Can't get the 3-column component to work!

[zuffron7]

Hi Zen Cart Gurus,

HELP!!!
I recently bought a template monster template and have had some success populating the site, but I can't get the 3 column component to work without corrupting the database (it's currently displaying only one or two columns depending on which page of the site you're in) I've read TM templates appear to be heavily criticized but didn't find this forum until we'd spent quite a bit of time working on the site. I'm using zen cart 1.3.8, Template 21936 My URL is
http://b r e n t l e y j a m e s - s t o r e . c o . u k

Is anyone interested in helping me to get the site working properly - ie getting the components to run - or possibly helping me build a new site with the same look and feel?

(N.B. I've been quoted some prices by TM's sister company but as I have had nothing but problems with TM's generally friendly but inconsistent customer service I think I'd be throwing good money after bad!)

Thanks and regards.
Any advice or comments appreciated!

James

[stevesh]

I'm not sure what you mean by 'corrupting the database', unless our friends at TM have done something totally wacky.

Turning on the right column can be done in Admin - Configuration - Layout Settings and sideboxes enabled in Admin - Tools - Layout Boxes Controller.

The site looks OK now - what boxes did you want in the right column?

That look would be pretty easy to duplicate, starting with a copy of the Classic template.

[zuffron7]

Hi, Thanks for your comments. Basically, once we had used a three-column layout grid for product listing add-on, it crashed the site and most of the work we had done on products therein (desciptions, headings and images etc) disappeared. TM reset the site as requested but could not retrieve any of the data or other tweaks we had done. I went on to ask them to reset the site several times as each time we got to the 3-column grid stage it crashed again in a very short space of time. It’s bizzarre I know especially as it works fine on 2 or 1 column gallery format. TM could not resolve it and on each occasion a different individual is involved who seems to draw a blank or unwittingly make matters worse . Thanks anyway for you advice Steve. Any other ideas?

[schoolboy]

Any other ideas?

Get rid of that template, and chalk its cost up to experience.

You will spend your life (in tears) on this forum, desperately looking for help (which you should really be getting from the vendor of that template).

Like many hundreds before you, you have learned (or are learning) that many commercial templates significantly depart from core behaviour, because their authors have learned the trick of "visual enticement", and that is this... You have sacrificed essential (indeed critical) functionality, for cosmetic appearance.

Your struggle to add modules will not end. The free add-ons are (mostly) designed to work within the very demanding framework of the core schema.

Hopefully, the critical functionality which your customers will expect (and which your business will rely on) won't be too severely affected... But there are no guarantees.

If you use a TM template you will be bound by its severe restrictions and you will have a site that may "look pretty" but is fundamentally compromised.

TM templates (and many others like them) are OK ONLY if you have an extremely good knowledge of ZC, MySQL and PHP...

... Ironically, people with the required level of skill are precisely the people who won't/don't use them.

Sorry for this brutality... there's no "gentle" way of saying it.

[stevesh]

One thing you might do, since your site isn't live yet, is go ahead and set the display to 3 columns and let us take a look at what happens.

[zuffron7]

Stevesh, Thanks that's a good suggestion will have a go when I get a spare minute.

[zuffron7]

Good idea Stevesh, thanks for advice. Further to last post I have once again put back the 3 column grid as you suggested on the categories where it’s required so you can see what happens and as you will see, the error has returned.

The categories affected are found on the left hand side and are ‘Bracelets’ ‘Earrings’ and ‘Certified Diamond Rings’ all of which now show a new message instead of a 3-column grid which reads “You have an error in your sql syntax” etc..etc… and being a complete novice I have no idea what this means or why it's happening.

To recap, all TM will do at this stage is to reset the site and have not provided a solution as to why it occurs. Really need that 3 column grid which I would have thought is a straightforward addition. Any thoughts?

[zuffron7]

Hmmm, that may well turn out to be invaluable advice and certainly food for thought so thanks for being so candid. Might be easier to get someone to build something from scratch and offer back up methinks. Can you recommend? Am in Northants England. Thanks and regards - Zuffron