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PHP Build a Simple PHP Application Creating the Menu and Footer Adding Active States to the Navigation

Kelly Ferrell
Kelly Ferrell
2,561 Points
Posted by Kelly Ferrell
Kelly Ferrell
2,561 Points

background color lost on the shirt NAV icon

I created an underline, that is activated when the user selects the shirt link. It works great but once you click it and then go bak to the homepage the shirt nav background in no longer orange but white.

6 Answers

thomascawthorn
thomascawthorn
22,986 Points

I think this is something to do with defining the active variable on the homepage. I've got a feeling Randy leaves this part out - you just need to define the $section is on all pages. I think... It was a long time ago!

Jason Anello
PLUS
Jason Anello
Courses Plus Student 94,610 Points
Jason Anello
Jason Anello
Courses Plus Student 94,610 Points

Hi Kelly,

The solution I went with is to make sure the variable is set first before trying to use it.

<li class="shirts<?php if ( isset($section) && $section == "shirts") { echo " on"; } ?>"><a href="shirts.php">Shirts</a></li>
<li class="contact<?php if ( isset($section) && $section == "contact") { echo " on"; } ?>"><a href="contact.php">Contact</a></li>

This way you don't have to worry about defining the $section variable on pages that don't use it.

Paul Roberts
Paul Roberts
7,928 Points
Paul Roberts
Paul Roberts
7,928 Points

Similar to what Tom, Jason and Sherry have already written...

I tried to keep it as close to Randy's as possible:

<ul class="nav">

<li class="shirts<?php if ($section == "shirts") { echo " on"; } ?>"><a href="shirts.php">Shirts</a></li>
<li class="contact<?php if ($section == "contact") { echo " on"; } ?>"><a href="contact.php">Contact</a></li>
<li class="cart"><a href="#">Shopping Cart</a></li>

</ul>```

Also, it's important to define $section at the top of index.php:

          <?php 
          $pageTitle = "Unique T-shirts designed by a frog";
          $section = "index";
          include('inc/header.php'); 
          ?>

Hope this helps!

Kelly Ferrell
Kelly Ferrell
2,561 Points
Kelly Ferrell
Kelly Ferrell
2,561 Points

Thanks Tom, Your right. Defining the $section varable on the homepage worked.

Kelly

Sherry Parker
Sherry Parker
9,601 Points
Sherry Parker
Sherry Parker
9,601 Points

Thanks Jason! I tried setting the $section on the homepage and that didn't fix it, but your isset solution worked for me.

Bruno Silva
Bruno Silva
2,162 Points
Bruno Silva
Bruno Silva
2,162 Points

Hi guys. Had the same problems.

So really defining the $section = "index.php"; in the index.php file just like Paul mentioned is really important.

Now for the problem with the white color behind the Shirts icon, I fixed it by making sure that the <?php opening tag had a space <?php_ after the opening PHP element in:

<?php 
$pageTitle = "Mike's Full Catalog of Shirts"; 
$section = "shirts";
include('inc/header.php'); ?>

Guess those small little things really make PHP totally unforgiving in comparison to HTML. So heads up and keep up to the standards! ;)