Product description on main page

[mc12345678]

To try to be sure it is understood, you aren't wanting category 1 to be displayed as the main page, but want your new product group, specials product group, etc. To have more information about each product. The solution to both of those is different as they are different issues. :)

[vvomble]

yes but just the specials the new products will be removed from the front page

[mc12345678]

If it is to "just" add the "abbreviated" description, you were spot on with the file to be modified:
Includes/modules/YOUR_TEMPLATE/specials_index.php

Once you have that file copied from the modules directory. You will want to find this set of code:

$list_box_contents[$row][$col] = array('params' => 'class="centerBoxContentsSpecials centeredContent back"' . ' ' . 'style="width:' . $col_width . '%;"',
    'text' => (($specials_index->fields['products_image'] == '' and PRODUCTS_IMAGE_NO_IMAGE_STATUS == 0) ? '' : '<a href="' . zen_href_link(zen_get_info_page($specials_index->fields['products_id']), 'cPath=' . $productsInCategory[$specials_index->fields['products_id']] . '&products_id=' . (int)$specials_index->fields['products_id']) . '">' . zen_image(DIR_WS_IMAGES . $specials_index->fields['products_image'], $specials_index->fields['products_name'], SMALL_IMAGE_WIDTH, SMALL_IMAGE_HEIGHT) . '</a><br />') . '<a href="' . zen_href_link(zen_get_info_page($specials_index->fields['products_id']), 'cPath=' . $productsInCategory[$specials_index->fields['products_id']] . '&products_id=' . $specials_index->fields['products_id']) . '">' . $specials_index->fields['products_name'] . '</a><br />' . $products_price);

Somewhere in that stream of the 'text' part (second line) you will want to put the reference to the description using the function that truncates such text. (sorry haven't gone to find that "command" yet, but plan to do so unless you or someone else finds/found it sooner.)

[vvomble]

If you could find it I'd be forever grateful PHP still scares me a bit hahaha

[mc12345678]

From the product_listing.php file in the same directory, there is:

zen_trunc_string(zen_clean_html(stripslashes(zen_get_products_description($specials_index->fields['products_id'], $_SESSION['languages_id']))), PRODUCT_LIST_DESCRIPTION)

The above code has been modified to support the $specials_index variable. The length of text is controlled by the constant PRODUCT_LIST_DESCRIPTION. I was going to try to use a specials equivalent, but there is not one by default in ZC which would require a sql command to install.

So that code would have to be put in line with the 'text'=> line and possibly bounded by css applicable code or at least an ending <br />