Anybody Using Free Responsive Template Successfully?

[traytray]

I selected a free responsive template, but after making numerous tweaks (nothing that broke the template), it turns out the template is not showing well at 1024 x 768 and probably several other resolutions as well. There's also the matter of links not working when used for a mobile device and a few other issues. I'd like to know if anyone can recommend a free responsive template that actually works.

So much time has been put into making this template the way I want it by my coding person, but the functionality is what is lacking and quite frankly, neither of us are proficient in responsive templates.

Template is still in test mode while my coding person attempts to fix so many things. Designer now says template not quite advanced for optimized layout on various devices and responsive.css file would need to be played around with. Where does one start?

Before any more time is put into this, I was wondering if anyone had one of these that functioned properly. Please understand we are not expecting to just install and 1,2 3 GO, but just basic functions, and the ability to look correct in all browsers/resolutions/devices with normal amount of adjustments. If we knew how to code for a responsive template, we'd be the one releasing them to the forum.

Would love to hear from anyone that has installed successfully and fully functional. My assumption was thinking a template labeled responsive would look equally as good in most resolutions. I believed that I would have much to do to get it cosmetically agreeable, but certainly didn't expect to have it so radically unacceptable at different resolutions. Isn't that the whole point of being named responsive?

Thanks so much!

Thanks!

[stevesh]

It would help to know what template you installed. We could install it on a test site and see if our results are the same as yours. Personally, old coot that I am, I think all the 'responsive' templates (not just for Zencart) look like crap on other-than-mobile screens. Too BIG and too much space between elements. Sadly, We're stuck with this situation as long as folks insist on interacting with life entirely through their telephones.

[RixStix]

I'd like to know if anyone can recommend a free responsive template that actually works.

I would recommend using the Westminster New, Winchester Black, or Winchester Responsive instead of All_Business.

We've been using Westminster_New with minimal issues since August 2014. The latest update fixed many/most of the issues which were found.

[traytray]

It would help to know what template you installed. We could install it on a test site and see if our results are the same as yours. Personally, old coot that I am, I think all the 'responsive' templates (not just for Zencart) look like crap on other-than-mobile screens. Too BIG and too much space between elements. Sadly, We're stuck with this situation as long as folks insist on interacting with life entirely through their telephones.

I love technology, but when I see a few people sitting together out to dinner and every one of them is texting, and there is no conversation among them, I'm truly puzzled.

Anyway, the responsive template is All_Business.

The person doing my coding uses 1366 x 768 and I have seen screen shots of her display with this template and it looks good. I use 1024 x 768 and no matter how she sets the fonts, or how much or how little zoom I use, it never looks good. It's all about the fonts being either much too large or much too small. What's immensely frustrating is how perfect it looks on the demo. I am sure there are other resolutions between mine and hers that will also behave badly.

Another problem we recently discovered is that when you shrink the screen to mimic a mobile device, the links that are visible don't work correctly. Some links do nothing, while others bring the link you clicked on to the very bottom. It looks like nothing happened until you decide to scroll all the way down and then you see the result.

When certain items are clicked on, it will bring you to the current live non-responsive store, so once things start to look good, I know I am no longer in the test store.

I'll look forward to your investigatory findings.

Thanks!

[traytray]

I would recommend using the Westminster New, Winchester Black, or Winchester Responsive instead of All_Business.

We've been using Westminster_New with minimal issues since August 2014. The latest update fixed many/most of the issues which were found.

That is one we haven't tried yet. I believe she tried Winchester_Black and encountered problems. I am now looking at the demo of Westminster_New and it has the dropdown menu in the header and I really dislike that type of navigation.

I am now looking at your website and I see that you had to resort to a tutorial regarding easier navigation for certain devices. It reminds me of years ago when websites often declared which browser you could best see their site at. I think this is going backwards. I do appreciate you took the time to respond. I could never be pleased with a template if I was forced to instruct visitors on best viewing practices.

Thank you again!

[RixStix]

Another problem we recently discovered is that when you shrink the screen to mimic a mobile device, the links that are visible don't work correctly. Some links do nothing, while others bring the link you clicked on to the very bottom. It looks like nothing happened until you decide to scroll all the way down and then you see the result.

Device emulators are not always detected by the responsive software. Sometimes it takes actual devices.
Sometimes, incorrect sidebox setup can cause issues similar to your description when the pages are reformatted on-the-fly for mobile devices by the responsive software

Curious.... Does the All Business demo behave the same as your setup? I say that because it is much easier to use the demo than the time it takes to install in a test site and go through the setup.

FireFox/Tools/WebDeveloper/ResponsiveDesignView in the 768x1024 and 1024x768 seems to function without the issues you have described. Mobile screen sizes look and function OK.

When certain items are clicked on, it will bring you to the current live non-responsive store, so once things start to look good, I know I am no longer in the test store.

That doesn't sound like a template issue.

Regarding my site. Android devices are a designers nightmare due to the huge number of screen sizes and other browser combinations. I think that issue was remedied in the latest Winchester_New update. I just haven't taken the time to install it. The percentage of users who actually have the issue due to the menu collapsing only occurs on a very small percentage of tablet devices (in the single digits). There is no issue in how the site "Looks" or "Best viewed with xxx browser". It is only the slimmenu functionality on certain Android devices.

[stevesh]

I'll take a look. Of course there are lots of ways to be judged mobile-friendly :

[traytray]

Device emulators are not always detected by the responsive software. Sometimes it takes actual devices.
Sometimes, incorrect sidebox setup can cause issues similar to your description when the pages are reformatted on-the-fly for mobile devices by the responsive software

Curious.... Does the All Business demo behave the same as your setup? I say that because it is much easier to use the demo than the time it takes to install in a test site and go through the setup.

FireFox/Tools/WebDeveloper/ResponsiveDesignView in the 768x1024 and 1024x768 seems to function without the issues you have described. Mobile screen sizes look and function OK.


That doesn't sound like a template issue.

Regarding my site. Android devices are a designers nightmare due to the huge number of screen sizes and other browser combinations. I think that issue was remedied in the latest Winchester_New update. I just haven't taken the time to install it. The percentage of users who actually have the issue due to the menu collapsing only occurs on a very small percentage of tablet devices (in the single digits). There is no issue in how the site "Looks" or "Best viewed with xxx browser". It is only the slimmenu functionality on certain Android devices.

The demo behaves perfectly on my 1024 x 768 resolution. But once the test store was created, there were immediate problems with text size being too small and when that was tweaked, it became too large. As for the mobile devices, I don't have a phone to test it on myself, but just shrinking the page, I get the issues I mentioned.

I'm hoping this can be remedied, because beyond all the time and effort that went into getting it to look the way I want, I actually like the template and thrilled it just has side nav and no mega-menu or drop down/flyout design to contend with.

[stevesh]

My test site (stevesh.com/demogoogle2) looks good at 1280X1024 and 1024X768. No text size issues that I can see. Also OK on online iPhone and Android emulators. Apparently Google doesn't care how far visitors have to scroll down as long as they don't have to scroll side-to-side.

I like this template, too. Another winner from Picaflor Azul.

[RixStix]

I'm pretty sure that there is some customization or overlooked item in the setup causing your site to look and/or behave differently from the demo. Your coder has probably accidentally broken the responsive nature of the template.

Getting back to a known starting point might be the easiest thing to do instead of identifying and "Un-doing" the changes made by your coder.

Reading the support thread for this and other responsive templates can help with issues. Sometimes an issue discussed in a different responsive support thread can be applied similarly to others.