Getting Started             

  1. Place the program files (ryPowerMenu.class and ryPMSub.class, along with PowerMenu.jar and PowerMenu.cab if you're not using the Cool Focus 'Satellite' system) 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 PowerMenu to appear:
    <APPLET CODE="ryPowerMenu.class" ARCHIVE="PowerMenu.jar" WIDTH=160 HEIGHT=300>
    <param name=CabBase value="PowerMenu.cab">
    <param name=Copyright value="PowerMenu (c) 1999 Cool Focus [www.coolfocus.com]">
    <param name=Name value="Fly">
    <param name=Satellites value="no">
    <param name=BgColor value="0000c0">
    <param name=PanelColor value="0080C0">

    <!--Caption (main menu) parameters-->
    <param name=CaptionColor value="000000">
    <param name=CaptionFocusColor value="F0F0FF">
    <param name=CaptionPressColor value="C00000">
    <param name=CaptionSelectorColor value="000000">
    <param name=CaptionFont value="Dialog,plain,12">
    <param name=CaptionSpacing value="2">
    <param name=CaptionIndicatorColor value="F0F0FF">
    <param name=CaptionIndicatorFocusColor value="C00000">

    <!--Entry (submenu) parameters-->
    <param name=MenuBorderColor value="0080C0">
    <param name=MenuColor value="000000">
    <param name=MenuOffset value="60">
    <param name=MenuDividers value="yes">
    <param name=WideSelectors value="both">
    <param name=EntryColor value="00C0F0">
    <param name=EntryFocusColor value="F0F0FF">
    <param name=EntryPressColor value="000000">
    <param name=EntrySelectorColor value="0080C0">
    <param name=EntryFont value="Dialog,plain,12">
    <param name=EntrySpacing value="3">
    <param name=EntryIndicatorColor value="F0F0FF">
    <param name=EntryIndicatorFocusColor value="C0C000">

    <!--General parameters-->
    <param name=DownSound value="menudown.au">
    <param name=UpSound value="menuup.au">
    <param name=MenuSound value="s10.au">
    <param name=Name value="Fly">
    <param name=Satellites value="no">
    <param name=DefaultTarget value="_top">
    <param name=UseHandCursor value="yes">
    <param name=Testmode value="no">

    <!--PASTE POWERMENU CREATOR OUTPUT HERE-->

    </APPLET>

  3. Edit the first parameters above to adjust aesthetic settings such as colors, fonts, sounds, and display options.

  4. If you use a Windows® 32-bit operating system, run PowerMenu Creator to easily generate the menu entries, URL and frame-target parameters you want to appear on the menu, and then paste them where indicated above.

  5. If you create the menu entry parameters 'by hand', start by entering the Caption parameters that form the main section of the applet. For example:

    <param name=Caption1 value="Home">
    <param name=URL1 value="http://www.coolfocus.com">
    <param name=Target1 value="mainframe">
    <param name=Caption2 value="Menu Systems">
    <param name=Caption3 value="Button Links">

    The first Caption above will act as a link. Captions 2 and 3 (because they have no URL parameters) lead to submenus.

  6. Next, create the Entry parameters for any submenus required. The code below forms a small submenu that appears when the mouse moves over Caption2:

    <param name=2-Entry1 value="CoolStrip">
    <param name=2-URL1 value="coolstrip.htm">
    <param name=2-Target1 value="rightframe">

    <param name=2-Entry2 value="HotStrip Professional">
    <param name=2-URL2 value="hsp.htm">
    <param name=2-Target2 value="rightframe">

    <param name=2-Entry3 value="PowerMenu">
    <param name=2-URL3 value="powermenu.htm">
    <param name=2-Target3 value="rightframe">

    <param name=2-Entry4 value="More Menus">

    The first 3 entries above are direct links to pages (they have URL parameters). The fourth will open a submenu. The 2- before the parameter names indicates that these entries stem from Caption 2.

  7. The submenu that appears when the mouse moves over 'More Menus' (Entry4) might look like this:

    <param name=2-4-Entry1 value="Multi-Level Menus">
    <param name=2-4-Entry2 value="Strip Menus">
    <param name=2-4-Entry3 value="Tree Menus">

    Each of these entries opens a submenu. The 2-4- before the word Entry indicates that these entries stem from the fourth Entry on Caption2's submenu.

  8. The submenu that appears when the mouse moves over 'Tree Menus' (Entry3) could look like this:

    <param name=2-4-3-Entry1 value="Gemini">
    <param name=2-4-3-URL1 value="gem.htm">
    <param name=2-4-3-Target1 value="rightframe">
    <param name=2-4-3-Entry2 value="TreeView">
    <param name=2-4-3-URL2 value="treeview.htm">
    <param name=2-4-3-Target2 value="rightframe">
    <param name=2-4-3-Entry3 value="TreeView Professional">
    <param name=2-4-3-URL3 value="tvp.htm">
    <param name=2-4-3-Target3 value="rightframe">

    Since PowerMenu cannot display a fifth level, every entry at the fourth level is assumed to be a link and needs a URL parameter to do anything useful.

    This system of parameter numbering means that an extra entry can be slotted into a submenu in future without too much renumbering. Entries on the altered submenu and those derived from it will need to be renumbered, but all other Caption/Entry parameter numbers will remain unchanged.

  9. Details of each parameter and possible values are explained in The Parameters Explained.