Building New Modules

[acetate]

Hi All,

I was wondering if there was any documentation I could be pointed towards which describes the way ZenCart works at a basic functional level. I would like to look at what is required to build a new module.

For example:
- the tree under /includes/languages/english is where text defines are made. These are used to define what is displayed on the screen when the user is interacting with the module
- under /includes/modules/pages/ a folder exists for each module with a header_php.php file
- a template file is created under /includes/templates/yourtemplate/templates/ which details the page layout for the module in question
etc. etc.

This is the kind of information I am looking for so I can see what files would be required and when they are used and why.

I can kind of get an idea of what needs to be done by looking at other contributions but a reference would be helpful to ensure I any code I write is written to follow similar standards as the rest of ZenCat and would help answer questions I come along the way without taking up others time.

Any pointers in the right direction...

Thanks.

[Kim]

Some of it depends on what sort of module you plan on writing. What are you going to do?

[acetate]

Hi Kim,

I would like to add some extentions to the Manufacturers side of things.

On my site there is a type of product which is essentially an artwork. In this instance I have set it up so the artist is the 'manufacturer' of the product. By default ZC displays all products of a particular manufacturer on this page: index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=1 (where 1 is the particular manufacturer in this instance). So that's good, but I would like to add the ability for my artists to provide some further optional information about themselves here... bio, URL, instant messaging, likes / dislikes, age etc. etc.

So would extend the manufacturers table to store the extra info, and likely put a link into tpl_account_default.php which takes a user account who is an artist to a page where this info could be entered - which is basically the module.

So for the new files I'd need I was thinking something along the lines of:

/includes/languages/english/mytemplate/artist_extra_info.php (the defines)
/includes/templates/mytemplate/templates/tpl_artist_extra_info.php (the page layout)
/includes/modules/pages/artist_extra_info/header_php.php (to do the updates to the DB)
/includes/modules/pages/artist_extra_info/jscript_form_check.php (to check the input)

Then modify whatever page produces index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=1 - I would have to go looking.

So that's what I've gathered so far from looking at how the account_edit process seems to work, but without any functional documentation I am just trying to imitate existing functionality at the moment... so any help appreciated.

Thanks