Code for adding a custom page link to the web

Code for adding a custom page link to the web_menu.sitemap

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By thedrumdoctor - Fri 16 Sep 2011

Adding a custom page seems straightforward enough and I'd like to make a shipping rate table page to the site so customers can see what rates we use before they decide to order. Rather than add this page to a tiny footer menu, I'd like to add the page to the top navigation menu. However, having looked at the web_menu.sitemap file I'm not at all sure what syntax to use to add a new link.

For instance, with search engine friendly URL's switched on, a custom terms page generates the following link:

www.domainname/Page.aspx?strPage=Terms

If I was to add the terms page to the main navigation menu, would the web_menu.sitemap file have to contain link code like:

siteMapNode url="~/Page.aspx?strPage=Terms"

Can someone explain what is the correct way to do this please?

By Neil - Fri 16 Sep 2011

First you need to create a custom page (Miscellaneous > custom pages)

Then link to it using the following in web_menu.sitemap

<siteMapNode url="~/t-enter_your_custom_page_id_here.aspx" title="Delivery Charges" description="Delivery Charges" />

This would add the link to an existing dropdown, but if you wanted it on its own 'tab' then add </siteMapNode> to the end e.g.

<siteMapNode url="~/t-enter_your_custom_page_id_here.aspx" title="Delivery Charges" description="Delivery Charges" /></siteMapNode>

Also this menu is cached so you will need to restart IIS or recycle the application pool after changes are made.

By thedrumdoctor - Fri 16 Sep 2011

Thanks for that. I tried it but I must of inserted the code in a place it doesn't like as I got the following error in the log.

System.Configuration.ConfigurationErrorsException: The XML sitemap config file /web_menu.sitemap could not be loaded. The 'siteMap' start tag on line 2 does not match the end tag of 'siteMapNode'. Line 37, position 100. (\wwwroot\web_menu.sitemap line 37) ---> System.Xml.XmlException: The 'siteMap' start tag on line 2 does not match the end tag of 'siteMapNode'. Line 37, position 100.

I wanted to create a new heading on the menu, after the 'Contact' link which is the final link in the menu. So I inserted the code after the closing </siteMapNode> tag of the 'Contact' link code and before the </siteMap> closing tag which closes the XML.

I also reset the server by uploading the web.config file which has worked before when I removed items from the navigation menu. I'm guessing I must have inserted it in the wrong place but I'm not exactly sure where it's supposed to go. Give me a simple unordered list any day, please!

By Neil - Fri 16 Sep 2011

Yes it sounds like you are missing a closing tag somewhere.

By thedrumdoctor - Mon 19 Sep 2011

Got there in the end after some experimentation. This code seems to work and give 'Delivery Charges' it's own tab after the Contact Us tab:

<siteMapNode url="~/News.aspx" title="$resources:News,PageTitle_SiteNews" description="$resources:News,PageTitle_SiteNews" value="news" />
        <siteMapNode url="~/Contact.aspx" title="$resources:Kartris,PageTitle_ContactUs" description="$resources:Kartris,PageTitle_ContactUs" />

        <siteMapNode url="~/t-Delivery.aspx" title="Delivery Charges" description="Delivery Charges" />

        </siteMapNode>

All works to deliver the custom page I created so thanks for your help.