By default, on 404 Not Found pages:

  1. The "Main menu" block, the "Secondary menu" block, and any other menu-based blocks are turned off. This is because, by default, the site_404 variable is blank, so there's no active menu item and, thus, menu_get_item() returns FALSE and menu_tree_page_data() will return no data. And since menu_tree() relies on menu_tree_page_data(), there's no menu trees.
  2. The Primary links and Secondary links of your theme are turned off. Again, menu_primary_links() relies on menu_tree_page_data().

So, basically on any 404 error page, all of your navigational menus are turned off. Considering that allowing a visitor to navigate away from a 404 error page is essential, this seems like a pretty big usability fail.

Comments

Dave Reid’s picture

Status: Active » Closed (duplicate)
JohnAlbin’s picture

Status: Closed (duplicate) » Active

Heh, this is what I get for only half finishing my comments on #116895: Show regions at 404 page yesterday.

This issue is being split from that issue to make patch review easier. :-)

Xano’s picture

Subscribing.

akahn’s picture

Issue tags: +Usability

I agree that this is a usability issue. John, what is your vision of this? In Drupal 7, should menus appear on 404 pages, or would this be an option? Where would the setting live?

jantoine’s picture

subscribing.

dww’s picture

Status: Active » Closed (duplicate)
a.milkovsky’s picture