JML 3.8.8 Menu Type "Menu Heading" Bug

[nwhit]

Building a new site with Joomla 3.8.8 on a TM template. Need to add a menu header item for sub menu items, but when I use that type Menu item it makes that menu item (top level) a link to a non-existent item, thus giving a error page.

Have tried clearing cache, changing the menu item type back and forth, but still does it. Cannot get it to be a simple "Menu Heading". Have used this many times in other Joomla installs, so very familiar with using it.

Wondering if this is a bug in J3.8.8??? Anyone else seeing this problem?

[nwhit]

Just tried the same thing on another install of same template using J 3.8.7 and have the same issue.

[nwhit]

Template does use the Superfish Menu Module v3.3.4

[sozzled]

... add a menu header item for sub menu items, but when I use that type Menu item it makes that menu item (top level) a link to a non-existent item, thus giving a error page.

I tried this a few moments ago with Protostar.

1) J! 3.8.8 (backend): Create a new menu item with the Menu Item Type = Menu Heading

2) Save the menu item; move another menu item with the newly saved menu item as its parent.

3) Go to the frontend and see the new menu item. Hover the mouse over the new menu item; the sub-menu items are displayed

4) You cannot click the new "menu heading" item (of course) therefore it cannot go to a "non-extistent item, thus giving an error page.

Have you tried using the Protostar template (as a test)? If this works for you then it is not "a bug in J! 3.8.8"; the fact that the same error/issue occurs in a J! 3.8.7 site (with the same template/menu system you're using) also indicates that it's not a bug in J! 3.8.x.

[nwhit]

Thanks for the input. Using the Prostar template produces nothing (except numerous error messages for missing things) since this TM template is a complete override with all their customizations.

Yes, normally a "Menu Heading" should not allow a click, but in this case it does. Only thing I can think of (assuming other people are not having an issue with J3.8.x) is that somehow the older Superfish menu module is malfunctioning. And I can't seem to find an update of that module anywhere. The one on a Superfish website doesn't install in Joomla, so not sure where to go.

Been using a workaround of using a "Menu Alias" type instead that goes to the first sub menu item, but not ideal. Hoping someone has an idea on a fix.

Again, thanks for the input.

[nwhit]

Interesting! Just looked again and now see that the "link" it has for the should-be non-clickable Menu Heading type is the actual ID of the Heading menu item itself!

http://xxxxxxxxx.com/index.php?Itemid=260

It becomes clickable but to itself! That's strange (at least to me!). Of course it instead goes to the 404 error page.

[sozzled]

I asked if you have tried this with the Protostar template ...

Menu Header menu items do not have an <a ...> HTML tag/link

[nwhit]

I asked if you have tried this with the Protostar template ...

Menu Header menu items do not have an <a ...> HTML tag/link

As per my response above, the TM template will not allow the use of the Prostar template. If I set it to that template, I get nothing but errors for this website with virtually nothing showing. Obviously the template is a highly customized package.

I also don't have a virgin Joomla install to try it with, but would think the Menu Header would work fine in a virgin install. Just trying to sort out why this TM template forces a Menu Header to create a link to itself (links to its own menu item ID). Have not experienced that before with the several other sites we manage.

[sozzled]

I also don't have a virgin Joomla install to try it with ...

This takes less than 15 minutes to set up. I suggest that it would be 15 minutes well spent. Doing this will probably answer a few questions and may point to the Template Monster template as the cause of the problem. It's your choice, of course, but the alternative (in my opinion) is to ask the people where you purchased the template (after all, you purchased it and they should stand behind what they sell).

Also, when you wrote that you get "nothing but errors" if you change to Protostar, what specific error messages are you writing about? No J! website should generate errors by simply changing from one template to another.

[tthomas1consult]

I am having the same issue. It shows up on broken link reports as a 404 error (https://www.fischervanlines.com/?Itemid=184). The submenus work fine.
Funny the screenshot in Joomla documents (https://docs.joomla.org/Help39:Menus_Me ... em_Heading)shows the link field 'populated' as but even when recreating the menu it still blanks out that field the moment you chose "menu heading. I saw a thread with the same issue from 2014. Clearly a bug that needs fixing.

[sozzled]

I am having the same issue.

Do you mean that you are using J! 3.8.8 with a template from ThemeMonster? Can we be a bit more specific please?

I saw a thread with the same issue from 2014

And what, specifically, might that "thread with the same issue" have discussed (and, by implication, failed to resolve)?

Clearly a bug that needs fixing? I can't see clearly what it might be, sorry.

[sozzled]

Just thinking aloud ... I encountered a discussion with another member of the community a little while ago; it related to not being able to "hover" over a "menu heading" menu item in iDevices. Well, of course you can't mouse-hover on a touch screen. I can't recall where we discussed it or how we worked around the problem.

UPDATE: Found the discussion here ==> viewtopic.php?f=713&t=968762

Does that help?