Problems to add a background-image to the widget Spry MenuBar!

Question

With DreamweaverCS4 version 10.0 Build 4117, (italian language) I have tried to add a Spry MenuBar to the one website page.
But the problem is that I haven't understood where add my property "background-image": url(../immagini/Menu_Button_01.gif).
In the Application Page of Dreamweaver I have this screenshot:
But in the Preview Window of InternetExplorer 7 I have this strange behavior:
The "Menu_Button_01.gif" are a rounded square button made with PhotoshopCS4 and have a transparent background.
In the IE7 MenuBar doesn't appears as expected, without the transparent background!
1) How can I do to show my "Menu_Button_01.gif" image as transparent background in the MenuBar?
2) What is the correct CSS Style Rule to apply the "background-image" property?
(Example: "ul.MenuBarHorizontal li"? Or "ul.MenuBarHorizontal a"? )
3) Should I also apply the property: "background-color:transparent"? Where? What is the specific CSS Style Rule?
I have uploaded my little local WebSite to Rapidshare (100KB):
http://rapidshare.com/files/370735082/Test_Spry.zip.html
Please download it to inspect my problem.
Please response me!
Horsepower0171.

Answer 1

For a starter, you should not put your background style rules in the following. The accompanying descriptions will tell you this.
/* Menu item containers, position children relative to this container and are a fixed width */
ul.MenuBarHorizontal li
    margin: 0;
    padding: 0;
    list-style-type: none;
    font-size: 100%;
    position: relative;
    text-align: left;
    cursor: pointer;
    width: 116px;
    float: left;
    background-image: url(../immagini/Menu_Button_01.gif);
    background-color: transparent;
/* Submenus should appear below their parent (top: 0) with a higher z-index, but they are initially off the left side of the screen (-1000em) */
ul.MenuBarHorizontal ul
    margin: 0;
    padding: 0;
    list-style-type: none;
    font-size: 100%;
    z-index: 1020;
    cursor: default;
    width: 116px;
    position: absolute;
    left: -1000em;
    background-image: url(../immagini/Menu_Button_01.gif);
    background-color: transparent;
Then when you apply style rules to
/* Menu items are a light gray block with padding and no text decoration */
ul.MenuBarHorizontal a
    display: block;
    cursor: pointer;
    padding: 0.5em 0.75em;
    color: #333;
    text-decoration: none;
    background-image: url(../immagini/Menu_Button_01.gif);
    background-color: transparent;
this will be overridden by the following rules. They replace your image with an arrow image.
/* Menu items that have a submenu have the class designation MenuBarItemSubmenu and are set to use a background image positioned on the far left (95%) and centered vertically (50%) */
ul.MenuBarHorizontal a.MenuBarItemSubmenu
    background-image: url(SpryMenuBarDown.gif);
    background-repeat: no-repeat;
    background-position: 95% 50%;
/* Menu items that have a submenu have the class designation MenuBarItemSubmenu and are set to use a background image positioned on the far left (95%) and centered vertically (50%) */
ul.MenuBarHorizontal ul a.MenuBarItemSubmenu
    background-image: url(SpryMenuBarRight.gif);
    background-repeat: no-repeat;
    background-position: 95% 50%;
/* Menu items that are open with submenus have the class designation MenuBarItemSubmenuHover and are set to use a "hover" background image positioned on the far left (95%) and centered vertically (50%) */
ul.MenuBarHorizontal a.MenuBarItemSubmenuHover
    background-image: url(SpryMenuBarDownHover.gif);
    background-repeat: no-repeat;
    background-position: 95% 50%;
/* Menu items that are open with submenus have the class designation MenuBarItemSubmenuHover and are set to use a "hover" background image positioned on the far left (95%) and centered vertically (50%) */
ul.MenuBarHorizontal ul a.MenuBarItemSubmenuHover
    background-image: url(SpryMenuBarRightHover.gif);
    background-repeat: no-repeat;
    background-position: 95% 50%;
There are one of two solutions
If you do not want and arrow, simply set background to none in the above four instances.
If you do want an arrow, include a down arrow image in a second Menu_Button_01.gif image called Menu_Button_01_DownArrow.gif or similar as well as a third one for your right arrow image.
I hope this helps.
Ben