swMenu 
Version
8 (last update on Oct 18, 2012)
Rating
Compatibility
Reviews
113
License
GPLv2 or later
Non-Commercial
Type
Date Added
5 March 2006
* Simple mouse driven interface allows infinite styling of all aspects of the menu module without touching the keyboard or knowing CSS
* True type font integration for top and sub menu items using easily obtained cufon font files
* Corner styling. Independent corner styles for each corner of the complete menu, top menu, and sub menus.
* Advanced menu source features for the menu include the ability to automatically create whole menu structures from content(content only menu), Or too automatically append content items as menu items to existing categories(hybrid Menu). This unique system of menu and content integration allows you to custom make a menu system that automatically updates itself as content is added. Virtuemart integation is also supported.
* Create and export an external style sheet and edit it manually for unlimited styling capabilities.
* Active menu feature will automatically keep the top menu item highlighted for the part of the site being viewed.
* Live preview to see changes as they are made, as well as a complete preview to show entire menu module.
* Integrated update/repair facility makes it easy to upgarde to future versions of swMenuFree without losing any settings.
* Currently has 12 included translations for the admin component.
Used this module in the past and it was ok but now its fantastic. To be able to customize your entire menu in a GUI interface and not have to do any CSS styling is incredible. Usually menus take a really long time to style because there's a million class names and properties being assigned but to be able to see it in a preview window and adjust everything with sliders and a visual interface, GREAT job on this.
This is a real cracker of an add-on! I'd award 6 stars if I could!
Having had to migrate some 10 sites from j1.5.25 to J2.5.x I was so frustrated with the lack of legacy menus in 2.5. This meant re-writing the CSS for each custom-built site - then I stumbled on SWMenuFree. After a few hours it was clear I had to buy the full version - which I did. This allows top and side (and other menus) all on one site.
It is a doddle to customise menus. Remember "more is less" and don't "guild the lily": just because an effect is possible, it doesn't mean you have to use it. This produces some cool, clean menus in record time that are reliable and work.
Having had to migrate some 10 sites from j1.5.25 to J2.5.x I was so frustrated with the lack of legacy menus in 2.5. This meant re-writing the CSS for each custom-built site - then I stumbled on SWMenuFree. After a few hours it was clear I had to buy the full version - which I did. This allows top and side (and other menus) all on one site.
It is a doddle to customise menus. Remember "more is less" and don't "guild the lily": just because an effect is possible, it doesn't mean you have to use it. This produces some cool, clean menus in record time that are reliable and work.
I purchased an earlier version of this extension for a Joomla 1.5 site in 2009 and received an immediate upgrade to a release that came out simultaneously along with a bit of installation advice that was promptly supplied on request.
I've used the extension for about 3 years now and can't fault it. Its easy to use, works out of the box as everything is pretty much self explanatory. However, there is also documentation.
So imagine my surprise when I contacted the developer to ask about the upgrade path for Joomla 2.5 and what it would cost, only to be told that I could upgrade at no cost to myself with a link included in the email.
This has to be one of the best value extensions available. I should also add that the developer Sean, responded to my inquiry within about an hour or so of it being sent off.
Sean mate, you have a brilliant product. You really should charge more for it as I would definitely like to know you will be around when I want to buy a another copy for other sites I will be working on.
Keep up the great work.
Jon D.
I've used the extension for about 3 years now and can't fault it. Its easy to use, works out of the box as everything is pretty much self explanatory. However, there is also documentation.
So imagine my surprise when I contacted the developer to ask about the upgrade path for Joomla 2.5 and what it would cost, only to be told that I could upgrade at no cost to myself with a link included in the email.
This has to be one of the best value extensions available. I should also add that the developer Sean, responded to my inquiry within about an hour or so of it being sent off.
Sean mate, you have a brilliant product. You really should charge more for it as I would definitely like to know you will be around when I want to buy a another copy for other sites I will be working on.
Keep up the great work.
Jon D.
This is a great addition to menu extension. Thoroughly recommend the training video on the website - otherwise it can look overwhelming with so many options.
I have been using swmenupro for some years now. It took me a few minutes to get the tree menu looking like I wanted at first. But it es very flexible and I never had any problems. And it is very pretty.
At the beginning I had used the free version. It could do all I need. I changed to the commercial version because these guys have done a great job and deserve being paid for it.
At the beginning I had used the free version. It could do all I need. I changed to the commercial version because these guys have done a great job and deserve being paid for it.
This is an excellent extension for creating a multi-level sub-menus. It has very good developer's user interface with very high level of flexibility.
I used it to replace a native Joomla! menu, it's functional now.
I'm not an expert with Joomla! so it took me about 30 minutes to deploy the extension, 3 hours to make the menu functional and a whole day to tweak it to the look and feel I wanted. Or rather very close to this.
The option to create a CSS file is a good compromise between flexibility and usability. However, once you created a CSS file you keep running over it as the way to CSS is a one way street: Once you created this file you cannot continue working with excellent native user interface.
Now don't get me wrong, you will hardly ever need to go to the CSS file. I did, because I wanted a menu with entries that separated with horizontal lines.
Thank you guys for this very good extension!
I used it to replace a native Joomla! menu, it's functional now.
I'm not an expert with Joomla! so it took me about 30 minutes to deploy the extension, 3 hours to make the menu functional and a whole day to tweak it to the look and feel I wanted. Or rather very close to this.
The option to create a CSS file is a good compromise between flexibility and usability. However, once you created a CSS file you keep running over it as the way to CSS is a one way street: Once you created this file you cannot continue working with excellent native user interface.
Now don't get me wrong, you will hardly ever need to go to the CSS file. I did, because I wanted a menu with entries that separated with horizontal lines.
Thank you guys for this very good extension!
I am creating my first template from scratch and needed a menu system to go with it. I discovered swMenuFree and it is the answer to all my needs at the moment. It is one of the best extensions I have discovered. As my needs increase I will most definitely be upgrading to swMenuPro.
It's rare to find software that works just the way you want, especially if it's complex (there's a surprising amount of complication in a horizontal/tabbed menu system) and free!
swMenuFree is just such a rare find.
Within about 30 minutes of installing it I had a horizontal menu that was workable. After about an hour I had tidied it up enough to put my site live again. Another hour, or so, of primping and preening and my old vertical menu had been replaced with a very tidy horizontal menu that should fit my requirements for another six months at least. After that I know that if I need to I'll be able to upgrade to swMenuPro, with confidence, and not have to worry about starting from scratch again.
Even better - I did NOT need to fiddle around in php and css files so I know that if I need to update anything I will not to re-apply any php/css changes.
If only all Joomla extensions were this good. Well done Sean!
swMenuFree is just such a rare find.
Within about 30 minutes of installing it I had a horizontal menu that was workable. After about an hour I had tidied it up enough to put my site live again. Another hour, or so, of primping and preening and my old vertical menu had been replaced with a very tidy horizontal menu that should fit my requirements for another six months at least. After that I know that if I need to I'll be able to upgrade to swMenuPro, with confidence, and not have to worry about starting from scratch again.
Even better - I did NOT need to fiddle around in php and css files so I know that if I need to update anything I will not to re-apply any php/css changes.
If only all Joomla extensions were this good. Well done Sean!
I too have read the other reviews and am puzzled. This is a great extension, works with Joomla 2.5, and responses to questions have been very prompt. Needed wrapping menu text, asked how to do it, was told new version handled it and voila.. , there it was! AND I am using the free version! Great work!
at first hand i had a problem using the menu cause it was showing a lot of errors i knew it was because my error reporting on php but it didnt work so i thought it was bad, i have used it again today with J2.5.3 and it works perfect just some warnings but it does what it said thx a lot
I had a client that was using a superfish style menu with cufon and was not easy for them to edit, I came across this and it works great simple interface very very easy to work with!!!
No compatible with Joomla 2.5.2 as they say. The component give me many errors.
Sorry for the calification but, the extension doesn't work for me.
Sorry for the calification but, the extension doesn't work for me.
Owner's reply
Latest swMenuFree7.2 is now available and should fix any installation or other issues that people may have had with swMenuFree for Joomla2.5
I tried all the free menu extensions and IMO this was this best by far
I had an issue with sub-menus not rendering transparency correctly with IE, but I posted the issue on the support forum and the author replied with a solution within an hour
great work, great service, i highly recommend this extension!
I had an issue with sub-menus not rendering transparency correctly with IE, but I posted the issue on the support forum and the author replied with a solution within an hour
great work, great service, i highly recommend this extension!
The component for this extension is not compatible with Joomla 2.5.2 - it will install successfully, but the component will crash when accessed.
Owner's reply
Latest swMenuFree7.2 is now available and should fix any installation or other issues that people may have had with swMenuFree for Joomla2.5
I had hesitated to use this on Joomla 2.5 with Beez20 because of the reviews. I downloaded several other menu modules and could not get any of them to work. So I downloaded this and got a working drop down menu in about 5 minutes. Great extension.
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