Recommendation of a good breadcrumb program

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 >> Stay informed about: Recommendation of a good breadcrumb program 

mick wrote:
 > Hello,
 > I am looking for a good breadcrumb software and the only one I came
 > close to the one I like is the one at baskettcase.com/classes/breadcrumb v
 > 2.4.2. The only problem with this I can not get it to work using it inside
 > my html file with the include command. I was wondering
 > has anyone got this to work or can someone recommend me something that is
 > easy to setup, has many different types of features,works as a html and
 > free.
 > thank you
 >
 >
Heh, I'd never heard the term 'breadcrumbs' before, so I looked it up
and sicovered it's just another word for the things I call 'navigation
trails'....You live and learn eh?....

I usually create these on the fly....There's loads of methods you can
use, but it's not too different to describing a tree structure for
directories and folders....

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for photographic restorations<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Recommendation of a good breadcrumb program 

"Fat Sam" <janetandsam RemoveThis @beeteeinternet.co.uk> wrote in message
news:3e3o8eF10eo5U1@individual.net...
 > Heh, I'd never heard the term 'breadcrumbs' before, so I looked it up
 > and sicovered it's just another word for the things I call 'navigation
 > trails'....You live and learn eh?....
 >
 > I usually create these on the fly....There's loads of methods you can
 > use, but it's not too different to describing a tree structure for
 > directories and folders....
Thanks a lot can you tell me where you have a example of how you create
these on a fly and how to get one working.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Recommendation of a good breadcrumb program 

mick wrote:
 > "Fat Sam" <janetandsam.DeleteThis@beeteeinternet.co.uk> wrote in message
 > news:3e3o8eF10eo5U1@individual.net...
 >
  >>Heh, I'd never heard the term 'breadcrumbs' before, so I looked it up
  >>and sicovered it's just another word for the things I call 'navigation
  >>trails'....You live and learn eh?....
  >>
  >>I usually create these on the fly....There's loads of methods you can
  >>use, but it's not too different to describing a tree structure for
  >>directories and folders....
 >
 > Thanks a lot can you tell me where you have a example of how you create
 > these on a fly and how to get one working.

Are we not just talking about

Home >> Electronics >> Torches >> Maglight 2000

Top, Top level cat, second level car, product ?

Or am I missing something here (been known to happen)<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Recommendation of a good breadcrumb program 

Gerry for email use my name at dergal dt com wrote:
 > mick wrote:
 >
  >> "Fat Sam" <janetandsam RemoveThis @beeteeinternet.co.uk> wrote in message
  >> news:3e3o8eF10eo5U1@individual.net...
  >>
   >>> Heh, I'd never heard the term 'breadcrumbs' before, so I looked it up
   >>> and sicovered it's just another word for the things I call 'navigation
   >>> trails'....You live and learn eh?....
   >>>
   >>> I usually create these on the fly....There's loads of methods you can
   >>> use, but it's not too different to describing a tree structure for
   >>> directories and folders....
  >>
  >>
  >> Thanks a lot can you tell me where you have a example of how you create
  >> these on a fly and how to get one working.
 >
 >
 > Are we not just talking about
 >
 > Home >> Electronics >> Torches >> Maglight 2000
 >
 > Top, Top level cat, second level car, product ?
 >
 > Or am I missing something here (been known to happen)

That's exactly it.....


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for photographic restorations<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Recommendation of a good breadcrumb program 

mick wrote:
 > "Fat Sam" <janetandsam.TakeThisOut@beeteeinternet.co.uk> wrote in message
 > news:3e3o8eF10eo5U1@individual.net...
 >
  >>Heh, I'd never heard the term 'breadcrumbs' before, so I looked it up
  >>and sicovered it's just another word for the things I call 'navigation
  >>trails'....You live and learn eh?....
  >>
  >>I usually create these on the fly....There's loads of methods you can
  >>use, but it's not too different to describing a tree structure for
  >>directories and folders....
 >
 > Thanks a lot can you tell me where you have a example of how you create
 > these on a fly and how to get one working.
 >
 >
Have category fields in your DB...Call them Cat1, Cat2, Cat3, Cat4
etc....And of course there's your product name field....

When you dynamically build the pages for each stage in the navigation,
have them search for the relevant Category term, and the subsequent ones
below it....

So for example, to use the category terms that Gerry mentioned, You
might want to organise your Maglite into the category
Home > Electronics > Lighting > Torches > Maglight 2000
So in your database for the maglite entry you'd have the following fields:-

product = Maglite 2000
Cat1 = Electronics
Cat2 = Lighting
Cat3 = Torches

So if you bring up the actual Maglite 2000's product spec page, it will
compile a 'breadcrumb' variable with all the Category field values

<%
DisplayBreadcrumb = "Home >> <a href='" & RS("Cat1") & "'>" & RS("Cat1")
& "</a> >> " & RS("Cat2") & " >> href='" & RS("Cat3") & "'>" & RS("Cat3") & " >> " & RS("product")
Response.write DisplayBreadcrumb
%>

That's ASP, but it gives the general idea...

Of course, if your not on the product display page, but are halfway
through the navigation, say on the "Torches" page, this would be "Cat3"
so you would simply display Cat3, and whatever Categorys come below
it....If you are on the "Lighting" page, you'd just display Cat1 and
Cat2....

You get the general idea?....

It helps, if you get some paper, a pencil, and an eraser and spend some
time drawing your directory tree on paper before you attempt to build
your product database, as it will make it infinitely easier to get your
categories spot on, and it will make it easier to place new products in
the correct categories at a later date....

I'm sure there are easier or more elegant ways of doing this....My code
tends to be very clunky, and not very gracefull, but the above method
has always worked well for me....

--
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for photographic restorations<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Recommendation of a good breadcrumb program 

"Fat Sam" <janetandsam.DeleteThis@beeteeinternet.co.uk> wrote in message
news:3e47lgF14b6gU1@individual.net...
 > mick wrote:
 > Have category fields in your DB...Call them Cat1, Cat2, Cat3, Cat4
 > etc....And of course there's your product name field....
 >
 > When you dynamically build the pages for each stage in the navigation,
 > have them search for the relevant Category term, and the subsequent ones
 > below it....
 >
 > So for example, to use the category terms that Gerry mentioned, You
 > might want to organise your Maglite into the category
 > Home > Electronics > Lighting > Torches > Maglight 2000
 > So in your database for the maglite entry you'd have the following
fields:-
 >
 > product = Maglite 2000
 > Cat1 = Electronics
 > Cat2 = Lighting
 > Cat3 = Torches
 >
 > So if you bring up the actual Maglite 2000's product spec page, it will
 > compile a 'breadcrumb' variable with all the Category field values
 >
 > <%
 > DisplayBreadcrumb = "Home >> <a href='" & RS("Cat1") & "'>" & RS("Cat1")
 > & "</a> >> " & RS("Cat2") & " >> <a
 > href='" & RS("Cat3") & "'>" & RS("Cat3") & " >> "</a> & RS("product")
 > Response.write DisplayBreadcrumb
 > %>
 >
 > That's ASP, but it gives the general idea...
 >
 > Of course, if your not on the product display page, but are halfway
 > through the navigation, say on the "Torches" page, this would be "Cat3"
 > so you would simply display Cat3, and whatever Categorys come below
 > it....If you are on the "Lighting" page, you'd just display Cat1 and
 > Cat2....
 >
 > You get the general idea?....
 >
 > It helps, if you get some paper, a pencil, and an eraser and spend some
 > time drawing your directory tree on paper before you attempt to build
 > your product database, as it will make it infinitely easier to get your
 > categories spot on, and it will make it easier to place new products in
 > the correct categories at a later date....
 >
 > I'm sure there are easier or more elegant ways of doing this....My code
 > tends to be very clunky, and not very gracefull, but the above method
 > has always worked well for me....

The above would only work if you know what and how many categories an item
is going to have... if you want it to be done entirely dynamic you would
probably do something like:

Have a table called "CATEGORY", this has the fields:
CatID, name, relatesTO

Top level items have a "relatesTO" of 0... all other categories have the
relatesTO set to the CatID of the item above it... so your data might look
like:

1,home,0
2,office,0
3,electronics,1
4,appliances,1
5,office chairs,2
6,desklamps,2
7,torches,3
8,stereos,3

Then you have a table called "INVENTORY", this has the fields:
ItemID,CatID,name,price (personally I use a seperate table for
prices, but this is a basic example)

In this casse, the "CatID" refers to what category in the "CATEGORY" table
the item belongs under... some example items from your inventory table might
be:

1,7,Maglight 2000,9.99
2,7,Black and Decker Flashlight,19.99
3,5,Big Comfy Chair,79.99
4,8,Sony Home Stereo,299.99

So you can see by the above that the "Maglight 2000" is Item #1 in your
INVENTORY database, its $9.99 and it belongs in category #7 "Torches" (which
is a subgroup of Category #3 "Electronics", which is a subgroup of Category
#1 "Home")


Actually working the system is pretty easy... your page would have the code:

1) Check the querystring for "category=__" if there is a number there then
store it in vCategory... if there is no number there then set vCategory=0
2) Call your DisplayDirectory subroutine, passing it the variable
"vCategory". This will display the _____ >> _____ >> ____ at the top of the
page
3) Call your DisplaySubCategories subroutine, passing the variable
"vCategory". This will generate a list of links of sub categories that
relate to the category we are currently viewing (if no subcategories belong
to this category then nothing is displayed).
4) Call your DisplayInventory subroutine, passing the variable "vCategory".
This will display any inventory items that are a part of this category (if
no items belong to this category then nothing gets displayed)

The subroutines would look something like:

Subroutine: DisplaySubCategories (accepting variable as "vCat")
strSQL="Select CatID,name from CATEGORY where relatesTO=" & vCat
Then output from the database until EOF, with your output looking like:
response.write "<a href='view.asp?category=" & oRS("CatID") & "'>" &
oRS("name") & "</a>"
response.write "<br>"


Subroutine: DisplayInventory (accepting variable as "vCat")
strSQL="Select ItemID,name,price from INVENTORY where CatID=" & vCat
Then output from the database until EOF, with output looking like:
response.write " href='buynow.asp?vItem="&oRS("itemID")&"'>"&oRS("name")&""


Subroutine: DisplayDirectory (accepting variable as "vCat")
This is the complex one becuase it involves recursion since we don not
know how many categories are "above" this category
strSQL="Select CatID,name,relatesTO from CATEGORY where CatID=" & vCat
Then open database using the above SQL... you aren't doing any output
here... yet
We have to build the directory list backwards... we are 'drilling up'
through the database.
CHECK: is oRS("relatesTO")=0?
YES:
we are at the end of the line...
response.write RIGHT(strDIRECTORYPATH,LEN(strDIRECTORYPATH)-3)
we are using the "RIGHT" command here to trim the leading
">> "
NO:
there are categories above this category... we need to add this
category to the directory path:
strDIRECTORYPATH=">> "& oRS("name") & strDIRECTORYPATH
Call your DisplayDirectory subroutine, passing it
oRS("relatesTO")
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ This is the recursion... the subroutine is
calling itself

I tried to do the above with mostly pseudocode and used abit of ASP
interspersed. Hopefully that makes sense (the actual final ASP code makes
alot more sense if you are familiar with ASP). The big thing to remember
here is that the variable 'strDIRECTORYPATH" is a global variable while
everything else (including the oRS recordset object) are local variables


The thing with using the above system is you can have as many or as few
items as you want... in the case of "torches" it would have a directory path
of:
HOME >> ELECTRONICS >> TORCHES

Thats 2 items above the "TORCHES" category. But for another category you
might have more, ie:
HOME >> APPLIANCES >> BIG APPLIANCES >> THE LAUNDRY ROOM >>

or

HOME >> APPLIANCES >> SMALL APPLIANCES >> THE KITCHEN >> BLENDERS AND FOOD
PROCESSORS >> BLENDERS<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Recommendation of a good breadcrumb program 

"mick" <mickymouse@.invalid> wrote in message
news:ONWee.8346$GQ5.7587@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net...
 > Hello,
 > I am looking for a good breadcrumb software and the only one I came
 > close to the one I like is the one at baskettcase.com/classes/breadcrumb v
 > 2.4.2. The only problem with this I can not get it to work using it inside
 > my html file with the include command. I was wondering
 > has anyone got this to work or can someone recommend me something that is
 > easy to setup, has many different types of features,works as a html and
 > free.

Lots of replies, but none of them really address your problem:

You are talking about "html" and unable to use the "include" command

All of these programs are going to need server side scripting and
programming...

You should read up on include files at:
<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.bignosebird.com/ssi.shtml" target="_blank">http://www.bignosebird.com/ssi.shtml</a>

What that'll tell you is that HTML can't "normally" process include files
because they don't do any server side processing (I say normally because you
can configure your server to process the HTML files on the server, but that
is most likely going well beyond your abilities)

As well... the "breadcrumb" program you are using is probably written in a
specific server side programming language and you will need to make sure
your server can process that language (as well, your server might be able to
process the language but unless your account gives you that option you might
not be able to... some hosting companies charge extra for that option)<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Recommendation of a good breadcrumb program 

On Sat, 7 May 2005, Fat Sam wrote:

 > mick wrote:
  > > "Fat Sam" <janetandsam.RemoveThis@beeteeinternet.co.uk> wrote in message
  > > news:3e3o8eF10eo5U1@individual.net...
  > >
   > >>Heh, I'd never heard the term 'breadcrumbs' before, so I looked it up
   > >>and sicovered it's just another word for the things I call 'navigation
   > >>trails'....You live and learn eh?....
   > >>
   > >>I usually create these on the fly....There's loads of methods you can
   > >>use, but it's not too different to describing a tree structure for
   > >>directories and folders....
  > >
  > > Thanks a lot can you tell me where you have a example of how you create
  > > these on a fly and how to get one working.
  > >
  > >
 > Have category fields in your DB...Call them Cat1, Cat2, Cat3, Cat4
 > etc....And of course there's your product name field....
 >
 > When you dynamically build the pages for each stage in the navigation,
 > have them search for the relevant Category term, and the subsequent ones
 > below it....
 >
 > So for example, to use the category terms that Gerry mentioned, You
 > might want to organise your Maglite into the category
 > Home > Electronics > Lighting > Torches > Maglight 2000
 > So in your database for the maglite entry you'd have the following fields:-
 >
 > product = Maglite 2000
 > Cat1 = Electronics
 > Cat2 = Lighting
 > Cat3 = Torches
 >
 > So if you bring up the actual Maglite 2000's product spec page, it will
 > compile a 'breadcrumb' variable with all the Category field values
 >
 > <%
 > DisplayBreadcrumb = "Home >> <a href='" & RS("Cat1") & "'>" & RS("Cat1")
 > & "</a> >> " & RS("Cat2") & " >> <a
 > href='" & RS("Cat3") & "'>" & RS("Cat3") & " >> "</a> & RS("product")
 > Response.write DisplayBreadcrumb
 > %>
 >
 > That's ASP, but it gives the general idea...

OK, I can see people getting to the "Maglite" page by following the trail,
"Electronics > Lighting > Torches".

product = Maglite 2000
Cat1 = Electronics
Cat2 = Lighting
Cat3 = Torches

And people getting to the "screwdriver set APx583" page by using
"Work > Tools > Screwdrivers".

product = screwdriver set APx583
Cat1 = Work
Cat2 = Tools
Cat3 = Screwdrivers

But what if people can get to a product such as "screwdriver with
built-in torch, Model SC397" in more than one way,
"Electronics > Lighting > Torches"
or "Work > Tools > Screwdrivers"

Which entry in the database do you use?

product = screwdriver with built-in torch, Model SC397
Cat1 = Electronics
Cat2 = Lighting
Cat3 = Torches

or?

product = screwdriver with built-in torch, Model SC397
Cat1 = Work
Cat2 = Tools
Cat3 = Screwdrivers

Or, for another example, a site with recipies may have one recipe
listed under every different ingredient as well as a major category.

A fictitious example:

"Vegetables > Tomatoes > Soups > Lamb, tomato, bean and cabbage soup"
"Vegetables > Beans > Soups > Lamb, tomato, bean and cabbage soup"
"Vegetables > Cabbage > Soups > Lamb, tomato, bean and cabbage soup"
"Meats > Lamb > Soups > Lamb, tomato, bean and cabbage soup"
"Soups > Vegetables > Tomatoes > Lamb, tomato, bean and cabbage soup"
"Soups > Vegetables > Beans > Lamb, tomato, bean and cabbage soup"
"Soups > Vegetables > Cabbage > Lamb, tomato, bean and cabbage soup"
"Soups > Meats > Lamb > Lamb, tomato, bean and cabbage soup"

How is something like this handled?

--
">> consider moving away from Front Page...."
">To what? Any suggestions?"
"Naked bungee-jumping. It's less humiliating <g>"
-- Matt Probert in alt.www.webmaster, March 20, 2005<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Recommendation of a good breadcrumb program 

Forging a path through the alt.www.webmaster jungle, armed only with a
rusty Norman L. DeForest burst into a clearing and said:

 > ...
 > A fictitious example:
 >
 > "Vegetables > Tomatoes > Soups > Lamb, tomato, bean and cabbage soup"
 > "Vegetables > Beans > Soups > Lamb, tomato, bean and cabbage soup"
 > "Vegetables > Cabbage > Soups > Lamb, tomato, bean and cabbage soup"
 > "Meats > Lamb > Soups > Lamb, tomato, bean and cabbage soup"
 > "Soups > Vegetables > Tomatoes > Lamb, tomato, bean and cabbage soup"
 > "Soups > Vegetables > Beans > Lamb, tomato, bean and cabbage soup"
 > "Soups > Vegetables > Cabbage > Lamb, tomato, bean and cabbage soup"
 > "Soups > Meats > Lamb > Lamb, tomato, bean and cabbage soup"
 >
 > How is something like this handled?

A knife, a fork
a bottle and a cork


--
Whatever you do - do something.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Recommendation of a good breadcrumb program 

Norman L. DeForest wrote:
 > On Sat, 7 May 2005, Fat Sam wrote:
 >
 >
  >>mick wrote:
  >>
   >>>"Fat Sam" <janetandsam.TakeThisOut@beeteeinternet.co.uk> wrote in message
   >>>news:3e3o8eF10eo5U1@individual.net...
   >>>
   >>>
   >>>>Heh, I'd never heard the term 'breadcrumbs' before, so I looked it up
   >>>>and sicovered it's just another word for the things I call 'navigation
   >>>>trails'....You live and learn eh?....
   >>>>
   >>>>I usually create these on the fly....There's loads of methods you can
   >>>>use, but it's not too different to describing a tree structure for
   >>>>directories and folders....
   >>>
   >>>Thanks a lot can you tell me where you have a example of how you create
   >>>these on a fly and how to get one working.
   >>>
   >>>
  >>
  >>Have category fields in your DB...Call them Cat1, Cat2, Cat3, Cat4
  >>etc....And of course there's your product name field....
  >>
  >>When you dynamically build the pages for each stage in the navigation,
  >>have them search for the relevant Category term, and the subsequent ones
  >>below it....
  >>
  >>So for example, to use the category terms that Gerry mentioned, You
  >>might want to organise your Maglite into the category
  >>Home > Electronics > Lighting > Torches > Maglight 2000
  >>So in your database for the maglite entry you'd have the following fields:-
  >>
  >>product = Maglite 2000
  >>Cat1 = Electronics
  >>Cat2 = Lighting
  >>Cat3 = Torches
  >>
  >>So if you bring up the actual Maglite 2000's product spec page, it will
  >>compile a 'breadcrumb' variable with all the Category field values
  >>
  >><%
  >>DisplayBreadcrumb = "Home >> <a href='" & RS("Cat1") & "'>" & RS("Cat1")
  >>& "</a> >> " & RS("Cat2") & " >> <a
  >>href='" & RS("Cat3") & "'>" & RS("Cat3") & " >> "</a> & RS("product")
  >>Response.write DisplayBreadcrumb
  >>%>
  >>
  >>That's ASP, but it gives the general idea...
 >
 >
 > OK, I can see people getting to the "Maglite" page by following the trail,
 > "Electronics > Lighting > Torches".
 >
 > product = Maglite 2000
 > Cat1 = Electronics
 > Cat2 = Lighting
 > Cat3 = Torches
 >
 > And people getting to the "screwdriver set APx583" page by using
 > "Work > Tools > Screwdrivers".
 >
 > product = screwdriver set APx583
 > Cat1 = Work
 > Cat2 = Tools
 > Cat3 = Screwdrivers
 >
 > But what if people can get to a product such as "screwdriver with
 > built-in torch, Model SC397" in more than one way,
 > "Electronics > Lighting > Torches"
 > or "Work > Tools > Screwdrivers"
 >
 > Which entry in the database do you use?
 >
 > product = screwdriver with built-in torch, Model SC397
 > Cat1 = Electronics
 > Cat2 = Lighting
 > Cat3 = Torches
 >
 > or?
 >
 > product = screwdriver with built-in torch, Model SC397
 > Cat1 = Work
 > Cat2 = Tools
 > Cat3 = Screwdrivers
 >
 > Or, for another example, a site with recipies may have one recipe
 > listed under every different ingredient as well as a major category.
 >
 > A fictitious example:
 >
 > "Vegetables > Tomatoes > Soups > Lamb, tomato, bean and cabbage soup"
 > "Vegetables > Beans > Soups > Lamb, tomato, bean and cabbage soup"
 > "Vegetables > Cabbage > Soups > Lamb, tomato, bean and cabbage soup"
 > "Meats > Lamb > Soups > Lamb, tomato, bean and cabbage soup"
 > "Soups > Vegetables > Tomatoes > Lamb, tomato, bean and cabbage soup"
 > "Soups > Vegetables > Beans > Lamb, tomato, bean and cabbage soup"
 > "Soups > Vegetables > Cabbage > Lamb, tomato, bean and cabbage soup"
 > "Soups > Meats > Lamb > Lamb, tomato, bean and cabbage soup"
 >
 > How is something like this handled?
 >

Errrr....I didn't really think this through very well, did I?...LOL

--
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for photographic restorations<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Recommendation of a good breadcrumb program 

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