jPanelMenu is a jQuery plugin that creates a paneled-style menu (like the type seen in the mobile versions of Facebook and Google, as well as in many native iPhone applications).
Check out the demo (and documentation) site to see it in action.
Start off by including the jPanelMenu.js file in your page. (Bonus points for using the minified version [jPanelMenu.min.js], or for bundling the jPanelMenu code into your own JavaScript file to reduce size and HTTP requests.)
Build your page as you normally would (the source order does not matter), and instantiate jPanelMenu by calling the plugin constructor function.
var jPM = $.jPanelMenu();
By default, jPanelMenu will look for an element with an ID of menu to use as the menu, and elements with a class of menu-trigger to use as the trigger(s). Either use these IDs and classes on your elements, or pass a custom selector string pointing jPanelMenu to your menu and trigger elements in an object into the constructor function call, as follows:
var jPM = $.jPanelMenu({
menu: '#custom-menu-selector',
trigger: '.custom-menu-trigger-selector'
});
Note: Check out the options section for more customizable goodness like the above.
After jPanelMenu has been instantiated (make sure to save the returned object to a variable, as shown above), it’s time to turn it on!
jPM.on();
After that, jPanelMenu will be functioning, and that’s it!
If you want to take things to the next level, keep reading.
When jPanelMenu is turned on, two <div> elements are created. The menu element (with an ID of jPanelMenu-menu), and the panel element (with a class of jPanelMenu-panel). In addition, a class of jPanelMenu is applied to the <html> tag.
The menu, #jPanelMenu-menu, contains the elements targeted by the menu selector passed into the jPanelMenu constructor function. The targeted menu element is cloned into #jPanelMenu-menu, and is not removed from its original position in the DOM, it is only hidden (using display: none).
The panel, .jPanelMenu-panel, contains all of the content in the <body> element (except for the elements specified by the [excludedPanelContent](#options-excludedPanelContent) option). The selected content is moved, not cloned, into .jPanelMenu-panel.
To style or select the menu, use the following selector: #jPanelMenu-menu.
To style or select the content panel, use the following selector: .jPanelMenu-panel.
When jPanelMenu is turned off, the two <div> elements are removed, all of the content inside .jPanelMenu-panel is moved back into the <body> element, and the class of jPanelMenu is removed from the <html> tag.
Of course! (If you want it to, there’s an option for that.)
Animation is handled by CSS transitions, for browsers with support. CSS transitions are hardware-accelerated on supporting devices, so the animations are silky smooth.
For browsers that do not support CSS transitions, the jQuery animation engine is used as a fallback.
The following options are set via an object passed into the constructor function call, as shown below.
var jPM = $.jPanelMenu({
menu: '#menu',
trigger: '.menu-trigger',
duration: 300
});
###menu
A selector string pointing to the desired menu element.
- Data Type:
string - Default Value:
#menu
###trigger
A selector string pointing to the menu-triggering element.
- Data Type:
string - Default Value:
.menu-trigger
A selector string specifying which elements within the <body> element should not be pushed into .jPanelMenu-panel. The selector string may contain any selector, not just tags.
Generally, <style> and <script> tags should not be moved from their original location, but in certain circumstances (mostly advertising), <script> tags may need to move with the page content.
- Data Type:
string - Default Value:
style, script
###openPosition
The measurement value for the open position of the menu. Can be set as a pixel, percentage, or em value.
- Data Type:
string - Examples:
250px,75%,20em - Default Value:
250px
###animated
A boolean value specifying whether or not the opening and closing of the menu should be animated.
When using the API functions open( ), close(), and trigger(), this setting can be overridden by passing in true as the parameter. More info in the API section.
- Data Type:
boolean - Accepted Values:
trueorfalse - Default Value:
true
An option that allows you to control if keyboard shortcuts are enabled, and if they are, which keys do what.
Setting this option to false will disable keyboard shortcuts entirely. To enable keyboard shortcuts, pass in an array of objects. Each enabled key gets its own object in the array and each object should be structured as follows:
{
code: 27, /* Keycode of enabled key */
open: true /* Boolean (true or false), specifying whether or not key should open the menu */
close: false /* Boolean (true or false), specifying whether or not key should close the menu */
}
-
Data Type:
arrayorboolean -
Accepted Values:
arrayorfalse -
Default Value:
[ { code: 27, /* Escape Key / open: false, close: true },{ code: 37, / Left Arrow Key / open: false, close: true },{ code: 39, / Right Arrow Key / open: true, close: true },{ code: 77, / M Key */ open: true, close: true } ]
###duration
The time, in milliseconds, which it should take to open and close the menu, when animated.
- Data Type:
int - Default Value:
150
###openDuration
The time, in milliseconds, which it should take to open the menu, when animated. If set, this overrides the duration option.
- Data Type:
int - Default Value: Inherited from
duration
The time, in milliseconds, which it should take to close the menu, when animated. If set, this overrides the duration option.
- Data Type:
int - Default Value: Inherited from
duration
###easing
The easing function to use when animating the opening and closing of the menu.
- Data Type:
string - Accepted Values:
linear,ease,ease-in,ease-out,ase-in-out - Default Value:
ease-in-out
###openEasing
The easing function to use when animating the opening of the menu. If set, this overrides the easing option.
- Data Type:
string - Accepted Values:
linear,ease,ease-in,ease-out,ase-in-out - Default Value: Inherited from
easing
###closeEasing
The easing function to use when animating the closing of the menu. If set, this overrides the easing option.
- Data Type:
string - Accepted Values:
linear,ease,ease-in,ease-out,ase-in-out - Default Value: Inherited from
easing
###before
Called before the menu is opened or closed, regardless of animation state.
- Data Type:
function - Default Value:
function(){ }
###beforeOpen
Called before the menu is opened, regardless of animation state.
- Data Type:
function - Default Value:
function(){ }
###beforeClose
Called before the menu is closed, regardless of animation state.
- Data Type:
function - Default Value:
function(){ }
###after
Called after the menu is opened or closed, regardless of animation state.
- Data Type:
function - Default Value:
function(){ }
###afterOpen
Called after the menu is opened, regardless of animation state.
- Data Type:
function - Default Value:
function(){ }
###afterClose
Called after the menu is closed, regardless of animation state.
- Data Type:
function - Default Value:
function(){ }
#API
The following are the methods and properties of the object returned by the jPanelMenu constructor function call. In the following example, these would be the methods and properties of jPM.
var jPM = $.jPanelMenu();
jPM.on();
jPM.trigger(true);
###on( )
Initializes a jPanelMenu instance. Sets up the markup, styles, listeners, and interactions, according to the options passed into the constructor function.
- Returns:
null
###off( )
Destroys a jPanelMenu instance. Resets the markup and styles, removes listeners and interactions.
- Returns:
null
Triggers the opening or closing of the menu, depending on the current state (open or closed).
- Parameters:
animated- A boolean value that determines whether or not to animate the action. The action will animate if set to
true, and will not animate if set tofalse. If no value is set, the value of theanimatedoption will be used. - Data Type:
boolean - Accepted Values:
trueorfalse
- A boolean value that determines whether or not to animate the action. The action will animate if set to
- Returns:
null
Triggers the opening of the menu.
- Parameters:
animated- A boolean value that determines whether or not to animate the action. The action will animate if set to
true, and will not animate if set tofalse. If no value is set, the value of theanimatedoption will be used. - Data Type:
boolean - Accepted Values:
trueorfalse
- A boolean value that determines whether or not to animate the action. The action will animate if set to
- Returns:
null
Triggers the closing of the menu.
- Parameters:
animated- A boolean value that determines whether or not to animate the action. The action will animate if set to
true, and will not animate if set tofalse. If no value is set, the value of theanimatedoption will be used. - Data Type:
boolean - Accepted Values:
trueorfalse
- A boolean value that determines whether or not to animate the action. The action will animate if set to
- Returns:
null
###isOpen( )
Checks the current state of the menu. Returns true if the menu is currently open, and false if it is closed.
- Returns:
boolean,trueorfalse
###menu
A property equal to the raw selector string of the created menu object.
- Data Type:
string
###getMenu( )
Returns a jQuery Object containing the created menu object.
- Returns:
jQuery Object
###panel
A property equal to the raw selector string of the created panel object.
- Data Type:
string
###getPanel( )
Returns a jQuery Object containing the created panel object.
- Returns:
jQuery Object
#Tips, Best Practices, and Other Good Ideas (with Examples)
jPanelMenu was built to be very open-ended and allow a lot of customization for each implementation. A lot of the customization of jPanelMenu implementations will start with the easy hooks provided by the plugin.
When jPanelMenu is turned on, the following elements are created (or classes applied, in the case of the <html> tag):
<html class="jPanelMenu">
<head>
...
</head>
<body>
<div id="jPanelMenu-menu" />
<div class="jPanelMenu-panel" />
</body>
</html>
Note: Content abbreviated for simplicity.
In addition, there are a few helpful things to know that will improve specific implementations, regardless of use case.
###Stylin’
There are no default graphical styles injected into your page by jPanelMenu, because, as a developer who loves complete control over my pages, there is nothing I dislike more than plugins which do that. Therefore, all graphical styling is up to you, and jPanelMenu makes it very easy.
When jPanelMenu is turned on, two <div> elements are created. The menu element (selector: #jPanelMenu-menu), and the panel element (selector: .jPanelMenu-panel). In addition, a class of jPanelMenu is applied to the <html> tag.
The background color of .jPanelMenu-panel is set by the plugin, and its value is inherited from the <body> element’s background-color.
If the <body> element’s background-color is not set, the <html> element’s background-color is used. If neither is set, the background-color is set to white.
Users without JavaScript (whether they have turned it off or are using a device without it) will obviously not get the interactions provided by jPanelMenu. It’s a good idea to take a “progressive enhancement” approach, and build your site to work without JavaScript and jPanelMenu.
A great way to do this is to use the hooks provided to you by jPanelMenu. When jPanelMenu is turned on, the class jPanelMenu is applied to the <html> tag (conversely, when jPanelMenu is turned off, this class is removed).
Build your site as you normally would, without JavaScript and without styles specific to JavaScript interactions or plugins. Restrict all jPanelMenu-specific styles and script actions to elements that are descendents of .jPanelMenu. Styles such as those which hide elements that are unnecessary with jPanelMenu enabled, or scripting actions specific to jPanelMenu functions, should use the .jPanelMenu selector to ensure that their effects only take hold when jPanelMenu is enabled.
That idea was used to create the demo/documentation page.
###jPanelMenu and jRespond — Perfect Together
I'm a huge fan of jRespond, which is “a simple way to globally manage JavaScript on responsive websites.”
jRespond and jPanelMenu are the perfect couple — use jRespond to enable and disable jPanelMenu at the appropriate breakpoints, creating a truly great experience. That’s how I almost always use jPanelMenu, and I suggest you give it a shot, too.
Responsive design is awesome on its own, but add responsive behavior to the mix, and you’ve made something incredible.
Check out the example of how to use jRespond with jPanelMenu, which includes a basic how-to, code snippets, and helpful tips.
#Who Made This Wonderful Little Plugin?
jPanelMenu was created, and is maintained, by Anthony Colangelo, a developer at Happy Cog.
You can find him (@acolangelo) on Twitter and Github.
Have a question about how jPanelMenu works that is not answered here? Have feedback for new features, options, or API functions that I should add? Anything else you want to talk about?
Talk to me on Twitter, where I am @acolangelo, or send me a message, and let’s talk!.