Admin Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 Hi As a part of the 2015 site upgrade I have created a new menu system with the help of an outside developer. The menu system of a site is the MOST important aspect of it as it MUST enable a user to easily go anywhere around a site plus it has to be comprehensive but simple, it must be obvious and and allow the user to know exactly where they are and how to get to where they want to go whilst showing off ALL the areas of a site. So, the new menu system has been added to the site by way of a new style so you can advise your thoughts on it before it becomes standard in the site. WHAT I NEED TO KNOW is: 1. Is it better than what we have now 2. Is it more comfortable and easier to use 3. Does it comply with what I have said above in what a site menu must be 4. Does it let you know everything the site has to offer and can you easily get to where you want to go 5. Are you testing the new menu on a PC, a Tablet or a mobile phone (what kind and what browser) 6. Score it in the above poll. This is the most important upgrade to the site, please I can't stress that enough as it lays the foundation to what is yet to come and are you happy with me implementing it. Your comments will help me to improve it even more. PLEASE, if you don't like it then post here what it is that you don't like to help me make it better To access to new menu style: 1. Click the style choose in the bottom right corner of the site (in the footer bar): 2. A popup window will open giving you the option of selecting the different styles - Default Style is the standard style we use now - Menu Test is the site with the new menu system 3. Click the Menu Test style and the site will display the new menu system 4. REMEMBER, after using the Menu Test style, do the reverse and come back to the Default Style, vote in the poll and add your comments in this thread NOTE, there is only one known bug. The header on a mobile phone is sticky across the top but due to the complexity of the software we use, it isn't yet sitting exactly at the top. An outside developer has been engaged to write a script to fix this - FIXED (Admin) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgmwa Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 I voted `Don't Care' although `Don't Mind' would be a better description. Having the menu down the right side makes the effective screen width smaller and the extra icons make the screen seem much more cluttered (to me anyway), but no big deal and not much you can do about that. To be honest, the only icon I would use is the Search button as by default my screen opens at the What's New page anyway and I seldom go anywhere else unless creating a new post. The What's New (24 hrs) button seems to be missing from the new menu system? I use that quite a bit. - FIXED (Admin) rgmwa 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Posted February 7, 2015 Author Share Posted February 7, 2015 Ok thanks, I have changed the poll option and I forgot to add the What's New and What's New (24hrs) links into it which I have also now done...thanks for the comment. The biggest improvement I think is on a mobile phone and small mobile devices...HUGE change in the menu system to make it so much easier (ignore the colours at the moment) And on a tablet, everything is simply accessible by your right hand thumb without letting go of the tablet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgmwa Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 Yes, I just use a PC but I can see the benefit for a phone and other gadgets, so the new system is OK by me. rgmwa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SDQDI Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 It seems to work well on the iPad so I selected I like it, but I really don't mind either way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingVizsla Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 A couple of items are tangled up. The "What's New" & "24hrs" are not working - Laptop, Win 7 (64bit), Modzilla Firefox. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingVizsla Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 Viewing a picture - the one in the post above - the X (close) takes me to a menu, rather than close and back to the post. "View in location" took me back to the thread, to the first post. - FIXED (Admin) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Posted February 7, 2015 Author Share Posted February 7, 2015 Thanks Flying Vizla, you must have a non very standard screen resolution or extra bars/menus on your browser. I targeted it for PC/Laptop as a minimum of 1024x768 which is also the same as the larger tablets. I may have to return the footer icons/links in the side menu to the footer and just leave one which is the Go To Top button. That should clear up the real estate in situations like yours...thanks for letting me know - FIXED (Admin) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Posted February 7, 2015 Author Share Posted February 7, 2015 Viewing a picture - the one in the post above - the X (close) takes me to a menu, rather than close and back to the post. "View in location" took me back to the thread, to the first post. Oh, so it does, I will have to have a look at that...it seems there is a clash of the address of the picture close button to that of the menu...thanks for that - FIXED (Admin) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly_tornado Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 couldn't close an image before, clicked the X in the top right and it pulled out the menu 1920x1080 res - FIXED (Admin) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Posted February 7, 2015 Author Share Posted February 7, 2015 couldn't close an image before, clicked the X in the top right and it pulled out the menu1920x1080 res Read the post above yours Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Posted February 7, 2015 Author Share Posted February 7, 2015 The issues of not being able to close a popup image and the mobile version sticky header have been fixed. So at this stage there are no know bugs but one enhancement needed to have less icons in the footer of the right menu column...Personally I am really liking it especially having the extra real estate in the slide out menu that I can use to advise of special events that are coming to the site later this year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff13 Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 I guess that I am just a grumpy old bugger. I don't like change much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DWF Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 I can live with either style. I don't use the menu options much. What I would like to see is the Navigation Bar include the current thread title and be visible all the time. DWF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Posted February 7, 2015 Author Share Posted February 7, 2015 PLEASE, if you don't like it then post here what it is that you don't like to help me make it better Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2tonne Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 I'm finding it a bit difficult to use on the iPhone. I have two "What's New" buttons, one of which is actually the what's new 24, but it doesn't show the full title. - FIXED (Admin) Also, in landscape orientation I can't get all of the buttons to show. I like it, but if these issues were fixed it would be better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Posted February 7, 2015 Author Share Posted February 7, 2015 I'm finding it a bit difficult to use on the iPhone. I have two "What's New" buttons, one of which is actually the what's new 24, but it doesn't show the full title.Also, in landscape orientation I can't get all of the buttons to show. I like it, but if these issues were fixed it would be better. thanks for the comment, is that an iPhone 5? I will look into that and see what I can do however that may take a day or so as I have to find someone with an iPhone to test Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2tonne Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 Yes, iPhone 5. Want a 6, but have to wait. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff13 Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 PLEASE, if you don't like it then post here what it is that you don't like to help me make it better OK Sorry. I don't like the side menu, I like to have the menu at the top of the page. If there must be a side menu then I would like to see it on the left side rather than the right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Posted February 7, 2015 Author Share Posted February 7, 2015 Thanks for the comment Geoff, will consider it and subject to any other comments of a similar nature perhaps I may be able to add an option in a user's settings for left or right handed users...thanks again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhysmcc Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 On the iphone 4s, am having issues trying to navigate the sub menu items on forum (ie What's New), the menu doesn't seem to want to scroll down. I agree with Geoff's point on being on the left. I mainly use the forum with what's new/alerts and I'm finding it harder with this new system then with the old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Posted February 7, 2015 Author Share Posted February 7, 2015 I have just changed the text of "What's New (24hrs)" to "New (24hrs)" to see if that helps. However it did work ok on my Samsung Galaxy S5 so it is hard to make sure it is ok with every single device but then Apple have always tried to do there own thing against normal web standards which must hurt any user of an Apple device. Anyway, this is what you should be seeing when viewing the forums (home page has different sub menu items): Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eleventysix Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 I prefer the old style menu, I hope it will be retained as an option. I don't understand the latest trend to turn everything into a mobile/small screen theme. In my opinion, it doesn't work well if you don't have touch (e.g. on desktop). Perhaps would be good to understand the inspiration for the new theme? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birdseye Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 I can't get 'What's New' or the 'Whats' new (24 hours)'. So a down vote from me. Didn't even notice the side menu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birdseye Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 Went back again and found the side menu. No thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now