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MenuGroup

The MenuGroup function can be used to output menu levels on the same level in a group.

Example: Members of a menu group

Unlike page groups, menu groups do not have to be separately defined. The members of the menu groups and their order result from the menu entries in the Site Store.

Starting from a page reference the menu levels (of the page reference) and their siblings are contained in the menu group (see example: all menu group members of the page reference new have a grey background).

Unlike the navigation, there is no query for menu groups whether a folder has been hidden from the navigation or not. Therefore, all folders of the menu group are always displayed, regardless of whether the checkbox Display in navigation menu? was selected in the Site Store or not!

In order for structured navigation to be possible within the pages, navigation elements must be integrated on all pages which belong to the menu group. To date the following elements have been supported:

page forward (previousAvailable/previousNotAvailable)
page back (nextAvailable/nextNotAvailable)
Go to the first element (firstAvailable/firstNotAvailable)
Go to the last element (lastAvailable/lastNotAvailable)

Furthermore, it is possible to generate a table of contents for the whole menu group, whereby the current element can be displayed differently to the other elements (delimiter/directoryRendering/directoryRenderingSelected).

Syntax of the MenuGroup function

The basic structure of the MenuGroup function is as follows:

<CMS_FUNCTION name="MenuGroup" resultname="IDENTIFIER">
  <CMS_PARAM name="cycle" value="BOOLEAN_VALUE" />
  <CMS_CDATA_PARAM name="delimiter"><![CDATA[VALUE]]></CMS_CDATA_PARAM>
  <CMS_CDATA_PARAM name="directoryRendering"><![CDATA[VALUE]]></CMS_CDATA_PARAM>
  <CMS_CDATA_PARAM name="directoryRenderingSelected"><![CDATA[VALUE]]></CMS_CDATA_PARAM>
  <CMS_CDATA_PARAM name="firstAvailable"><![CDATA[VALUE]]></CMS_CDATA_PARAM>
  <CMS_CDATA_PARAM name="firstNotAvailable"><![CDATA[VALUE]]></CMS_CDATA_PARAM>
  <CMS_CDATA_PARAM name="lastAvailable"><![CDATA[VALUE]]></CMS_CDATA_PARAM>
  <CMS_CDATA_PARAM name="lastNotAvailable"><![CDATA[VALUE]]></CMS_CDATA_PARAM>
  <CMS_CDATA_PARAM name="nextAvailable"><![CDATA[VALUE]]></CMS_CDATA_PARAM>
  <CMS_CDATA_PARAM name="nextNotAvailable"><![CDATA[VALUE]]></CMS_CDATA_PARAM>
  <CMS_CDATA_PARAM name="previousAvailable"><![CDATA[VALUE]]></CMS_CDATA_PARAM>
  <CMS_CDATA_PARAM name="previousNotAvailable"><![CDATA[VALUE]]></CMS_CDATA_PARAM>
</CMS_FUNCTION>

MenuGroup function parameters

The MenuGroup function can be specified with the following parameters:

cycle
delimiter
directoryRendering
directoryRenderingSelected
firstAvailable
firstNotAvailable
lastAvailable
lastNotAvailable
nextAvailable
nextNotAvailable
previousAvailable
previousNotAvailable

All parameters are optional.

The values of the individual parameters can be given as constants (<CMS_PARAM>), expressions (<CMS_VALUE_PARAM>) or template fragments (<CMS_CDATA_PARAM>). The parameter options are listed in the following table.

X means: can be used and recommended;
O means: use possible but not recommended;
- means: Use not possible

Parameter	Meaning	Specifying a constant	Specifying expressions	Specifying a template fragment	Mandatory parameter
cycle	Cyclical menu group	X	X	-	no
delimiter	Fragment for the separation of entries in the Table of Contents	-	-	X	no
directoryRendering	Fragment for unselected entries in the Table of Contents.	-	-	X	no
directoryRenderingSelected	Fragment for the selected entry in the Table of Contents.	-	-	X	no
firstAvailable	Fragment for the first menu level of the menu group, if available.	-	-	X	no
firstNotAvailable	Fragment for the first menu level of the menu group, if not available.	-	-	X	no
lastAvailable	Fragment for the last menu level of the menu group, if available.	-	-	X	no
lastNotAvailable	Fragment for the last menu level of the menu group, if not available.	-	-	X	no
nextAvailable	Fragment for the next menu level of the menu group, if available.	-	-	X	no
nextNotAvailable	Fragment for the next menu level of the menu group, if not available.	-	-	X	no
previousAvailable	Fragment for the previous menu level of the menu group, if available.	-	-	X	no
previousNotAvailable	Fragment for the previous menu level of the menu group, if not available.	-	-	X	no

cycle parameter

As a default a menu group begins with the first menu level contained and ends with the last (cycle: 0).

If the cycle parameter is specified with value 1, the menu group becomes an endless sequence of menu levels (cyclical menu group), i.e. the last menu level is located in front of the first menu level and the first is after the last.

<CMS_FUNCTION name="MenuGroup" resultname="fr_pt_menuGroup">
  <CMS_PARAM name="cycle" value="1" />
  ...
</CMS_FUNCTION>

delimiter / directoryRendering / directoryRenderingSelected parameters

When invoking the method $CMS_VALUE(VARNAME.directory)$ all menu levels of the menu group are output as a table of contents.

Decisive for display of the individual menu levels are the parameters: directoryRendering (inactive menu level) and directoryRenderingSelected (active/selected menu level). To separate the output of the individual menu levels, the delimiter parameter can be used to define a template fragment. This fragment, apart from in front of the first menu level and after the last menu level, is also output between two directoryRendering / directoryRenderingSelected outputs.

<CMS_FUNCTION name="MenuGroup" resultname="fr_pt_menuGroup">
  ...
  <CMS_CDATA_PARAM name="delimiter"><![CDATA[...]]></CMS_CDATA_PARAM>
  <CMS_CDATA_PARAM name="directoryRendering"><![CDATA[...]]></CMS_CDATA_PARAM>
  <CMS_CDATA_PARAM name="directoryRenderingSelected"><![CDATA[...]]></CMS_CDATA_PARAM>
  ...
</CMS_FUNCTION>

firstAvailable / firstNotAvailable parameters

When using the invocation $CMS_VALUE(IDENTIFIER.first)$ (if the menu group contains at least one menu level) the first menu level is output as the template fragment specified with the firstAvailable parameter.

If the menu group is empty output is according to the template fragment specified with the firstNotAvailable parameter.

<CMS_FUNCTION name="MenuGroup" resultname="fr_pt_menuGroup">
  ...
  <CMS_CDATA_PARAM name="firstAvailable"><![CDATA[...]]></CMS_CDATA_PARAM>
  <CMS_CDATA_PARAM name="firstNotAvailable"><![CDATA[...]]></CMS_CDATA_PARAM>
  ...
</CMS_FUNCTION>

lastAvailable / lastNotAvailable parameters

When using the invocation $CMS_VALUE(IDENTIFIER.last)$ (if the menu group contains at least one menu level) the last menu level is output as the template fragment specified with the lastAvailable parameter.

If the menu group is empty the output is according to the template fragment specified with the lastNotAvailable parameter.

<CMS_FUNCTION name="MenuGroup" resultname="fr_pt_menuGroup">
  ...
  <CMS_CDATA_PARAM name="lastAvailable"><![CDATA[...]]></CMS_CDATA_PARAM>
  <CMS_CDATA_PARAM name="lastNotAvailable"><![CDATA[...]]></CMS_CDATA_PARAM>
  ...
</CMS_FUNCTION>

nextAvailable / nextNotAvailable parameters

When using the invocation $CMS_VALUE(IDENTIFIER.next)$ (if the menu group contains at least one other menu level) the next menu level is output as the template fragment specified with the nextAvailable parameter.

If no subsequent menu level is available or if the menu group is empty the output is according to the template fragment specified with the nextNotAvailable parameter.

<CMS_FUNCTION name="MenuGroup" resultname="fr_pt_menuGroup">
  ...
  <CMS_CDATA_PARAM name="nextAvailable"><![CDATA[...]]></CMS_CDATA_PARAM>
  <CMS_CDATA_PARAM name="nextNotAvailable"><![CDATA[...]]></CMS_CDATA_PARAM>
  ...
</CMS_FUNCTION>

previousAvailable / previousNotAvailable parameters

When using the invocation $CMS_VALUE(IDENTIFIER.previous)$ (if the menu group contains at least one previous menu level) the previous menu level is output as the template fragment specified with the previousAvailable parameter.

If no previous menu level is available or if the menu group is empty the output is according to the template fragment specified with the previousNotAvailable parameter.

<CMS_FUNCTION name="MenuGroup" resultname="fr_pt_menuGroup">
  ...
  <CMS_CDATA_PARAM name="previousAvailable"><![CDATA[...]]></CMS_CDATA_PARAM>
  <CMS_CDATA_PARAM name="previousNotAvailable"><![CDATA[...]]></CMS_CDATA_PARAM>
  ...
</CMS_FUNCTION>

System object within the MenuGroup function

Within the function the system object #nav is available on which several methods can be invoked. To this end the instructions $CMS_VALUE(...)$ (output of the contents) or $CMS_REF(...)$ (resolution of a reference) can be used.

Overview

Attributes	Description
#nav.pos	Gives the position of the menu group in the menu group.
#nav.ref	Returns a link to the corresponding menu level.
#nav.label	Returns the value of the Menu name field of the menu level (from the Site Store).
#nav.media	Returns the value of the Normal field of the menu level (from the Site Store).
#nav.mediaHighlight	Returns the value of the with mouse pointer field of the menu level (from the Site Store).
#nav.mediaSelected	Returns the value of the selected field of the menu level (from the Site Store).
#nav.mediaHighlightSelected	Returns the value of the selected with mouse field of the menu level (from the Site Store).

Return object of the function

Apart from the system object #nav, which is only valid within the function, each MenuGroup function returns a return object. The name of the object is the identifier assigned in resultname.

The following attributes can be accessed on the return object of the MenuGroup function:

Overview (attributes of the return object)

Attributes	Description
IDENTIFIER.directory	Is defined by the parameters delimiter, directoryRendering and directoryRenderingSelected.
IDENTIFIER.first	Is defined by the parameters firstAvailable and/or firstNotAvailable.
IDENTIFIER.groupSize	Total number of menu levels in the current menu group. These variables can be used to create expressions such as "Page X of Y".
IDENTIFIER.last	Is defined by the parameters lastAvailable and/or lastNotAvailable.
IDENTIFIER.next	Is defined by the parameters nextAvailable and/or nextNotAvailable.
IDENTIFIER.pos	Position of the current menu level in the menu group. This attribute can be used to create expressions such as "Page X of Y".
IDENTIFIER.previous	Is defined by the parameters previousAvailable and/or previousNotAvailable.

Examples of the MenuGroup function

Several examples of use of the instruction within templates are shown in the following. The examples are intended to clearly show the specific effect of the instruction and provide help for the template developer when creating their own templates.

The examples displayed here must be adjusted for use within a project! For example, variable names must be changed to the specific variable names of the project in which the instruction is to be used.

<CMS_HEADER>
  <CMS_FUNCTION name="MenuGroup" resultname="fr_pt_menuGroup">
    <CMS_CDATA_PARAM name="firstAvailable"><![CDATA[<a href="$CMS_REF(#nav.ref)$">|&lt;</a>]]></CMS_CDATA_PARAM>
    <CMS_CDATA_PARAM name="firstNotAvailable"><![CDATA[|&lt;]]></CMS_CDATA_PARAM>
    <CMS_CDATA_PARAM name="lastAvailable"><![CDATA[<a href="$CMS_REF(#nav.ref)$">&gt;|</a>]]></CMS_CDATA_PARAM>
    <CMS_CDATA_PARAM name="lastNotAvailable"><![CDATA[&gt;|]]></CMS_CDATA_PARAM>
    <CMS_CDATA_PARAM name="previousAvailable"><![CDATA[<a href="$CMS_REF(#nav.ref)$">&lt;</a>]]></CMS_CDATA_PARAM>
    <CMS_CDATA_PARAM name="previousNotAvailable"><![CDATA[&lt;]]></CMS_CDATA_PARAM>
    <CMS_CDATA_PARAM name="nextAvailable"><![CDATA[<a href="$CMS_REF(#nav.ref)$">&gt;</a>]]></CMS_CDATA_PARAM>
    <CMS_CDATA_PARAM name="nextNotAvailable"><![CDATA[&gt;]]></CMS_CDATA_PARAM>
  </CMS_FUNCTION>
</CMS_HEADER>
$CMS_VALUE(fr_pt_menuGroup.first)$ $CMS_VALUE(fr_pt_menuGroup.previous)$ $CMS_VALUE(fr_pt_menuGroup.pos)$ / $CMS_VALUE(fr_pt_menuGroup.groupSize)$ $CMS_VALUE(fr_pt_menuGroup.next)$ $CMS_VALUE(fr_pt_menuGroup.last)$

The example outputs a simple menu group navigation:

<a href="/fs4preview/preview/30001/site/DE/current/30005/30453">|&lt;</a> 
<a href="/fs4preview/preview/30001/site/DE/current/30005/30451">&lt;</a> 
2 / 3 
&gt; 
<a href="/fs4preview/preview/30001/site/DE/current/30005/30454">&gt;|</a>

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