Installed? Now create your own template

**kuroi** · 11 May 2006, 10:28 AM

The initial Zen Cart installation has just one template available for installation. This template is called the classic template, and it's not a good place for newbies, or anyone building a new store, to start.

Why? Well, because the classic template is designed for backward compatibility with previous more table-based versions of Zen Cart. To allow store owners to upgrade it uses two stylesheets and hacks them about a bit to achieve the desired result. Anybody building a new store would do much better to start with a simpler template based on the current template_default included in the release of Zen Cart that you have just installed. Although it doesn't look as good at the outset, it's much easier to understand, edit and maintain, and if you need help from the forum, it is much easier for us to give it.

How do you create a template based on the template_default? There is a step-by-step guide in the wiki.

Warning: at the time of written the links at the top of the page don't work as the articles referenced are not yet back in the rebuilt FAQ.

**Merlinpa1969** · 11 May 2006, 10:43 AM

Kool, thanks for the tips and the link...

this will help others in the future

**kuroi** · 12 May 2006, 03:34 PM

Thanks for the encouragement Merlin. I wonder if the dev team would consider pinning this thread temporarily until the FAQ is fully back in action? I must have directed at least half a dozen struggling new users struggling with the classic template to it in the last 24 hours.

**wolfear** · 13 May 2006, 07:45 AM

Thanks for the info..I have been beating my head against the wall tryin to get thing working correctly. retacing my steps is not nearly so daunting since I am now on the right path.
Also..thanks for the link..made a world of difference.

**sashbox** · 13 May 2006, 09:06 AM

Perhaps some of the designers among us here could come up with some clean, generic, yet attractive "template_default"-based template sets so newbies are not overwelmed?

**wolfear** · 14 May 2006, 05:48 PM

Perhaps some of the designers among us here could come up with some clean, generic, yet attractive "template_default"-based template sets so newbies are not overwelmed?

Good idea. I had actually already added that to my "one of these days" list after mucking my way through our site. Still not happy with it (not the templates fault, I'm playing with different color schemes), but at least I'm getting closer.

**Kim** · 14 May 2006, 06:00 PM

... as a matter of fact there is going to be a Zen Cart template design contest very soon. Keep watching for how to enter.

**simple** · 16 May 2006, 07:33 PM

Originally Posted by kuroi

The initial Zen Cart installation has just one template available for installation. This template is called the classic template, and it's not a good place for newbies, or anyone building a new store, to start.

How do you create a template based on the template_default? There is a step-by-step guide in the wiki.

Used the instructions successfully, and it was not too difficult - fantstic. However, got stopped yesterday. Tried editing product info page. Used the tpl_product_info_display.php from /templates/template_default/templates/tpl_product_info_display.php

Copied the file to mytemplate/templates folder, edited lines inside, but no change in the presentation of information. Tried to delete
"Product 1/XX"
" Previous "
" Return to the Product List "
" Next "
" Tell a Friend "
" Write Review "
from that file, but index.php?main_page=product_info&product&... pages remains unaltered. Am i editing the correct file?

Thanks in advance.

**kuroi** · 16 May 2006, 08:18 PM

Originally Posted by simple

Tried editing product info page. Used the tpl_product_info_display.php from /templates/template_default/templates/tpl_product_info_display.php

Copied the file to mytemplate/templates folder, edited lines inside, but no change in the presentation of information. Tried to delete
"Product 1/XX"
" Previous "
" Return to the Product List "
" Next "
" Tell a Friend "
" Write Review "
from that file, but index.php?main_page=product_info&product&... pages remains unaltered. Am i editing the correct file?

You method seems fine and I retraced your steps in my test database and it worked perfectly. This suggests to me two things to be checked. Firstly that you have put the new file precisely where you said, and secondly that you applied the changes to the new file and not to the one in template_default (I freely admit that I have made both these mistakes myself and will no doubt do so again).