Override system seems complicated

[clydejones]

Here go,
its quick and its easy but its the entire template file structure
with a read me for each folder explaining what needs to go where

Custom template base file structure

Merlin,

You might want to point out in your Overview and How To that although the folders are named "custom" they can be renamed to anything the user wants.

If you don't mind, I think I'll reference the download in a couple of tutorial/FAQ articles as well as in the wiki.

[Ryk]

You might want to point out in your Overview and How To that although the folders are named "custom" they can be renamed to anything the user wants.

And you must spell it out that they must all be the same!

Because if you don't , someone will come along and say "Well it would be nice if someone pointed out that when you..."

(Oh, and could we have a set called YOUR_TEMPLATE please)

[Kim]

Thank for the overrides set up example Merlin.

PLEASE NOTE you do not have to add a directory if you are not going to use it. A template can be built with as few as 2 files, the template_info and a stylesheet.

[Merlinpa1969]

Thanx, I should have pointed that out Kim

And clyde, I thought about adding it in the instructions that they could rename em however I thought that changing the tpl info page might confuse to many folks,

to many moving parts

[waveneybooks]

Thanks Merlin.

[cmcgaugh]

I downloaded Merlin's Template Base (thanks, Merlin!), put it in
includes/templates/ and renamed it "Custom".

I understand also that I can put a "custom" folder in any folder
with a "classic" folder.

What I don't get is if I put edited .php files in the custom folders,
how does php find the right files, i.e. the overrides?

Why is the folder system in the Template Base folder different than
the template_default folder?

When creating a custom template, why not simply take the template_default,
rename it to whatever, and customize it instead instead of creating an empty
folder, putting an images folder in it, etc?

Thanks!
Cal

[Merlinpa1969]

Zen Cart is programed to look in the Custom template ( as defined by the database ) folders first, then if it dosnt find the file its looking for it goes and gets the default file

When creating a custom template, why not simply take the template_default,
rename it to whatever, and customize it instead instead of creating an empty
folder, putting an images folder in it, etc?

this is because you wont possibly change every file in the system,
by only placing the files that you have changed into over rides, it makes it easier to upgrade and keeps things more orginized.

[cmcgaugh]

Zen Cart is programed to look in the Custom template ( as defined by the database ) folders first, then if it dosnt find the file its looking for it goes and gets the default file ....

If you can name the folder whatever you want, eg "custom", how
does the db know what you called it?

I see you can pick which template to use in the Admin, but what about the "custom" folders
in the other parts of Zen Cart that have a "classic" folder and a
"custom" (if present)? How does putting edited .php files in the custom
(or whatever you name it) folder override the classic files?

Don't you have to specify somewhere in Admin or in one of the core files,
where the override folders are located?

Also, I really appreciate the Template Base files you set up with
txt explanations, but just wondered why it isn't structured the same
as template_default?

I think Ajeh's post #8 in this thread is trying to explain the system, but
just don't see how you can name the overrides folders whatever you want
and Zen will find them.


Cal

[Merlinpa1969]

It is structured the same as template default......

The simplest way to explain this is....

you tell the system what template to look for n the admin-> tools-> template selector

the system then looks for all folders that match that template, ( the folder names are defined in the template-info file )

classic is an example of how to use the over rides.

[cmcgaugh]

It is structured the same as template default......

The simplest way to explain this is....

you tell the system what template to look for n the admin-> tools-> template selector

the system then looks for all folders that match that template, ( the folder names are defined in the template-info file )

classic is an example of how to use the over rides.

I get it!
Thanks, Merlin.....that was the piece of the puzzle I needed.