Design Help

Alright Codewalkers...I need your help!

I am no good at designs. I need a little help with the navigation system here at Codewalkers.

The current "tab" looking system at the top works well for me and looks OK I guess. The problem is that I can't expand it any further. There is simply no more room.

So, I call out to the design gurus here and ask you to come up with something for me

Requirements:

Fit 10 items. If it can expand in the future even better.
Fit a 800x600 screen resolution.
Looks nice



That's all I require!

If you have an idea, I would love to see it. Please post a link to a mockup here....

I think I can help you in this.. How about using DHTML + JavaScript for the Navigation.. Sortof creating categorized submenus and stuff. This will give enough room to fit even 100 links.


Use JavaScript? Yes | No -

The only thing I could think of is to use a side navigation system instead of a top navigated site (you could expand forever vertically, but your kind of limited at the top) I have a side navigation system in place at my website if you would like to take a look, and I have also integrated that into the phpbb forum I have installed. That particular one is a big graphic I split per button and redrew it using a table. Worked out nicely. I used a graphically driven system, and everytime I add something, I have to redesign the graphic, but there are easy ways to implement a new button with a template that will expand it without altering the graphics overall cosmetic appearance. By the way, it doesnt use any sort of scripting at all, except its a php included script, so when I change the site, I only have to add the button to that one page. Feel free to take a look.

Yes...I did forget to mention that I want it to still stay at the top and it must be straight HTML. I can't have javascript or dhtml...

I think quote possibly what you have is as good as it is going to get as far as top navigation. The only other thing I can think of is to redesign it to accomodate more links. I will definitely try my hand at a mock up.

Click here

Heh, I have something in mind that follows that, but not quite that.

CodeKadiya...I'm liking that first one!

Cool... I'm on the way to more example ones... let's see what will happen...

Some more added here

I like 1 and 5. I do think 5 can be done without using graphics though.

I love number 1.

I agree - keep the nav at the top - keeps more room for adverts.

I like 5 the best, nice smooth appearance and easy on the eyes.

If you need to expand you could always do roll over menus for each subject heading in the the 10 primary "tabs".

Instead of graphics, why not use CSS-stylized text.

That should fit in 800x600, but it depends on your text size. If it grows due to larger text size or more/longer tabs, it will wrap around into multiple lines. It also loads faster than graphics, eaiser to change, etc., etc (see many more arguments for CSS). I tested it in both IE6 and Mozilla Firebird 0.7 on Windows and it seems fine, non-CSS browsers should degrade okay.

yeh the first one does look good.