Frontpage 2003

[Derek Bryant]

Hi and help!!

I have an existing web-site developed with Frontpage 2003
It uses paypal shopping cart but now this is inadequate because it cannot calculate shipping by weight

I'm hoping zen cart will give me this functionality

Can anyone give me some advice?

Can I use Frontpage 2003 to develop/edit zen cart sites?

thanks

Derek

[fairestcape]

Zencart is not HTML-based. It uses PHP script to call elements from various resources, including a database (MySQL), images, defined text, session cookies, etc.

You cannot, therefore, manage the layout and content of a Zencart site using a HTML editor.

Besides, FrontPage is an awful HTML editor anyway, rendering bad code and often forcing MS protocols that conflict with browsers and other scripts.

There are a few occasions where an external HTML editor has its uses, such as creating content for some of the static "defined pages", but you have to be careful about what HTML content to "copy and paste" into these pages.

Most of ZC's layout and functionality is determined by:-

CSS
Database content (enabled/disabled via "switches" and setting in the Admin Panel)
PHP
Javascript

Dreamweaver is a better tool to use as it allows you to work with PHP code, but you need to be an expert in PHP to really achieve your desired effects.

Zencart operates on a Template format, comprising:-

a HEADER
a LEFT COLUMN
a CENTRE COLUMN
a RIGHT COLUMN
a FOOTER

Using switches, css and various other PHP components, the structure of the template can be manipulated and controlled.

In short, you can't - and shouldn't try to - use FrontPage.

[fairestcape]

Derek, if you have some experience in and knowledge of HTML, then "migrating" to Dynamic Content website development is not that difficult.

You do have to understand how PHP works, however, and you can learn much of what you need on this forum, and via online tutorials, such as those at W3Schools.

The best way to learn how to work with Zencart, is to install a copy on a server, and play around with it for a couple of weeks. At base level, you don't really need to know PHP, as zencart will function as a fully-fledged webshop with all its amazing components operative the minute you have it installed.

Before you install ZC on your host server, make sure your host has the necessary configurations. Many people sign up with a host first, pay money, then discover that the host server is not fully compatible with ZC.

There is a wealth of advice on the forum, the wiki and the knowledgebase, so take a couple of hours to browse.

ZC is an excellent cart system - you won't be sorry you decided to use it.

[Derek Bryant]

Many thanks fairestcape for your time and effort in answering my query.

It seems I can link to Zen Cart from my existing website by openeing a new window to handle the online sales .

I can see alot of benefits of using the Zen Cart software for this purpose.

Thanks again

Derek

[fairestcape]

It seems I can link to Zen Cart from my existing website by openeing a new window to handle the online sales .

Oh yes... this is quite a popular route. You can have your ZC installed in a sub-directory of the main site, eg:-

www.mywebsite.com (html-based site)
www.mywebsite.com/store (sub-dir in which ZC is installed.)

...or have it on a completely separate domain, where a simple hyperlink opens up the other site.