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I got the book last year when creating my shop, not touched the shop since then, but the book was a big help in understanding the cart and was reasonably up-to-date, and you get a free up-grade for the current version 1.3.8.Quote:
Originally Posted by SandyFishGirl
As for delivery, I believe it took a couple of weeks to arrive.
:cool:
However - and this is clearly stated elsewhere - the book is about the admin side; it is NOT about template building.
Clearly, I know very little about Zen, as I just got it yesterday. From reading in the boards - the entire program is built on templates, if you will. Does the book not have instruction as to how the different "parts" come together? Could you be more specific as to the "Admin" comment? I do not want a "template" site(s).Quote:
the book is about the admin side
THANK YOU!!
The book is aimed more at store administrators than people developing sites. So it's very good on setting up downloads or coupons for example, but not so good at telling you how to build a site.
That said, I always have it nearby and find it invaluable. It's just that at a mere 400 pages(!), it can't be everything.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SandyFishGirl
The book is certainly comprehensive about all the administrative details, but that also includes the formatting, using all the options in the administration to control what you want to display and how to display it, as well as the calculations you want to perform and how.
Templates - the override system - are covered, although not in any great depth in relation to the bulk of the book. However if you have any sophistication in design and layout you will begin to understand how the override system works to create your own unique style of site, your own template, combining design features through override and layout features through administration.
I recommend looking at the many sites showcased here (see "Live Showcase Shops") to understand how well you can shape the cart to your needs in style and content. The book covers it all.
:smartalec:
Quote:
The book covers it all.
Well, if one is to use this cart, then the book sounds like a must have :) I'm spoiled by a terribly easy design program. Then again, it DID take some time to learn it. Has any one said "patience"? ha!Quote:
That said, I always have it nearby and find it invaluable. It's just that at a mere 400 pages(!), it can't be everything.
THANKS to both of you for the quick response!
edit -Yes, some very nice sites. I visited this before I got the cart :)Quote:
I recommend looking at the many sites showcased here
Hi
So im totally new here and been looking at Cubecart and Zen both very modular and confusing to say the least and I design websites in xhtml...
What you really need is a few guides..
1. A guide with screen shots on a template shop from begining to end...
2. then a troubleshooting guide module bu module
3. your css guide
4. A customise template guide bit by bit ....
I have a website already I want to turn into a cart ... but both of these carts are very daunting
Especially if you want to customise a template to look like your own site or am i missing something
If you browse the showcase sits you'll see what can be achieved with a little care. My own is a rudimentary attempt to master the system and needs a good overhaul some time soon, but if you are looking to replace your existing site with a Zen-based one you ought to be able to achieve good results, with the occasional compromise here and there to allow for the advantages of what is a good commerce technology.Quote:
Originally Posted by evil turinp
:smartalec:
I've been messing around with my zc this week, and I think I'm getting the hang of it. I bought the cucumber guide, got my modules configured, and all that. I also got Easy Populate and Tabbed Products Pro...
Then I made a mess, took everything down, and am about to start over (no big deal: I was just learning the ropes and didn't start adding products or messing with the template).
Now, before I dive back in, I was wondering whether I should work on the template before or after I configure the store in the default template. Does it matter? If I wanted to upload a template, say, should I do that before I start messing with anything else?
Thank you.
ilsita
Hi ilsita and welcomeQuote:
Originally Posted by ilsita
It doesn't matter which way around you do this. In fact it's very normal to be changing both at the same time as your site develops.
Thank you, Kuroi.
(I see that I used some variation of the word "mess" multiple times in my question. Hmmm...)
One more: Is it better to customize the new template (adjust color schemes and all) before uploading it, or does that not matter either?
best to all,
ilsita
Thanks for the offer....the most elusive aspect of starting to work with zc is that there is nothing to that provides a good, clear, overview of how the entire system works..... at least not that I was able to find. There seems to be lots of bits of information here and there and that's great to get you started but until you have a clear understanding of what you're doing you'll never figure out how to do it on your own....
I was well on my way to building my custom template, piecing together things here and there but not feeling at all confident with my overall approach..... at least that was until I read this post....then things started to click into place.
http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?t=37245
Hello,
Am a newbie to zencart. Been grinding through the mountains of posts and documentation, trying things, and getting nowhere, except aggrevated and irritated.
Perhaps the forum and tutorials should be structured in/on a level of knowledge ie. from 1- 10 , 1 been very simple and 10 being complex. Maybe a form, of checkboxes, that a user can click on, that will point him/her to the best locations for the knowledge needed at their point of learning ?
Drowning in a sea of irrelevance .....
My advice is to work on the template first, learn that and master it to get the style of site/shop you want before spending too much time entering all your product details. This way you will have the style of site you need and can then focus all your attention on the "real" work of creating your store functions and products.Quote:
Originally Posted by ilsita
Also if you are still messing around you can easily(?) create a "play" site for testing out all your ideas (don't forget to take LOTS of notes about each step you take) then duplicate them on your real site before uploading.
:cool:
Hi,
I'm completely new to all of this.
What I've looked for is a high level document showing how everything fits together, preferably in some kind of flow chart.
I mean you've got your cart sitting inside your site tieing in with payment gateways and merchant accounts etc.
The biggest wall I've come accross up to now is the Php admin and Mysql databases.
Thanks
Martyn.
This might help (available in the downloads section)Quote:
Originally Posted by wheatcm
www.zen-cart.com/index.php?main_page=product_contrib_info&cPath=40_54&products_id=378
I have been through the support for Zen Cart, and done everything in exact order over and over, but still cab't get rid of the default messages. I have added a new template, that seems to be working, but still shows those stupid messages. Please help!
Please be a bit more specific about "those stupid messages" that you are trying to get rid of.Quote:
Originally Posted by maddragon
Powered by Zen CartQuote:
Originally Posted by clydejones
Congratulations you have sucessfully installed...
etc.,etc.,
Tutorial/FAQ section (link at the top of the page)Quote:
Originally Posted by maddragon
article=125
article=129
article=127
Sigh, I have done all that...and upload what? I have edited and re-edited, nade new files and copied and pasted, and even tried making anew file in HTML-Kit and uploading that, to no avail. I guess I just don't get it.Quote:
Originally Posted by clydejones
a link to your site would be useful.Quote:
Originally Posted by maddragon
"Don't Panic"Quote:
Originally Posted by maddragon
Back to basics - have you found the original source .php files referred to in the tutorials and understood where the standard welcome messages are located?
Just understanding the layout, the root paths, of all the files can be tricky for any newcomer so a lot of exploring can help here.
The simplest way, although you must make backup copies of your original files, is to edit them directly, with a plain text editor. Use search tools to identify the documents you need to edit.
As you begin to understand the layout and read up on the template system you'll see where you can place your edited copies in a template folder for your own styles.
But for now you need a quick and dirty solution so it's on to edit the originals in the classic template.
I hope this is your test site and not your final public store.
:flex:
Test site? Now I am really confused. I only want one site. I uploaded a new template in hopes of fixing these problems, but they are still there! Haven't pointed my site to my domain yet, as it is nowhere near being ready. Need template finished before I start uploading products. This is what it looks like ATM : http://maddragon.startlogic.com/public_html/ Worse than the original.Quote:
Originally Posted by worldmaker
You are using a template called moslygrey.Quote:
Originally Posted by maddragon
To remove the congratulations message, do the following:
copy the file includes/languages/english/index.php
to
includes/languages/english/moslygrey/index.php
Now edit the copied file:
scroll down to the bottom and find the following section:
change the highlighted sections to suit your needs.Code:define('HEADING_TITLE', 'Congratulations! You have successfully installed your Zen Cart™ E-Commerce Solution.');
} elseif ($category_depth == 'nested') {
// This section deals with displaying a subcategory
/*Replace this line with the headline you would like for your shop. For example: 'Welcome to My SHOP!'*/
define('HEADING_TITLE', 'Congratulations! You have successfully installed your Zen Cart™ E-Commerce Solution.');
}
?>
YAY! One down three to go....Thanks for all the input :)
OK let's take on the logo and tagline.Quote:
Originally Posted by maddragon
First create your logo image and save it to
includes/templates/moslygrey/images/logo.gif
Now copy the file
includes/languages/english/header.php
to includes/english/moslygrey/header.php
edit the copied file change the highlighted section to suit your needs
As a sidenote: make sure the logo width and height match the width and height of your newly created logo image.Code:define('HEADER_ALT_TEXT', 'Powered by Zen Cart :: The Art of E-Commerce');
define('HEADER_SALES_TEXT', 'TagLine Here');
define('HEADER_LOGO_WIDTH', '192px');
define('HEADER_LOGO_HEIGHT', '64px');
define('HEADER_LOGO_IMAGE', 'logo.gif');
WooHoo, not the best logo in the world, but at least now I know how to change it! Thanks a million! What;s next?:clap:
Start adding your products!Quote:
Originally Posted by maddragon
i have a lot of problems with the lingo. Also so many things are assumed in the tutorials, for example, last night I was trying to set up a downloadable product. I found the tutorial about attributes & finally figured all of that out, but had NO IDEA that I had to put my file in the "downloads" folder. I finally figured it out, but I really think that the instructions for these things should be written as if to someone who has no experience. The very beginning of those instructions should have had step-by-step instructions for how to put my file in the folder, ie 1. zip your file. 2.using an FTP progran put it here: (give a tree or whatever it is called). Be sure when you name it in the attributes that it has .zip as part of the name. None of this was there & it caused me a lot of frustration. I have had so many similar experiences with tutorials & when I have posted for help. The basic stuff is left out & therefore the answers either don't make sense or there are big holes in the info becuase of my lack of skills & experience. I would include the link to the tutorial/downloadable instructions that I used, but can't find it now.
This is the tutorial for downloadable products in the Tutorials/FAQ sectionQuote:
Originally Posted by melmeier01
article=71
Near the bottom of that tutorial is the following, which I think answers the questions you addressed.
Quote:
Important Facts about Download Settings
1. Downloads are NOT Virtual Products so use:
Product is Virtual: No, Shipping Address Required
2. Downloads are NOT Always Free Shipping so use:
Always Free Shipping: No, Normal Shipping Rules
3. Downloads in an order by itself will never see the checkout_shipping page ... if you do then your Product is setup wrong for Downloads
4. If not on a Windows server, meaning Linux/Unix, /pub should be 777 and Redirect should be ON
If you cannot use Redirect ON, ask your hosting site why they cannot follow the symbolic link between the /download and /pub directories
5. If on a Windows server, /pub does NOT need to be writable/777 as you do not use this directory; and Redirect is OFF as you cannot use Redirect
6. Download filenames should not use special characters, spaces and the like
7. Download files should be Zipped for best results and browser compatibility
8. Download files should be loaded to the /download directory
9. On the Admin->Catalog->Attributes Controller you should see a green dot next to the filename of the Download itself
I'm not sure if this is spot for this question or not-
On my product info page I am trying to do a few layout things and can't seem to figure it out-
1. I want to change the size and color of font for the price-
2. I want place "Add to Cart" directly beneath the "Price"-
3. I would also like to put "Tell a Friend", "write a Review" "Next or Previous" under price With Buy Now at the Bottom and the Product info beneath that-
4. I want to change "Add to Cart" to "Buy Now"
I've been looking for hours to find the info to make these changes, please Help-
Thanks
Hi everyone, I've been customizing my css files for a couple of weeks now, and spending a lot of time hunting-and-pecking to figure out what changes what, but I'm stumped on something that's probably super simple. I tried looking it up, but I'm not sure what search terms to use in the developer tools (they seem over-broad).
So, I hope you forgive the lame question:
Where do I change the text color of the product title in the shopping cart display? I'm talking about the product that shows up in the center column, that is within a subcategory -- you get to it by selecting a category, then choosing an item from the list. The product shows up on a page, underneath a "product 1/xxx" header, with "previous," "next" and "list" buttons.
I am using a custom template, but I'm sure that this information is from the default template.
Also, I have changed the titles on the main page center column, but they do not also change on this display page.
Can anyone point me in the right direction?
Best to all,
ilsita
I might be able to help with a couple of these questions:Quote:
Originally Posted by 1fghjkl
First, the 4th question: Which "add to cart" are you talking about? Do you mean the button itself? If so, you will have to either find a "buy now" button in the files and replace it, or create one and upload it, and change the name in "/includes/languages/english/button_names.php" From here, you can also change the hover text that pops up when your customer rolls over the button.
Or, are looking to change the actual text next to the form where you can adjust the quantity? I did that, but I will have to retrace my steps, so let me know if that's the case, and I'll let you know what I did.
I am stumped myself on how to re-organize the display. I was able to move the "Add to cart" to the bottom right, instead of left, just by changing "float left" to "float right" in my css, under "Shopping Cart Display" in my main template file. But, I noticed that these items are kind of bundled together as centered content in tpl_products_next_previous.php. I haven't taken the time to pick through it all and figure that out, but perhaps that will give you some direction.
On your zen-cart admin page, under tools, is a feature called "developers took kit," which is very helpful for finding the exact items you want to edit. I have found the very last form on the page to be indispensable when I'm trying to edit something I have no idea how to pinpoint. It allows you to look up anything in any file (just write in, for instance, "add to cart" and select "all files" and see what pops up for you).
I hope I didn't confuse you even more. I also hope some smartypants comes in here and gives you some better answers.
ilsita
I am new to Zen and this forum.
The biggest help to me right now would be to have a VERY SIMPLE walk-thru example cart.
A friend who wants to sell a single book has asked me to put up a website for him. The rest of the website is not a problem.
However, I have never used a shopping cart program before. I came to Zen hoping it would be simple... and I am sure it will be once I see it done!
But I don't know where to start.
Robert
Hello!
Total Newbi? yes
overwhelmed? yes
discouraged? no
lost? yes
current issue? configuring downloads
lost my reference thread in the forum (I'm sure it's here somewhere... lol)
basic setup parameters:
photos and video footage on a download basis only (at this time). No options are needed outside of a "download now" button to add the item to the cart before checkout and download. (size and quality options will be added later as applicable) (and as I learn)
details:
created option name "download"
chose option style "file" (don't need a radio or dropdown since there's currently no hard copy production)
created option value "MPG File"
here's where I'm stuck already:
option name "download" doesn't show up in any of the dropdown boxes to match the opton value "MPG File" to it.
Maybe I didn't set up my test product correctly.
I'm confused about the settings:
"Product is Virtual" (instructions tell me to set this to "no" for a downloadable product) and
"Always free Shipping" (again the tuttorial says to set to "no"? there is no shipping for downloads???)
stuck
HELP (lol)
thanks
PS:
can't find anything in article=71 tutorial for downloadable products to tell me how to set a product for download only. It seems to insist on creating a radio button or dropdown before it will work.
Your selection of option style as "file" is causing the problem as that attribute type is for customers to upload something to your store.
Downloads require attributes that are of "radio" or "dropdown" option styles besides the other settings mentioned in the Tutorial/FAQs article you referenced.
Thank you for your reply. I've noticed that there's no visible radio button next to your own product. This is encouraging.
There is a radio button on our own product page but it does not appear in the browser due to a customization we made. However, the radio button and it's contents are still visible to search engines.
Essentially, we added a HTML 'div' tag to wrap the product attributes display area and styled the 'div' tag with the "display:none' CSS property to prevent it from being displayed to end users.
Wow...That is exactly what I felt after reading 65 pages of this thread in one day. I deeply respect and appreciate all the "Zen Masters" repeatedly answering the same questions (just even in this thread)! If you read this in on shot, you can see how many people skip reading all the thread and asking the same questions over and over. Imagine how many times they are answering the same thing through out the forum... I once struggled with osCommerce after building 80% of my shop because of too many add-ons which I wasn't sure if they are right ones or work properly and the program support was too massive/some outdated and got lost in it. Sometimes get a answer from another newbie person and I don't know if that is the right answer... This forum is great and well informed, well structured so many experts actively monitoring and supporting. I am so glad that my hosting company added ZenCart as another option. Even though I could customize the osCommerce site quite a bit, I believe there are more study needed for ZenCart customization - but I am willing to learn.Quote:
Originally Posted by micmed
First of all, English IS my foreign language so I started from the very bottom line when it comes to "learning". LOL
Often I see that because people work all by themselves trying to figure out particular function/customization without any immediate human support system at home/work so comes to this wonderful forum and tend to "vent" their frustrations...
I must say everybody have their own situations and I believe those ZenMasters who patiently reply to all the quesitons are one of teh busiest people trying to help - I've never seen the forum so kind and helpful "expert" constantly answering.
I have three jobs (having two companies), two kids with tones of sports activities, 4 hours of sleep everyday but I want to build my online website so bad that I basically taought myself HTML, learned how to use FTP, scratched the surface of PHP and MySQL, taught myself Dreamweaver and now going to phpAdmin even before getting into Zencart customization. Read Security Issues Steps right after I installed ZenCart but now I am reading threads just to make sure I am going right direction/steps.
My only suggestions to this wonderful project for newbie would be why not make a quick YouTube "How to"s for basic things that people are keep asking about? I've seen some YouTubes about ZenCart admin panel and within 5 min. I could see what Admin panel looks like even before getting into it and people can see how to get the certain files from the server to your PC, modify it and upload to correct folder in server side using FTP program and so on... Just short segment of those and list the links so people won't ask repeated quesitons... I've seen a lot of those how to YouTubes for osCommerce but not many for ZenCart.
Anyhow, I am very excited to start this ZenCart journey and hats off for those very patient zenmasters that support this community.
Cheers!:smile:
@Shinmai
In some ways this thread is rather unfortunate. It was actually started to ask new users what they needed to know (those of us who have been around for a while can sometimes forget what it's like to be a new user and where we got stuck on our way in), but people started posting questions, and because of the title it's often mistaken as the starting place for new users.
However, a much better starting place is the Tutorials and FAQ section which can be accessed from the link top right of this page.
Hi kuroi,
Yes, I've been reading FAQ, wiki/tutorials, printing contents and reading them constantly. They are very helpful. I kind of got lost when I read the "ZenCart Program Flow (v.1.3 series)" but I am sure it will start to make sense once I get to know more about this cart. Besides, I found so many other info in wiki, FAQ to help me out first.
Many people already mentioed in this thread already but for this "Things every New Zenner needs to know" project, as a newbie, I would like to see steps after installation (doesn't need to be too detailed but just to see big picture of "you are here (installed the program)" mall map kind so I know where I am and which way I am/shoud be going to reach to the "Goal" - which is go on "Live").
I know I can find detailed info/how to instructions on each part (and I found so many already) but when it comes to "steps" i.e. after installation, 1. Before doing anything, you need to read security issue and follow the instruction and apply patches (which I already printed the details and done it), 2. Read about override system and understand how it works (or at least try so you realize that you don't change the core files and make upgrade easier), and so on.
I think I can find tons of info in this forum, wiki, FAQ but I am not sure if I am doing in right order (and afraid to find out later that I did things in wrong order or missed something so I have to start all over agian...). That kind of easy to read map will help newbie like me a lot.
Thanks :smile:
I agree with Shinmai. I purchased a Zen Cart template from template-monster.com and honestly fully expected instructions on how to make my site look exactly like that right away. Did not think I would buy the frame and have to figure out how to build the inside by myself. So I too think it would be extremely helpful to have instructions after installation with every template telling you how to get from point A (installation) to B (complete up and running website that looks like the template) without having to learn everything right away. Isn't that the point of buying a template? I feel like I wasted my $140 when I've spent just as much time as I would have if I used the free cart.
Plus I bought the Zen Cart e-book and don't feel that went into nearly as much detail as I need it to so I'm disappointed with that $30 also.
I understand the learning curve is huge and there is a lot of support and documentation but I expected buying a template should have been much faster and easier to implement.
Yes, and that's why ALL your concerns and beefs about buying from template-monster should be taken up *directly* with *them*.Quote:
Originally Posted by rasabeh
Humm, that wasn't exactly what I was saying... If you read above, I was agreeing with earlier post about getting the free framed house and some people are still complaining about not getting one-on-one complete guide on how to do plumbing, paint, install windows, how to hang curtains, etc (which by the way you can find if you search in this forum, wiki, etc. in my opinion...).Quote:
Originally Posted by rasabeh
But anyhow, for those templates, I don't know all the technical part but just reading from Zencart forum (and some other sites), I got a impression that it would be some how more technical if you were to modify these since you have to know what version of cart they are using, upgrade it, understand the mods, CSS, apply security patches, etc. I am a newbie so I won't be able to do all that from the start (or take very very long time if I ever finish it).
I ordered Zencart manual from LuLu.com and I am waiting for it so I can't say how it would be helpful for me but just reading books from library about PHP, MySQL, CSS, Dreamweaver and Photoshop, I learned a LOT about basics which is helping me to get comfortable with some codes and files. I really want to set the shopping cart and go live today if I can (so I can sell all my products that are sitting in my office!) but I also think if you are pilot, you can't just learn how to fly in 1 hour and go for it just to crash the whole plane. There is no short cut for this but learning is worth it (and with 4 hours of sleep), I am trying to get to the goal. :smile:
Touche. You are totally right. I shouldn't take out my frustration on Zen Cart. This is a powerful product and I understand it takes awhile to learn anything new. For some reason it didn't occur to me that it is template-monster's responsibility but it is. I apologize...*sheepish*Quote:
Originally Posted by DrByte
I agree with your post but maybe I didn't say it the right way...I know what you mean about 4 hours of sleep...:smile:Quote:
Originally Posted by Shinmai
Quite frankly I think Zen Cart is anything but Zen like. Zen is simplicity...not having to change multiple files or visit different area in the backend to accomplish one simple task. I have the book "e-Start Your Web Store with Zen Cart", and am just shocked at the required steps for tasks that in other carts just is a single step.
The project I'm working on if I hadn't inherited it would be going to a different shopping cart.
I'd suggest rewriting the Admin completely. Organize tasks along Layout, Content, simply the Attributes. Adding pages has got to become a simpler process. Give me the option to where I want the page to appear by just clicking a check box or selecting an option (do I want it under Information or More Information, or some place else). Add the ability to create custom forms to pages.
As others have mentioned trying to find answers in the forum is like searching for a needle in the haystack.
A free cart is not necessarily a good thing. I've wasted more time trying to find answers to what should be a simple tasks, and it would have more paid for a purchased cart.
Chris
i try to hold my tongue, but seriously, this is third one i've seen this morning...Quote:
Originally Posted by crlannen
try to remember that open source is not simply a means of ensuring something is "free". it allows a broader development and support base than that which might normally be hamstrung through the politics and commercialism of shrink wrapped products.
if you truly wanted a custom solution that fits your needs but don't have the time, patience, or ability to figure out how to do it using zen-cart then perhaps you should be paying a developer? the trouble is, you're idea of organisation, standard tasks and common features is probably different to mine, so who's right? would you prefer a bloated product that fits every possible niche (and subsequently performs like a dog on prozac), or something that does what the majority of e-commerce platforms really need, and leaves the rest up to the community?
i also have found it takes some time to search the forums when i need a very specific answer, but strangely enough (and ive hardly touched PHP or mySQL before using zen-cart) i seem to have come up with a solution every time.
if you can find it in yourself, try to be a little less critical of the people and the product that *might* not suit your purpose, as it really isn't all that bad : )
* What version of Zen Cart are you using?
1.3.8 or whatever the latest one is
* Has your site been upgraded? When? From what version(s)?
A few years ago I tried OS Commerce and ran away screaming. So now I'm trying zencart. I know it's a derivative but my evil friends claim it's better. We'll see.
* What addons have you installed? When?
nothing, but I downloaded some. No clue what to do with them now. Will I break stuff by installing them? How do I go about doing that?
* In what ways is your site customized or different from a brand new uncustomized install?
I'm coming from an Etsy store. I want it to look and act a lot like my Etsy store. But this is erm. Really confusing. So it's not changed or customized yet at all. I also like the layout of American Science and Surplus's website [sciplus.com].
I would like the product pages to have a somewhat different look than the "welcome customer" page.
I would like the categories to be across the top and not on the sidebar.
I did click "no sidebar on the right side" but after looking at other shops I might instead change that to "no sidebar on the left side" so people will not have the speed hump of the sidebar in the way of their reading.
* If you're encountering display/layout problems, post your site URL* so it can be seen in action.
not live. I don't know how to make it live, but then I don't have any changes made to it, because I'm such a n00b
* If you're encountering problems that could be related to your server or hosting company, include the name of your hosting company (not their URL).
nope, the problems are all mine
* HAVE YOU LOOKED IN THE FAQ AREA for answers to your question? (ie: a search for your error message or what you want to edit/change, etc)
yeah and most of the people are pretty cool, but there are some pretty smarmy devs out there who expect that everyone should have some kind of knowledge about the back end of this. I confess I didn't read all 66 pages of this thread. I was hoping that the first message would contain a link to the tutorial they were talking about putting together in June of 2006, when this thread was started. Haven't come across it yet.
* Have you searched the FORUM for your error message or for answers to the question you're asking?
I'm still looking. I haven't got any error messages yet coz I haven't got that far yet.
* WHEN did the problem "start"? How does that compare with other events of your hosting company, changes you've made to your site files/addons, or your admin settings, etc?
Well, first of all it started when I downloaded ZenCart. I couldn't figure out how to make it work with Blue Host. So I poked around on the control panel and found out that if I run Simple Scripts from the control panel it would install it all by itself. I'm sure that this is going to cause some problems because now I have one version (still in the wrapper) on the computer, and the other one on my web host.
I didn't see any kind of button labelled "here's where you download your live store so you can fool with it safely offline" or another button offering me the option of uploading my destructive changes to the to-be-live store.
Two major questions:
one, can I use ProPay as my credit card processor. I got hosed by Authorize.net a few years ago and refuse point blank to repeat that experience. looks like the answer is no. I would love to change the option of whom to use as my merchant account. So for now it looks like it's going to be good ol' PayPal, with the call center in India, yay.
two, trying to figure out how to make shipping costs work on a per-item basis, like on Etsy. For instance, if I sell a heavy jar candle for $8 and it weighs over 13 oz, it's going to be shipped by priority mail (I don't do parcel post or UPS or FedEx, just USPS first class and priority). If I sell a $45 necklace that weighs 3 oz, it's going to cost $3 to ship. So working out by weight or by final cost would be very hard to calculate an accurate rate. So I'm looking at how to do it where I say, Item Candle is $7 to ship, or $5 with another item. Item Necklace is $3 to ship or .50 with another item. Item Incense is $4 to ship or .50 with another item. So if someone buys Items Candle, Necklace, and Incense, the shipping will calculate at $8 ($7 +.50 +.50) and not, say, $4 [incense] + $5 [candle] + .50 [necklace].
* If this is your first store, have you tested all aspects of transactions before going live?
No. I want to learn how to make it look more or less like I want it to look before I start adding products. I can put in some fake items to stub that aspect out, but I can't figure out how to apply a template. I can tweak as I go, but I'd like to goth up the basic look and feel a little.
I last had programming in 1985 when I took "Basic" on a Radio Shack computer. I admit I had a little problem with that.
I don't understand html other than <br> and <p>. I have tried to learn but it just slips out of my brain. I bought a book on html a few years ago, it would be useful if I were going to write a website I suppose. But why write one when there are templates?
I've been looking suspiciously at Joomla. I might try it. Although when my business partner said we needed a CMS I thought he was talking about the guys with the red vests at WalMart. Figured it out since then.
I know that "css" stands for "cascading style sheets" but don't really understand what dish detergent and bedspreads have to do with computers. You can use Dawn dish soap on your laundry to get out grease, but Cascade should stay away from clothing and sheets. Try Tide or Gain...
Ning and GoogleDocs confuse me. I grok Yahoo groups and some of the more BBS-like forums. This forum is bloated but I think I can navigate it. I don't understand Facebook and had to have my teenager teach me MySpace. (Why anyone would want to use them is beyond me.) "Blog" sounds like something rude left floating in a toilet.
I'm a 39-year-old commercial artist who is not a programmer. Although, in the early 90s I was a Linux SysAdmin. So I can kind of wade around through the back end of things if I have a roadmap. Furthermore... I'm married to the guy who wrote Pan and Transmission, and HE had problems getting around in OS Commerce. He flat out refuses to help me with ZenCart because he doesn't want to fool with anything related to OS Commerce.
I am not stupid. I just don't know where the hell to start. If I could buy a program that would act just like Etsy I would love to know where to get one. But evidently this is just as much of a solution as anything else out there, so if someone can point me to some man pages (I'm NOT paying for the eBook until I know whether or not I'm going to keep this as my shop software). And when I do buy the book, I'm getting a hard copy so I can keep it in my bathroom. I understand "you can't Grep a dead tree", but there isn't a lot of command-line interface with zencart.
What would be helpful is something (a file? a picture?) that will allow me to quickly get overviews on what I'm looking at so that I can manage my time better. I need to spend a lot of time making and marketing my products, not hours and hours poring over some jargonesque and over-my-head forum posts. I don't know what I'm looking at.
As I used to tell my own lusers, "I'll hand you the paper but I won't wipe your a$$." So would someone please steer me in the direction of the ladies' room? Coz at the moment, trying to parse the interface and forums seems a bit like trying to find a clean bathroom at the state fair. And the instructions are akin to the graffiti written on the wall in eyeliner, nail polish, and sharpie... and excrement, sometimes.
I have to agree, it is demanding, and time consuming, and complicated, and sometimes even uses too many acronyms. I also agree that in the absence of a "getting started" document (which I suspect most of us wouldn't read anyway), it has the propensity to make people fall on their ######## after realising what they've gotten themselves into.
So yes; you do need at the very least some idea of what CSS is, and how to customise it (even if you're using an online source for your syntax) and perhaps even some background in PHP and HTML if you want to "Be all you can be with ZC".
But then I wonder if this age of technology has just mesmerised us all into a trance-like state, where we don't think for ourselves anymore but simply point and shoot? The number of VERY intelligent people I see doing seemingly moronic things with technology (like not reading the instructions, or not reading numerous warnings) makes me believe that we treat it differently from everything else in this world.
Case in point - Let's say you heard of a new contraption that had just hit the market, stating that with just a bit of sheet metal, some vinyl and a few tools you could actually build your own car for nothing. Would any of us really be so naive as to believe we wouldn't need any mechanical skills, or that it could even be done? Would we really think that it might actually pass any standards required to be roadworthy, or safe? The issue here is, SOME of us already know if we're useless with cars or things of a mechanical nature, and therefore wouldn't take the risk. Instead we go to the car yard, buy one like most others and cry about the money we spent later.
The case of Zen-Cart however is not so outlandish - With no understanding of basic HTML, CSS and PHP you will still benefit; it's just that your desire for a specific end-result might exceed your initial capability. I do believe however that for anyone with a little patience, and a little time, it is perfectly suited to all the DIY'ers out there, and while I would like to see products like this marketed less and explained more, I also believe we're all a little like that "deer in the headlights" when it comes to software, hardware, or just technology in general.
.
Er, huh?
Now if I've got you wrong, I apologize, but I'm not sure exactly what your intent is with your post.
I keep reading over and over how new (and probably no longer) users ask for help and a guide, and constantly get cut down for their pains.
Someone on another thread (I've got about 40 open at the mo, sorry lost track) cut down another user saying that "some guy offers a free house. Another man shows up to see if he wants it. There's a stack of building material but the man walks away, sad because there aren't any instructions or even a picture of what the house is supposed to look like."
Like that's not insane. I mean, you might end up with a mansion, sure, or you might wind up with a leaking roof, no windows, a door that doesn't stay shut, or worse. I just moved out of a house very similar to that, so THAT was a lousy example. I didn't build it, either, we'd bought it from a filpper -- but I learned what NOT to do and built one much better. Learning curve, yeah, but at least you know what you want it to look like starting out. And can estimate the time involved per task, which helped me know when to hire someone else, when to buy off the rack, and when to get my power tools out and do the work myself.
Now would I build a car? No. but I might build a killer robot, especially if it was going to be a good return on the time spent.
Someone else wrote, "would you buy a car without reading the manual first to see what all the buttons and switches do?" Uh, yeah, I don't think I've ever looked in the user manual for any car I've owned. I would DRIVE the car first and see how it performed. My current car didn't come with a manual, but when the little light with the weird symbol came on I asked the dealer what it meant and they told me, and didn't make fun of me for having my previous car for 15 years.
Still another person wrote, "would you need to know how a car works in order to change the tires?" Well, no, but if the tail light kept going out I might like a copy of the wiring schematic to follow along with my flashlight and fingers to see if there's a short or a loose wire. And if there was some weird grinding noise coming from one of the wheels, a diagram on what it should look like would let me know if I should have it towed or if it was OK to drive it to a mechanic.
So I'm not sure if your post was a better disguised attempt to cut down a noob, since I'm not interested in spending hours hunched over my laptop trying to figure out some things, or a genuine moan of mutual annoyance that stems from your own experience. It could have been both.
I will not take the bait that you're offering that people get soft from technology. We've had technological improvements since the wheel was first tried out and people started planting crops intentionally. these things breed specialization, not weakness. Overall technology improves the buying and building power of humanity, health, longevity, and I will say technology might not cause happiness but it sure can enhance a dance club.
So to the guy above who doesn't want to build the house, how could he hire a GC to complete it when he can't get an estimate on what other supplies he needs, or learn how long it will take? To the potential buyer for the car that's so "advanced" it can't be figured out without poring over a 400-page tome, maybe she'll decide to ride a Vespa instead. For the person who might like to be a shade tree mechanic and not a full-time Pep Boy, well the Haynes manuals can help you know whether you just need to clean your battery or if it's time to have your vehicle dragged to the garage. These comparisons are stupid and insulting.
I'm a specialist in something else that is not ZenCart. I do pretty well with my trade and get paid a decent wage that shows me what I do is good quality. I like to tinker, and I like shade tree auto repairs. I have no interest in getting grease under my nails trying to understand how the engine works, but I can recognize the starter if I see a picture or schematic of it.
If I wanted to install a nitro system in my Saab I can find schematics online; why is it so hard to learn how to operate this piece of software?
I might like to have a new hair style but that doesn't mean I want to spend months in beauty school to learn how to cut, color, and perm it. But I would want to look at a magazine picture and take it to someone for the cut, and watch a video or read a library book to learn how to apply hair dye, and maybe get out hot curlers to test drive the curls before going for the perm.
Just because I don't want to spend a hundred hours learning ZenCart *before deciding to commit to it* doesn't mean that I wouldn't spend, maybe 8 hours on it. That's a complete work day for many people. I certainly don't expect to be able to master it but I would hope that by the end of a work day I would have something other than 40 tabs open to search through and something that looks like a thinly veiled insult to my one post. Why did you spend the energy on that, what did it accomplish? Did you further your knowledge or anyone else's? No. It's just another useless comment that does not help a frustrated potential user and now something that someone else will have to wade through.
At least with my post, people who feel like I do can go YEAH! someone else who feels like crap from trying to fool with this thing! And they are people who, given the way that one question equals MAYBE some help but also WILL involve being insulted, will probably ultimately decide that they have better things to do with their time than mess with ZenCart.
You're dead right about them marketing it the way they do. The claim that you don't need any programming knowledge is absolutely false. The idea that the forums are some kind of stand-in for what should be an obvious knowledge base (especially with the lack of a "be nice" policy) is lazy and irresponsible. I am going to poke around a little more but at this point, if what I have to look forward to every time is a jab or a jibe, this isn't really my definition of "support".
my point was simply that occasionally we expect too much out of technology, simply because society tells us we shouldn't have to understand it. once again, you DON'T need programming or HTML or CSS knowledge for Zen-Cart to work for you, as a) it works out of the box, and b) there are numerous free templates for those not happy with this. unfortunately many of us want something special, and this always comes at a price - whether the price is $ or time is up to us.
if i didn't know how to at least put oil in my car, or check the water, or the tyre pressure then i probably shouldn't be driving one unless i have enough money to pay someone else to do that. hence the analogy about the car. as for your analogy about the house, it's not quite fair. these guys are promoting that house and delivering, it's just the furniture that is missing and that is entirely subjective.
and regarding the "8hr" approach, you sound to me like someone who knows more than the average joe, hence i would have thought even you would understand that 8hrs simply aint going to cut it learning any product with such vast application possibilities. it would be nice, but i don't think there will EVER be a product that can be learnt in 8hrs with the scope of ZC.
then again, all of this is one mas opinion : )
cheers
andrejs
sorry that was probably way over the top.
I'm REALLY frustrated. poo.
Actually, that part is true as long as is willing to work without much customization. But even then, one needs to take the time to figure out how to work the Admin side of things and that can be challenging for most.Quote:
Originally Posted by lefthandedgoth
And you probably invested a fair amount of your time and possibly money in getting to that point. This is also true of people who specialize in Zen Cart or most any of the popular Open Source scripts available. For many though, they have neither the time nor inclination to learn how to customize and would rather hire a Contractor to do what needs to be done whilst they can focus on running their Business.Quote:
I do pretty well with my trade and get paid a decent wage that shows me what I do is good quality.
For those that do want to customize and/or tinker, it does help to have a basic understanding of HTML and CSS. There is no way around that and again, that applies to any of the popular Open Source scripts available. You cannot create a Web page without using HTML and improving the presentation of the Web page is dependent upon CSS. To go even further in customizing requires knowledge of PHP, JavaScript and even some MySQL.
People buy Computers and don't think about the fact it comes in two parts; hardware and software. The mechanical part of the computer is no good without an Operating System. You can use your computer as soon as you turn it on, after doing some minor paperwork, if you will, regarding OS setup. Now many will not take the time to learn the mechanical side of their computer but many will learn how to do customizing to the OS side of things. Perhaps they will have someone help them or they will pay someone.
No script is perfect but with Open Source scripts one does have the opportunity to customize things according to their knowledge, inclination to learn or dollars willing to spend. One of the drawbacks of Zen Cart is that it has "so many options" and, by nature, the more options available the higher level of complexity involved. Whether that is a good or bad thing is up to each individual. As to the attitude presented by those providing answering posts, that is just life in general and applies to any Forum on any subject. Some replies are better than others but for the most part, many are involved in this Forum that take the time to help others; and in a nice way. :smile:
But I think his point is that it CAN be done.Quote:
Originally Posted by ALiepinieks
Installing Gallery or Wordpress is literally a 3 minute operation, as is installing or updating a template, theme or plugin.
I can install Wordpress or Gallery andsearch for, preview and install plugins and themes and completely customise the colours, title, layout, boxes etc, without ever touching one single line of code.
It CAN be done. And a tiny tiny percentage get very annoyed because that tiny percentage want it to be backwards compatible with their quirky and obsolete browser, and it's not.
But whereas Wordpress and Gallery think along the lines of:
"For 99.5% of people, this is a huge improvement, sorry if we lose .5%", it seems (and correct me if I'm wrong), that Zen Cart thinks along the opposite lines. Ajax, Javascript, Flash... it powers almost everything you do every day. But there seems a fear of it at Zen, as if shutting out the 3 people in the world who want to use Netscape 3 on their Commodore Amiga would be the end of the world.
Just my 2p.
That was a nice way, thank you.Quote:
Originally Posted by Website Rob
The problem isn't that there are so many options. the problem is that there doesn't seem to be much organization in the support of the options.
Someone once compared all the operating systems of the day: the PC users were college kids living in apartments, the Apple users were yuppies living in gated communities, and the Linux/Users were a disorganized herd of hippies living in yurts, geodesic domes, and VW minibuses.
The various shopping cart programs out there remind me of those comparisons, although ZenCart and OS Commerce might be more aptly described as post-apocalyptic disaster zones which would be at home in the worlds of Max Headroom or ThunderDome. Yeah, the technology is theoretically there, and some people can traverse it (and do it well) but a freakin' instruction manual would sure be useful to most of those who would like to use it.
So instead of banging my head against the wall any further, I looked at lots and lots of ZenCart sites. Most of which are fUgly. So then I looked at my host's control panel and explored other shopping carts, one of which costs nine grand a year. I could OWN a personal programmer for nine grand a year. Well, another programmer, I've already got one around here somewhere in a dark room, absorbed in his little glowing box.
Agora Cart has a very, very nice forum. There are sticky threads for new users that appear to make sense. Right on top! You can download their user manual as a PDF. There's a place where you can buy a gold membership for $55 one time cost, which lets you have access to do more dangerous things. I was able to write a pre-sale email regarding my per-item shipping cost question, which I hope to have answered by this time tomorrow.
ZenCart does have many options. I remember my husband screaming about how bad the code was when we were trying to configure them in OS Commerce. It was so bad that we still use it as a comparison when he's complaining about someone else's code ("the surfer guy" picture we kept trying to remove... argh). Yet I did approach it with an open mind, coz a lot can happen in 5 years.
Or not.
But thanks for the reply, it was a nice one.
There are lots of VERY nice Zen Cart stores around. I think that's the beauty of Zen Cart - they don't have to be cookie cutouts of each other because the templating system is so flexible.Quote:
Originally Posted by lefthandedgoth
You can see my Gallery here: kerrinhardy.com/zen-cart/zen-cart-gallery
Cheers
K
Just to make this really, really clear, maybe even to the dude who started this thread in June of 2006.
How this thread can still be active and yet have achieved essentially nothing in 40 months and 66 pages is amazing.
A manual is not a nice thing. It is an essential thing. "The" book offered for sale doesn't seem to have an index or table of contents posted anywhere. It also costs too much for the download version when one is still trying to evaluate how much time, if any, one is going to spend with ZenCart, or if one is going to look for something else.
In lieu of that, try sticky threads in the forum so people who don't know what they're doing can go to those threads and read the instructions. In plain English.
Enable people and you will have many happy users. Cripple them and they either fight to understand, or go find something else. Probably a lot depends on the amount of time they can spend doing this and whether they feel like they have any other options.
I suspect that most of the developers who linger in the forums, waiting to answer questions, are not merchants. They are developers, with specialized knowledge. Some lurk in order to show how great they are. Some wait to see if they can be helpful. How many of them are engaged in a shop of their own?
It is obvious that this is not a store program written by a store owner. If you would like an example of one that is, explore Jewelry Designer Manager Pro -- a little mom and pop business with a really great piece of software written on, of all things, Microsoft Access.
Store owners have a lot of paperwork to do, and if the owner is also the manufacturer, there is a lot of other work to do. Not making product costs money. Taking up too much time with what should be a pretty standard install process (including customization options, like "your logo goes here") cuts into the store owner's day. If they are at work, at their store, trying to handle customers in the front room while simultaneously trying to browse the forums for answers in the back room, this process can take literally DAYS.
A lot of shop owners are pretty good at following directions or plans. Many of them have gone through the process of making a business plan, forming a corporation, creating their business image, and other fairly complex tasks. Yet the process of creating an online shopping cart is not something that is intuitive.
We are not stupid, ignorant, or lazy because we don't know the mysterious ways of the electron and how it works within the case called a computer. The ability to turn on a computer and choose what software to use to achieve certain tasks is not something to be made fun of.
Why do the developers assume that it's some crime to want a better user interface? Why do they not understand that a hard to use program (especially for the sophistication ZenCart claims to have) makes them look BAD to the masses who might otherwise want to use it?
Yes, you look bad. You developers come off as if you are unable to recognize the needs of people who are otherwise providing you with goods and services. People who sell you shoes, clothing, music (well, you probably steal music, so make sure you tip the guy who wrote your torrent program). Everything you buy online was put there by someone who is probably NOT using ZenCart... because it was too hard for them to figure it out. Why bother to write an interface for the merchants, or even a comprehensive set of instructions? Could it be that it's just a lot more satisfying to sit in front of your little glowing boxes, smirking at us?
Not a great image, really. But it's the top-level people in the "team" who are the worst offenders. The guy who started this thread over three years ago evidently had an intention of writing a user manual and then failed to do it. And there are still people today with the same basic complaint of "I don't understand what I'm doing" here on page 66 that there were on page one. The basic request for documentation and a simple user checklist for installing and customization popped up just a few posts later on page 2 or 3. So it's not like this is NEW to you guys. What's wrong with you?
This is a big problem and a glaring flaw. It should be so easy to task one of your staff or volunteers to just DO it. If someone was working on that full-time instead of being smarmy in the forums, you could have it completely done within a few weeks. By the end of the year if you started today, I'd bet.
Merchants and business owners are often very good at following instructions for things. Why not try us out with a comprehensive set of instructions written in human, not programmer, and see if the "huh" factor goes down somewhat. I know that means going through all the comments, but the person who started this thread DID ask for them. Follow through with it or kill the thread, because it's massively frustrating to think that someone out there gives a crap about the intended user when all they want to do is provide an opportunity to feel smug about their programming savvy.
what i'd suggest is a run down of the files that will require editing/customization. for example, point out the manadtory
included > languages > english > CUSTOM > [list of php documents to edit with content]
and suggest
includes > languages > CUSTOM > english.php (for footer text)
includes > templates > CUSTOM > common > tpl_header.php (etc)
includes > templates > CUSTOM > css > stylesheet.css
also, the files needed to customize for emailings. basically, all the documents required to be edited in take out default text like the infamous "Your sales text goees here."
a visual of what is what (columns, modules, "boxes", etc) in relation to the admin control panel would have been very useful for me. i'd suggest a few screen shots pages with areas circled or highlighted and labled. it took me a while to decifer what the menu items and much more the individual setting items under "Configuration" and "Tools".
zen cart has its own language because of specifying/identifying so many objects. once breaking through that, i got rolling better... even after buying the 390-page manual.
thanks for taking on making a clearer "jump start aid"
This thread was started 40 months ago to gather the most often asked questions/first stumbling blocks for newbies and put them in one place. You can find them in the Tuts/FAQs here (25 articles):
https://www.zen-cart.com/tutorials/i...hp?category=16
Get to know ZC's file structure (you say you have it on your computer). Most customizations will be made to files in the /includes/ folder. Read the articles in the docs folder (that came with ZC) about installation, upgrading, securing your site, etc.
Learn about the template override system. (Search Tuts/FAQs for "overrides"). Print out one of the charts. Here:
https://www.zen-cart.com/tutorials/i...hp?article=143
or here:
http://www.zen-cart.com/index.php?main_page=product_contrib_info&products_id=298
You can view the free templates in action here:
http://(sorry, site offline)/
Be prepared for frustration. There is a learning curve.
But, stick with it. You'll be glad you did! :clap:
Forgot to mention the Wiki ...lots of info. Link at top right.
Here's a visual/terms of ZC's basic template structure:
http://www.zen-cart.com/wiki/index.php/Visual_Overview_of_ZenCart
whether they are or are not is irrelevant i think, as its just a fact of life that you won't be a jack of ALL trades. certainly there will be the odd person who simply wants kudos, but i suspect many will be like me, who visit the forum 50% to find their own answers, 25% to help others and 25% to simply read and learn. hence your suggestions and comments will generally be well received if constructive, but ...Quote:
Originally Posted by lefthandedgoth
i think you're getting lost in your own frustration here. 99% of developers do what they do because they enjoy the process of creation. they don't secretly devise ways to annoy people, so by all means, ask for help, but pointing fingers is simply counter-productive. i can sympathise with your frustration, as i too have spent hours trawling the forums, however it is what it is. if there was an obviously better solution we wouldn't be here, except of course to participate in mudslinging : )Quote:
Originally Posted by lefthandedgoth
i have come across a number of getting started guides and "supplementary" manuals over the last few months (if i could remember more of them i'd obviously include them all here), one of which there was a recent post about:Quote:
Originally Posted by lefthandedgoth
http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?t=142499
hopefully this might assist you with your troubles.
andy
The biggest problem I have had with this site is trying to find out how to get to "includes/languages/ENGLISH/index.php" I don't seem to be able to find a way. is there a file manager anywhere? I have been incredibly frustrated with this.
A File Manager will be part of your host's control panel. Alternatively - and far, far better - familiarise yourself with FTP ...Filezilla is quite a good free FTP application
It seems a lot of new Zenners have difficulty figuring out which IDs and classes to change in their CSS stylesheets to make new template designs.
Firebug is a great plugin for Firefox. It is, without a doubt, the most useful tool I've ever come across for building CSS themes for PHP web applications.
You might want to include that in your tutorial, they will thank you for it later!!!
lefthandedgoth, I understand your frustration with ZenCart. It is daunting at first. But what's great about it is that it's a streamlined, bare-bones web application that has only what is necessary, and nothing that isn't.
This enables it to run faster, and still be fully customizeable to your needs. It's open-source, meaning the community can contribute all kinds of features. It's a lot like the iPhone really - "yeah, there's an app for that". And that means that when a client asks me if i can add such-and-such a feature, i can say YES.
But to add these features into the cart, you've got to have some coding or designing knowledge. This means you should hire an experienced programmer if you're looking for the whole enchilada. The end result will be a lean, mean selling machine! Your ecommerce site can have all the amazing features you ever wanted, none of the ones you don't, and still run smoothly.
If you want an easy out-of-the box cart that doesn't require an iota of programming, i would suggest a Yahoo! store. The store will work, but don't expect to get all the bells and whistles. You're really limited within their framework - and there's NO practical way of changing features at all, whether you're a programming guru or not.
ZenCart does have a learning curve, but if you're dedicated and stick to it, there are endless possibilities. But if you plan on only opening one online store (ie you're a merchant, not a programmer), then why learn how to install the software? Pay an experienced professional that will get it done in half the time, and at half the cost to you (depending how valuable your time is).
If you're a programmer, by all means please learn ZenCart - you'll be glad you did. You will be amazed at the possibilities, and your clients will be so happy when they get the perfect ecommerce store that does literally EVERYTHING they ever wanted it to do.
I would like some help with both of these questions. Your post was 2005, and it is now 2010, but I'm new to Zen and I need help. Hope you are still on line.Quote:
Originally Posted by clydejones
Floyd
Look in the tutorial/FAQ section search for each of the terms you wish to edit/changeQuote:
Originally Posted by floydsch
Kind of embarassing, but I only understsand the basic template offerings (yet i do have a website that is decent and in working order). I've only just now upgraded to the newest version. I just need to do a basic enlargement of my current product images. I was able to easily do this on the earlier version i thought? I looked thru the FAQs and it says to rename images this and that LG SM MED etc, and upload to a server. I don't even know how to do this! I tried changing every image setting under Configuration/Images, and also posted different sized pics with my camera on different size settings or whatever you call it (400 vs 1200 etc). Can anyone help me, using basic verbage? Thanks for helping a "non-techy"!!
jill,
the best way to get the large images is to follow that FAQ's instructions by naming those images & uploading to the server.
FTP (file transfer protocol) is how you would access your server files. You need to get the FTP login information from your website host. Download & install an FTP software (filezilla is good: http://filezilla-project.org/download.php?type=client), then login using your username/password.
Be VERY CAREFUL when browsing around in your FTP files. make sure you only mess with the correct folder, or you could potentially break your site.
The images are in the /images directory in your site. Backup the files that are there by "downloading" them into a folder on your computer. Upload the new images from your computer into the /images folder.
Good luck! :smile:
Hi,
I'd love some documentation on ZenCart, all in one document - either hard copy or soft copy - so I'm wondering what would anyone recommend? I'm finding it really frustrating trying to find the answers to my questions by searching the FAQs/tutorials, because sometimes I don't quite know what the question is / how to phrase it properly.
Thanks,
J.
Have you seen the ad for the book at the top of the page. It has over 400 pages of information about setting up and configuring a Zen Cart.Quote:
Originally Posted by WhitePhantom
Could not agree more with kuroi. It's a very small outlay for a great manual, you won't regret it!
PS: I don't have any shares in the publishers company :no:
Frank
Thanks guys, I did check that out alright, but when I saw the published date of Sept 2007 it kinda put me off... is it still current and worth buying then?
I have used my copy for ZC 1.3.7.1 and also for a recent (fully patched) 1.3.8.a install. Apart from some minor differences and improvements it is still as relevant today as it was in the Sept 2007 edition. I find it especially useful for the little bits and pieces that I have worked with in the past - but had forgotten in the meantime (oldtimers disease...)
Unless you want to do some real extensive modifications on your install, the book is a real time saver.
My issue with the book is its price.
Now, before you jump on me and yell it's cheap for the effort and knowledge contained in it, yeah I agree.
But, I'm just checking out zenCart to see if it does what I want it to. I'm not committed to it yet, even though I've just invested a couple of days working my way around this forum and going through a maze of posts to work out which patches and bug fixes I need to apply before I should even consider going live. And that's before I get to put any of my own products and customisations into it.
So, for a total newbie like me, yeah, £40 is bloody expensive. The problem is, of course, that I need the info in the book in order to work out if zenCart is any good for my needs - and to decide that, I need help in setting the darn thing up.
Chicken and an egg!!!
Anyway, must delve back in, but I'm certainly not reading 68 pages of this blimmin thread!!!! Where's the real info?
Tutorials/FAQ section (link at the top of the page)Quote:
Originally Posted by Celtic
I haven't read the rest of the thread, just the OP, and I just started a few days ago.
The biggest issues I have had with zencraft were getting concise and simple instructions. Eg instead of saying "move this document to this directory" show us a picture of what it might look like, and a video. This would probably be more helpful if everyone used the same type of web server and stuff though...
Things I wish were easier or more explained:
1. installation
2. backing up
3. changing templates, I like the guide posted in this thread but a lot of it is rather overwhelming and I just followed the install txt file. Newbies can't read 6 pages of technical text to get how something works. Please summarize.
4. FTP how does this work? Any videos?
5. Finding a free web host.
Basically imagine that you are an office worker just layed off, with no past knowledge of computer servers. Imagine you want to start a business. You want a one stop place to learn everything you need to do it. This is a good target of what your guide should do imo. If it's too much work, spread it out into a nontechnical/ updated wiki.
I'm a computer engineering student... but I'm still rather nooby. If you do this, I will worship the ground you walk on. Everything is there, it's just that it's difficult to understand.
Hi obesechicken13
I am in the midst of producing a video and pictorial guide. I will endeavour to get this out and available as soon as I can
All the best
John Chadwick
obesechicken,
1. installation
https://www.zen-cart.com/tutorials/i...hp?article=107
2. backing up
This module will give you an easy way to backup http://www.zen-cart.com/index.php?ma...products_id=81, otherwise use phpMyAdmin or contact your hosting company for assistance
3. changing templates, I like the guide posted in this thread but a lot of it is rather overwhelming and I just followed the install txt file. Newbies can't read 6 pages of technical text to get how something works. Please summarize.
1. download template
2. upload template files as instructed in the template's documents
3. go to Admin > Tools > Template Selection to choose your new template.
4. FTP how does this work? Any videos?
I recommend Filezilla, you can download it and find instructions how to use it on their website: http://filezilla-project.org/
5. Finding a free web host.
There's no such thing. It is recommended to host your website at a Zen Certified host, list available here: http://www.zen-cart.com/index.php?ma...es&pages_id=10
All of that said, if you do not have the technical expertise or knowledge to setup an ecommerce site, install a template, use FTP, backup files, or find appropriate hosting - then you should hire a professional to do so. It will save you time on getting the site setup, and a LOT of headaches down the road.
Get it done right in the first place if you are unsure how to handle the technical aspects. Imagine an ecommerce store that wasn't setup properly, and your customer's credit card data is compromised by a hacker, then you're sued for liability. Just a thought...
Is there any info for Newbies to design their own look and feel for zencart??
eves2222,
1. open this folder: /includes/templates/classic/ and poke around at the files. This is an all-inclusive template that controls the display of most any page you would want to edit.
2. Copy that folder, and rename it to your own template ie: /includes/templates/mytemplate
3. Upload those files to your store server, then go to Admin > Tools > Template Selection and choose your template from the dropdown
4. Make changes to the template as you wish and see how it looks on the front end. (you may want to start with the CSS files)
Another thought is to Google Zen Cart Templates and see what you find. There are a lot of great looking templates for cheap, that will get your store looking good real fast.
Yes thank you, I know most of these things now. It was just a big headache learning it all. Perhaps you are right that one should get a professional to do the job instead. However a large amount of the people using zen cart aren't going to hire a professional since zen cart is advertised almost like a do-it-yourself kit.Quote:
Originally Posted by jackie.taferner
I especially liked how you summarized the installation guide on templates. Imo that is how guides should be like.
And I think it's great that video tutorials will be made to supplement the text guides.
I certainly agree. When I was a newb it took me a long time to figure that stuff out. Thing is, once you get the hang of it, the system's pretty common-sense based. It's just not very apparent to anyone starting out. KISS (keep it simple stupid) is the best way to go about configuring & learning zen cart. The most obvious answer is the right one!
Hopefully we can figure a way to fix the disconnect between those that get it already, and those that don't. Just because it's easy in hindsight, doesn't mean newbies will be able to figure it out right off the bat.
Maybe a good idea would be. Some expert setting up a Zen Cart store from scratch and then customizing it etc etc.
And explaining step by step what he did.
A bit like "this is how I (the expert) did it", rather than "here is how you (the newbie) can do it".
Some weekly tasks that you can complete. I am a computer science student. Yes Coding makes sense to me, but in the end Zen Cart makes me feel like a mute. I can understand it to some extent, but can't do anything with it.
It is a bit messy for newbies.
Messy how?Quote:
It is a bit messy for newbies.
for the record, i found it a little 'messy' at first also. not to say i don't love using it, playing with it, working on it etc., but little things (for me) like language files not being referenced consistently (e.g. some sidebox info is in english.php, other has it's own file - perhaps this is by design but didn't seem that way), css being quite complex even for a default template and so on made my learning curve quite steep, albeit i enjoyed it.
having said this, i'm no computer science student : )
It would be great to see a sample page of a newly installed zen cart with where to change each item overwritten on the page. Some one could look at the item they are trying to change,edit or get rid of, and see exactly where to edit. Maybe a list of what you need to know before you start. Just a couple of ideas I thought would have helped me.
Also I just thought about how I still do not really know how to edit the individual product pages. cant just change the html and replace the page. The composing pages on the fly thing is quite confusing to me.
I have some knowledge of PHP and MySql so the learning curve has been fairly kind to me. The issue I had the most trouble with was installation of mod files. Most of the developers will spend huge amounts of time creating these excellent modifications, then type four words of installation instructions. A basic primer on what it is a person is actually doing as they try to follow the steps. This could be a document that the developers could reference in their installation text that would be super useful, and conserve their time for the good stuff.
Are you volunteering to write those instructions to share with the community?Quote:
Originally Posted by skipjensen
It hadn't occurred to me, but I am willing to give it a shot. It would be kind of fun to see it hacked to death ( reviewed by people who actually know what they are talking about) so I actually can find out how well I understand it at this point. How do I go about it ?
Try me out on oneQuote:
Originally Posted by DrByte
That is definately my problem at the moment. I'm not without basic knowledge but I'm surely missing something because I can't get mods to populate in my admin. Maybe I went to a template too quick, not sure yet. If you have written such a thing as installing mods for dolts I'd love to read it.
The process for mod installation depends on the mod, so its not possible to write a general guide. You need to follow the specific instructions that come with each one.Quote:
Originally Posted by ohandy1
What I really need to know about zencart is how to make a site mobile-enabled.
Do I need a two templates? One for the web site and one for the mobile device? Is there a single template that will do both (I plan to purchase the template (or 2) and customize).
If I need 2 templates, does Zen Cart automatically detect mobile devices? Or do I need to implement this as a plugin somewhere? I saw GoMobile on the free downloads -- are there any other options?
I saw a demo on a web site that sells mobile templates, and they set the new template as a new language. But that just doesn't sound right to me, and I don't want to spend $90 to test it and find out it doesn't work.
Any (seriously ANY) advice would be GREATLY appreciate.
Definitely! :blink:Quote:
Originally Posted by Hillbilly
Zen Cart will display (but perhaps not well) in most small devices. The "not well" part is where a mobile template comes in. There is a thread here on the forum about mobile templates. Best to search for it.
The general idea is that the small device browser is recognized and served a different template -- one that arranges in a suitable way what the viewer needs to see to do their most important activities. "Style" is not important -- accessibility is.
Rob
Not sure I am in the right location for this, but I am very new to programming and new to editing websites. I had GoDaddy upload my ZenCart but I cannot seem to edit it in anyway, may its something I am doing wrong. I contacted a lady that seemed to be very good at ZenCart but I cannot afford 100 per hour. So here I am trying to learn how to edit my website. Ebay is destroying me with all the monstrous fees. I would like to speak with anyone that can, could or will atleast help me get started in editing.
Looking forwards to hearing from someone
Thanks again
Mike
http://outdoorsuppliesandmore.com/in...&products_id=1