The Right Menu

The right menu is an HTML file that can be included onto many pages. It's purpose is to show brief and important information and links that should show on many pages.

Required Files and Attributes

The only required file is a rightmenu.html file in the site's root folder. The required attributes are rightmenuswitch and rightmenucontent. These attributes must be used together.

Formatting and Display

The right menu fits within a narrow vertical bar on the right of the main content area. The width is 20% of the total center column width, and it's height is the same height as the main content. It has no margin and no default padding, and no default background color. The default font size is .8em. These settings can be changed through the site style sheet.

The right menu exists in it's own column. The main content will not wrap below the height of the right menu, nor will the right menu wrap below the main content. This cannot be changed through the site style sheet.

Proper Use

The right menu is meant to display brief and important links and content. It's width and placement mean the content it contains must be brief; anything long, wide, or verbose will look out of place and may not display properly. For this reason, use the right menu to indicate important information, and if you need to go into more detail, link to another page containing that detail. That other page can utilize the full width and length of the main content area.

The right menu's formatting and display means it is of very little use for decorative effects. A decorative effect may be used in the right menu if you wish, but do not use the right menu only to deliver a decorative effect. It should have a substantive purpose beyond that.

Since the right menu may be included on many pages, it is possible that it will be included on the page it links to for more information. This is ok, if the right menu has additional information not found on that page, for example, links to other news or resources. If the right menu only contains one piece of information, though, the web page that talks about that detail should not have the right menu.

There is no way to target information in the right menu to specific pages- what is in the file will display on all pages. Plan your content and site structure accordingly.