add tag to Joomla php to alter output

[nitro29]

Hi,

 

I am very new to php, so would appreciate any advice with this probably very noob question.

 

I need to moderate - make an alternate - joomla module menu php file which adds a <span> tag to the output. I have added the <span> but it is not in the right position. I can only get it either before or after the anchor tag, not in between as needed.

 

The HTML output for the menu and one menu item is:

 

<ul id="mainNav" class="nav menu ">
<li class="item-435">
<span></span>
<a href="/testserver/joomla/dev">Development</a>
</li>
</ul>

 

I need the <span> tag inside the anchor tag in order for my background hover and link function to work correctly, like this:

 

<ul id="mainNav" class="nav menu ">
<li class="item-435">
<a href="/testserver/joomla/dev">Development<span></span></a>
</li>
</ul>

 

Can anyone help me??

 

 

This is the current php code for the module (which gives the wrong <span> placement):

 

<?php
/**
* @package Joomla.Site
* @subpackage mod_menu
*
* @copyright Copyright (C) 2005 - 2012 Open Source Matters, Inc. All rights reserved.
* @license GNU General Public License version 2 or later; see LICENSE.txt
*/

defined('_JEXEC') or die;

// Note. It is important to remove spaces between elements.
?>
<?php // The menu class is deprecated. Use nav instead. ?>
<ul class="nav menu <?php echo $class_sfx;?>"<?php
$tag = '';
if ($params->get('tag_id') != null)
{
$tag = $params->get('tag_id').'';
echo ' id="'.$tag.'"';
}
?>>
<?php
foreach ($list as $i => &$item) :
$class = 'item-'.$item->id;
if ($item->id == $active_id) {
$class .= ' current';
}

if (in_array($item->id, $path)) {
$class .= ' active';
}
elseif ($item->type == 'alias') {
$aliasToId = $item->params->get('aliasoptions');
if (count($path) > 0 && $aliasToId == $path[count($path) - 1]) {
$class .= ' active';
}
elseif (in_array($aliasToId, $path)) {
$class .= ' alias-parent-active';
}
}

if ($item->type == 'separator') {
$class .= ' divider';
}

if ($item->deeper) {
$class .= ' deeper';
}

if ($item->parent) {
$class .= ' parent';
}

if (!empty($class)) {
$class = ' class="'.trim($class) .'"';
}

echo '<li'.$class.'><span></span>';

// Render the menu item.
switch ($item->type) :
case 'separator':
case 'url':
case 'component':
case 'heading':
require JModuleHelper::getLayoutPath('mod_menu', 'default_'.$item->type);
break;
default:
require JModuleHelper::getLayoutPath('mod_menu', 'default_url');
break;
endswitch;

// The next item is deeper.
if ($item->deeper) {
echo '<ul class="nav-child unstyled small">';
}
// The next item is shallower.
elseif ($item->shallower) {
echo '</li>';
echo str_repeat('</ul></li>', $item->level_diff);
}
// The next item is on the same level.
else {
echo '</li>';
}
endforeach;
?></ul>

 

I have tried messing around with the <span> tags but just can't make it work..

 

I would really appreciate any help. Thanks in advance!!!

 

/Soren