# Urgent help! horizontal xml menu width needs to be text width **URL:** \ **Category:** Uncategorized\ **Created:** [November 22, 2005, 4:18pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/urgent-help-horizontal-xml-menu-width-needs-to-be-text-width/170077 "2005-11-22T16:18:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![thesainter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b782af/32.png) [@thesainter](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/thesainter)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2005, 4:18pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/urgent-help-horizontal-xml-menu-width-needs-to-be-text-width/170077/1 "2005-11-22T16:18:09Z")
Please could someone help me with the following. I have been through this tutorial [http://www.kirupa.com/developer/act…opdown\_menu.htm](http://../developer/actionscript/xml_dropdown_menu.htm) of the xml drop down menu. Made some adjustments with help from other posts to make it horizontal. but the width of the buttons (menu items) need to be created/adjusted according to the text. and not according the movie it created. Could someone help me solve this problem? I just can’t get it done. the as: // generates a list of menu items (effectively one menu) // given the inputted parameters. This makes the main menu // as well as any of the submenus GenerateMenu = function(container, name, x, y, depth, node\_xml, direction) { // variable declarations var curr\_node; var curr\_item; var curr\_menu = container.createEmptyMovieClip(name, depth); ``` // for all items or XML nodes (items and menus) // within this node_xml passed for this menu for (var i=0; i<node_xml.childNodes.length; i++) { // movieclip for each menu item curr_item = curr_menu.attachMovie("menuitem","item"+i+"_mc", i); curr_item._width = childNodes.length; if (direction == "horizontal") { curr_item._x = x + i*curr_item._width; curr_item._y = y; } if (direction == "vertical") { curr_item._x = x; curr_item._y = y + i*curr_item._height; } curr_item.trackAsMenu = true; // item properties assigned from XML curr_node = node_xml.childNodes*; curr_item.action = curr_node.attributes.action; curr_item.variables = curr_node.attributes.variables; curr_item.name.text = curr_node.attributes.name; // item submenu behavior for rollover event if (node_xml.childNodes*.nodeName == "menu"){ // open a submenu curr_item.node_xml = curr_node; curr_item.onRollOver = curr_item.onDragOver = function(){ var x = this._x + this._width - 186.3; var y = this._y + 26; GenerateMenu(curr_menu, "submenu_mc", x, y, 1000, this.node_xml, "vertical"); // show a hover color this.name.textColor = (0xFFFFFF); var col = new Color(this.background); col.setRGB(0x008185); }; }else{ // nodeName == "item" curr_item.arrow._visible = false; // close existing submenu curr_item.onRollOver = curr_item.onDragOver = function(){ curr_menu.submenu_mc.removeMovieClip(); // show a hover color this.name.textColor = (0xCCCCCC); var col = new Color(this.background); col.setRGB(0x008185); }; } curr_item.onRollOut = curr_item.onDragOut = function(){ // restore color this.name.textColor = (0x004445); var col = new Color(this.background); col.setTransform({ra:100,rb:0,ga:100,gb:0,ba:100,bb:0}); }; // any item, menu opening or not can have actions curr_item.onRelease = function(){ Actions[this.action](this.variables); CloseSubmenus(); }; } // end for loop ``` }; // create the main menu, this will be constantly visible CreateMainMenu = function(x, y, depth, menu\_xml){ // generate a menu list GenerateMenu(this, “mainmenu\_mc”, x, y, depth, menu\_xml.firstChild, “horizontal”); // close only submenus if visible durring a mouseup // this main menu (mainmenu\_mc) will remain mainMenu\_mc.onMouseUp = function(){ if (mainmenu\_mc.submenu\_mc && !mainmenu\_mc.hitTest(\_root.\_xmouse, \_root.\_ymouse, true)){ CloseSubmenus(); } }; }; // closes all submenus by removing the submenu\_mc // in the main menu (if it exists) CloseSubmenus = function(){ mainmenu\_mc.submenu\_mc.removeMovieClip(); }; // This actions object handles methods for actions // defined by the XML called when a menu item is pressed Actions = Object(); Actions.loadSWF = function(targetMovie) { if (section != targetMovie) { section = targetMovie; \_root.transition.gotoAndPlay(“closing”); }; } Actions.newMenu = function(menuxml){ menu\_xml.load(menuxml); }; // load XML, when done, run CreateMainMenu to interpret it menu\_xml = new XML(); menu\_xml.ignoreWhite = true; menu\_xml.onLoad = function(ok){ // create main menu after successful loading of XML if (ok){ CreateMainMenu(1, 110, 0, this); }else{ message\_txt.text = “Error Loading XML”; } }; // load first XML menu menu\_xml.load(“menu2.xml”); // preload function and transition this.createEmptyMovieClip(“temp”, 1000); function preload() { this.transition.txtPercentage = “”; temp.onEnterFrame = function() { var t = this.\_parent.content.getBytesTotal(), l = this.\_parent.content.getBytesLoaded(); if (t) { var percent = Math.round(l\*100/t); if (l == t) { this.\_parent.transition.gotoAndPlay(“opening”); this.\_parent.transition.txtPercentage = “Done Loading”; delete this.onEnterFrame; } else { this.\_parent.transition.txtPercentage = percent+" %"; } } else { this.\_parent.transition.txtPercentage = “”; } }; } the xml: \ \ \ ``` <item name="OVER het bedrijf" action="loadSWF" variables="shutter2.swf"/> <item name="EXPERTISE" action="loadSWF" variables="shutter2.swf"/> <item name="BENADERING" action="loadSWF" variables="shutter2.swf"/> <menu name="WERK DAT WERKT"> <item name="Graphic Design" action="loadSWF" variables="graphics.swf"/> <item name="Flash Design" action="loadSWF" variables="flash.swf"/> <item name="CSS/HTML/JS" action="loadSWF" variables="css.swf"/> </menu> <item name="MENSEN" action="loadSWF" variables="shutter2.swf"/> <item name="WERKEN BIJ het bedrijf" action="loadSWF" variables="shutter2.swf"/> <item name="CONTACT" action="loadSWF" variables="shutter2.swf"/> <menu name="MISSIE"> <item name="Graphic Design" action="loadSWF" variables="graphics.swf"/> <item name="Flash Design" action="loadSWF" variables="flash.swf"/> <item name="CSS/HTML/JS" action="loadSWF" variables="css.swf"/> </menu> <item name="Careers" action="loadSWF" variables="careers.swf"/> <menu name="Downloads"> <item name="Application" action="loadSWF" variables="appform.swf"/> <item name="Other Forms" action="loadSWF" variables="other.swf"/> </menu> <item name="Contact" action="loadSWF" variables="contact.swf"/> ``` \[/quote]