Sidebox coding problems...... please help

[kitten091182]

Hi,
A bit of a problem if somebody can help please?

I have the editable sidebox installed, and I have entered some coding into the module template to use it as an advice centre to populate and show information that is entered into extra fields in admin when a product is created.

All was going well, and it was working fine, until I decided to move the sidebox into the left column instead of the right.

Now, I am not really very good with coding/php, and I am surprised that it even worked up until now! But there seems to be a problem with my coding which means that if the editable sidebox shares a column with another sidebox, the layout completely messes up. If it is in a column by itself, then it is ok.

I have a couple of images, but for some reason it won't let me upload them. Here is the code that I have though:

From includes/templates/mytemplate/sideboxes:

<?php
/**
 * editable sidebox - allows a sidebox editable with the define pages editor to be added to your site
 *
 * @package templateSystem
 * @copyright 2007 Kuroi Web Design
  * @copyright Portions Copyright 2003-2007 Zen Cart Development Team
 * @license http://www.zen-cart.com/license/2_0.txt GNU Public License V2.0
 * @version $Id: blank_sidebox.php 2007-08-10 kuroi $
 */
$content = '';
$content .= '<div id="' . str_replace('_', '-', $box_id . 'Content') . '" class="sideBoxContent">';
$content = file_get_contents($define_sidebox);
$content .= '<div class="adbox">'.$extra_field .'</div>';
$content .= '<div class="adbox">' .$current_categories_description_sub .'</div>' ;
$content .= '<div class="adbox">'.$products_file_1_link . '</div>' ;
$content .= '<div class="adbox">'.$products_file_2_link . '</div>' ;
$content .= '<div class="adbox">'.$products_file_3_link . '</div>' ;
$content .= '<div class="adbox">'.$products_file_4_link . '</div>' ;


  // this is where the content that you have via the Admin is pulled in.
$content .= '</div>';
?>

And from includes/modules/sideboxes:

<?php
/**
 * editable sidebox - allows an admin-editable sidebox to be added to your site
 *
 * @package templateSystem
 * @copyright 2007 Kuroi Web Design
  * @copyright Portions Copyright 2003-2007 Zen Cart Development Team
 * @license http://www.zen-cart.com/license/2_0.txt GNU Public License V2.0
 * @version $Id: blank_sidebox.php 2007-08-10 kuroi $
 */

  // test if box should display

  $show_editable_sidebox = true;
if (in_array($current_page_base,explode(",",'faqs_all')) ) {
$show_editable_sidebox = false;
 }
if (in_array($current_page_base,explode(",",'faq_info')) ) {
$show_editable_sidebox = false;
 }

   $define_sidebox = zen_get_file_directory(DIR_WS_LANGUAGES . $_SESSION['language'] . '/html_includes/', DEFINE_EDITABLE_SIDEBOX_NAME, 'false');

  if ($show_editable_sidebox == true) {
      require($template->get_template_dir('tpl_editable_sidebox.php',DIR_WS_TEMPLATE, $current_page_base,'sideboxes'). '/tpl_editable_sidebox.php');
      $title =  BOX_HEADING_EDITABLE_SIDEBOX;
      $title_link = false;
$sql = "select * from " . TABLE_PRODUCT_EXTRA_FIELDS . "
            where products_id = '" . (int)$_GET['products_id'] . "'";

    $files = $db->Execute($sql);

/*
 * extract info from queries for use as template-variables:
 */

 $extra_field  = $files->fields['extra_field'];
$products_file_1_title = $files->fields['file_1_title'];
  $products_file_2_title = $files->fields['file_2_title'];
  $products_file_3_title = $files->fields['file_3_title'];
  $products_file_4_title = $files->fields['file_4_title'];
  $products_file_1       = $files->fields['file_1'];
  $products_file_2       = $files->fields['file_2'];
  $products_file_3       = $files->fields['file_3'];
  $products_file_4       = $files->fields['file_4'];
  $products_video       = $files->fields['video'];
  $products_video_title = $files->fields['video_title'];
if (!empty($products_video)) $products_video_link = '<a href="javascript:popupWindow(\''.zen_href_link(FILENAME_FLASH).'&id='.$_GET[products_id]. '\') ">'. $products_video_title . '</a>';
  
  if (!empty($products_file_1_title)) $products_file_1_link = '<a href="' . "download/" . $products_file_1 . ' >'. $products_file_1_title . '</a>';
  if (!empty($products_file_2_title)) $products_file_2_link = '<a href="' . "product_extra_files/" . $products_file_2 . '">'. $products_file_2_title . '</a>';
  if (!empty($products_file_3_title)) $products_file_3_link = '<a href="' . "product_extra_files/" . $products_file_3 . '">'. $products_file_3_title . '</a>';
   if (!empty($products_file_4_title)) $products_file_4_link = '<a href="' . "product_extra_files/" . $products_file_4 . '">'. $products_file_4_title . '</a>';


$sql = "select * from " . TABLE_CATEGORIES_DESCRIPTION . "
            where categories_id = '" . (int)$_GET['categories_id'] . "'";

    $files = $db->Execute($sql);
$current_categories_description_sub = $files->fields['categories_description_sub'];

      require($template->get_template_dir($column_box_default, DIR_WS_TEMPLATE, $current_page_base,'common') . '/' . $column_box_default);
 }
?>

Can anybody tell me where I am going wrong please? Like I said, it works fine when it is in a column of its own, but when it shares a column the whole page gets messed up.

Thanks

[kitten091182]

Not sure if the images have attached correctly, but they should be below:

[stevesh]

The left sidebox column probably has styling rules that are different from those for the right column, for some reason. A link to the site would help.

[kitten091182]

Hi,
Thank for the response. The images I have uploaded are from a test site on my computer. Here is a link to the current site: http://www.drgreens.co.uk/Environmen...ed-Controllers
The same thing happens if I switch the columns over so everything is in the right column

[stevesh]

No way to test without seeing the site, but take a look at these rules in stylesheet.css:

#navColumnOneWrapper {
margin-left:1.5em;
margin-right:1em;
margin-bottom:8px;
margin-top:2em
}

#navColumnTwoWrapper {
margin-left: 2.5em;
margin-right: 1.5em;
margin-bottom: 8px;
margin-top:-1em;
}

[kitten091182]

I had a play about with the stylesheet, but still can't fix it. I'm leaning towards it being a small problem somewhere with the code, as when the problem occurs a part of the code doesn't trigger:

$content .= '<div class="adbox">'.$extra_field .'</div>'; 
$content .= '<div class="adbox">' .$current_categories_description_sub .'</div>' ; 
$content .= '<div class="adbox">'.$products_file_1_link . '</div>' ; 
$content .= '<div class="adbox">'.$products_file_2_link . '</div>' ; 
$content .= '<div class="adbox">'.$products_file_3_link . '</div>' ; 
$content .= '<div class="adbox">'.$products_file_4_link . '</div>' ; 

Do you have any idea how to call a separate template file from a sidebox file? I'm thinking I am doing something wrong with the coding in the sidebox template file, and that if I call the separate template file with the original coding in that it might work?
Like I said, I am terrible with coding, I just use code that is already part of zen cart and change it to suit, not sure what most of it really means though.

Thanks

[kitten091182]

This is the coding for the product_info template:

<div class="files">
<?php if(isset($products_file_1_link) || isset($products_file_2_link) || isset($products_file_3_link) || isset($products_file_4_link) || isset($video_file_link) || isset($extra_field)) {
        echo  '<div class="filesHead">'.TEXT_PRODUCT_MORE_INFO.'</div><ul>';
          }?>
<?php if($extra_field!='') { 
    echo '<li>'.$extra_field . '</li>';
} ?>
 
<?php if(isset($products_video_link)) { 
    echo '<li>'.$products_video_link . '</li>';
} ?> 
<?php if(isset($products_file_1_link)) { 
    echo '<li>'.$products_file_1_link . '</li>';
} ?>    
<?php if(isset($products_file_2_link)) {
    echo '<li>'.$products_file_2_link . '</li>';
} ?>    
<?php if(isset($products_file_3_link)) {
    echo '<li>'.$products_file_3_link. '</li>';
}  ?>
<?php if(isset($products_file_4_link)) {
    echo '<li>'.$products_file_4_link;
} 
if(isset($products_file_1_link) || isset($products_file_2_link) || isset($products_file_3_link) || isset($products_file_4_link) || isset($video_file_link) || isset($extra_field)) {
echo '</ul>';
}
?>
</div>

This coding works on the product info page, so I suppose I need to know how to translate it into the sidebox template. Can anybody help please, I am going round in circles and it's driving me crazy

Thanks