facebook
Skip to main content

Create Navigation Menus for Your Site

A well-organized sidebar menu is key to helping your visitors find what they need. In Cascade, these menus are powered by  _menu blocks. This guide will show you how to manage them, from simple edits to creating dropdowns, ensuring a smooth and logical user experience.

Interactive Walkthrough

Instructions

1. Understanding Menu Inheritance

  • A  _menu block is located in each department folder.
  • This block affects the sidebar menu of every page in that folder, including pages in subfolders.
  • If a subfolder contains its own  _menu block, it will override the sidebar menu for that subfolder and its contents.

2. How to Edit a Menu

  1. In Cascade, navigate to the folder containing the menu you want to edit.
  2. Click on the  _menu  block.
  3. In the page menubar, click "Edit".
  4. This opens the menu editor, where you can build your menu list.

3. Add a Single Menu Item

  1. In the menu block, create a new bullet point.
  2. Highlight the text of the bullet point.
  3. Click "Insert/edit link" in the toolbar.
  4. Add an internal link to the page you want the menu item to point to.
  5. Click "Ok".

Dropdown submenus help organize multiple links under a single heading, keeping the menu clean and navigable.

  1. In the menu block, create a new bullet point for the dropdown heading.
  2. Highlight the text of the bullet point.
  3. Click "Insert/edit link" .
  4. Enter only the "Text to display" (the heading text). Leave the link source blank.
  5. Click "Ok". This creates an unlinked heading that will serve as the toggle for the submenu.
  6. Below that bullet point, create a new nested list (indented) and add your submenu items as individual links.

Example structure:

  • Using the Editor (dropdown toggle, no link needed)
    • Format Text (linked page)
    • Insert a Link (linked page)
    • Insert Media (linked page)

5. Publish Your Menu To Make it Live

Because the  _menu block affects multiple pages, publishing it requires publishing the entire folder.

  1. In the Cascade sidebar, right-click on the folder containing the  _menu block.
  2. From the dropdown, select "Publish".
  3. In the confirmation modal, click "Publish".
  4. This will publish all pages in the folder, applying the updated menu to each one.

Best Practices

  • Prioritize Internal Navigation: Sidebar menus are designed to help users navigate  within your section of the FHSU site. Please avoid linking to external websites. If you must link to another department, do so sparingly, as it can take users out of your section unexpectedly.
  • Keep it Concise and Organized: Aim for five to seven top-level items. If you have more, use dropdown submenus to group related pages under clear headings.
  • Mirror Your Site's Structure: Your menu should reflect how your content is organized in Cascade. For example, pages stored in a  cms-training/editing folder would logically appear in a dropdown menu called "Using the Editor." This creates a predictable experience for both you and your visitors.

Next: Edit a Callout Contact

Now that you can manage sidebar menus, learn how to update contact callouts and follow best practices for writing clear contact information.

For more information, see: How to Update Contact Info

How to Reach Us

University Marketing
Fort Hays State University
600 Park Street
Hammond Hall 108
Phone: 785-628-4206
Email: web@fhsu.edu

Submit a Web Service Request