SPELL Nav, the successor of the Easy Tabs

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The SPELL library is reaching version 0.8 this month. My main achievement in this release is the completion of the “Inline Navigation” module.

SPELL supports SharePoint 2007, 2010, 2013 and Office 365, and to demonstrate it I have updated all my sites:

All pages run the same version of SPELL, and the look of each menu is controlled via options. The idea is the same as with the original Easy Tabs – reuse the Web Part titles to automatically generate the navigation – but the code has been completely refactored. It is now more solid, for example when it comes to synchronization with the rest of the page, styling, print preview, and inclusion in wiki pages. It also offers more features:

  • Option to have more than one Web Part per tab
  • Compatible with display forms (this is especially useful if like me you are a fan of the “Related Items” feature)
  • Direct link to activate a specific tab (for example access the SharePoint Hosting section on the UMS home page)
  • Can be implemented in the middle of a zone, not necessarily at the top
  • Can include hyperlinks to external page (see the demos)
  • etc.

If you have subscribed to the SPELL interest list, you’ll receive a code sample by the end of this month.

As I have already mentioned, I consider that the Easy Tabs code is obsolete and I won’t update it. Also, it has become more and more time consuming to support such UI widgets because of the increasing number of SharePoint versions, browsers and supported devices (for example tablets and mobile), so I am more careful than before when it comes to releasing such tools.

That said, I understand that not everybody is willing to subscribe to the SPELL program. To allow end users to enjoy a smooth upgrade to SP 2013, in the next couple months I’ll publish in the SharePoint User Toolkit a lightweight version of the SPELL Nav that will cover most of the features offered by the current Easy Tabs.

[Update] SPELL Tabs: commercial and free versions now available

34 thoughts on “SPELL Nav, the successor of the Easy Tabs”

  1. Hi Christophe,

    Sounds very interesting and I look forward to viewing the links in the blog tomorrow when on my ‘work machince’ – a bit late to load it up now. The abilitly to have more than one web part on a tab and navigation to specific tabs amongst the other features could be very useful.

    Regards,

    David

  8. Hi, Christophe.
    Your Easy Tabs has been great. Please sign me up for the Spell – I’m curious. Also need to prepare as we’re up for a SP 2007 => 2013 upgrade soon.

  10. Hi Christophe,
    Love your Easytabs and other solution – hope there is still room in the interest list for one more 🙂

  11. Hi Christophe
    Please add me to the list. I’ve attended a few of your workshops with Mark Miller. I’m using Easytabs on most of our Intranet SharePoint sites.

  13. Me Too, Me Too!!!!

    Easy Tabs saved my bacon a number of times, and now I could really use this type of solution in my new position. How do I get it? How do I use it? How do I buy you Lunch!!!!!

    Thanks, Christophe

  14. Thank you Christophe for the awsome solutions that you’re providing 🙂

    I wish I can get the samples and the demo?

  15. Pingback: Tabbed Web Parts in SharePoint 2013 / Office 365 | Summit 7 Systems

  16. Thanks Christophe for this excellent solution.We used Easy-Tabs for MOSS 2007 portal. Everyone likes it. Now we are upgrading to 2013. Look forward to test the new version (Spell).

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  19. Hi Christophe,

    I’ve used Easy Tabs on my 2007 site and now on my 2010 site and it works great, everyone loves it! I would love to be on the list for its successor!

    Thanks!

    Scott

  20. Pingback: Tabbed Web Parts in SharePoint 2013 / Office 365 | Summit 7 Systems DEV Site

  21. Hi Christophe,
    I’ve been following for a few years now and even attended a couple workshop back when it was EndUserSharePoint. I’ve been using the ‘Easy tabs’ when we had SharePoint 2007 and now since we up graded to SharePoint 2010. My question is this, “Is it possible to make the tabs ‘Fly outs?’ I’m not a Java or jQuery person. Like to see a How-to (if possible) with screen shots. Did I mention, “I’m a visual learner?” I can read something all day and still not understand until I see how it is done.

    Thanks,
    Frank

    • hi Frank,

      The SPELL Nav is very flexible and can offer various kinds of inline navigation (inline=mainly within the page).
      However there are so many possibilities that it is very difficult to provide up-front solutions that can satisfy everybody. You are looking for fly-outs, others might want drop-downs, buttons or other styles.
      The plan with SPELL is to develop solutions based on the requests expressed by the participants in the program.

  22. Pingback: SPELL Tabs: commercial and free versions now available | Path to SharePoint

  23. Hey Chris
    This seems like a way to use the tabs in a Wiki page, so I am interested in trying it out. Let me know when it is available.

    Thanks for all your hard work and communication.

    • The SPELL Tabs are now available, I announced it in a blog post in June.
      I have now added the link to the announcement at the bottom of this post.

  24. Wow… this really works well, thanks so much. I wonder how the size of the tabs could be adjusted to match the size of other site elements… this is an awesome piece of work!

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  27. Is there still a way to get SPELL for Sharepoint 2013? I noticed it’s been awhile since someone has commented on this site.

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