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5.7. area

cat_root/products/area.txt

This table is used to implement dynamic navigation bars. For example, it is used in the category_horizontal and category_vertical components. Note the similarity to the cat table, since both area and cat tables supply data for building links to results pages.

When building entries in a navigation bar, it is the bar_link subroutine in the /dist/catalog_before.cfg configuration file that actually reads and processes the values from the table.

See also the following catalog and administrative templates:

Fields

Field Description
code Unique key
sel Space-delimited list of navigation bars to contain the entry
name Display label
which_page Page class in which the navigation bar may appear
sort Sorting prefix for entry (preempts standard alphanumeric sort)
display_type How to label links in the navbar (name, icon, url or image)
image Image URL (if appropriate)
image_prop HTML attributes for output <img> tag (if appropriate)
banner_image Image name for use in target page
banner_text Text for use in target page
link_type Type of links in the navbar (external, internal, simple, complex)
url Target for internal or external link_type
tab Database table file to use with 'simple' link_type
page Results page to use with 'simple' link_type
search Search spec used with 'complex' link_type
selector The selector used to scan the products table for products in the category
link_template Overrides template used for building navbar links.

5.7.1. code

Example Data

   1
   2
   3

Unique key.

5.7.2. sel

Example Data

   left

Space-delimited list of navigation bars that should contain the entry. Note that comma or null should also work as a delimiter.

5.7.3. name

Example Data

   Hand Tools
   Hardware
   Ladders
   Measuring Tools
   Painting Supplies
   Safety Equipment
   Specials
   Tool Storage

Label to display.

5.7.4. which_page

Example Data

   all

Page class in which the navigation bar may appear.

5.7.5. sort

Example Data

   00
   03
   04
   05
   06

Lexographic (alphanumeric) sorting prefix. Note use of '03' rather than '3', which would sort after '13'. This controls the order of the categories in your navigation bar.

If this is not set, your navbar entries will sort in alphabetical order.

5.7.6. display_type

Example Data

   name
   icon
   url
   image

What to use for the labels in the navigation bar (for example, name, icon, url or image). The navigation bars in the foundation catalog are set up with 'name' display_type.

display type Link shown as
name Displays name only
icon Displays name and specified image
image Displays image only
url Displays link

5.7.7. image

Image URL for image or icon display_type.

5.7.8. image_prop

For image or icon display_type, this contains the HTML attributes for the HTML that will appear in the navbar, for example:

  <img src="image" alt="name" image_prop>name

5.7.9. banner_image

Example Data

   promo_image.gif

This field is not related to banner ads. It is useful if you want to pass to your results page an image that is specific for the navbar entry (perhaps to display a banner above your results).

If you are using an Interchange search for your links (i.e., 'simple' or 'complex' link_type), then this will add 'va=banner_image=banner_image' to the resulting search specification. This puts the contents of banner_image into the Values hash of your search results page. You can access it with [value banner_image] (see the value tag). You will have to modify the standard results page (or set up and specify your own) in order to display the image.

   <IMG src="[value banner_image]" alt="[value banner_text]">

The foundation catalog does not implement banner_image in the preconfigured navigation bars.

5.7.10. banner_text

Example Data

   This Is A Title For Hand Tools

This field is not related to banner ads. It is useful if you want to pass to your results page some text that is specific for the navbar entry (perhaps to display a title above your results).

If you are using an Interchange search for your links (i.e., 'simple' or 'complex' link_type), then this will add 'va=banner_text=banner_text' to the resulting search specification. This puts the contents of banner_text into the Values hash of your search results page. You can access it with [value banner_text] (see the value tag). You will have to modify the standard results page (or set up and specify your own) in order to display the text.

The foundation catalog does not implement banner_text in the preconfigured navigation bars.

5.7.11. link_type

Example Data

   none
   external
   internal
   simple
   complex

Link type to create in the navigation bar.

Link type Description
none No link
external External link. The HTML specified in url will go directly into the navigation bar.
internal Internal link. This will be highlit if it is the current page. If you specify both a page and a form for the link, the url field should contain "page form". See the Search Engine documentation for more detail on search forms.
simple Allows you to specify an Interchange search with a few values. See the bar_link subroutine in the /dist/catalog_before.cfg configuration file for more detail.
complex Allows you to fully specify an Interchange search specification. See the bar_link subroutine in the /dist/catalog_before.cfg configuration file for more detail if you need to use these.

5.7.12. url

Target URL (external link or internal page/search specification). See link_type . The foundation catalog navigation bars are not set up with link types that use the url field.

5.7.13. tab

Database table file to use with 'simple' link_type (searchspec fi=tab). The foundation catalog navigation bars are not set up with link types that use the tab field.

5.7.14. page

Results page to use with 'simple' link_type (searchspec sp=page). The foundation catalog navigation bars are not set up with link types that use the page field.

5.7.15. search

Search spec used with 'complex' link_type. See the Search Engine documentation for more detail on search forms. The foundation catalog navigation bars are not set up with link types that use the search field.

5.7.16. selector

The selector that is used to scan the products table for products in the category. Used with 'simple' link_type. The foundation catalog navigation bars are not set up with link types that use the selector field.

5.7.17. link_template

Overrides the usual HTML link template for navbar entries. See the bar_link subroutine in the /dist/catalog_before.cfg configuration file if you need to modify link templates.

The foundation catalog navigation bars are not set up with link types that use the link_template field.

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