately after loading the page on which the module is in grid-2 position.

Here is my problem with that picture.
1) upon loading the page I get a menu presented with the first menu item expanded a green on grey menu item design. This is not how the accordion menu in the sidebar position is desigen, minimalist, i.o.w shades of grey upon grey which is what I really want, but that's fine, I might live with that.

2) What I can't live with is that the default expanded first menu item covers my next two items, instead of pushing them down and keeping them visible. That way sellable items get hidden from the customer. Not good.

3) What I also can't live with is (see picture1 )the fact that I physically have to click upon the first item's collapse/expand button to collapse it. A customer might not bother with this and miss an item he intended to purchase because it is hidden from him.

4) Next (see picture1), since the first and second (covered) item are Text separators and the 3-5th item are direct links, menu items look different and the blue color of the links look outright unmotivated.

5) Next, in expanded state there is a mega space between the parent menu item (text separator) and the actual link menu items (single article). Ugly, no-go, can't live with.

6) Next (see picture2), when I do manually collape the first menu item, there are mega-spaces between menu items. Ugly, no-go, can't live with.

7) Next (no picture), when I expand parent item 2 first, then expand click on parent item one, parent item 2 does not close, no, both get opened and cover each other.

8) Next, when I manually expand parent item 2 it covers menu items underneath, just like item 1 does (see picture 1), instead of pushing them down and keeping them visible.

I am familiar with changing position sizes in the template and have extensively experimented with this to no avail. When I enlarge the menu position the effect gets magnified horizontally, when I make positions smaller it gets smaller horizontally but that is ALL that happens. Issues 1) to 8) from above remain exactly the same as described here.

Finally (See Picture 3) let me reiterate, as soon as I load that exact very menu into the sidebar position, all is well, in fact, all is excellent. All I am asking is for the menu to show up in the grid position exactly as it does in the sidebar position, since it does not, it is systemical or intended by the writer of this template. Can it be unwritten or do I have to unselect this template, is my question.

I hope I have explained the issue better and more fully this time.

Thanks

Peter

I think we need to see the site to see what is happening

Is a link possible in the imminent future?

Cheers
Paul

Paul,

the site is on XAMPP, I can give you teamviewer access to my local computer if that helps.

I have taken a lot of time to describe this issue very clearly. I have no doubts that someone with the knowledge and the motivation is capable of coming up with a diagnosis of sorts.

I suggest the first step would be to replicate the problem and go ahead and load a menu into a grid position on your end and see what happens and whether you can replicate the problem.

All I am getting though is one-sentence replies and frankly I am starting to loose patience just a little. After wasting A LOT of time on this minor issue already, I am currently less than happy with the results so far and unwilling to waste any more time on this.

It is something that should work out of the box and it doesn't, so PLEASE, if it isn't your own core competency, can you get somebody involved who might have an immediate answer to hand and an indication whether this can be fixed or not.

Thanks

Peter

Hi Peter,

We always try our best when trying to troubleshoot sites but its much efficent and useful for you as the end user to add a link to a post

From a link I can diagnose and suggest css fixes for display issues and see the html that is being rendered With the accordion there are different types of accordion and it really helps to see the version being used and if the configuration of the accordion is correct

I as a matter of course I do test forum questions on quickstart sites on my local host to see if any issues jump out at me - for example see below - I can see what you mean by spacing but its inexact for me to suggest styling without really seeing the site as there would be an element of trial and error involved. It can be frustrating for a user if styles I suggest are incorrect.

With a link I can test styling in the browser on your site to see that it actually works.

With overlapping elements I don't see that locally but that would be due to me perhaps having different content inside the accordion than your site - so again a link is best

With a link I can also check the browser console window for any javascript errors which might effect the functionality

Can you also add the zentools and template version numbers

I've asked a developer to check out this thread to see if they have any suggestions for you

Cheers
Paul

Hi Peter,

So sorry for the trouble.

Ive just had a look at the issue and I can indeed replicate what you are describing simply by moving the menu module to a different position. I've spoken to Paul about this and have suggested he could have tried to replicate the issue wit the info provided in the first post.

So please accept my apologies for the time it's taken to get here.

I've attached an update that has a fix for this issue. It's a limitation in the theme in that it wasn't coded to have an accordion menu other than in the sidebar which is an oversight.

So if you install the attached package - or just upload the less/menu/menu-sidebar.less file and then recompile less in the template admin again then the accordion will work as expected.

Let us know how you get on.

Anthony

Hello Anthony, Paul,

no worries, main thing is we get there in the end.

Unfortuately after installing the new package and recompiling still no joy (see attached pic).

(The new less file's date is Aug 27th 21:06)

Here's what I did in detail:
1) Install new package (v.1.0.3)
2) go to template manager
3) click less-to-css button (success message received)
4) click Save
5) empty browser cache
6) Check page.

Tried the same process with just swapping the less file but same result unfortuately.

Let me know if I'm missing something

Peter

Yes sorry are you using the accordion module class suffix?

In the menu itself you mean? I think I do (see pic) also
because when I load it into sidebar it does what it is supposed to..

Hmm yes sorry. I should have thought about that.

Can you try turning on dev mode int he template admin? That loads the .less files in the browser and will let us know if th less has been updated properly.

If you go to less/menu/menu-sidebar.less you should see #sidebar-1, #sidebar-2,/moduletable.accordion { at the top of the file.

Thanks

Hmm, as long as I am in dev mode the menu works perfectly. On first time loading it produced a fatal memory allocation error, then on reloading worked fine and continues to work fine as lon as I stay in dev mode. Soon as I turn dev off, back to none-working.

Oh, and all menu items load fully expanded, don't know whether that is intended.

and this.

Hmm yes not sure whats happening there.

Ive just run a test and installed the latest on a fresh copy and followed these steps:

- Move sidebar accordion to grid2
- Clicked compile less to css in the template settings
- Menu operates as expected.

Do you have css compression enabled?

Try removing the /local/css files perhaps as well.

The fact that it's ok with dev mode means that the less is workign fine but the compilation is getting lost.

I've attached a fix that makes the accordion menu closed on load.

Thanks

I am pleased to report success (see attached).

I had made some changes with the template magic and I think a faulty color hex code was the culprit. Will try to verify and report back.

Still two minor points with the menu itself

#1All other menus in the template mark the active menu entry with the contrasting color of the color scheme. So it would be cute and good for orientation also if the green contrast could travel with the active menu item/child item.

#2 (more urgent) After clicking on a sub-menu item (child) the accordion snap shut again upon loading the new page, which makes orientation a bit hard. It would be better if the accordion stayed open as it does in the original accordion menu.

Many thanks


Peter

friendly bump.
See last message.