Quick question before upgrading

[afo]

Frank is exactly right. If you edited files without creating a custom template, it's not too late. Install 1.3.7 in its own directory with its own database and start recreating your template. You mentioned english.php as an example. If you edited it without saving it to your own template, make a copy of it in the 1.3.7 test site for your custom template and use something like WinMerge to compare the old english.php to the new default one you just copied. You can make the same changes to the new one and save it to your new template. You can do that for each file you changed. It might be difficult, but if you're careful, you can get it done. Think of it this way... it'll make upgrading easier in future.

To create a very basic custom template (you can build from there), you need:
includes\languages\YOUR_TEMPLATE\english.php
includes\languages\english\YOUR_TEMPLATE\index.php
includes\languages\english\YOUR_TEMPLATE\header.php (to change the logo)
includes\templates\YOUR_TEMPLATE\template_info.php
includes\templates\YOUR_TEMPLATE\common\tpl_header.php
includes\templates\YOUR_TEMPLATE\images\logo.gif
includes\templates\YOUR_TEMPLATE\css\stylesheet.css

Any where you see a \classic\ folder, you can create a folder for your custom template.

[icklebits]

Argh...that was all too technical for me. Sorry but I'm a bit dense in the old technical department. I will have to read and reread what you have written and go from there.

When I had my original cart in a "cart" folder I had to copy each and every file over to my main directory individually it took ages. There must be an easier way to do that?

[BlindSide]

Just do this...

1. Download and install WinMerge (since it's the free one)
2. Download latest version of Zen Cart
3. Download your store from your server
4. Place both stores in the same folder somewhere on your computer
5. Highlight both folders, choose "WinMerge" from the context (right-click) menu
6. Start probing around to see what it does

Many, many of your concerns will be addressed simply in starting the process. If you're like me,, you'll eventually have one of those "ah-ha!" moments as you begin comparing and merging files.

[icklebits]

Thank you very very much.! That makes a lot more sense. I wil have a go later on today once I've had my breakfast!!!!

You are right, I probably will have an "aha!" moment, its just getting started really.

Right, fingers crossed that I will be leaving a happy post by the end of the day!

[icklebits]

Darn, I replied to your previous stepby step post and then saw the last one.


I obviously got the instructions wrong back when I started the whole thing months ago.

Think I will just leave it as it is. I'm worried about losing orders and all the products I've put in and if you think I've done it wrong I won't bother taking the risk.

Oh I felt so positive for a minute or two there!

Never mind, thanks for your time anyway.

<seriously deflated>

[BlindSide]

No reason you can't still do the file compare and merge! If you edited core files, you can easily correct that by dropping the proper files into template folders, then overwrite the core with the new version. Compare core to your template,a nd away you go!

Seriously, don't bum out. Do the steps I gave you anyway; it won't be as bad once you do. Remember, it's offline, and won't hurt a thing just to try.

[barco57]

also your orders, customers and products are stored in the database, so messing around with getting your template overrides correct won't hurt that stuff.

[afo]

When I had my original cart in a "cart" folder I had to copy each and every file over to my main directory individually it took ages. There must be an easier way to do that?

I'm not sure what you mean by that statement. ZC is designed to build a custom template without changing files that will be overwritten when upgrading. If you copied "each and every file to my main directory", you may not have followed the custom template outline which will cause problems when you upgrade. All your work will be overwritten. The list in my previous post is what I've found to be the basic files you need and where you need to create them.

For example, if you need to change something in english.php the original file is located in includes\languages\english\english.php. You create a folder in includes\languages\ and call it whatever you want (YOUR_TEMPLATE in my example) and then copy english.php into it, so you end up with includes\languages\YOUR_TEMPLATE\english.php and make your changes in the copy, not the original. When you upload to your website, the YOUR_TEMPLATE directories you created will be uploaded with the rest of ZC. No copying/uploading individual files (unless you need to). Because the ZC upgrade won't include directories called YOUR_TEMPLATE, your work won't be overwritten.