Changing the header

[tjeffries]

I'm puzzled. I installed Zencart, added a bunch of products, found things I couldn't figure out, bought the book, which guided me to other needed changes. But the simplest, most obvious thing that almost EVERYBODY will want to do is to change the header, right? Or do most people leave the Zencart banner and "Sales message goes here" up? I don't think so.

The book, $30 later, seems to have absolutely nothing to say about how to change the main part of the header. I've seen posts here that indicate that I will need to change one or two or more PHP files. I can do that, but it would be nice to know for sure which ones since I'm a long ways from being a PHP expert. Do I need to set up a complete template override system? This seems like something so important and so common it should be part of the Admin page, and maybe it is. I sure can't find it. If I'm missing something obvious, just tell me and I'll shut up. If this is obscure as it seems to be, maybe there should be some directions someplace? We are not all incarnated as Zencart masters.

If the person who wrote the book happens to read this, please tell me if I have missed the obvious (to everyone else) section where you explain in great detail exactly how to change the header, or please add it to the next version. I don't think I'm the only one who, after spending a couple of hours trying to figure out how to do what I expect to be the one universal thing everybody has to do, is saying things like:

[scooter]

i found that stuff in the faq ...
just search for how do i get rid of" Sales message goes .."
and changing header

[tjeffries]

Thanks, that shows me how to change the text. Any hints on getting rid of the banner, or replacing it?

I gotta ask, why isn't this in the admin page? I guess I shouldn't complain since it's open source and free at least to some users, but I'm amazed that I need to search the FAQ and edit code to change something so basic.

[dbltoe]

Your answer was in your second paragraph. Override.

And.....since you mention the admin.....

Have you clicked on Tools >> Template Selection and read what it says??

Nether the book, the docs, nor the admin will read for you.

And you will get a lot more with sugar than a shotgun.

[tjeffries]

Your answer was in your second paragraph. Override.

And.....since you mention the admin.....

Have you clicked on Tools >> Template Selection and read what it says??

Nether the book, the docs, nor the admin will read for you.

And you will get a lot more with sugar than a shotgun.

Indeed, I did click on Tools-Template Selection. I'm offered a choice between Classic Contemporary Green and... um... well, I guess Classic Contemporary Green it is! There isn't much there, am I missing something?

Yeah, I know about sugar and vinegar, and I spent quite a bit of time searching the admin pages before I ordered the book, only to find that it doesn't cover some pretty important, basic stuff. If I hadn't spent $30 for a book so I can do a project for free for a friend I might have a little more sugar to spread around. I can understand how there might not be good instructions for an open source project, and I do like the cart. But I'm havin' a little trouble understanding why the useful stuff didn't at least make it into the book....

[LenAust]

hi. I arrived at exactly the same spot. I bought the book as well and the jargon is way beyond me. waste of money. so, where do we go from here?

[rstevenson]

These last two posts are just about the only complaints I've seen of The Book -- which I also own. But it's important to note that the book deliberately does not deal with changing the appearance of your site. That would require an entire other book. The current one is really just an in-depth how-to-set-up-your-store book.

One of the reasons you can't find a simple step-by-step for changing your header is that it can be changed in many ways, depending on what you want it to look like. Another reason is that the answer has been offered here in the forum, and in the wiki and in the FAQs many times, for many different situations. In fact, you'll noticce down at the bottom of this very page there is a "Similar Threads" section. Reading those will get you started.

So where do you go from here? FAQs, WIKI, and this forum. But ask specific questions, and search before asking.

Rob

[tjeffries]

OK, here's a specific question- how do I remove the Zencart banner and either replace it with with our own or not have a banner?

[LenAust]

I really thought when I purchased the book that it was going to deal with the basics and necessary functions to help a beginner set up a website. not quite the case. nevermind...my mistake.
well....I'm still struggling to try and change the header ""Sales Message Goes Here"...followed instructions in creating a template and loaded it into the "public html" folder using FileZilla. checked to see if it was there in Admin, but nothing. was I supposed to load it in a particular folder at my host? much much appreciated if you could assist.

[gjh42]

The majority of the threads at the bottom of the page don't contain useful information for you, but Changing Header?? does, and Changing the Header has a link to a gold mine: Replacing Top Logo With A Table And... (which doesn't advise using tables!)

The book does cover the basics of setting up a website quite thoroughly, but not the customization. I admit I hoped for some more of that when I bought the book almost two years ago, but it really couldn't cover customization adequately, since even the header can be modified in a hundred different ways.