eBook 'Look Inside' feature?

[KismetDesign]

We have an eBook store under development. Our default template of course has the 'view larger image' pop up window in the upper left corner of the info display pages... but it's not really enough.

Most other eBook sites have, in it's place, a 'Look Inside' feature, where one could click on either a thumbnail or text link, and a window would pop up that had some kind of display where one could look at the cover, table of contents, and a couple of sample pages.

Does anyone have any ideas of how to make something like this work using Zen Cart? Any contributions or Add-ons that might make a difference?

-KismetDesign

[skipwater]

I created a pdf file of the ebook pages I want to display. and then used a popup window in the description to show the pdf file. Using a pdf was the easiest for me because it controlled the formatting and images plus the pages.

If you can not find any popup code that you like I can supply the one I use.

Skip

[KismetDesign]

Skip, do you by chance have a link that I could look at? Sounds like this might be the simplest solution.

[skipwater]

Skip, do you by chance have a link that I could look at? Sounds like this might be the simplest solution.

I found a place to show you an example. It is only there for the holiday season.

http://www.ccssinc.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=75&products_id=427

Skip

[KismetDesign]

This would definately be better than what we have now, that's for sure!

Can you send me what you did? I would super appreciate it.

[skipwater]

I just needed a fast and easy way to add a popup window. Any where that I could place a link.

Just for easy setup I place this file in includes/templates/YOUR_TEMPLATE/common/popup.php
But you can place it anywhere you want you just have to add the path to the include statment.
Just copy the code below and save it as popup.php

<?php
/**
* popup.php
* @copyright Copyright (C) 2005 - 2008 Open Source Matters. All rights reserved.
*
* Standards Compliant Popup Script
* Author : Kevin Cannon
* http://www.multiblah.com
* Last Edited: 12.12.2004
* Version 1.0
*
* SkipWater adapted for zen cart 10.15.09
*
* Searches through a document for links with the class popup.
* When clicked, this link will open in a popup window.
* This means you don't have to add javascript to your code, 
* and means the links continue to work, for search engines, 
* and browsers without javascript.
*
*/
?>

<script type="text/javascript">

function initPopups() {

    if (!document.getElementById) return
    var aLinks = document.getElementsByTagName('a');
    for (var i = 0; i < aLinks.length; i++) {        
        if (aLinks[i].className == 'popup') {
            
            aLinks[i].onclick = function() {
                var url = this.href;
                openPopup(url);
                return false;
            }    
        }
    }
}

// popupWindow function
// This is where you set your specific height & width etc... for your popups.

function openPopup(url) {    
    window.open(url, 'popupwindow', 'width=640,height=500,scrollbars,resizable'); 
    return false;
}

// Piggy-back fucntion onto onLoad event
function addLoadEvent(func) {
  var oldonload = window.onload;
  if (typeof window.onload != 'function') {
    window.onload = func;
  } else {
    window.onload = function() {
      oldonload();
      func();
    }
  }
}

addLoadEvent(initPopups);

</script>

Add this include link to your includes/templates/YOUR_TEMPLATE/common/html_header.php just before </head> tag.

<?php include("popup.php"); ?>

To call the popup with a link

<a class="popup" href="path_to_it/pdf_file.pdf">A PDF File or any file you want in the popup window</a> 

That's it

Skip

[KismetDesign]

Thanks alot!

[Twaddle]

I just needed a fast and easy way to add a popup window. Any where that I could place a link.

That's it

Skip

Hi Skip,

That works perfectly, thanks for that, you came up with that at just the right time I needed it - very clean and simple too :)

Is it possible do you (or anyone else) know to have the window resize automatically to the size of the image? That would make this little mod 100% perfect

[skipwater]

Is it possible do you (or anyone else) know to have the window resize automatically to the size of the image? That would make this little mod 100% perfect

Have not needed so have not done. You might find the lightbox mod a better solution to deal with images.

Skip

[Twaddle]

Have not needed so have not done. You might find the lightbox mod a better solution to deal with images.

Skip

Okay, thanks for the tip, for future installations I'll bear it in mind, but for this present site I am doing yours is just fine, so thanks again