More Robust/Dynamic MEGA MENU System

I thought the "Concept" section would be the appropriate place for this particular topic.


I've been searching for WEEKS now, and I have yet to see much of anything over-and-above the default OC "mega menu" configuration - save for one or two with somewhat lackluster structure, styling and/or capacity for including dynamic content - i.e. various modules such as search, login, mini-product display (with add-to-cart button)), video, custom html, etc.


There is ONE extension developer who created a fairly decent VERTICAL/FLY-OUT mega menu for OpenCart --> http://shopencart.com/opencart-mega-menu <-- That one is at least along the right direction (styling wise) ... though it seems limited for a vertical navigation/menu, as opposed to the horizontal main-navigation.


I actually very much like the way the mega menu system is configured/styled/structured within THIS THEME . Albeit the preceding example is for a Magento based theme, I think you will see what I am referring to in terms of the ability to integrate much more dynamic content into the mega menu structure than I've been able to find (to date) amongst the existing "mega menu" extension/modification offerings out there for OpenCart . . . and believe me, I've performed an exhaustive search.


This more "robust/dynamic" mega menu structure is widely utilized with many/most contemporary Joomla CMS based templates as well ---> SEE THIS RESOURCE.



For ADDITIONAL thought and, hopefully, consideration/inspiration for creating a more robust/dynamic mega menu system for OpenCart (be it a module extension, modification, plugin or vQmod) - here are a few additional resources for (in my opinion, anyway) the kind of custom content options/capabilities and styling that make for a really cool, dynamic and contemporary mega-menu system . . .

The North Face
http://www.thenorthface.com/en_US/index.html

FedEx
http://www.fedex.com/us/

OfficeMax
http://www.officemax.com/

30 Examples of Mega Menus in Web Design
http://vandelaydesign.com/blog/galleries/mega-menus/


or, if you're feeling ESPECIALLY ambitious .... http://www.displaywizard.co.uk/




Any thoughts, constructive comments . . . . ambitious/enthusiastic mad-skill coder/programmer takers ??

I don't have anything to add except my vote to see something like this being developed.

A mega-menu with more functionality I am sure would be very popular and I would buy it.

Cheers,
Joe

Right now I'm -still- developing Octave Framework, and one of the features is Mega Menu.

Well, not all concept on link above will be available at Octave but at least Mega Menu, Multi Module-Position, Minify and Mobile Device Detection will be available.

Hi Qahar,

I can't pretend to understand most of the content of the posts in that link but the compact mega-menu picture looks great, so well done.

I very much look forward to its release, keep up the good work!

qahar wrote:Right now I'm -still- developing Octave Framework, and one of the features is Mega Menu.

Well, not all concept on link above will be available at Octave but at least Mega Menu, Multi Module-Position, Minify and Mobile Device Detection will be available.

Will your Mega Menu allow users to integrate modules with custom content?

TomC wrote:Will your Mega Menu allow users to integrate modules with custom content?

No, because I just restyling the default OpenCart Mega Menu.
But of course I have plan to extend it in the future, but right now it's not a priority yet.

qahar wrote:

TomC wrote:Will your Mega Menu allow users to integrate modules with custom content?

No, because I just restyling the default OpenCart Mega Menu.
But of course I have plan to extend it in the future, but right now it's not a priority yet.

Okay, fair enough . . . but I hope you don't mind that I - and whomever else is anxious for a more robust/dynamic mega menu system/extension for OpenCart - continue to push for/pursue this project for a (hopefully) more sooner-than-later solution.



Looking forward to seeing your framework when it is released.

We always use our own dynamic menu system for OpenCart, because I hate the mega menus. User friendlyness and clear site navigation is more important to us.

JNeuhoff wrote:We always use our own dynamic menu system for OpenCart, because I hate the mega menus. User friendlyness and clear site navigation is more important to us.

To each his own . . . but a mega menu used WISELY can be very user friendly and navigationally clear
- as well as professionally enhance a site's curb appeal.


So ... the waiting/hoping continues.

CSS ALL THE WAY - Look at CSSplay - google it - this guy is the bomb and I have used his concepts and ideas for a long while - simply the best - MEGA MENUS need to be based on a grid system and the guy that comes up with one for OC is going to get sales big time - BUT .... MUST be open to flak and criticism and move with that with frequent updates

Iamdbat wrote:. . . . MEGA MENUS . . . the guy that comes up with one for OC is going to get sales big time - BUT .... MUST be open to flak and criticism and move with that with frequent updates

I couldn't agree with you more . . . which is EXACTLY why I started this discussion.

I wish I had an iota of coding/programming skills, else I would develop this myself.

Instead, I am resting my faith with the OC Development Community to come up with something far and above the (in my opinion) versatility-lacking "mega menus" currently available . . . both those currently available via the OC Extension Directory and the "out-of-the-box" OC version.



Disagree with me if you wish and/or call me crazy . . . but this element is the only thing that is currently holding me up with forging ahead with my OC ecommerce project. I don't want to establish all of my navigational items within the "standard" navigation scheme, only to have to redo it all when/if a MUCH ANTICIPATED new robust/dynamic mega menu system/extension is developed and offered.

You are planning to have a terrible mixture of menu items and pieces of contents in your mega menu.

To start with, this is not a good way to get good enough rankings with Google.

And there is no straight forward way to come up with a menu module with this, because you want to have more than just menu items in there. So this will require manually programming the various menu tabs (which are really now content tabs).

Not really certain as to how you feel this idea so difficult - as this more "robust/dynamic" mega menu structure is widely utilized with many/most contemporary CMS platforms ---> SEE THIS RESOURCE.

As well as Magento . . . . Example 1 ... Example 2 ... Example 3



Why would the menu items associated with a much more versatile mega-menu structure - such as the examples above - be any less able to secure rankings with Google than a traditional navigation structure?

Any further thoughts in terms of development ??

Not too difficult to implement, but doesn't make much sense to do so.

You want to attract visitors to your site, not drive them away.

JNeuhoff wrote:Not too difficult to implement, but doesn't make much sense to do so.
You want to attract visitors to your site, not drive them away.

Okay J .... we get that you don't like mega menu navigation systems, okay ??

If you want to continue to employ the same ole' boring old-school run-of-the-mill drop down navigation for YOUR website, then that is YOUR prerogative. More power to ya - and all the best in your future endeavors.



Now how about moving on and allowing those of us who ARE interested in this effort and who DO see the value in such an option continue on with our efforts, m'kay?

Your consistent negativity and subjective dismissal is neither appreciated nor of any value to this discussion.

Absolutely TomC - agree 100% - I'm always amazed at forums whereby you suggest something that you would like and always get someone who just has to tell you why you shouldn't. It's complete BS. Anytime you suggest an improvement or point out a failing with OC, you some nutter out there thinks they know and have seen it all ..... and of course are SEO experts each and every one. A multi column mega menu using CSS and an unordered list has a better chance with SEO than a java generated menu any day of the week and is considered to be THE MOST SEARCH ENGINE FRIENDLY

I have used various kinds of menus, including css-driven mega menus, on different Opencart sites, and can say from experience that large menus can lower the search engine rankings. In fact, search engines should only index relevant key words from the page's main content pane, not from from side boxes or menus. There are ways to accomplish that, but is more cumbersome with mega menus.

TomC's idea of mega menus is really a kind of tabs, where each tab contains a mixture menu links and content boxes and images.

JNeuhoff wrote:I have used various kinds of menus, including css-driven mega menus, on different Opencart sites, and can say from experience that large menus can lower the search engine rankings. In fact, search engines should only index relevant key words from the page's main content pane, not from from side boxes or menus. There are ways to accomplish that, but is more cumbersome with mega menus.

TomC's idea of mega menus is really a kind of tabs, where each tab contains a mixture menu links and content boxes and images.

Search Engines also follow Links! - Content boxes contain keywords - so does an image alt!

JNeuhoff wrote: TomC's idea of mega menus is really a kind of tabs, where each tab contains a mixture menu links and content boxes and images.

Interesting statement, seeing as how a GREAT MANY successful retailers have successfully implemented and utilized mega menu navigation structures - not the least of which include Staples, Office Depot, Lowes, Target, Home Depot, Northern Tool, etc.