While it is easy to do an Internet search and find many online sites that offer Flash menus, it’s not always easy to find an acceptable end result. For those with Flash and the necessary skills, gorgeous menus can be created. But what about a free way to get an acceptable equivalent?
Of course there are good free sites where buttons can be made into a menu, and where code is pasted on the site. These look good too. Button Generator is a very good example of such a site. It can be time consuming though to try different versions of buttons and colors to get the right one.
Is Flash The Only Option to Build a Menu?
What about getting a drop down Flash menu? It is nearly if not actually impossible to find free software to do this. If any can be found, it’s actually only a free trial before having to pay for the license to unlock. Of those that allow creating the menu online, such as Flash Vortex or Flash Menus, the end result has a huge background that will block out whatever background the user’s site has.
Besides that colors can’t be changed and/or a small ad link must be placed on menu unless a membership is purchased. It can get frustrating fast and make someone settle for less than he or she wants.
There is an acceptable alternative to a Flash drop down menu using DHTML. One of the best free software to make this kind of menu is called Coffee Cup DHTML Menu Builder. Of course the site hopes its user will eventually buy some of their other software, but their free software is fully functioning with no trial expiration date.
Dynamic HTML is the Free and Easy Alternative
It’s easy to figure out how to create the drop down menu using the Coffee Cup software, though it lacks a decent editing capability. The best thing to do after the menu is created, is to only edit through the actual code. If this option is used, it’s best to never edit through the software, or all changes made previously will be gone once new code is uploaded.
The resulting menu is very basic, but there are a few ways to make it look like a flash menu. These tricks are given in their forum but will be excerpted here for ease of use. There are three main ways of making the menu better:
- All that code should be in its own javascript file
- The buttons should be images instead of color
- Menu should be moveable instead of only at the top of the page
There are Many Free Software Options
The second tip shows how to use images but not how to make them. This would need to be accomplished in a separate imaging software like PhotoShop. Gimp is a free alternative. If the buttons are 20 px X 120 px, the image would need to be the same size. Gradients work best at giving off a 3D effect, but any image can be used.
To make all buttons flow into the next, make sure the images can stack side by side and be able to blend. Also be sure to use an image that is the contrast to the font color used, so that the buttons can be easily read.
Last but certainly not least is the ability to use a special font and having all viewers of the site see that same font. This is possible by converting a normal font into a webfont. The free way to do this is by using Font Squirrel. This free site will convert the font and provide all the necessary files to upload to the site where the new webfont will be used, and instructions are easy to follow.
Javascripts Make Coding Simpler
When all that is done, the end result is a gorgeous drop down menu that was totally free to create. The best part about this menu is that changes are quick and easy. Colors and images can be changed at any time, so the perfect menu is only a few minutes away. Good luck!
Judith Lee - Judith has been a writer for over two decades. She is also a blogger and book/movie reviewer.
