Forum Display Enhancements - A Better Navbar

Well there is a lot of questions asking "HOW DO I DO THIS OR DO THAT TO THE NAVBAR??" and well i cant blame them, i really cant. The navbar is a cluttered mess that makes it almost impossible for someone who is not experienced with working with the template system to add something. Well i took the last 3 days I'm fixing up this template to make it legible. I put countless comments in it to make is so anyone can work with it.

Problems some people are having.
- If the drop down menus stop working you may have to revert the template and reput in the code. This is a common error with the default theme, seems to be less of a issue with most other themes.

<!-- Tips And
- If the Drop down menus stop working or are really messed up check to make sure your "if" statements are set up correctly. The very last /if statement has to be used to close the if statement for the "if condition show pop ups" or all the pop up menus will stop working.

- This is a short Help section and i will update it constantly. You can Find updates at "https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=221379"

- For faster help you are more then welcome to contact me on my msn at "Sterm_knightblade44@hotmail.com"


- Last Updated 8/20/2009
 -->

<br />

<!--Login, And Notifications -->
<table class="tborder" cellpadding="$stylevar[cellpadding]" cellspacing="$stylevar[cellspacing]" border="0" width="100%" align="center">
<tr>
	<td class="alt1" width="100%">
		<if condition="is_array($navbits)">
			<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0">
			<tr valign="bottom">
	<!-- Username and notifications -->
				<td><a href="#" onclick="history.back(1); return false;"><img src="$stylevar[imgdir_misc]/navbits_start.gif" alt="$vbphrase[go_back]" border="0" /></a></td>
				<td>&nbsp;</td>
				<td width="100%"><span class="navbar"><a href="$vboptions[forumhome].php$session[sessionurl_q]" accesskey="1">$vboptions[bbtitle]</a></span> $navbits[breadcrumb]</td>
			</tr>
			<tr>
				<td class="navbar" style="font-size:10pt; padding-top:1px" colspan="3"><if condition="$_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] == 'POST'"><img class="inlineimg" src="$stylevar[imgdir_misc]/navbits_finallink_$stylevar[textdirection].gif" alt="" border="0" /><else /><a href="$navbar_reloadurl"><img class="inlineimg" src="$stylevar[imgdir_misc]/navbits_finallink_$stylevar[textdirection].gif" alt="$vbphrase[reload_this_page]" border="0" /></a></if> <strong>$navbits[lastelement]</strong></td>
			</tr>
			</table>
		<else />
			<div class="navbar" style="font-size:10pt"><a href="$vboptions[forumhome].php$session[sessionurl_q]" accesskey="1"><img class="inlineimg" src="$stylevar[imgdir_misc]/navbits_start.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a> <strong>$vboptions[bbtitle]</strong></div>
		</if>
	</td>
    		<!-- Is they are a registered user it will display username a notificatsions -->
<if condition="$show['member']">
	<td class="alt2" nowrap="nowrap">
	<div class="smallfont">
		<strong><phrase 1="$bbuserinfo[username]" 2="member.php?$session[sessionurl]u=$bbuserinfo[userid]">$vbphrase[welcome_x_link_y]</phrase></strong><br />
		<phrase 1="$pmbox[lastvisitdate]" 2="$pmbox[lastvisittime]">$vbphrase[last_visited_x_at_y]</phrase>

		<if condition="$show['notifications']">
			<div><span id="notifications"><a href="usercp.php$session[sessionurl_q]">$vbphrase[your_notifications]:</a> <strong>$notifications_total</strong></span></div>
			<if condition="$show['popups']">
				<script type="text/javascript"> vBmenu.register("notifications"); </script>
			<else />
				<script type="text/javascript" src="clientscript/vbulletin_notifications_nopopups.js?v=$vboptions[simpleversion]"></script>
				<script type="text/javascript"> vBulletin.register_control("vB_Notifications_NoPopups", "notifications");  </script>
			</if>
		<else /><if condition="$show['pmstats']">
			<div><phrase 1="$vbphrase[unread_x_nav_compiled]" 2="$vbphrase[total_x_nav_compiled]" 3="$session[sessionurl_q]">$vbphrase[private_messages_nav]</phrase></div>
		</if></if>

			<!-- show current ammout of private messages -->
		<if condition="$show['pmwarning']"><div><strong><phrase 1="$vbphrase[pmpercent_nav_compiled]">$vbphrase[your_pm_box_is_x_full]</phrase></strong></div></if>
	</div>
	</td>
    
	<!-- if the user is not logged in it will display the login form -->
	<else />
    
    <!-- login form -->
    	<td class="alt2" nowrap="nowrap" style="padding:0px">
	<form action="login.php?do=login" method="post" onsubmit="md5hash(vb_login_password, vb_login_md5password, vb_login_md5password_utf, $show[nopasswordempty])">
	<script type="text/javascript" src="clientscript/vbulletin_md5.js?v=$vboptions[simpleversion]"></script>
		<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="$stylevar[formspacer]" border="0">
		<tr>
			<td class="smallfont" style="white-space: nowrap;"><label for="navbar_username">$vbphrase[username]</label></td>
			<td><input type="text" class="bginput" style="font-size: 11px" name="vb_login_username" id="navbar_username" size="10" accesskey="u" tabindex="101" value="$vbphrase[username]" onfocus="if (this.value == '$vbphrase[username]') this.value = '';" /></td>
			<td class="smallfont" nowrap="nowrap"><label for="cb_cookieuser_navbar"><input type="checkbox" name="cookieuser" value="1" tabindex="103" id="cb_cookieuser_navbar" accesskey="c" />$vbphrase[remember_me]</label></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td class="smallfont"><label for="navbar_password">$vbphrase[password]</label></td>
			<td><input type="password" class="bginput" style="font-size: 11px" name="vb_login_password" id="navbar_password" size="10" tabindex="102" /></td>
			<td><input type="submit" class="button" value="$vbphrase[log_in]" tabindex="104" title="$vbphrase[enter_username_to_login_or_register]" accesskey="s" /></td>
		</tr>
		</table>
		<input type="hidden" name="s" value="$session[sessionhash]" />
		<input type="hidden" name="securitytoken" value="$bbuserinfo[securitytoken]" />
		<input type="hidden" name="do" value="login" />
		<input type="hidden" name="vb_login_md5password" />
		<input type="hidden" name="vb_login_md5password_utf" />
		</form>
        	</td>
</if>
</tr>
</table>

<!-- this is the drop down manu that displays the notices like ammount of unread private messages, ammount of incoming friends requests etc. -->
<if condition="$show['notices']">
<form action="profile.php?do=dismissnotice" method="post" id="notices">
<input type="hidden" name="do" value="dismissnotice" />
<input type="hidden" name="securitytoken" value="$bbuserinfo[securitytoken]" />
<input type="hidden" id="dismiss_notice_hidden" name="dismiss_noticeid" value="" />
<input type="hidden" name="url" value="$return_link" />
	<table class="tborder" cellpadding="$stylevar[cellpadding]" cellspacing="$stylevar[cellspacing]" border="0" width="100%" align="center">
	<tr>
		<td class="thead">$vbphrase[notices]</td>
	</tr>
	<tr>
		<td class="alt1">
			$notices
		</td>
	</tr>
	</table>
</form>
</if>

<!-- forums navigation, this displays the navagation in the top left of the navbar. -->
<if condition="$show['forumdesc']">
	<table class="tborder" cellpadding="$stylevar[cellpadding]" cellspacing="$stylevar[cellspacing]" border="0" width="100%" align="center">
	<tr>
		<td class="alt1" width="100%"><strong>$foruminfo[title]</strong> <span class="smallfont">$foruminfo[description]</span></td>
	</tr>
	</table>
	<br />
</if>

<!-- navbar popup menus(this is where you create the drop down menus. It will be displated in the "links in navbar" section.  -->
<if condition="$show['popups']">
</if>

	<if condition="$show['communitylink']">
	<!-- community link menu -->
	<div class="vbmenu_popup" id="community_menu" style="display:none;margin-top:3px" align="$stylevar[left]">
		<table cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" border="0">
		<tr><td class="thead">$vbphrase[community_links]</td></tr>
		$template_hook[navbar_community_menu_start]
        
        <if condition="$show['quick_links_groups']">
					<tr><td class="vbmenu_option"><a href="group.php$session[sessionurl_q]">$vbphrase[social_groups]</a></td></tr>
		</if>
        
		<if condition="$show['quick_links_groups']">
					<tr><td class="vbmenu_option"><a href="./profile.php?do=editsignature">$vbphrase[edit_signature]</a></td></tr>
		</if>
        
		<if condition="$show['quick_links_albums']">
					<tr><td class="vbmenu_option"><a href="album.php$session[sessionurl_q]">$vbphrase[pictures_and_albums]</a></td></tr>
		</if>
        
		<if condition="$bbuserinfo['userid']">
			<tr><td class="vbmenu_option"><a href="profile.php?$session[sessionurl]do=buddylist"><if condition="$show['friends_and_contacts']">$vbphrase[contacts_and_friends]<else />$vbphrase[contacts]</if></a></td></tr>
		</if>
        
		<if condition="$show['memberslist']">
			<tr><td class="vbmenu_option"><a href="memberlist.php$session[sessionurl_q]">$vbphrase[members_list]</a></td></tr>
		</if>
        
		$template_hook[navbar_community_menu_end]
		</table>
	</div>
	</if>
    
		<if condition="$show['searchbuttons']">
	<!-- header quick search form -->
	<div class="vbmenu_popup" id="navbar_search_menu" style="display:none;margin-top:3px" align="$stylevar[left]">
		<table cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" border="0">
		<tr>
			<td class="thead">$vbphrase[search_forums]</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td class="vbmenu_option" title="nohilite">
				<form action="search.php?do=process" method="post">

					<input type="hidden" name="do" value="process" />
					<input type="hidden" name="quicksearch" value="1" />
					<input type="hidden" name="childforums" value="1" />
					<input type="hidden" name="exactname" value="1" />
					<input type="hidden" name="s" value="$session[sessionhash]" />
					<input type="hidden" name="securitytoken" value="$bbuserinfo[securitytoken]" />
					<div><input type="text" class="bginput" name="query" size="25" tabindex="1001" /><input type="submit" class="button" value="$vbphrase[go]" tabindex="1004" /></div>
					<div style="margin-top:$stylevar[cellpadding]px">
						<label for="rb_nb_sp0"><input type="radio" name="showposts" value="0" id="rb_nb_sp0" tabindex="1002" checked="checked" />$vbphrase[show_threads]</label>
						&nbsp;
						<label for="rb_nb_sp1"><input type="radio" name="showposts" value="1" id="rb_nb_sp1" tabindex="1003" />$vbphrase[show_posts]</label>
					</div>
				</form>
			</td>
		</tr>
		<if condition="$vboptions[threadtagging]">
		<tr>
			<td class="vbmenu_option"><a href="tags.php$session[sessionurl_q]" rel="nofollow">$vbphrase[tag_search]</a></td>
		</tr>
		</if>
		<tr>
			<td class="vbmenu_option"><a href="search.php$session[sessionurl_q]" accesskey="4" rel="nofollow">$vbphrase[advanced_search]</a></td>
		</tr>
		$template_hook[navbar_search_menu]
		</table>
	</div>
	<!-- / header quick search form -->
	</if>
	
	
<!-- links in navbar -->

	<!-- navbar theme -->
<div class="tborder" style="padding:$stylevar[cellspacing]px; border-top-width:0px">
	<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0" width="100%" align="center">
	<tr align="center">
    
	<!-- home -->
	<td class="vbmenu_control"><a href="/index.php">Home</a></td>
    
	<!-- register -->
<if condition="$show['registerbutton']">
     <td class="vbmenu_control"><a href="register.php$session[sessionurl_q]" rel="nofollow">$vbphrase[register]</a></td>
</if>
     
	<!-- arcade -->
<if condition="$show['member']">
	<td class="vbmenu_control"><a href="./chat/index.php">Chat</a></td>
</if>

<!-- User Controls -->
		<if condition="$show['communitylink'] AND $show['popups']">
			<td class="vbmenu_control"><a id="community" href="$show[nojs_link]#community" rel="nofollow" accesskey="6">$vbphrase[community]</a> <script type="text/javascript"> vbmenu_register("community"); </script></td>
		</if>
    
    		<td class="vbmenu_control"><a href="calendar.php$session[sessionurl_q]">$vbphrase[calendar]</a></td>
		<if condition="$show['popups']">
			<if condition="$show['searchbuttons']">
				<if condition="$show['member']">
				<td class="vbmenu_control"><a href="search.php?$session[sessionurl]do=getnew" accesskey="2">$vbphrase[new_posts_nav]</a></td>
				<else />
				<td class="vbmenu_control"><a href="search.php?$session[sessionurl]do=getdaily" accesskey="2">$vbphrase[todays_posts]</a></td>
				</if>
				<td class="vbmenu_control"><a id="navbar_search" href="search.php$session[sessionurl_q]" accesskey="4" rel="nofollow">$vbphrase[search]</a> <if condition="$show['quicksearch']"><script type="text/javascript"> vbmenu_register("navbar_search"); </script></if></td>
			</if>
            
<!-- I am not exactly sure why this is needed but when i took it out it made it so the notifications drop down menu didnt work. If you know why that was please let me know. -->
	<div class="" id="" style="display:none">
		<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0">
		<tr>
			<td class="" nowrap="nowrap"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td class="vbmenu_option" title="nohilite">
			</td>
		</tr>
		</table>
	</div>

<br />



    <!-- this if statement is used for the end of popup menus. It cant be moved or it will make it so the popup menus will stop working -->
</if>

<!-- This if statement checks to see if the user it a registered member and if that user had any current notifications if so it will display a popup menu -->
<if condition="$show['member'] AND 	$notifications_total">
<div class="vbmenu_popup" id="notifications_menu" style="display:none">
	<table cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" border="0">
	<tr><td class="thead" colspan="2">$vbphrase[your_notifications]</td></tr>
	$notifications_menubits
	</table>
</div>
</if>



<!-- This places the add location. If it is placed anywhere besides the very bottom if you try to add an ad it will put the add in the middle of the navbar -->
$ad_location[ad_navbar_below]

[elenh]

I cant understand what is doing this hack..

[Itchy Nips]

great idea/mod but it'll be a lot of work for users, like myself, who already have a (heavily) modified navbar template ???

[Hell Bomb]

Yea the other admin on my website is not very code savy and he really really likes it because he can now customize the nav bar really easily. For people who have already modded there navbar a lot and have gotten used to is this probably wont be very useful but for people who have not edited the navbar and and cant figure out how to this hopefully will help them out ALOT. Well i hope so anyways or this mod was a pretty useless thing to go

[DubaiZone]

I cant see any thing different from the normal one ..
waiting for replay

[dt_truck11]

im not gonna use this, but i can see this being quite useful for a person new to vb

[Hell Bomb]

Compare the code from about half way down my code to the one that comes default for the navbar the code is cleaned up ALOT so its easy to add stuff. Not really much visual change for the output.

[lm3a.net]

There is no different !!

but thanks,

[NAZIA]

Originally Posted by hellbomb

Compare the code from about half way down my code to the one that comes default for the navbar the code is cleaned up ALOT so its easy to add stuff. Not really much visual change for the output.

why we need to add this custom code.. for nothing?

[Hell Bomb]

Actually you completly replace the old navbar with this code, I have separated this code out a little to make it a little easier to find where put stuff.