Getting Started             

  1. Place the program files (AlphaNet.jar, AlphaNet.cab, ryAlphaNet.class and ryAlpharize.class) in the directory containing the HTML document into which you want to insert the applet (or into a different directory, and add the correct CODEBASE= attribute to the applet tag given below).

  2. Add the following applet tag to your HTML document in the position you want AlphaNet to appear:
    <APPLET CODE=ryAlphaNet.class ARCHIVE="AlphaNet.jar" WIDTH=275 HEIGHT=450>
    <param name=CabBase value="AlphaNet.cab">
    <param name=Copyright value="AlphaNet (c) 1998 Cool Focus [www.coolfocus.com]">
    <param name=BgColor value="FF0000">
    <param name=BorderColor value="000000">
    <param name=ListColor value="0000FF">
    <param name=TextColor value="FFFFFF">
    <param name=FocusColor value="FFFF00">
    <param name=PressColor value="C0C0C0">
    <param name=SplitterColor value="C00000">
    <param name=ReverseFocus value="yes">
    <param name=FixedWidthFocus value="yes">
    <param name=Font value="Helvetica, plain, 12">
    <param name=DownSound value="02up.au">
    <param name=UpSound value="s10.au">
    <param name=Sticky value="yes">
    <param name=StickyColor value="00C000">
    <param name=Alphabetical value="yes">
    <param name=UseHandCursor value="no">
    <param name=Testmode value="yes">

    <param name=Entry1 value="A Hard Day's Night|2|1">
    <param name=Entry2 value="Good Morning Vietnam|1|1">
    <param name=Entry3 value="Pretty Woman|1|1">
    <param name=Entry4 value="Housesitter|1|1">
    <param name=Entry5 value="One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest|3|2">

    <param name=URL1 value="comedy.htm">
    <param name=URL2 value="musical.htm">
    <param name=URL3 value="drama.htm">

    <param name=Target1 value="mainframe">
    <param name=Target2 value="_new">
    </APPLET>

  3. In the first block of parameters above, set the aesthetic values - fonts, colors and sounds - whether links should be sorted alphabetically, and whether the applet should indicate the last-selected entry (the 'sticky' options).

  4. Add 'Entry' parameters containing the link-text you want to display on the menu. (Don't bother about the pipe symbols and numbers for now!) The Entry parameters must all be uniquely numbered between 1 and 1000, but it doesn't matter if numbers are skipped.

  5. In a similar way, add numbered 'URL' parameters containing all the links you'll need the applet to make. Once again, these can be in any order you like, with skipped numbers - they don't have to tally with the numbers of the 'Entry' parameters. Finally add numbered 'Target' parameters containing the names of the frames or windows you'll need to open links into (there may just be one frame-name needed).

  6. Now it's the pipes and numbers... Pick an 'Entry' parameter and add a pipe symbol at the end followed by the number of the URL parameter which that entry should open when clicked. Then add another pipe symbol and the number of the Target parameter that specifies the frame it should open into. Do this for each 'Entry' parameter. (Remember - URL first, Target second!)

  7. When you view the page in your browser, the width of the list portion is sized automatically according to the length of the longest entry. If you can't see all the entries you've added, you should be able to see a scrollbar (if you can't, increase the applet's width). Adjust the height attribute of the applet until it's taking up all the real estate you're willing to allow it.

  8. When you've got the applet height as you want it, rerun the applet with the Testmode parameter set to 'yes'. Move the mouse inside the applet and read the details in the browser's statusbar. These are the ideal minimum dimensions, which should be copied to the applet's width= and height= attributes.

  9. Each of AlphaNet's parameters is defined in detail in The Parameters Explained. There are more details about alphabetizing and extra organizational features in Menu Layout.