Help adding templates to my localhost site

[obesechicken13]

I'm having trouble getting my site a new template.

So I am using wamp, with an apache server. I'm fairly new at all this, so please, be gentle.

I installed this template: blue strip
http://(sorry, site offline)/templates.html
Then I extracted it, and I put it in my www/zen-cart-v1.3.9c-full-fileset-05162010\includes\templates
directory

I read through the install.txt and html file, but I still am confused. Somewhere a step is shown to upload the template to my ftp server. What does this mean? My localhost is my server, it's not published to the web.

Anyways, I tried to download filezilla, and then use it to connect to my server.
host:localhost
username:root
password:********
port:80,21,22 etc...

Sorry my post was so long. I didn't want to leave out any details.

I didn't think adding a template would be so hard really, it's been an hour or two. I can't help but think that I'm going about this the wrong way and would like some help installing the template.

I went through part of this thread: http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?t=44658
and I feel like other people are having similar problems, but I don't know if they are using wamp. I just need simple instructions on how to get a new template.


edit:
I've tried everything on this page only to get this error when I try to load the folder
http://www.zen-cart.com/wiki/index.p...lates_-_Create

and I am fully upgraded on zen cart. Could the issue be that the template I installed is not compatible with the latest version of zen cart?

the error I get is
"Forbidden

You don't have permission to access /zen-cart-v1.3.9c-full-fileset-05162010/includes/templates/zen cart theme/images/ on this server."

[stevesh]

I've never installed Zencart locally, and don't recommend doing so, but I'd guess you're doing something wrong.

You won't need an FTP program until you install Zencart on a remote server.

I'm not sure what you mean by ' try to load the folder'.

You copied the template files to the proper place. Did you then select the new template in Admin - Tools - Template Selection ?

If I got that error message on a remote installation, I would check the permissions on the TEMPLATE_NAME/images folder.

[obesechicken13]

Forget it, I did a fresh reinstall of zen cart. I'll be sure to back up more often now.

Problem solved.

[Soul39]

Stevesh, does that mean that you don't have a test cart? Why don't you recommend local zencart installation? Just curious.

Soul39

[stevesh]

I have an entire domain dedicated to multiple test sites.

The reasons I don't use local installations and don't recommend them:

You don't really save much time in the uploading and downloading of files unless you have a really slow internet connection.

Hosting is dirt cheap these days, so you aren't saving any money.

As I understand it, you can't test payment processors and some shipping functions.

You don't learn anything about FTP and file permissions if you're new to all this.

Most importantly - I'm a big believer in letting professionals do what they do if I can afford to pay them. My host charges $4 a month for their basic package, which is good enough for 90% of Zenners, and their staff members have forgotton more about server configuration than I'll ever know. Why bother trying to do it myself?

[Soul39]

Stevesh,
this may sound dumb, but, how do you update your live store? And doesn't having another domain eat into your bandwidth and server disc space?

Soul39
http://www.k-craftteddies.co.uk

[Get Em Fast]

Sorry Steve, but I've got to agree with Soul on this one. I've seen you answer some pretty tough questions in this forum, but MYSELF, I think that EVERY beginner of Zen-Cart should ALWAYS start out using a local test server. True, you CAN'T test your payment gateways on a local server........but you CAN get to know Zen-Cart a lot better on a local server, if you can sit there and go through all the files, do tests on each new thing that you need to, build (or install) your very first template, and just over-all........get to KNOW your Zen-Cart before shelling out a dime for domains and hosts 3 or 4 months BEFORE you even have a shop ready to go. By then, the new user should know enough about ZC, and have their shop ready to upload to a live server..........and have the know-how to do so, that they're not going to mess up too much. I mean, I can see YOUR point as an experienced ZC user, but for the new user, I ALWAYS recommend that they at least HAVE a local test site to experiment with, if they DO start with a "Live" one. That way, when the worst happens........and it WILL happen (usually more than once), they've not destroyed any "Live" data.


But, that's just MY view of if.
Wow! Hasn't the topic of this thread gotten changed?......sorry, obesechicken13.

[stevesh]

soul - I'm not sure what you mean by 'how do you update your live store'. When I edit files, I save them (in an directory 'tree' identical to the remote server) then upload to the server. I didn't mean to imply that I don't have anything on my local computers, just not an operating Zencart installation.

As for the bandwidth and disk space, I have a 'reseller account' with my host which allows me unlimited domains, all sharing the same disk space and bandwidth. My test domain is one of those.


get em - I understand your points (most of them, anyway - not sure how it's 'easier' to learn Zencart on a local machine) and can't really argue with them. Mostly, I think, it's just a personal preference thing.

I will admit to being a little impatient with Zenners who concern themselves with the cost of hosting. As I mentioned, my host's basic package is $4 a month ($44 a year) for 1400Mb of disk space and 40Gb of bandwidth. You'd pay many times that just for permits for a brick-and-mortar store. If 44 bucks is real money to someone, he/she isn't ready to start a business anyway.

Easy enough to build the site under Down for Maintenance until it's ready to go live. After it goes live, I have the test sites to try stuff on.


obese - Sorry for hijacking your thread.

[stevesh]

One more very important factor - if you're developing locally, we can't see the site if you need to come to the forum with a question. Might be the best argument for starting out with a remote installation.

[Get Em Fast]

The "easier" part being that you can see your changes immediately in Wamp or Xampp, without having to upload files to the server, just to find out you made a mistake. You can catch it by testing BEFORE you upload, making it a little less nerve-racking for the new user that's already pulled half their hair out, and started taking Prozac with whiskey, just to make it through their next "change". I remember when I first started using ZC (that was a long time ago), I was SCARED TO DEATH! I DID start out live. Then, after a LOT of headaches, found out about using test servers. And to this day I STILL test every single installation locally, to get it right. Then, and only then, does it go live.
But, like you said, it really IS just a matter of preference.

Another plus about using local servers, though, is that someone who has to pay for their internet minute by minute, or are limited on their minutes (Network cards are costly if you go over your minutes) can build an entire site without spending all their minutes online.

And yes obese......we've totally 'jacked your thread. I sure hope you got your question answered. If not, be sure to let us know. So, so sorry.

We should have started another thread in the "Pub"......."The Pro's & Con's of local testing"........