Zend_Navigation rendering submenu with partial

I've posted an edit to my question. While working on it I noticed the problem is easy to simplify. I need a custom format of my submenu so i have to use partial. But then the problem occurs.

The below code shows the INCORRECT level (0):

            echo $this->navigation()->menu()
                ->setMinDepth(1)
                ->setMaxDepth(1)
                ->setRenderParents(false)
                ->setOnlyActiveBranch(true)
                ->renderPartial(null, array('partials/menu.phtml', 'default'));

The below code shows the CORRECT menu level (1)

            echo $this->navigation()->menu()
                ->setMinDepth(1)
                ->setMaxDepth(1)
                ->setRenderParents(false)
                ->setOnlyActiveBranch(true)
                ->render();

Any ideas? Guys please. I would appreciate any help!

Edit

My partials/menu.phtml:

    foreach ($this->container as $page) 
{
    $active = $page->isActive();
    echo '<div class="item">';
        echo '<a class="'. ($active ? 'active' : '') .'" href="' . $this->baseUrl($page->getHref()) . '">' . $page->getLabel() . '</a>';
    echo '</div>';
}

EDIT 2

My understanding of Zend_Navigation was, first to prepare container and than put it through partial.

            $nav = $this->navigation()->menu()->setOnlyActiveBranch(true)->getContainer();
        echo $this->navigation()->menu()->renderPartial($nav, array('/partials/menu.phtml', 'default'));

What is the point of setting set{Min/Max}Depth, parentRendering at the container when passing it anywehere is useless?

Solution

I use this code:

<?=$this->navigation()->menu()->renderPartial(null, 'shared/menu.phtml')?>

you should pass true to the method $page->isActive(true) so that also functions in depth.

in your partial

foreach ($this->container as $page) {
  $active = $page->isActive(true);
  if (count($page->getPages())) {
    foreach ($page->getPages() as $subPage) {
      $active = $subPage->isActive(true);
      echo '<div class="item">';
        echo '<a class="'. ($active ? 'active' : '') .'" href="' . $this->baseUrl($subPage->getHref()) . '">' . $subPage->getLabel() . '</a>';
      echo '</div>';      
    }
  }
}

before the second foreach you could add a check if and when to show the submenu.

my 2 cent.

EDIT

try this:

$partial = array('partials/menu.phtml', 'default');
echo $this->navigation()->menu()
  ->setMinDepth(1)
  ->setMaxDepth(1)
  ->setRenderParents(false)
  ->setOnlyActiveBranch(true)
  ->setPartial($partial)
  ->render();