Editable Home Page Centerboxes [Support]

[shags38]

Great mod, it's perfect for what I need. I have it installed fine, just wondering if there is a good way to display it only on the product listing page? I have it above the main bit with position 8 at the moment, but I don't want it displaying on the other pages. I know I can create separate stylesheets for the pages with display:none in them, but is there a simpler way, something like the if statement in tpl_main_page which disables left and right columns on certain pages?
Thanks

Hello Kitten,

My experience with this mod has not been so good as far as modifications to it goes, it has limitations that are hopefully going to be addressed soon.

I have used this mod Short Descriptions for Categories 1.2 (in v1.3.9h), for categories, but if I remember correctly it can be modified to use on the product description page(s) - as an alternative to EHPC. (please do not shoot the Messenger if I am wrong)

cheers, Mike

[gjh42]

The best way to limit the middleboxes to the product listing page will be to move the middlebox code from /includes/templates/your_template/common/tpl_main_page.php to /includes/templates/your_template/templates/tpl_index_product_list.php.

Delete this from tpl_main_page.php:

<?php 
$box_loc = '8';//middlebox group
require($template->get_template_dir('tpl_middleboxes.php',DIR_WS_TEMPLATE, $current_page_base,'templates'). '/tpl_middleboxes.php');
?>

and paste into tpl_index_product_list.php just below
<div class="centerColumn" id="indexProductList">
to get this:

<div class="centerColumn" id="indexProductList">
<?php 
$box_loc = '8';//middlebox group
require($template->get_template_dir('tpl_middleboxes.php',DIR_WS_TEMPLATE, $current_page_base,'templates'). '/tpl_middleboxes.php');
?>
<h1 id="productListHeading"><?php echo $breadcrumb->last(); ?></h1>

(You can put it just above
<div class="centerColumn" id="indexProductList">
if that suits your pirposes better.)
Putting it inside the listing code is tricky; if you want to do that, ask for help. I believe I helped someone else with that before.

[DivaVocals]

Hello Kitten,

My experience with this mod has not been so good as far as modifications to it goes, it has limitations that are hopefully going to be addressed soon.

"Limitations"?? Editable Homepage Midleboxes works EXACTLY as described. It installs and configures easily.. So what "limitations" are you referring to??

I have used this mod Short Descriptions for Categories 1.2 (in v1.3.9h), for categories, but if I remember correctly it can be modified to use on the product description page(s) - as an alternative to EHPC. (please do not shoot the Messenger if I am wrong)

cheers, Mike

This is like comparing apples to oranges.. Editable Homepage Midleboxes works and looks NOTHING like Short Descriptions for Categories.

[gjh42]

My experience with this mod has not been so good as far as modifications to it goes, it has limitations that are hopefully going to be addressed soon.

Could you explain what you feel the shortcomings of this mod are, and how you think it could be improved? I can't fix any user issues or address user wishes if I don't know what they are.

[DivaVocals]

"Limitations"?? Editable Homepage Midleboxes works EXACTLY as described. It installs and configures easily.. So what "limitations" are you referring to??

This is like comparing apples to oranges.. Editable Homepage Midleboxes works and looks NOTHING like Short Descriptions for Categories.

Could you explain what you feel the shortcomings of this mod are, and how you think it could be improved? I can't fix any user issues or address user wishes if I don't know what they are.

Exactly!!

and let me add to this.. having issues merging this mods functionality with another mods functionality is NOT a "limitation" of this module by a LONG SHOT..

[gjh42]

Maybe one day someone may revise the module such that it can integrate automatically with any template (if that is at all possible :) ).

Such a thing is not possible in any case where a mod alters a stock template file which a third-party template also alters. If the template does not alter that file, there is no issue. The only way this can ever change is if/when there are notifier hooks in all the places needed to modify the site's behavior without touching any existing files. This can be done now in certain places, but by no means all, and there will always be situations where the only solution is to alter a stock file.

Meanwhile, the alterations from this mod to only three existing files are minimal and self-contained additions. It is hard to make files easier than this to merge.

[DivaVocals]

Such a thing is not possible in any case where a mod alters a stock template file which a third-party template also alters. If the template does not alter that file, there is no issue. The only way this can ever change is if/when there are notifier hooks in all the places needed to modify the site's behavior without touching any existing files. This can be done now in certain places, but by no means all, and there will always be situations where the only solution is to alter a stock file.

Meanwhile, the alterations from this mod to only three existing files are minimal and self-contained additions. It is hard to make files easier than this to merge.

**nods in agreement**

Honestly unless Zen Cart adopts a plugin and templating system which separates plugins and templates from the application core this is how templates and modules will continue to work for the most part in Zen Cart.. The best that mod authors can do is to make sure changes are as clearly marked as possible so that when folks are doing file comparisons the modifications are clear..

[kitten091182]

The best way to limit the middleboxes to the product listing page will be to move the middlebox code from /includes/templates/your_template/common/tpl_main_page.php to /includes/templates/your_template/templates/tpl_index_product_list.php.

Delete this from tpl_main_page.php:

<?php 
$box_loc = '8';//middlebox group
require($template->get_template_dir('tpl_middleboxes.php',DIR_WS_TEMPLATE, $current_page_base,'templates'). '/tpl_middleboxes.php');
?>

and paste into tpl_index_product_list.php just below
<div class="centerColumn" id="indexProductList">
to get this:

<div class="centerColumn" id="indexProductList">
<?php 
$box_loc = '8';//middlebox group
require($template->get_template_dir('tpl_middleboxes.php',DIR_WS_TEMPLATE, $current_page_base,'templates'). '/tpl_middleboxes.php');
?>
<h1 id="productListHeading"><?php echo $breadcrumb->last(); ?></h1>

(You can put it just above
<div class="centerColumn" id="indexProductList">
if that suits your pirposes better.)
Putting it inside the listing code is tricky; if you want to do that, ask for help. I believe I helped someone else with that before.

That worked perfectly! Thanks for your help

[shags38]

Could you explain what you feel the shortcomings of this mod are, and how you think it could be improved? I can't fix any user issues or address user wishes if I don't know what they are.

Hello Glenn,

I have tried without success to have this mod work as intended with Abbington_Mega template. My comments were out of frustration as it does not work, even with the code mod done by Gam ( I think ?). Diva has tried to help but even that didn't give the desired result. I appreciate the issues of having mods / plugins work with core programs vs altered versions. I now have 5 ZC sites, I love ZC and promote it to many people but my biggest, nay only disappointment is not being able to get this very good and very valuable mod to work with that template - and I cannot solve the 'issue', which is not a mod issue but is an issue to me and I think possible to other users of that template and possibly others.

I have your mod installed on one site but in doing that it allows only 'featured products' and not new or specials which is a pity - I am persisting with it partially working for SEO purposes and the reasons you developed it in the first place.

Not your problem.

cheers, Mike

[shags38]

Thanks for ALL of your comments Diva - very useful.

cheers, Mike