Design/template/design editor in admin.

[Leephi]

Hello

I posted earlier about a template/design editor in admin. The reason I suggested this addition is because it can be challenging to make changes to the design for a new Zen Cart user who isn’t used to programming. I am not saying it is very difficult to make layout or design changes in the present Zen Cart system. My idea is simply to make basic template editing concerning design easier and more user-friendly, especially for the first time users of Zen Cart or similar systems. I will try to explain my idea in this post with the help of some screenshots with explanations.

The header-three columns-footer design is the most common in web shop design. Zen cart is based on this standard and major design. The first screenshot (top.jpg) is a layout editor, within the admin of Zen Cart, which is built on the header-three columns-footer design. The editor could make it easier for users to change the header, each of the columns and the footer. By change I mean, size, color (background), borders and other most common basic variations. My example only shows basic possibilities.

Zen-cart also offers sideboxes and banners. (side.jpg and banner.jpg) These sideboxes contain headers and the relevant content. With this design editor you can first set up you site with your preferred background and size. Then you can edit each sidebox or make changes to all of them. You can also change the design of your banners. It is also easy to edit or change the logo in admin.

It is difficult to make code that generates code. So the opportunity to use the template/design editor is only available to a default template. Users can still make their own template, install other templates or even use the stylesheet to make changes. But the design editor will only work on a default template, giving inexperienced web designers and unskilled programmers to make basic changes to the template.

I would very much appreciate some feedback. Does anyone else see an advantage having a basic design editor in admin? The screenshots i have added are only examples and my idea on an early basis. Looking forward to some comments

The screenshots is hard to read, so I recommend to download the pictures.

-Leif

[Leephi]

The screenshots was a bit difficult to read. Please use url : http://haugaland-bygg.no/zencart/ to view screenshots. Thanx

[tony_sar]

interesting concept ..
I believe zencart version 2.0 is going to allow more control of template layout using admin section of store . im not sure what can be changed in up coming version ,but template seems to have been greatly overhauled.

[afo]

Making changes to the basic template is a bad idea since those files are included with every version (update/upgrade) and therefore will be overwritten and all the modifications lost.

The concept is a good one in general, but will further bloat the code in addition to what I mentioned above.

[Leephi]

I havent upgraded Zen Cart yet, i have just worked with the one (last) version. So what happens if you edit the template manually, by modifying the stylesheet. Isn't it a problem with the upgrade then also? Also I thougt it was possible to upgrade regardless of the template.

I thought it was possible now to edit the template and still upgrade without problems? Seems a bit weird that if you have designed your own design (template), you can't upgrade?

Sorry if these questions seem dumb, but I haven't upgraded before...

[Kim]

I thought it was possible now to edit the template and still upgrade without problems? Seems a bit weird that if you have designed your own design (template), you can't upgrade?

Yes you can upgrade, but you need to have used the template overrides so that your design is not wiped out by the upgrade and then you would upgrade your templates if there were changes to the code in them.

Your idea could work, but is somewhat flawed as it doesn't take into account many of the features already available - such as being able to turn the banners on and off from the Admin and being able to disable the side columns, both of which are built-in now.

While being able to choose colors from the admin would be nice, you are limiting the possibilities of being able to use images for the backgrounds in all the various elements. Your approach seems like it would not have the ability to have more than one template available for use, example a seasonal template or a template based on the language.

[gjh42]

You can use the default templates (either /template_default/ or /classic/) as a base for modifying, but you need to copy those mods to a new set of folders to make them safe from upgrades. Keeping the /classic/ files exactly as they started is good as a reference and for fallback testing (switch to classic to see if a problem you have is template-related), and you should *never* modify any /template_default/ files.

An editor like your suggestion would be a good thing as an addon or external program for those who want to style without understanding code.

[Leephi]

An editor like your suggestion would be a good thing as an addon or external program for those who want to style without understanding code.

That is my idea. Because it is difficult, almost impossible to make a complete and advanced design editor. Those who understand code will just modify the stylesheet anyway. The design editor is for basic changes. But i still think it is a good idea to have the editor integrated in the admin system. Because styling like background, color, fonts and size is very common and it would be easier to have acess to just change these varaibles in admin.

While being able to choose colors from the admin would be nice, you are limiting the possibilities of being able to use images for the backgrounds in all the various elements. Your approach seems like it would not have the ability to have more than one template available for use, example a seasonal template or a template based on the language.

You could also have a seasonable template. It is still possible to use a template of choice, but it is only one template that will work with the editor. (Maybe more if people make templates compatible with the editor). And also you could style more than one version and you have seasonable templates. Maybe it is wrong to say that only the "deafult" template will work in the editor. What I was trying to say is that a template only designed for the editor will work. Maybe a option on installation that will make you choose beetween a default template or a template designed for the editor?

The variables you can change in my examples (screenshots) are only suggestion. You could easily choose an image for backround. The difficult part here is to make code that generates code. But as long as the editor can "get" the info users select or type in the editor and input it it to the correct place in the stylesheet automatically, it will work...

Your idea could work, but is somewhat flawed as it doesn't take into account many of the features already available - such as being able to turn the banners on and off from the Admin and being able to disable the side columns, both of which are built-in now.

This feature in Admin i think is very good. And I only think this is an addition to the design editor. It could be options in the design editor ot just as they are now, seperate to the editor.

[Website Rob]

The concept of more Template changes from within the Admin section is a good one but would require a major change to the core code. This is already in the works as v2.x of Zen Cart is almost complete and will include many changes, to the core code and other areas. Best to wait until v2.x is available, see what changes have been made and then make any new recommendations / requests.

[Leephi]

"Stylesheets are leaner. And there are some very easy-to-use admin-side layout controls to make setting your desired layouts *much* simpler."

Seems like improvement is on its way. Depending on how version 2.0.0 looks i will my discuss my idea more. A design editor may still be "needed"