Table of contents - creating

Within each chapter I have numerous sections and I want to create a table of contents that the reader always has in front of them.

I don't want navigation to be a trouble for the reader. It needs to be simple, straightforward and intuitive.

The best solution I have to date is a 2 (vertical) frame page in which the narrow left frame displays the table of contents. An expanding vertical menu (perhaps using JavaScript) could be deployed in the left frame for navigation.

1) Are there better solutions?
2) Has anyone used a nice piece of JavaScript which creates an expanding vertical menu (using frames). I have come across some JavaScripts but the poor documentation in the free versions leaves me lost.

Many thanks in advance.

This might work for you. A floating menu bar across the top. As the user scrolls down the page the menu bar remains in position. When the user moves the cursor over an item in the menu bar it expands vertically downward.

This approach allows you to present your navigation several different ways. For example, the first tab could be the chapter listing, the second tab could be a subject listing, the third tab...well, you get the idea.

Also, you might want to make an index so a user could reference your ebook by keyword. And of course there is also the search command.