Blogger: Setting labels as horizontal tabs

In this post I will discuss how to set the labels in blogger as a horizontal tabs.

NOTE: Read this post completely before you start tweaking your blog.

Since we are about to modify the HTML code of your blog template backup your complete blogger template. Check out my post on Editing the HTML code of a Blogger Beta Template to know how to perform template backup. Also make sure that your blog has posts with labels assigned to them if not nothing will be working out.

Step 1:

Download the free CSS navigation menus from the Exploding Boy website. Once you download the entire set unzip it and decide which type of menu you are going to include in your site. Then we have to upload these GIF images to any photosharing site or any place in internet so that we can access them directly. There are many options like Photobucket, Picasa, Googlepages.

Step 2:

Now we have to change the Header so that it can include page elements. Search for id="header" in html code of your blog's template and modify this line:

<b:section class="header" id="header" maxwidgets="1" showaddelement="no">

as

<b:section class="header" id="header" maxwidgets="2" showaddelement="yes">

Step 3:

Now we will prepare the CSS portion of the tweak. I have uploaded the images tableftF.gif and tabrightF.gif which are related to Menu style F at the links

http://www.site.com/tableftF.gif
and
http://www.site.com/tabrightF.gif

So you have to replace those links in the code with the appropriate links where you have uploaded those images. Below is the CSS code for menu style F:

#tabsF
{
float:left;
width:100%;
font-size:80%;
line-height:normal;
border-bottom:1px solid #000;
}

#tabsF ul
{
margin:0;
padding:10px 10px 0 50px;
list-style:none;
}

#tabsF li
{
display:inline;
margin:0;
padding:0;
}

#tabsF a
{
float:left;
background:url(" http://www.site.com/tableftF.gif") no-repeat left top;
margin:0;
padding:0 0 0 4px;
text-decoration:none;
}

#tabsF a span
{
float:left;
display:block;
background:url(" http://www.site.com/tabrightF.gif") no-repeat right top;
padding:5px 15px 4px 6px;
color:#666;
}

/* Commented Backslash Hack hides rule from IE5-Mac \*/
#tabsF a span {float:none;}
/* End IE5-Mac hack */
#tabsF a:hover span
{
color:#FFF;
}

#tabsF a:hover
{
background-position:0% -42px;
}

#tabsF a:hover span
{
background-position:100% -42px;
}

Step 4

Now we have to add the Label Widget. Insert the following Widget code

<b:widget id='Label10' locked='false' title='' type='Label'>
<b:includable id='main'>
<div id='tabsF'>
<ul>
<li><a expr:href='data:blog.homepageUrl'><span>Home</span></a></li>
<b:loop values='data:labels' var='label'>
<li><a expr:href='data:label.url'><span><data:label.name/></span></a></li>
</b:loop>
</ul>
<!-- <b:include name='quickedit'/> -->
</div>
</b:includable>
</b:widget>

NOTE: By using the above code by default tabs for all your labels is created. If you got more number of labels then the tabs for all labels is created by default i.e. If there are 30 labels in your blog then 30 tabs are created which don't looks good. So I modified the green lines in the above code in this way so that we can include only those labels which we want to add.

<b:widget id='Label10' locked='false' title='' type='Label'>
<b:includable id='main'>
<div id='tabsF'>
<ul>
<li><a expr:href='data:blog.homepageUrl'><span>Home</span></a></li>

<b:loop values='data:labels' var='label'>

<!--I am adding the label - Linux in this code -->
<b:if cond='data:label.name == "Linux"'>
<a expr:href='data:label.url'>
<span>
<data:label.name/>
</span>
</a>
</b:if>

<!--I am adding the label - Opensource in this code -->
<b:if cond='data:label.name == "Open Source"'>
<a expr:href='data:label.url'>
<span>
<data:label.name/>
</span>
</a>
</b:if>

</b:loop>

</ul>
<!-- <b:include name='quickedit'/> -->
</div>
</b:includable>
</b:widget>

Depending upon your requirement you can add as many labels you want.

NOTE: If you use a CSS menu style other than F, than make sure id='tabsF' reflects the correct tab, such as id='tabsE' for style E. Later, if you like a different design, just cut-and-paste the style's CSS code, then change this id again to reflect the change. Check out the Tabs in my blog.


Checkout the CSS code for other Menu styles from A to F

/*- Menu Tabs A --------------------------- */

#tabs {
float:left;
width:100%;
background:#BBD9EE;
font-size:93%;
line-height:normal;
}
#tabs ul {
margin:0;
padding:10px 10px 0 50px;
list-style:none;
}
#tabs li {
display:inline;
margin:0;
padding:0;
}
#tabs a {
float:left;
background:url("http://www.site.com/tableft.gif") no-repeat left top;
margin:0;
padding:0 0 0 4px;
text-decoration:none;
}
#tabs a span {
float:left;
display:block;
background:url("http://www.site.com/tabright.gif") no-repeat right top;
padding:5px 15px 4px 6px;
color:#666;
}
/* Commented Backslash Hack hides rule from IE5-Mac \*/
#tabs a span {float:none;}
/* End IE5-Mac hack */
#tabs a:hover span {
color:#FF9834;
}
#tabs a:hover {
background-position:0% -42px;
}
#tabs a:hover span {
background-position:100% -42px;
}

/*- Menu Tabs B--------------------------- */

#tabsB {
float:left;
width:100%;
background:#F4F4F4;
font-size:93%;
line-height:normal;
}
#tabsB ul {
margin:0;
padding:10px 10px 0 50px;
list-style:none;
}
#tabsB li {
display:inline;
margin:0;
padding:0;
}
#tabsB a {
float:left;
background:url("http://www.site.com/tableftB.gif") no-repeat left top;
margin:0;
padding:0 0 0 4px;
text-decoration:none;
}
#tabsB a span {
float:left;
display:block;
background:url("http://www.site.com/tabrightB.gif") no-repeat right top;
padding:5px 15px 4px 6px;
color:#666;
}
/* Commented Backslash Hack hides rule from IE5-Mac \*/
#tabsB a span {float:none;}
/* End IE5-Mac hack */
#tabsB a:hover span {
color:#000;
}
#tabsB a:hover {
background-position:0% -42px;
}
#tabsB a:hover span {
background-position:100% -42px;
}

/*- Menu Tabs C--------------------------- */

#tabsC {
float:left;
width:100%;
background:#EDF7E7;
font-size:93%;
line-height:normal;
}
#tabsC ul {
margin:0;
padding:10px 10px 0 50px;
list-style:none;
}
#tabsC li {
display:inline;
margin:0;
padding:0;
}
#tabsC a {
float:left;
background:url("http://www.site.com/tableftC.gif") no-repeat left top;
margin:0;
padding:0 0 0 4px;
text-decoration:none;
}
#tabsC a span {
float:left;
display:block;
background:url("http://www.site.com/tabrightC.gif") no-repeat right top;
padding:5px 15px 4px 6px;
color:#464E42;
}
/* Commented Backslash Hack hides rule from IE5-Mac \*/
#tabsC a span {float:none;}
/* End IE5-Mac hack */
#tabsC a:hover span {
color:#FFF;
}
#tabsC a:hover {
background-position:0% -42px;
}
#tabsC a:hover span {
background-position:100% -42px;
}

/*- Menu Tabs D--------------------------- */

#tabsD {
float:left;
width:100%;
background:#FCF3F8;
font-size:93%;
line-height:normal;
border-bottom:1px solid #F4B7D6;
}
#tabsD ul {
margin:0;
padding:10px 10px 0 50px;
list-style:none;
}
#tabsD li {
display:inline;
margin:0;
padding:0;
}
#tabsD a {
float:left;
background:url("http://www.site.com/tableftD.gif") no-repeat left top;
margin:0;
padding:0 0 0 4px;
text-decoration:none;
}
#tabsD a span {
float:left;
display:block;
background:url("http://www.site.com/tabrightD.gif") no-repeat right top;
padding:5px 15px 4px 6px;
color:#C7377D;
}
/* Commented Backslash Hack hides rule from IE5-Mac \*/
#tabsD a span {float:none;}
/* End IE5-Mac hack */
#tabsD a:hover span {
color:#C7377D;
}
#tabsD a:hover {
background-position:0% -42px;
}
#tabsD a:hover span {
background-position:100% -42px;
}

/*- Menu Tabs E--------------------------- */

#tabsE {
float:left;
width:100%;
background:#000;
font-size:93%;
line-height:normal;

}
#tabsE ul {
margin:0;
padding:10px 10px 0 50px;
list-style:none;
}
#tabsE li {
display:inline;
margin:0;
padding:0;
}
#tabsE a {
float:left;
background:url("http://www.site.com/tableftE.gif") no-repeat left top;
margin:0;
padding:0 0 0 4px;
text-decoration:none;
}
#tabsE a span {
float:left;
display:block;
background:url("http://www.site.com/tabrightE.gif") no-repeat right top;
padding:5px 15px 4px 6px;
color:#FFF;
}
/* Commented Backslash Hack hides rule from IE5-Mac \*/
#tabsE a span {float:none;}
/* End IE5-Mac hack */
#tabsE a:hover span {
color:#FFF;
}
#tabsE a:hover {
background-position:0% -42px;
}
#tabsE a:hover span {
background-position:100% -42px;
}

/*- Menu Tabs F--------------------------- */

#tabsF {
float:left;
width:100%;
background:#efefef;
font-size:93%;
line-height:normal;
border-bottom:1px solid #666;
}
#tabsF ul {
margin:0;
padding:10px 10px 0 50px;
list-style:none;
}
#tabsF li {
display:inline;
margin:0;
padding:0;
}
#tabsF a {
float:left;
background:url("http://www.site.com/tableftF.gif") no-repeat left top;
margin:0;
padding:0 0 0 4px;
text-decoration:none;
}
#tabsF a span {
float:left;
display:block;
background:url("http://www.site.com/tabrightF.gif") no-repeat right top;
padding:5px 15px 4px 6px;
color:#666;
}
/* Commented Backslash Hack hides rule from IE5-Mac \*/
#tabsF a span {float:none;}
/* End IE5-Mac hack */
#tabsF a:hover span {
color:#FFF;
}
#tabsF a:hover {
background-position:0% -42px;
}
#tabsF a:hover span {
background-position:100% -42px;
}

/*- Menu Tabs G--------------------------- */

#tabsG {
float:left;
width:100%;
background:#666;
font-size:93%;
line-height:normal;
}
#tabsG ul {
margin:0;
padding:10px 10px 0 50px;
list-style:none;
}
#tabsG li {
display:inline;
margin:0;
padding:0;
}
#tabsG a {
float:left;
background:url("http://www.site.com/tableftG.gif") no-repeat left top;
margin:0;
padding:0 0 0 4px;
text-decoration:none;
}
#tabsG a span {
float:left;
display:block;
background:url("http://www.site.com/tabrightG.gif") no-repeat right top;
padding:5px 15px 4px 6px;
color:#FFF;
}
/* Commented Backslash Hack hides rule from IE5-Mac \*/
#tabsG a span {float:none;}
/* End IE5-Mac hack */
#tabsG a:hover span {
color:#FFF;
}
#tabsG a:hover {
background-position:0% -42px;
}
#tabsG a:hover span {
background-position:100% -42px;
}

/*- Menu Tabs H--------------------------- */

#tabsH {
float:left;
width:100%;
background:#000;
font-size:93%;
line-height:normal;
}
#tabsH ul {
margin:0;
padding:10px 10px 0 50px;
list-style:none;
}
#tabsH li {
display:inline;
margin:0;
padding:0;
}
#tabsH a {
float:left;
background:url("http://www.site.com/tableftH.gif") no-repeat left top;
margin:0;
padding:0 0 0 4px;
text-decoration:none;
}
#tabsH a span {
float:left;
display:block;
background:url("http://www.site.com/tabrightH.gif") no-repeat right top;
padding:5px 15px 4px 6px;
color:#FFF;
}
/* Commented Backslash Hack hides rule from IE5-Mac \*/
#tabsH a span {float:none;}
/* End IE5-Mac hack */
#tabsH a:hover span {
color:#FFF;
}
#tabsH a:hover {
background-position:0% -42px;
}
#tabsH a:hover span {
background-position:100% -42px;
}

/*- Menu Tabs I--------------------------- */

#tabsI {
float:left;
width:100%;
background:#EFF4FA;
font-size:93%;
line-height:normal;
border-bottom:1px solid #DD740B;
}
#tabsI ul {
margin:0;
padding:10px 10px 0 50px;
list-style:none;
}
#tabsI li {
display:inline;
margin:0;
padding:0;
}
#tabsI a {
float:left;
background:url("http://www.site.com/tableftI.gif") no-repeat left top;
margin:0;
padding:0 0 0 5px;
text-decoration:none;
}
#tabsI a span {
float:left;
display:block;
background:url("http://www.site.com/tabrightI.gif") no-repeat right top;
padding:5px 15px 4px 6px;
color:#FFF;
}
/* Commented Backslash Hack hides rule from IE5-Mac \*/
#tabsI a span {float:none;}
/* End IE5-Mac hack */
#tabsI a:hover span {
color:#FFF;
}
#tabsI a:hover {
background-position:0% -42px;
}
#tabsI a:hover span {
background-position:100% -42px;
}

/*- Menu Tabs J--------------------------- */

#tabsJ {
float:left;
width:100%;
background:#F4F4F4;
font-size:93%;
line-height:normal;
border-bottom:1px solid #24618E;
}
#tabsJ ul {
margin:0;
padding:10px 10px 0 50px;
list-style:none;
}
#tabsJ li {
display:inline;
margin:0;
padding:0;
}
#tabsJ a {
float:left;
background:url("http://www.site.com/tableftJ.gif") no-repeat left top;
margin:0;
padding:0 0 0 5px;
text-decoration:none;
}
#tabsJ a span {
float:left;
display:block;
background:url("http://www.site.com/tabrightJ.gif") no-repeat right top;
padding:5px 15px 4px 6px;
color:#24618E;
}
/* Commented Backslash Hack hides rule from IE5-Mac \*/
#tabsJ a span {float:none;}
/* End IE5-Mac hack */
#tabsJ a:hover span {
color:#FFF;
}
#tabsJ a:hover {
background-position:0% -42px;
}
#tabsJ a:hover span {
background-position:100% -42px;
}

/*- Menu Tabs K--------------------------- */

#tabsK {
float:left;
width:100%;
background:#E7E5E2;
font-size:93%;
line-height:normal;
border-bottom:1px solid #54545C;
}
#tabsK ul {
margin:0;
padding:10px 10px 0 50px;
list-style:none;
}
#tabsK li {
display:inline;
margin:0;
padding:0;
}
#tabsK a {
float:left;
background:url("http://www.site.com/tableftK.gif") no-repeat left top;
margin:0;
padding:0 0 0 4px;
text-decoration:none;
}
#tabsK a span {
float:left;
display:block;
background:url("http://www.site.com/tabrightK.gif") no-repeat right top;
padding:5px 15px 4px 6px;
color:#FFF;
}
/* Commented Backslash Hack hides rule from IE5-Mac \*/
#tabsK a span {float:none;}
/* End IE5-Mac hack */
#tabsK a:hover span {
color:#FFF;
background-position:100% -42px;
}
#tabsK a:hover {
background-position:0% -42px;
}
#tabsK a:hover span {
background-position:100% -42px;
}