11.4 Creating a Navigation Bar Entry

Navigation bar entries offer an easy way to move users between pages in an application. For example, a navigation entry enables you to display a link from an image or text. The associated page template determines the location of a navigation bar.

Topics:

See Also:

"Customizing Templates"

11.4.1 About Navigation Bars

A navigation bar entry can be an image, text, or an image with text beneath it. You must supply the images and text to use in the navigation bar entries.

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Description of the illustration nav_bar_2.gif

Navigation bars are different from other shared components in that you do not need to reference them on a page-by-page basis. If your page template includes the #NAVIGATION_BAR# substitution string, the Application Express engine automatically includes any defined navigation bars when it renders the page.

See Also:

"About Supported Page Template Substitution Strings"

11.4.2 How to Create a Navigation Bar Entry

Before adding a navigation bar, you must create entries for the navigation bar. You can create a navigation bar entry from scratch or by copying an existing entry.

See Also:

"Understanding Application Computations"

Topics:

11.4.2.1 Creating a Navigation Bar Entry from Scratch

To create a navigation bar entry from scratch:

  1. Navigate to the Navigation Bar Entries page:

    1. Navigate to the Workspace home page.

    2. Click the Application Builder icon.

    3. Select an application.

    4. On the Application home page, click Shared Components.

    5. Under Navigation, click Navigation Bar Entries.

  2. Click Create.

    The Create Navigation Bar Entry Wizard appears.

  3. For Method, select From Scratch.

  4. For Type, select Navigation to URL. To learn more about Feedback, see "Creating a Navigation Bar Entry for Feedback".

  5. For Attributes, specify the following:

    1. Sequence - Specify the order of evaluation for this component.

      Tip:

      To review the existing entries, click the Existing Navigation Bar Entries link at the bottom of the page.

    2. Entry Label - Enter display text for this navigation bar entry.

    3. Icon Image Name - Enter an image name. For naming conventions, see item Help. See "About Field-Level Help".

    4. Image ALT - Enter ALT text for navigation icons that are images. If you do not specify an image name, then this text displays.

    5. Image Height - Define the height of the image in pixels.

    6. Click Next.

  6. For Target, specify the following

    1. If the target location is a URL, specify:

      • Target is a - Select URL.

      • URL Target - Enter a URL. For example:

        http://www.yahoo.com

    2. If the target location is a page, specify:

      • Target is a - Select Page in this Application.

      • Page - Specify the target page number.

        Select reset pagination for this page to make the page return to the first set of data meeting a user's new query.

        Select Printer Friendly to display the target page using the application's Printer Friendly template. Printer friendly templates optimize a page for printing. "Editing a Theme" and "Optimizing a Page for Printing".

      • Request - Specify the request to be used.

      • Clear Cache - Specify the page numbers on which to clear cache.

    3. To set session state (that is, give a listed item a value):

      • Set these items - Enter a comma-delimited list of item names for which you would like to set session state.

      • With these values - Enter a comma-delimited list of values for the items your specified.

        You can specify static values or substitution syntax (for example, &APP_ITEM_NAME.). Note that item values passed to f?p= in the URL cannot contain a colon. Additionally, item values cannot contain commas unless you enclose the entire value in backslashes (for example, \1234,56\).

    4. Click Next.

  7. To set a condition for displaying the navigation bar entry, select a condition type.

  8. Click Create.

Tip:

In order for a navigation bar to appear, your page template must include the #NAVIGATION_BAR# substitution string. To learn more, see "About Supported Page Template Substitution Strings".

11.4.2.2 Creating a Navigation Bar Entry for Feedback

Feedback is the process of gathering real-time comments, enhancement requests, and bugs from your application users. To add a feedback page to an application, you add a Feedback page. See "Managing Feedback".

To create a navigation bar entry for feedback:

  1. Navigate to the Navigation Bar Entries page:

    1. Navigate to the Workspace home page.

    2. Click the Application Builder icon.

    3. Select an application.

    4. On the Application home page, click Shared Components.

    5. Under Navigation, click Navigation Bar Entries.

  2. Click Create.

    The Create Navigation Bar Entry Wizard appears. Each wizard page displays a series of blocks on the left, representing the sequence of steps. The highlighted block indicates the step you are performing.

  3. For Method, select From Scratch.

  4. For Type, select Feedback.

  5. For Feedback, specify the following:

    1. Feedback Page - Select your feedback page.

    2. Entry Label - Enter the label of the new navigation bar entry.

    3. Sequence - The sequence for the new navigation bar entry. The sequence determines the order of evaluation.

  6. Click Create.

Tip:

In order for a navigation bar to appear, your page template must include the #NAVIGATION_BAR# substitution string. See"About Supported Page Template Substitution Strings".

11.4.2.3 Copying a Navigation Bar Entry

To copy a navigation bar entry:

  1. Navigate to the Navigation Bar Entries page:

    1. Navigate to the Workspace home page.

    2. Click the Application Builder icon.

    3. Select an application.

    4. On the Application home page, click Shared Components.

    5. Under Navigation, click Navigation Bar Entries.

  2. Click Create.

    The Create Navigation Bar Entry Wizard appears.

  3. For Method, select As a Copy of an Existing Navigation Bar and click Next.

  4. For Copy From Application, select an application and click Next.

  5. For New Names, enter the name on the new entry, and select whether to copy and subscribe.

  6. Click Copy Navigation Bar Entries.

11.4.3 Editing a Navigation Bar Entry

Once you create a navigation bar entry, you can edit it on the Navigation Bar Entries page.

To edit a navigation bar entry:

  1. Navigate to the Navigation Bar Entries page:

    1. Navigate to the Workspace home page.

    2. Click the Application Builder icon.

    3. Select an application.

    4. On the Application home page, click Shared Components.

    5. Under Navigation, click Navigation Bar Entries.

    The Navigation Bar Entries page appears.

    You can change the appearance of the page by using the Search bar at the top of the page. See "Customizing Interactive Reports".

  2. Select a navigation bar entry.

    The Edit page appears.

    The Edit page is divided into the following sections: Entry Display, Entry Image, Feedback Entry, Target, Conditions, Authorization, Configuration, Subscription, and Comments.

    You can access these sections by scrolling down the page, or by clicking a navigation button at the top of the page. When you select a button at the top of the page, the selected section appears and all other sections are temporarily hidden. To view all sections of the page, click Show All.

  3. Edit the appropriate attributes.

  4. To learn more about a specific item on a page, see item Help. See "About Field-Level Help".

  5. Click Apply Changes.

11.4.4 Editing Multiple Navigation Bar Entries Simultaneously

To edit multiple navigation bar entries simultaneously:

  1. Navigate to the Navigation Bar Entries page:

    1. Navigate to the Workspace home page.

    2. Click the Application Builder icon.

    3. Select an application.

    4. On the Application home page, click Shared Components.

    5. Under Navigation, click Navigation Bar Entries.

  2. Click Grid Edit at the top of the page.

  3. Edit the appropriate attributes and click Apply Changes.

11.4.5 Accessing Navigation Bar Entry Reports

You can view the Navigation Bar Entry Subscription and Navigation Bar Entry History reports by clicking the appropriate tab at the top of the Navigation Bar Entries page.

Note:

The Subscription and History buttons only appear after you create a navigation bar.

  1. Navigate to the Navigation Bar Entries page:

    1. Navigate to the Workspace home page.

    2. Click the Application Builder icon.

    3. Select an application.

    4. On the Application home page, click Shared Components.

    5. Under Navigation, click Navigation Bar Entries.

  2. Click the appropriate tab:

    • Subscription

    • History

11.4.5.1 Navigation Bar Entry Subscription Report

Click Subscription to access the Subscribed NavBars report. This report displays subscribed navigation bar entries in your application.

11.4.5.2 Navigation Bar Entry History

Click History to view the Navigation Bar History report. This report lists recent changes to navigation bars.