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Thread: Linking a category dropdown to a partner's URL

  1. #1
    cjames is offline Junior Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
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    3

    Default Linking a category dropdown to a partner's URL

    We're finalizing our Storefront and we've been fortuntate enough to strike a deal with a partner who will handle products we don't. We use a category dropdown menu and would like to link the partner's URL to a dropdown menu item to take visitors directly to our partner's website instead of presenting a page on our site where we say "Visit our partner". We can control what is on the landing page of our partner's site so I am not worried about any breach of expectations for the visitor.

    Anyone have any ideas?
    Thanks. Callum

  2. #2
    brightspectrum is offline Member
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    Feb 2008
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    Seattle, WA
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    Default

    Callum,

    You should be able to do this in the XML file that controls the default behavior of the navigation.

    In version 8 it is located in your skin file (i.e. skins/skin_1/verMenuData.xml). Here you can set the text that you want it to read as well as the destination URL.

    Code:
    <item text="(!menu.Categories!)" />
      <MenuItem Text="TEXT YOU WANT" NavigateUrl="URL YOU WANT" />
    </item>
    In version 9 you will find it in (root/XmlPackages/page.menu.xml.config) and update the siteMapNode in the same fashion.

    Chidozie

  3. #3
    cjames is offline Junior Member
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    Sep 2009
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    3

    Smile Thanks, we'll try it

    BrightSpectrum,

    Thank you for the reply. We'll try this and report back when it works. I appreciate the input.

    Callum

  4. #4
    cjames is offline Junior Member
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    Sep 2009
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    Thumbs up It works!

    Chidozie,

    It worked and we're very grateful.

    Thanks,

    Callum

  5. #5
    seinarsson is offline Junior Member
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    Dec 2008
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    Default

    In version 9 you will find it in (root/XmlPackages/page.menu.xml.config) and update the siteMapNode in the same fashion.
    I'm trying to point a top menu to an external link.

    If I update the url proptery of <siteMapNode>, it tries to append the url to the internal site, ie: "<root>/www.google.com".

    If I update the NavigateUrl property of <siteMapNode>, nothing happens. It doesn't act like it has a link to anywhere.

    I'm in the right file because I can change the text of the menu item. But I can't get it to link to an external link.

  6. #6
    ASPAlfred is offline Senior Member
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    Nov 2007
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    2,244

    Default

    Please post your code here and will tell you what's the problem.

  7. #7
    seinarsson is offline Junior Member
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    Dec 2008
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    This is editing "page.menu.xml.config". Trying to get the Sections menu to point to an external link (using google in this example).

    Code:
    				
    <siteMap>
      <siteMapNode title="(!menu.Home!)"  url="~/default.aspx">
      <siteMapNode title="(!menu.Categories!)" type="category" />
       <siteMapNode title="(!menu.Sections!)" type="section" url="www.google.com" />
    </sitemap>
    This code tries to connect to "http://local.ccc.com:80/www.google.com", which doesn't exist.

    Code:
    				
    <siteMap>
      <siteMapNode title="(!menu.Home!)"  url="~/default.aspx">
      <siteMapNode title="(!menu.Categories!)" type="category" />
       <siteMapNode title="(!menu.Sections!)" type="section" NavigateUrl="www.google.com" />
    </sitemap>
    This code does nothing. I click on the Menu, and nothing happens.

  8. #8
    Orangey is offline Junior Member
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    UK
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    Default

    Maybe changing www.google.com to http://www.google.com will help

  9. #9
    seinarsson is offline Junior Member
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    Dec 2008
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    Default

    Nope, adding the http doesn't work with either "url" or "NavigateUrl". "NavigateUrl" still doesn nothing when clicked.

    If I use "http://www.google.com" with "url", I get the error...

    Description: An unhandled exception occurred during the execution of the current web request. Please review the stack trace for more information about the error and where it originated in the code.

    Exception Details: System.Web.HttpException: 'http://www.google.com' is not a valid virtual path.

  10. #10
    andrewy is offline Junior Member
    Join Date
    May 2011
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    Default

    I was looking for the same thing. Everything seems to be self contained.

    I'm editing page.menu.xml.config

    <siteMapNode title="Support" NavigateUrl="google.com" url="google.com" />

    I want to be able to open google (or another site) in a new tab / window.