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Did you look in the forum designated for Mac setup?
Please consider including a section on changing the font color on the EZ Pages TOC navigation bar for those of us who use a dark background here. I figured out how to change the side-boxes, etc., but have been unable to get navEZPagesTOC to remain white through link, active & visited like my navMain primary navigation menu does.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sermonzone
I'll be posting a query about this shortly, when I find the correct venue for it.
I also spent a great deal of time yesterday searching the FAQ & forum for instructions for "centering" a block of text. Something so simple (I'm sure) but so frustrating not to find it. :frusty:
I did, however, find tons of great info to take me a step beyond the user manual (which is great as far as it goes). Thanks to all who have posted here, and who are so patient with us Zen newbies!
:clap:
Quote:
Please consider including a section on changing the font color on the EZ Pages TOC navigation bar for those of us who use a dark background here. I figured out how to change the side-boxes, etc., but have been unable to get navEZPagesTOC to remain white through link, active & visited like my navMain primary navigation menu does.
Open you stylesheet.css and find the following declaration and add the highlighted portion to suit your needs.
#navEZPagesTOC ul li a {
padding: 0em 0.5em;
margin: 0;
color: #ffffff;
}
re: www.craftkorner.com/zencartQuote:
Originally Posted by clydejones
Thanks Clyde, that gets me one step closer. Now the link is white (ffffff) when clicked. However the unvisited and visited states still show up in dark blue, which is not visible on my dark red background.
I even tried going back to my "Classic" stylesheet.css & picking up the original code to over-write anything I flubbed. Then I lost the white when link clicked. I'll include my code below, showing prior changes. I went back to this when the restoration did not work.
Any further suggestions? And thanks again.
Here's the code:
/*Lines 22 - 53 had already been edited to this before my original post:*/
a:link, #navEZPagesTOC ul li a {
color: #ffffff;
text-decoration: none;
}
a:link, #navMain ul li a:link, #navSupp ul li a:link, #navCatTabs ul li a:link {
color: #3300FF;
text-decoration: none;
}
a:visited #navEZPagesTOC ul li a {
color: #ffffff;
text-decoration: none;
}
a:visited #navMain ul li a:hover, #navSupp ul li a:hover, #navCatTabs ul li a:hover {
color: #3300FF;
text-decoration: none;
}
a:hover, #navEZPagesTOC ul li a:hover, #navMain ul li a:hover, #navSupp ul li a:hover, #navCatTabs ul li a:hover {
color: #FF0000;
}
a:active, #navEZPagesTOC ul li a {
color: #ffffff;
}
a:active #navMain ul li a:active, #navSupp ul li a:active, #navCatTabs ul li a:active {
color: #0000FF;
}
/*Per your directions I edited lines 326 - 330 as follows:*/
#navEZPagesTOC ul li a {
padding: 0em 0.5em;
margin: 0;
color: #ffffff
}
Being new to zen cart, the biggest problem I have is English. A lot of us that just started with an ecommerce site, don't understand the language of what people or the instructions tell us. We don't know how to get to the areas to modify the strings. Example, how do we know where:
includes/templates/template_default/images/logo.gif
is and how to modify it.
I just bought my site from Turnkey nation and I have other sites from the same and different companies, but they use os commerce and the why they have the admin set up, it is very easy to modify items once you start playing with it. I have a lot of things I need and want to change on my new site, but can't figure out how to do it.
For instance:
How do I add a COST column to my products list?
How do I change the shipping pricing to charge a flat rate for the first item and then an additional amount for each item after?
How do I make the template wider to fill the site width?
How do I set up my site to accept data feeds from my vendors to keep inventory and itmes up to date?
I could go on but you get the point..... I am lost...
Just make the following changes: change the color to what you need.Quote:
Originally Posted by KEMentor
#navEZPagesTOC ul li a {
padding: 0em 0.5em;
margin: 0;
color: #ffffff;
}
#navEZPagesTOC ul li a:active {
padding: 0em 0.5em;
margin: 0;
color: #ffffff;
}
#navEZPagesTOC ul li a:visited {
padding: 0em 0.5em;
margin: 0;
color: #ffffff;
}
#navEZPagesTOC ul li a:hover {
padding: 0em 0.5em;
margin: 0;
color: #ffffff;
}
The Tutorial/FAQ section is a great place to startQuote:
Originally Posted by mikemcc
The eStart Your Web Store with Zen Cart book is ok,a good start. But, as a non programmer it lacked quite a bit particularly with the template system. And the section on over-rides seems to be missing some important pieces as I followed it verbatim but then when I employed the new template (copied from the old) it didn't work. A new , MUCH expanded edition would be great.
A few comments on what I experience, and cause frustration, as a new user to ZenCart:Quote:
Originally Posted by Sermonzone
1. A Directory/Folder tree.
a. Shows a listing of all of the files in ZenCart.
b. Can be expanded and modified over time to include:
1) Highlighting the user accessible files for modification.
2) Allow a Copy and Paste function of the specific file location. Right now, questions get answered with directions like, and I quote; "Open you stylesheet.css and find the following declaration and add the highlighted portion to suit your needs." (That is a copy and paste of a real answer, including the mis-spelling, of an actual reply to a request for help.) There are four files named 'stylesheet.css' in different folders.
Which one of these four files is the person being told to change? Do they have to change all four files? And, there are 30 'index.html' files in ZenCart. Answers need to be more specific about the file location of the files which need to be modified. Otherwise, it is just plain frustration for the new person.
3)Highlight, color, or put into Italics those files which can NOT be modified without destroying ZenCart.
2. Some reviews and updated hot links for new people to go to and learn basics about HTML, Javascript, CSS, and PHP. A lot of us have never tried to do this before and do not know where to begin to find competent help. Or, even how to effectively search for that help.
3. Expand the ZenCart Forum Search Function to allow 'Exact Match' or 'Exact Phrase' searches which include the "three" (3) letter acronyms ( 'Zen' 'PHP' 'CSS' 'SEO' '2CO' 'QBI' 'IPN' 'lib' and the list goes on) which everyone likes to throw around but there is no way to actually search for them.
Try a search for 'EZ Pages TOC', which has become a popular item, and you get 299 results found for the word "pages" only. It looks like the search engine has a maximum of 299 results.
4. How about some, really basic, instructions on how to actually use the website search engine. Most new people only know two ways to search; Google or Yahoo. Searching with wild card characters - are they allowed? If so, which ones are not allowed?
5. What you can actually use the Admin Control Panel to do and, really important for new people, what can you NOT do using the Admin Control Panel?
Hello All,
I'm probably the best to chime in on this topic because I probably know the least, as in...relatively nothing.
First, I'm not a programmer, and have little to no knowledge of HTML, PHP. I do have some familiarity with programs like Corel Draw, so my thoughts were that a WYSIWYG approach (Dream Weaver) to building a site would be the logical choice.
The problem is, I haven't found a good explanation of the relationships between Zen Cart (proper) and it's customizable template, versus a Zen Cart template that can be purchased, and whether you actually can use Dream Weaver to re-format/customize either of them.
I'm assuming that Dream Weaver is ostensibly a visual editor that converts WYSIWYG into the appropriate HTML/PHP/FLASH code, while the Zen Cart tutorials are manual editing instructions that require at least some understanding of HTML/PHP coding?
My biggest question starting out is: would the best approach be for a novice to select a pre-designed Zen Cart template (100's of them available for under $150) that has the desired look and feel, which would only require slight modifications like Logos and category naming, etc.....and can a program like Dream Weaver be used to make those modifications?
Or do I understand even less than I thought I did about all of this?
Thanks
Hi Ray
I'm afraid that you're heading into a bit of a dead end here.
For a static site yes. But Zen Cart is what's known as a dynamic site, i.e. it uses information from a database to decide which pages to display and what data to show on them. Dreamweaver does have some facilities to do this, but they're not very good and not compatible with how Zen Cart works.Quote:
Originally Posted by RayNAustin
Zen Cart has a default template that does most, if not all, of what you would want. You build your own template by placing additional files into a parallel folder structure to "over-ride" the way the default template works to make it function differently or change its look. Templates that can be purchased (or downloaded for free from this site) simply speed up the process of building up that parallel folder. Beware though some of the commercial templates. They can sometimes be out-of-date or inhibit Zen Cart functions if not implemented properly (and there are a few out there that aren't). Yes you an use Dreamweaver to edit your templates, though in Code mode rather than WYSIWYG.Quote:
Originally Posted by RayNAustin
Dreamweaver is a visual editor, but what you describe is a code generator. You can layout things that won't change visually and it will translate this into HTML. You can use it to insert blocks of dynamic PHP or Flash, but you would have to write them yourself, and Zen Cart is the other way round. It's a dynamic application with blocks of XHTML inserted.Quote:
Originally Posted by RayNAustin
My recommendation would be to start by building your own simple template. You'll end up going through the same steps with a paid for template anyway, but understand better what you're doing. Yes, you can use Dreamweaver, but it'll never come out of code view and my copies destined for the bin shortly.Quote:
Originally Posted by RayNAustin
Thanks so much, kuroi, I appreciate your kind response.
OK, I understand now. And with that basic level of understanding, I agree with your recommendation about building a simple template myself for the reasons you mentioned. But with my lack of knowledge with HTML/XHTML me ask you a couple of other questions if you'd be so kind and patient with me...
Your recommended approach would obviously give me a better understanding of how Zen Cart works and what I'm doing (always the best scenario), though I fear it would also require a great deal of time for the obvious learning curve (starving artists here with a very cool product in need of the most expeditious means for getting a revenue generator online). But to be clear, I don't expect everyone here to spend their valuable time just to make it quick and easy for me. I'm just trying to avoid banging my head against a brick wall (like trying to customize Zen Cart with Dream Weaver). So my questions are so that I can formulate an approach that is reasonable and doable, then I can jump in and muddle through the appropriate documentation and figure it out. With that said, may I ask you just a short few more questions?
Question 1:, alternatively, would it be a reasonable approach to go at this from the opposite direction.....that is to select a template that most closely reflects what we're looking for as a final product and delete elements we don't need or use from it? Or are there just too many interdependencies which could make that approach unpredictable and more difficult? Let me give you an example:
After reviewing the free templates on this site (very cool stuff) the "Apple Zen designed by Jade True" template has a drop down style of categories across the top menu bar that we would really like, though the template itself has a very complex set of features including items located on product information pages that we have no use for (multiple color choices, multiple prices, etc.). Can these unneeded features be simply turned off (not displayed) without creating problematic issues downstream?
Question 2: Is it even reasonable for a novice to be able to build a dynamic site from scratch in a 3-4 week time frame or is that too ambitious and optimistic, with the better approach being a static site using a simple paypal cart.
Question 3: Let's say we decide that doing this ourselves will require more time and expertise than we have.....what effort would it be for an experienced Zen Cart creator to create a customized template incorporating our specific requirements that we could then load product jpegs and descriptions?
As a reference point: We are selling handmade jewelry...three categories: Necklaces, Bracelets, Earrings. About 30 products per category, with Necklaces and Bracelets having three size choices. We absolutely do need the functionality to enter number of items in stock, and the automatic out of stock and unavailable to order element when the in stock number decrements to zero. The rest of the stuff would be the common needs like shipping calculator, invoices, shipping labels, etc, which interface with paypal.
Would that be a $1000 job....a $5000 job?
Question 4: If we do a basic template ourselves, are there adequate resources and instructions geared toward the clueless like me? Example: I understand the the cut and paste method based on some review of the documentation like overwriting our specific logo in a template by replacing the logo.gif file. But what about sizing? Does Zen Cart automatically size the new gif to fit the logo window...is the image just cropped by the window or does the window expand to accept the gif.
I apologize if some of these questions are elementary. And your patience and guidance is truly appreciated.
I'm a very new zenner:)
My first question is, how to modify the interface of the website that using zen cart? there are a lot of templates for zen cart available but can i modify it? such as change the images, color, font type, etc.
This is generally a kind and patient forum, and questions asked courteously will normally receive similarly measured responses. It also helps if it's clear that the FAQ and/or search facilities have been consulted as frequent respondents like to feel that the questioner has made some effort to find the answer rather than just posting (there are questions, already answered in the FAQ, that still get asked pretty well every day and tend to receive quite brief responses as result!)Quote:
Originally Posted by RayNAustin
Question 1:, alternatively, would it be a reasonable approach to go at this from the opposite direction.....that is to select a template that most closely reflects what we're looking for as a final product and delete elements we don't need or use from it?[/quote]That's a perfectly OK alternative approach, though in general we use switches in the Admin to turn things off rather than deleting them. Indeed, the default Zen Cart set up should be treated as showing what's available so you can choose what to leave on, rather than a suggestion that you overwhelm your visitors with information!
Apple Zen is a little unusual in having extra code to allow you to see how different color schemes would be implemented and I suspect that deleting those you weren't using would be fine. I haven't used it myself though, so you might want to pop over to the Apple Zen Support thread to double check that.
It's difficult for me to answer that as the learning curve is steeper for some than others, and the length of any project is dependent upon the extent to which Zen Cart needs to be changed to accommodate the site's requirements. But I'd say yes, it should be very feasible. Take it one step at a time. Set one objective for each day focus on it, use the FAQ and the forum to help you achieve it. And if it proves easier than you expected, treat anything else that you achieve that day as a bonus. That will help keep the inevitable frustration that comes with scaling a steep learning curve under control.Quote:
Originally Posted by RayNAustin
All the functionality that you quoted is standard in Zen Cart. It wouldn't be appropriate for me to start quoting figures for developing sites. Different designers / developers bring different skills, experiences and pricing to their work, but nobody reputable would quote without getting to know your requirements in more depth. But I will say that you're thinking realistically for a professional quality job.Quote:
Originally Posted by RayNAustin
The FAQ contains a lot of information to get you started, and the forum is a particularly potent resource to keep you moving forward.Quote:
Originally Posted by RayNAustin
We all had to start somewhere.Quote:
Originally Posted by RayNAustin
That's a very big question. I'd recommend starting with something smaller and more specific and I think you'll find that the big question will answer itself.Quote:
Originally Posted by riniuia
How about:
How do I change the header image? or
How do I change the "Congratulations ..." Message? or
Can I use an image for the sidebox header?
First as a newbie my frustration was that you advertised the book would get you up and running. In the very beginning of the book it is confusing. It needs to state clearly if you are hosting your own website. Most of us are not and we are trying to create zencart on our pc. I was told to throw away the book by one since all I needed to do was upload to my site. Still, the instructions in the book are sketcy. Lpload, zipped, unzipped ???
Secondly, after months of trying to get it to work I gave up and have jsut recently started trying again. A lot of people can understand the process with clear step by step instructions. These books assume the person has more knowledge than they do and it gets frustrating. When the e-start book is sold one assumes it contains all information and it is really only deals with your database.
We need step by step instructions including if you use fantastico and/or simple scripts to install zencart. From the questions I see a majority of people do and then have no idea where to pick up in the "book" only to realize all of the customization of zen cart IS NOT INCLUDED.
Hi KRahall,
The local setup does require some patience to set up because there are a lot of steps involved. I've had complaints from readers that some of the steps are too detailed (e.g. why not just say "unzip the file"?) while other readers have said the steps are too simple (e.g. why not say "right-click on a file, select ...").
Some readers have chosen not to install Zen Cart on their local PC because they already have a web hosting account and can run a test store from there. However, what they found useful about the instructions in the book on local setup is how it helps them "visualize" the whole installation process on their servers when they were performing a manual installation on their remote servers. In fact, some of them chose to install a local version of their store after getting their remote ones to work.
That said, the local set up is not essential and should only be used for testing purposes as I've stressed in the book.
You also mentioned that the instructions should concentrate on Fantastico or something to do with simple scripts. However, that could present more problems.
Some readers don't know what is FTP, what are web hosts, or what file permissions are. This is in addition to the problems of different OSes (e.g. Linux, Mac, Windows), software and their related versions (e.g. PHP, MySQL), etc. Furthermore, Fantastico is not a recommended installation method due to the potential problems it can pose. You can find out more from the other posts in the forums.
What I'm trying to say is that the book will not be able to cover everything (even for the setup alone) as there are simply too many permutations. In that respect, it will always come up short in certain areas. Especially as you rightly pointed out regarding the customization portion.
Instead, the book seeks to concentrate on the store functions which a store owner should know to run a store effectively instead of providing instructions to help developers/designers customize the code to meet a certain functionality/design.
For example, some store owners have reflected to me that they would have gone ahead to customize their stores with code if they had not known that some of the functionality they require already exists in Zen Cart. Some are even happier to note that the functionality they didn't know they required has already been taken care of.
PS: I'm not happy with how some parts of the book were written as well and am currently in the process of revising the book's contents so I want to thank you for your honest comments.
Currently, my subcategories have image links in the center box and are lining up on the left. Does anyone know how to change it from lining up like this:
sub 1
sub 2
sub 3
to this:
sub 1 sub 2 sub 3
sub 4 etc...
???
Thank you
This normally means that you have deleted the float:left styling in your stylesheet that causes the subcategories to line up as they do by default in Zen Cart.Quote:
Originally Posted by moejoe1976
I have just begun looking into Zen Cart
So far the information offered that tells a person how do get started is hard to find. I find myself browsing, guessing and spending hours trying to find answers to just very simple guestions. Actually I have not been able to seen any changes that I thought I was making reflected in the index page...
If this software is as great as they advertise it to be...why does someone not spend a little time documenting things.
Even something as simple as openning admin module is not explained well. This is something that should be as simple as adding a link on their start up page.
And also when I make changes to the admin area where does it go...I've honestly never seen a peice of software that advertises to make setting something up easy that is sooofulll of you know what.
SHOW ME THE MONEY!
The Tutorials/FAQ section is a good place to start.Quote:
Originally Posted by GraceBwithu
This section has answers to some of the most common questions asked by new Zen Cart users.
The changes/switches in the admin area are stored in the database.
The Zen Cart printed manual e-Start Your Web Store with Zen Cart has been GREAT! You can get it at http://www.zen-cart.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=16
And here are a few tips that I learned the hard way:
1. Do things in order (in other words, get your store fully functioning -- i.e. sales tax, shipping, payment options, etc. -- BEFORE doing ANY customizations or adding modules.)
2. Set up your OVERRIDES folders BEFORE changing ANYTHING. This is covered in the manual and there are also a couple great articles at:
https://www.zen-cart.com/tutorials/index.php?article=230&o=save
https://www.zen-cart.com/tutorials/i...hp?article=143
3. Browse the forums and add articles to your favorites for things you may want/need to do in the future.
4. Have PATIENCE... ZenCart is a great package but unless you are an IT/Developer whiz, it takes a bit of patience to really understand it, but it CAN be done.
Remember, too, that the flip side is paying $100 - $200 per month for an e-commerce hosting package, which I used to do. Now I'm devoting a little time and energy to learning Zen Cart and saving over $5,000 annually by doing it myself!
Good luck and Enjoy!
Being totally new to Zen Cart, I was pleased that the shop install went so smoothly - just followed the destructions.
A client wants me to add a shop to his website. I have some product photos and want to start simple with just 1 vanilla page of products.
This link http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?t=36131 is a mega help and it will be my reference until the smart book arrives. If you have other suggestions, let me know and thank you in advance!
:clap:
These are all great ideas and observances. I would agree that something showing the outline of the file structure along wiht a cheat sheet on how to change all the file we need to change in one gulp - sales message -welcome etc. Basically a thorough explanation of the Developer's tool kit - and Yes, YES, a guide showing us all the CSS files we need to change with specific results of what happens.
Thanks for considering this ...
what about the whole price per product shipping? each product has diffrent shipping price. full instructions on how to do this?
a "what if youve changed settings in the wong place and dont know how to correct them" section.
Very newbie here! The best of top 10 questions should be how to install the program. I've looked on the forum and found a few suggestions like installing EasyPHP and Wamps, but I'm a dunce here. I downloaded them and still can't get started. Could someone tell me how to click and go.
Marcia:huh:
But did you look in the docs directory after you downloaded and unzipped ZenCart?Quote:
Originally Posted by kidzkitchenlady
Did you check the tutorials/FAQ section - How Do I Install Zen Cart? or Installing Zen CartQuote:
Originally Posted by kidzkitchenlady
Changing metafile tags...how is it done? I know I put them in when I installed Zen Cart a year ago but I'll be darned if I can remember how I did it. I looked in the handbook and in the FAQ's and searched this forum but no luck. Can you please tell me where they are stored on my Zen Cart set up and how I can get in and change them. Thanks. I have tried to change index.php but that is not where they are stored.
Have you checked includes/languages/YOUR_TEMPLATE/meta_tags.phpQuote:
Originally Posted by fabienne
Many thanks! It worked great. I downloaded meta_tags.pho to my Top Style text editor, added the necessary metafile tags, loaded it back up and it changed the tags on my site. Great! Merci!
Glad to help!Quote:
Originally Posted by fabienne
After much frustration, I finally figured out how the "attributes" work. Now, however I am stuck on the changing of "Sales Message Goes Here" etc. I have read the FAQ's, unfortunately, I am unable to translate the lingo and I am completely lost. Where, where, where??? do you find the files that are to be edited. Which link "catalogs?" "tools?". I am in need of a sort of step by step. I am an extreme beginner but I am ready willing and able to learn fast. Please, someone out there help! I am going bald pretty fast:frusty::no::wacko:
It would be great if there were one page that used all of the styles but wasn't used on the site that I could pull into Dreamweaver and style it up and see my changes in real time, since Dreamweaver will modify the CSS source from a page calling it. This would make it quick and easy for people to change their designs (as long as they use Dreamweaver, at least).
I have found a problem with the pop up window being 25mm too short to show the full image regardless of image size. I have noticed that a post was made in 2005 complaining about it, so it would appear Zen Cart has always had this problem. Below is a work around and works with no problems on our shop......do you think it is now time after so many years that you made a patch for this problem:censored:
To make the image popup window show the picture the correct size without cutting the bottom off? I went to the following page:
includes/templates/template_default/popup_image/tpl_main_page.php
on this page near the top I found this line:
?>
<body id="popupImage" class="centeredContent" onload="resize();">
<div>
I then deleted the () after resize so it looked like:
?>
<body id="popupImage" class="centeredContent" onload="resize;">
<div>
to then centre the box I went to:
includes/modules/pages/product_info/jscript_main.php
after screen Y I changed left=150 to left=500 in both lines
My picture now shows correctly in the popup box and the box is in the centre. Hope this may help if anybody else has the same problem I had.
Regards
K
Use Firefox with the Web Developer & Firebug add-ons then you can easily identify the css of any element on any page, modify it in real time - only YOU see the changes on your screen until you save and upload those changes.Quote:
Originally Posted by volarete
Firebug actually displays the hierarchy of the style on the element, allowing you to easily find why something you are trying to do is not working exactly as you expect.
It's free.
[FONT="Georgia"]:frusty:[/FONT] Whoa! .... This is the first day that I installed Zen Cart via Fantastico. I am just an average "Jane" who doesn't have ANY technical knowledge. Liken me to your Mom or Grandma, if you will. Though I am sharp and pick things up, I just need to know what it is that I need to pick up.
I went to download one of the templates and then it occured to me that I have no idea where to put it! And then how to get where it needs to go, in order for it to appear ... like magic, right :dontgetit ....wrong. Not so easy or simple, at least for me.
Will it (the template) then show up on the hosted site I have, since I installed it (Zen Cart) there? or will it stay inside My computer? How do, or what do I do to get it to show up on my hosted site?
I read from your facts area, the tutorials on this site, and the tutorials on my host site (hosted site's a snap to understand). So actually doing the basics is not going to be hard. Bravo, confidence!
But, getting a template will to show up and be useable will, one of the free creations, which are awesome. But, after I somehow get it to show up, how to I upoad an image or logo up...like climbing a mountain, but since I am a mermaid, I suppose I can just float up that mountain!:blink: Do I need an HTML editor? I downloaded one NVU, very simple, it seems, a Mozilla creation. Am I FTPing stuff to my hosted site? Am I making sense?
You wanted suggestions for your book. By the way I need to get that book shown everywhere for $44.00, can't remember the name, it's constantly being advertised. Like "How to get started" I looked at it and it seems to be something a lay person could understand. Textual and visual handholding. :lamo: I'm all about that, currently. Should I ever become a Guru, then "not". pffff.
Yes....why don't we have a handholding book, for people like me, who don't know squat about CSS, HTML, code, script, PHP, MySQL, overiding, underscoring and yippity do dah day!!! :ohmy:
I have two suggestions: (didn't I say that before?)
1. Write something in language that ANYONE, ANYWHERE...could understand. Knowing that there are people out there who want to try this shopping cart out, we hear it's powerful and free, and we want to prosper and be able to buy a car or fix our teeth, too. Ensure it is concise, don't go off into never never land, because we will "never" find you. Think how I or others just starting their business would think.
A. Don't have $$$, can't hire a programmer. Often the case.
B. How do I get it to look similar to my existing website, or create a store that represents my products, etc. Creative Control for the novice in computer use. Not that someone is a novice in computer use, but in website or shopping cart design and application. I would kiss the ground you walk on!!!!!
C. Create a WYSIWYG program and be done with it! Imagine the possibilities. Then Zen Cart would not be so hard to use, for a wanna-be Shop owner. This would be sooo useful.
D. Integrate the WYSIWYG with the Product Manager, offer it as an integral part of Zen Cart.
Take the virginal insanity out of the whole thing, PLEASE!
:clap::
I will hang in there and try! It looks like I need to go back to school to use a shopping cart, pretty much. I just want 2 more things, at the initial set up ( I just said I want 2 things up above :P). (think brick and mortar) what does someone need in a brick and mortor initial set-up.
0. Ground Zero...they need to become oriented toward being a business owner and how to get set up, AH-HA, I need a file cabinet, I NEED FILES! what kind...where ? I need to tear down and build a shelf. Gather the tools, gain some knowledge and execute.
1. They need a place to sell, first of all. And it needs to be painted and spruced up before customers can come in. How many people like going into an undone store? We love great looking stores, boutiques and so forth. Customer like ambiance, so do storeowners.
2. Next they need to bring in products, label them, set their prices, displaying them, order more, do their books and so forth.
I am simplifying it a lot, but you get the idea, aside from getting legal and so forth. The basics integrated for the common person. And, made part of the open source community, without some vulture coming and charging a zillion dollars for it. Simple, compassionate and humane.
How do I find out what files to make? And where, on my computer or can I direct it to my upload manager in my computer to put it in a file or my zip utility? What do I label the file as to direct it? Will the template set up automatically then, or do I need to do other things? Or am I not getting it at all. Someone needs to explain to me the "it", so that I know what "it" is that I'm not getting.
I really do need some help, and to pick up that book...but if you could consider some of my suggestions, that would be awesome.
Thank you
Mountain Mermaid 007
okay i have not read the whole thread but
the biggest issue i am having is learning my way around the back end of zen, i mean it couldn't be simpler but to someone who is starting to get the feel of being zenned i would definately buy aQuote:
Originally Posted by Sermonzone
other than that the FAQ and forum searches have been pretty resourcefull and feel pretty confident about my zen storeQuote:
"...things every New Zenner should know but doesn't know where to find."
I have bought and read the estart instruction book and all the help files and still can not find where to change the content of the box that comes with the advertisement for the estart instruction book. Any suggestions?
Some are sidebox banners that can be turned on/off/deleted in
Admin/Tools/Banner Manager.
The big one in the middle has instructions under it on where it's located, how to edit/remove, etc:
This content is located in the file at: /languages/english/html_includes/classic/define_main_page.php
You can quickly edit this content via Admin->Tools->Define Pages Editor, and select define_main_page from the pulldown.
NOTE: Always backup the files in /languages/english/html_includes/your_template
Thanks. I have been to that location a hundred times in the past three days but never clicked on edit which of course is where the changes are made.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NattyCat
Hi Nat,
I hear you, I gather you are having/had the same problem I am, I
centered my logo and now there is a gray bar underneath and as i dontno what it is i cant get rid of it. Dont suppose you have have solved some isssues you could help me with.:unsure:
I would really appreciate any help
www.bcallpack.com.au
Karen
I wish there was some sort of blank template with labels showing what each section is called it would be much easier to change things if you knew what they were:no:Quote:
Originally Posted by NattyCat
Maybe this visual will help:
http://www.zen-cart.com/wiki/index.php/Visual_Overview_of_ZenCart
I would love to this this doc.
Problems I had with, were:
I did not know how to ask a question on this forum (yes it was that bad!!), as it is called "thread".
How to create categories for my products ? I have read something on tutorial on this, but I do not find a "new category" button in my "catalog"/"category/product" menu..
What is a Meta tag.
I might contact you again as I go...
I think the forum is good but you waste a ton time trying to find your answers. I've struggled trying to decide what product to use and have decided on ZenCart to move forward with one of them. Anyway....
Best Practices
tips and tricks - seems the FAQ section is more of a tips section
What NOT to do!
I would agree a basic framework would be nice
Some pictures illustrating where things are located or how it's impacted... I like picutres!
Perhaps two tracks - programmer track | cart owner/author/modifier whatever
Common modules to consider and why
This was a good start - thanks
I know the feeling, GraceBWithYou. - I have spent over a month just chasing down little details and getting very peed off with the lack of help that I find or receive on many little, frustrating things that I need to sort and simply cannot (usually in common with a number of other users seeking answers on the same or similar subjects).
Fortunately for myself I am familiar with most of the aspects of the cart, but could really use some kind of road map for the PHP side of things.
- There is no end of help to be found for the aesthetics or the cart, and many people are requesting help on this; although CSS is very easy to get into, but trying to get into the PHP side of things is complicated by the use of deeply nested commands, and multiple arrays which can, no do, make modifying the PHP in Zen Cart absolute hell.
Added to this is a marked reluctance by those who know to help with many aspects of PHP coding or telling you which files are associated with what. Don't get me wrong, though, Dr Byte always tries to help when they are around, Kuroi, Glen, Misty, Ajeh, and Kobra too, to name just a few.
I will try to help you if you are having a particular problem with something, just don't get discouraged if your posts go unanswered, especially when they are not simply along the lines of "how do I change the background colour of my index page?"
Nice overview link, TShooters. - Now we just need some for the PHP side of things...
...although, let me guess...
...that's probably not a good idea until the release of 4.x.x when all the code will change again... :D
Unbelievably confusing! Somebody ought to be able to explain in 1, 2, 3 terms how to change something simple, like "Sales Message Goes Here." Great, a good start is, where do I go to find it to change it? Is this too much to ask for? Thank you! A Big Newbie Here!
Somebody has. It's in the FAQ.Quote:
Originally Posted by f1mktsol
This is nice, but, where is the: "includes/languages/english/header.php file" I have no idea what this means or where this "file" is located. Thank you!Quote:
Originally Posted by kuroi
The header.php file is in your site's includes/languages/english folder.Quote:
Originally Posted by f1mktsol
OK, call me really dumb, I am, and that's just the way it is. But, where is my; "The header.php file is in your site's includes/languages/english folder."? Do I look in the Admin. Panel? Where? Thank you!Quote:
Originally Posted by kuroi
If you have a copy of Zen Cart on your computer then look at the folder structure and you'll see a folder called includes.Quote:
Originally Posted by f1mktsol
inside that folder are various other folders and files
look for a folder called languages open this folder and
look for a folder called english - open this folder and you should find a file called header.php
Did you try something simple like going to the Tutorials/FAQs or the Wiki or the Search on the forum and search for:Quote:
Originally Posted by f1mktsol
sales message
You get an awful lot of explinations ... and many are 1, 2, 3 you are done type answers ... :smile:
Every time I go the FAQ's I always get a long list of answers similar to this one; "Did you try something simple like going to the Tutorials/FAQs or the Wiki or the Search on the forum and search for: sales message." Beyond that, not much help. Thanks for being a sport, though.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ajeh
I have some advice for anybody who cannot find out how to do something that may or may not be really simple depending on your skill set(s):
Goto Google and enter "zen cart xyz", where xyz is the issue you are having, eg: "zen cart remove sales message".
This is effective at least 80% of the time and is allot quicker and easier than searching wth wiki, etc..
What are the odds here? I did that, and guess what? It led me right back here to you! Gosh! I'd say that's about 80% cool! Thank you!Quote:
Originally Posted by some name not taken
It is, but it doesn't tell you how to remove your sales mesage! :D
Also: Tools -> Developers Tool Kit - very useful for most things, but finding anything Javascript is still a hassle because, once you remove identifying details, like success.gif, they become impossible to tell apart.
I believe the next version of ZC is going to incorporate something to deal with this, along with improved functionality for tracking SQL lookups - excellent!
I've read the FAQs and have a general understanding of what steps I must take to modify my page. For example: I'm trying to change the sales message. I've discovered the directions to make the change
To change the “Sales Message Goes Here” or “Tagline Here” text to say what you want open the includes/languages/english/header.php file in your text editor. Find the following line of code:
define('HEADER_SALES_TEXT', 'Tagline Here');
Replace the tagline text with your own text, making sure that the single quote marks are not left out.
Save the edited file to includes/languages/english/custom/header.php and upload it to your server.
The problem I'm having is finding the the file. I've searched my computer files. I can't locate it on my admin page. I've tried Tools>Developer Tools Kit and Define page editor, but I can't seem to find the actual file. Please HELP!!
Please disregard my last post. Thanks
I have had Zen Cart for about a month now and am a complete newbie to online shops. I am having some problems with the real simple stuff...so at the moment I cant even visualize a complete shop!
If anyone out there can help me:
1. My 'Welcome Guest' needs to be centered plus I want to use different text, colours and wording. I have no idea how to run a text editor, nor can I find one on my computer.
2. My main page needs to be real pretty. Colours, fonts, wording all need to be centered and colourful. I can't even find this stuff!
So if you want to know what this newbie needs its:
The front page changed to suit.
To take one product and take it right through its journey to being live, online and ready to be brought.
I cant even change 'Welcome Guest would you like to log in' at the moment!
Any help would be appreciated
Answer 1) Read the fora carefully, searching out each specific topic in turn to gain your mastery of the world of Zen Cart.Quote:
Originally Posted by cherrytree
Answer 2) Buy the book (see top of most pages on this site) and work through it. Should take a few weeks to get a good grasp of the essentials.
Answer 3) Patience, little grasshopper.
:smartalec:
Hint: look as the CSS in the templates, once you've created your own template.
I have done this act probably three times and each time I have to search and search where to remove the text "Congratulations! You have successfully installed your Zen Cart™ E-Commerce Solution."
I should write this stuff down. Can someone please direct me, again?
Please and thanks!
If there is a way to replace the dynamically generated text links in the navigation with custom buttons you have created that would be great to know.
Just head to the FAQ and search for "congratulations".Quote:
Originally Posted by SaMortensen
Yes, you should write it down.Quote:
Originally Posted by SaMortensen
That was my first priority when setting up my cart, make a note of every single step throughout the process so I could search back for the one I wanted, and add my own little notes, comments. etc.
Secondly, buy the book, if you haven't already done so (see advert at the top of this page) to guide you through a lot that will mystify you.
As for editing that comment: Admin/Tools/Developers Tool Kit will help you search and find the relevant page to edit. The use your text editor or web editor like Dreamweaver to correct it.
And make a note of it...
:smartalec:
THANKS KUORI!
I wrote this down in my Zen book, as the book does not mention where to change this so I have it on the page prior to Chapter 16 - simple customizations.
Worldmaker - yeah I have the book, but as most people will tell you, it doesn't include many of the other customizations that we need to make. Thanks for your input though. :D
:smile:Quote:
Originally Posted by SaMortensen
Very true, that's why I made notes of my own from the very beginning.
:smartalec:
Hi, Did the guide ever get finished and if so where can I get it.
As I am completely new to Zen and could do with some serious help with understanding the files.
eg: uploading different software and which files to put them in as I have been trying to install Easy Populate and find I am having serious problems. And yes I have read the INSTALL page over & over and cannot really make much sense of it.
Please remember that some of us have never done anything like this before and do need a lot of help.
I tried to get help from my host and am told:
"You get free support when hosting with me but naturally I am not going to start telling people how to do my job or I will not have one."
All this after getting told ""I do give support for zen cart too. I also like to teach my clients how to use it and do things themselves.""
So will probably be changing hosting in the near future.
Regards Andrew
This thread was originally started to gather suggestiions on basically what the title of it says. Articles on those suggestions can be found here in the FAQS/Tutorials:
https://www.zen-cart.com/tutorials/i...hp?category=16
Which Easy Populate version are you trying to use, and what
specifically in the readme.txt/install.txt is confusing to you?
Also, Andrew, it's very helpful to have an unzipped copy of the
Zen Cart version you're using (1.3.8a hopefully!) on your hard drive so you can acquaint yourself with ZC's file structure.
Thanks for your replys did work it out with a little help from the forum and Tutorials/FAQ and I have learnt a lot reading all the posts.
Thanks to everyone who has helped me
Andrew
I've been using ZenCart for about 3 years, but consider myself a newbie because I have yet to develop more than a very rudimentary undertsanding of your system. Back in the days of DOS and dinosaurs I wrote computer programs, published a text of structured programming when spaghetti code was the norm, I still do a lot of HTML coding. So I'm not a complete knotthead, but making modifications to this thing is mostly beyond me. The major impediments to learing are:
Zencart itself explains so little. In a list of things to be configured you display a list of titles, if edited, it repeats the title and tells you to set a value. The new version, admittedly, is better about showing what values are acceptable, but if don't know what the title means, you don't know what it does. Attributes are somtheing I use a great deal and have gotten pretty good at the basic stuff, but I still don't know what Price Factor: Offset: means or how it can be used. I'm priobably missing something wonderful here, but can't find an explanation.
Finding explanations is a real chore. Searching for something using the title of the item rarely yields useful information. Generally I get a list of scores of pages of discussions about the general topic, ie if I search for Price Factor it will hand me every thread available on attributes and I have to spend a week an a half of spare time trying to read them all looking for that one message that explains Price Factor as an aside while answering a question entitled How Do I Display Color Swatches for Attributes?
I am currently searching for reasons that the Price Discount function is ignoring the Minimum Qty and discounting all sales for a new install I'm trying to build. Searching for Price Disount lands me back in the haystack of attribute discussions. But I dare not post a question until I've read every last post in every forum or some gnarly ZenDev will snarl at me "We've already answered that, do a search" If SEARCH worked, I wouldn't be bothering you!!
Keep in mind now, that I'm still searching for answers because I reccommend ZenCart to anyone asking me about shopping cart software. Especially if they need customization. So I'm not dissing you, just answering your question.
Other areas:
Templates: I always have to hire someone to make a template to match teh rest of the store and install it - taht's all black magic to me.
Stylesheet - I have a terrible time trying to change font sizes and colors without blowing up teh entire web site (and having to hire a ZenMaster to fix it)
Road Map: The Zen Cart script is such a labyrinthic maze with multiple duplications of files, that it is very difficult to figure out which gets edited, even if you can find where it is. I understand that its power and flexibility require this complexity, but the claim that ZenCart id extremely user friendly only applys if yuo are a programmer familair with the guts of this thing.
Well, everything else I could say has already been said at least once. I second what they said. What it boils down to is that programmers write for programmers, not for people. You folks have your own language, maybe even your own society, you understand what you're doing just fine, but we don't. We need to be able to ferret out answers.
Which is what I'm SUPPOSED to be doing right now. So I'd better get back to my reading or I'll be a grey-headed old man before I fint that one line of text that offers the holy grail of an answer.
Many people find that searching the forum is more productive if you do it from Google -- crazy sounding it is, but work it does.
In a Google search bar (or on Google of course) enter "zen-cart: [your search term goes here] "
So searching for "zen-cart: price factor offset explanation" (you can ignore capitals and punctuation) gives a list of hits, of course, and the answer you need is number one on page one.
Rob
That goes for me too. Been designing sites for a while now, but am fairly new to CSS in the sense that when I design it my self, I always always fully comment it, ie
//The next bit changes the colour of text on the third box from the top on left hand side// etc etc.
I have got around this using firefox and the web developer plug in so I can then see which bits of css are affecting which bits of which page, but boy oh boy would it have sped up the process to have a fully commented stylesheet in the first place. Greedy I know for a free product but a lot of people with no idea how to find out even the basics are just getting stumped by this.
We all want to be able to easily figure out how to change the colours, the colour of the text, the top and bottom images, and the various messages with ease. One day when I'm old, I'll have to learn how to do all this proplery!
I know not very much but if I can help in any way I will!
I wish that I had never got zen cart, it is so hard for me to use, all i want to do is change my fort colors, i know it is in css, but i don't know how to access it, I bought the book and still can't figture it out, i don't think I'm the only one that feels that way.
I don't know how to access html either form my favorite text editor. I don't have a favorite text editor, I don't even know where to find it.
and they are not telling you where to find it, because your already supposed to know all of that stuff. If you can tell me how to change the font colors, it would be so great!
Thanks
Dave at stonecraft1
Download and install Firefox..then add Web Developers Tool Kit...Quote:
Originally Posted by stonecraft1
edit text .. use notepad...
Hello. I am trying to install a new template. The problems I am having is that I don't know where to upload the file so that I can install it. I have put it in my root folder where it told me to, but zen cart will not acknowledge that I have done so. I am most likely putting it in the wrong place. You probably have already guessed that I am a newbe.
Please help me.
Zen Cart 1.3.8a
Each template comes with its own instructions, so all you can do is follow them very carefully.
THEN go to admin/Tools/Template Selection, click the Edit button, select your template from the drop-down list and click Update.
THEN go to admin/Tools/Layout Boxes Controller and click Reset down at the bottom.
Rob
I know but where do I put the unzipped template file? It says to put it in the root folder where Zen cart is installed. I have tried putting it in every folder I could think of that would work, but Zen Cart will not acknowledge that it is anywhere. I have Zen Cart installed here www.mywebsite.com/cart Is this where I need to put this file. I have read the instructions, but it just says to put it root folder or wherever the cart is installed. Thanks for helping me. I greatly appreciate it. I am completely new to this.
Templates go intoQuote:
where do I put the unzipped template file? It says to put it in the root folder where Zen cart is installed.
/includes/templates
hello there Zen Masters...
i am brand new to the world of the Zen Cart and will clear up that i am a hairdresser by trade...:blink: not a profi when it comes to css php ftp...
qu.) can some one pm me the links i need for tutorials into the following...
1) sales messge goes here...
2) customizing layout
3) basic how to for a first day on Zen set-up
thanks and look forward to getting to know the Zen Masters as time goes by.
Pos
www.productsofdesire.com
(hairdressing retail products store when it is up and running)
click on the tutorials/FAQ link at the top of the pageQuote:
Originally Posted by Products of Desire
Sir, you appear to be a veteran zenner.
I have three questions that don't appear to be be covered in the FAQ or forums.
I have operated successfully two zencart sites, one for two years and one for 4 months. The money turnover is great, no problems but I pay heavily for Adwords and Overture.
I need to edit the html section that I see when I click >view>page source in the browser.
Q's
1. Where do I find that html coding mainly the meta names section
2. Neither site has a page ranking at all even though there has been over 600,000 visitors to the sites over a couple of years. Why and how do I change it ( they have been submitted sensibly to all the relevant engines and they get spidered regularly).
3. Seo seems to favout html not php. There are very few php sites in the top general listings, your thoughts?
Thanks in advance
Frustratedly
Maveric
If you want to see the sites:
www.leathermanmultitools.co.uk
www.towelsandbedding.co.uk
You don't. The HTML (or strictly XHTML) that you see when you look view source in your browser is generated by Zen Cart's PHP. I recommend browsing the FAQ entry about controlling meta tags to learn more.Quote:
Originally Posted by maveric
I've seen this happen in the past where people get their robots.txt or meta tags wrong and inadvertantly tell the search engines not to visit, but that's not the case here. As there's no obvious reason why these sites shouldn't have a page ranking (though I can't rule out there being an unobvious one), it's most likely that they're on Google's blocked list. This may well have happened in the past with the reasons now removed, but sites don't automatically get unblocked. Google have a mechanism for applying to be unblocked. I recommend searching the google site for more information.Quote:
Originally Posted by maveric
This is simply not true. Search engines love content, lots and lots of high quality content. Those sites that deliver it go top, and nowadays it's simply not feasible to do so with a static (HTML) site, top-ranking sites are therefore usually dynamic and the most commonly used language for developing dynamic sites is PHP. Google have stated publicly that they have no problems crawling dynamic sites, i.e. don't favour static ones. I wonder whether you have been fooled by the increasingly sophisticated URL re-writing programs that can make dynamic URLs look like static ones to make them more readable to visitors.Quote:
Originally Posted by maveric
Sir,
Thank you for your comments.
I will do some more research and come back to you.
As an aside, a colleague who turns £5m plus over the web is unnerving me when he talks about the fact that html straight code gets him into the general listings easily whereas php has caused him nothing but issues and consequently reverted to front page as his modus operandi.
Thanks again.
John
I am completely new to this and need someone to direct me to a step by step guide to building your first ZenCart. The claim that ZenCart makes that you hardly need any computing knowledge is completely false.
And before anyone replies "Click on the FAQs at the top of the page" let me make it quite clear I have done so already and haven't a clue what most of it means. FAQs are no use if you don't have some of the basic building blocks understood, and trawling through pages of irrelevant Qs on the off chance of stumbling on one that actually answers your question in a way that you can understand is no way to proceed.
I've downloaded the latest software to my Mac PowerPC (not Intel) and now have a folder full of folders full of other folders including one called zc_install. I figured the best thing was to go to demo/mysql_demo.sql. But when I click on it I get prompted that there is no default application to open it and I have no idea what application would open it.
I can build a site with XHTML and CSS but that's it. I don't understand about scripts, MySql, PHP or any other references to anything outside what I've used in Dreamweaver.
So hopefully some kind person will see that I left college before computer graphics was invented and don't have the basic knowledge that everyone else seems to take for granted. I do however pick things up if people speak to me in my own language. When I do get my head around this I might just set up a site that really does communicate.:frusty:
Update on my progress. After much scratching (about 7 hours all told):
I have got Zen Cart running on my mac.
I have created my own template folder with a new template_info.php
I think I have created a new template set. At least I followed the instructions. Problem is there are no templates in my new templates folder
So I'm stuck here. I'm not sure what I should do now so that I can build my own site. I was under the impression that at this stage I might be able to hack away at some template and remove all the files I don't want or edit the CSS in some way. Can't figure out how to do that.
I tried pointing my browser at index.php but I just get a blank page which I half expect seeing as I haven't actually done anything that would update it from its virgin state and that is confirmed when I open it in Dreamweaver. I'm floundering in the dark now.
Could someone point me in the right direction. If anyone is that interested, the site is up at glampamtextiles.co.uk in the form of a portfolio of work and my client wants to make it an ecommerce site. So that should give at least some idea of what I'm trying to build.
This is my 2nd install of ZC within 2 days. The first one I installed in /public_html/fotosbyerika.com/zen. I couldn't figure it out. I want to sell my photographs online but I got error messages instead. I changed the name to oldfotosbyerika.com and did a fresh install, this time into /public_html. I then renamed it fotosbyerika.com. That seems to work better except that I don't like anything about the theme.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sermonzone
So, I guess what would help is a little hand-holding and walking us newbees through the process. Once up and running, we won't need you quite so much. Oh, I don't want to buy the book. Is that bad?
I've been running websites for a few years now but still find myself stumped by new programs. Mostly, I've been using WordPress and Coppermine.:P
Would you drive a new car without reading the owner's manual to find out what all the buttons and switches do? The eStart book IS the Owner's Manual. It is your choice.Quote:
Oh, I don't want to buy the book. Is that bad?
This is the 594th reply in this thread; the forum as a whole has 680,532 posts; let's assume that just 5% of those are answers to questions - that's 34000 answers...a fair bit of hand-holding I'd say.
You don't want to buy the book - your choice, but believe me, if you want to make money out of your website, a small investment will save you hours upon hours of searching for info or trial and error exercises...how much is your time worth to you?
However, let's be clear, the book is about the admin side of your store; it is NOT about building a really swish template.
I'm a small business owner not a computer programmer. I would like to see some simple comprehensive instructions in layman's terms! How to videos would be very helpful also. I'm new to Zen Cart and for me its like being in a foreign country where no one speaks English! :wacko:
There are some available BUT NOT FREEQuote:
How to videos would be very helpful also.
Veteran Zenners:
I looked into all the e-commerce sites available (open source and paid) and I settled on Zen.
Reason?
Zen has the absolute best help forum on the internet. The wiki's and other help documents are awesome as are the contributions by the veterans on this forum.
My store is installed, looks good (for now) and all it took from me was some research within this forum.
Thank you to all the veteran posters who take time out of their schedules to help make this open source project successful!
Peace,
Ken
+1 KenQuote:
Originally Posted by bama1965
A builder put up a sign that read "Free house to anyone!". A man shows up to find just the frame of the house built and all of the rest of the material needed to finish it neatly piled up around the site. The builder said all of it was free to the person that would put effort into finishing the house. The man went away sad because the builder would not tell him what the house was supposed to look like nor would he stay and show him how to put it together. Sound familiar?
I dare say that ZC has more resources to complete the framework than any other open source system out there. The framework is free, but you have to put the effort into it. I am grateful for the help that I get on this site when I get stuck. I usually only ask after having put the time in to try an figure it out for my self. Take the time to learn the basics of HTML, CSS, PHP and maybe some SQL. You won't regret it and you just might end up with a beautiful "free mansion" of a site that all you had to do is spend the time learning and creating.
AMEN!!!Quote:
7) The override system. Makes no sense when you read the basic everyday reply in a post. We need to know NUMBER ONE (like a blank diagram would be amazing) and then we need to know WHERE SPECIFICALLY the /whatever/ folder goes. Zen cart is quite a huge expandable tree and thus very easy to get LOST in. Trying to know where to put a /whatever/ folder when we don't know where anything else is doesn't work.
Old instructions - in the Wiki and elsewhere - do NOT help a 'newbie'. I just loaded the cart today and can NOT figure out how to make a custom template. This should be upfront and a very EASY task to accomplish.
I'm NOT giving up - but I will say - everything I read - for almost the past 2 weeks - Zen is user friendly. I can build in Dreamweaver and wysiwyg (which is NOT what you get) TEN websites under my belt - and I can't make a template????:frusty:
:blush: Sorry! I do NOT mean to rant - just frustrated :(
About "the" book - is it up to date with the version I just got today? I have NO problem purchasing something that will be useful in learning how to use this cart. If it's "old" - outdated info, I'm afraid I will not be able to figure out what the heck I'm doing:unsure:
THANKS!!!!!
edit: I would like to get the hard copy - anyone else have it? does it come quickly? the actual book I mean, not the 'smarts' to figure it out :)