Editable Home Page Centerboxes [Support]

[DivaVocals]

Hey Glenn.. Wanted to get your take about adding the javascript solution I found to this module and submitting an update to this add-on.. Wanted to get your three cents.. I've had a few days to play with the javascript and it works as one would expect without any issues (equalizes the height of the row based on the tallest middlebox in each row) and the best part is it works in **cough cough** IE8 and IE9.

I think that I need to include the proper modified template files which load the latest version of jQuery from jQuery's CDN. However, I will want to update the readme documents with information to help guide folks into cleaning up potential conflicting jQuery libraries they may already have in their template files from other add-ons..

Your thoughts??

So I'm still playing.. As I was Googling for solutions, I kept running into more jQuery solutions versus CSS solutions.. Tried a NUMBER of them, and some work, others do not work QUITE as I would like/expect.. After some trial and error, I finally settled on one from this site: http://blog.huidesign.com/make-equal...mns-by-jquery/

<script  type="text/javascript">
 $(document).ready( function(){
    function equalHeight(obj){
        var heightArray = obj.children("div").map( function(){
                 return  $(this).height();
                 }).get();
        var maxHeight = Math.max.apply( Math, heightArray);
        obj.children("div").height(maxHeight);
            }
            
    $(".navColumnMiddleWrapper").each( function(){
                equalHeight( $(this));
                                           })
    
    $("a.showLink").click(function(){
            $(this).parents().children("span").toggle();
            $(this).parents(".navColumnMiddleWrapper").children().removeAttr("style");    
            equalHeight( $(this).parents("div"));            
            });
                         })
</script>

The beauty of this one is it's a solution that works specifically well when there is dynamic content.. and in the layout I'm tweaking I really don't want the height of the second row to be based on the longest item in the first row.. It seems to equalize each row separately (which is what I do want). The big advantage of this method is that it probably also works in that browser we all love to hate *coughIE6/7cough*..

Because I'd really like to get a pure CSS solution eventually, I am gonna mess around with display: table-cell and hammer out a solution.. I found a good guide to help with me understand how I need to set it up (http://www.456bereastreet.com/archiv...oxes_with_css/). In the meantime I may stick with the javascript solution because it appears that a pure CSS solution will equalize ALL the rows, and that's not quite what I want...

[gjh42]

If you have a js solution that works simply and reliably, go ahead and submit it. I'll look at what it will take to make a CSS solution that handles different rows correctly.

[DivaVocals]

If you have a js solution that works simply and reliably, go ahead and submit it. I'll look at what it will take to make a CSS solution that handles different rows correctly.

Fair enough.. If you find one that works reliably with **the browser we dare not speak of** that would be awesome.. In the meantime I'll package up an update and I'll remove the so called column length "fix" that's already in the stylesheet (since it isn't working)..

[gjh42]

It looks like a CSS solution will be able to work in IE8 & 9, possibly with some extra tlc for 8. I just have to work up a good way to treat the boxes in different rows separately. I'm not concerned about design perfection (since that's all it really is) for IE7 or below.

[shags38]

Hi - I am looking for a way to add editable text content to the main page for SEO purposes in addition to standard define pages text editor and wondered if this plugin could be used for that purpose (using one rather than 3 boxes) - I am using Abbington Mega template (Picaflor Azul) so would want this additional text box to be under the new,featured,specials table on the home page - or can you suggest another plugin that will do the job successfully.

cheers,
Mike

[gjh42]

This will certainly do the job. You can make settings as desired to get the layout as you want it. I don't know of another mod that will put the defined content in a centerbox, only a sidebox or a whole separate page.

[shags38]

Hello Diva,

I am still having problems with the Editable Home Page Centerboxes plugin for V1.3.9h using Abbington Mega template. Anne's suggestion of maybe I hadn't merged includes/templates/abbington_mega/templates/tpl_index_default did the trick in restoring the New, Featured, Specials tabs on the main centre box however in doing that the editable centrebox would not load. I have spent some time reading and re-reading the installation instructions and have also re-loaded the installation files. I even deleted the zip folder from my hard drive and downloaded it again from Zen Cart to ensure I didn't have any corrupt files. I even loaded the plugin on to another site with this same template to see if I could get it to work but again to no avail - it is either editable centrebox showing but new, featured & specials tabs gone or it is maintan these tabs and no editable centrebox showing.

my site is http://www.treeoflifejewellery.com - I would appreciate it if you could look at page source and find my error.

many thanks,
Mike

[gjh42]

Both your featured and new centerboxes have content, but the whatsnew div is hidden by styling. Presumably this is for the tab operation; you must have some javascript that is supposed to make the tabs and switch action, but this is somehow disabled or absent. I don't think it is possible to tell more from the outside. You will need to check all downloaded files associated with template and middleboxes to see if there are any overlaps you have not yet merged. Perhaps you did not merge something correctly; someone familiar with both the middlebox and template code would have to look at that.

[shags38]

I'll be happy to answer this question on the appropriate support thread for the Editable Home Page Centerboxes.. or the support thread for the Tabbed Home Page Modules (sorry..)

I am NOT hijacking the Abbington Mega Template support thread for a module related issue.. As I have stated previously MORE community members will benefit from the answer, not just the users of this template if the question and answers are posted in the RIGHT place.... (and that is NOT here)

Hint: if you search the Tabbed Home Page Modules support thread for "tpl_index_categories.php", you might find your answer..

Hello Diva,

Thanks very much for your response but I am now utterly confused - I have already posted this query in the 'appropriate' support thread, so do I now await your response? I have now read every post in the Tabbed Home Page Modules support thread and not found an answer - could be for two reasons, I do not have that module installed (unless of course it is included by default in this template) and secondly I am not a coder (the answer may well have been there but my limited knowledge of coding obviously did not recognize it), I am just a very simple man of 60 years of age trying my best to make websites for my own purposes and sometimes, make that often, I need help and this is one of those occasions. I do try very hard to work by the rules in here so if I do 'stray' then some tolerance would be appreciated.

So with all banter aside, can you help me? ........... in the appropriate support thread of course.

cheers,
Mike
p.s. I know it is not the normally accepted protocol to 'double post' however because I am so confused as to where I should be posting on this subject I have posted this also in the 'Editable Home Page Centerboxes' support thread.
p.p.s. note that the version I am using is ......... Editable Home Page Centerboxes - Version: 1.1

[shags38]

Both your featured and new centerboxes have content, but the whatsnew div is hidden by styling. Presumably this is for the tab operation; you must have some javascript that is supposed to make the tabs and switch action, but this is somehow disabled or absent. I don't think it is possible to tell more from the outside. You will need to check all downloaded files associated with template and middleboxes to see if there are any overlaps you have not yet merged. Perhaps you did not merge something correctly; someone familiar with both the middlebox and template code would have to look at that.

Many thanks Glenn ....... am trying hard to have two parties look at this for me, the person who wrote the template and a person familiar with the plugin. Will see what transpires.

Thanks again,
Mike