how to set sideboxes only on mainpage?

[jelleh]

Hi

I'd like to use some boxes like "new products" etc, but they may only be visible on the mainpage of the shop, not on the categorie pages or on the shopping-cart page. I can't find were to edit this.

Thank You

Jelle

[Ajeh]

Sideboxes can be customized ...

To know if you are on the main home page there is a variable:
$this_is_home_page

That can be used in an IF statement on the sidebox to allow/stop it from displaying ...

Using your templates and override directories, you can customize the sideboxes to display when you want them to ...

[peacefuldaze]

hi ajeh,
i am still a new zenner and need the same help. if you could take a moment, could you explain this in detail or point me to a thread that may have the answer. what coding do i need and where does is need to be placed to ensure the sidebox will only appear on the main page. thanks in adavance:-D

[Ajeh]

Let's say you want the sidebox
/includes/modules/sideboxes/whats_new.php

to only appear on the main page ...

Copy to your templates and overrides directory:
/includes/modules/sideboxes/your_templates_dir/whats_new.php

The original code looks like this:

// display limits
//$display_limit = zen_get_products_new_timelimit();
      $display_limit = zen_get_new_date_range();
  $random_whats_new_sidebox_product_query = "select p.products_id, p.products_image, p.products_tax_class_id, p.products_price
                           from " . TABLE_PRODUCTS . " p
                           where p.products_status = 1 " . $display_limit . "
                           limit " . MAX_RANDOM_SELECT_NEW;

  $random_whats_new_sidebox_product = zen_random_select($random_whats_new_sidebox_product_query);

  if ($random_whats_new_sidebox_product->RecordCount() > 0 ) {
    $whats_new_price = zen_get_products_display_price($random_whats_new_sidebox_product->fields['products_id']);
    $random_whats_new_sidebox_product->fields['products_name'] = zen_get_products_name($random_whats_new_sidebox_product->fields['products_id']);
    $random_whats_new_sidebox_product->fields['specials_new_products_price'] = zen_get_products_special_price($random_whats_new_sidebox_product->fields['products_id']);
    require($template->get_template_dir('tpl_whats_new.php',DIR_WS_TEMPLATE, $current_page_base,'sideboxes'). '/tpl_whats_new.php');
    $title =  BOX_HEADING_WHATS_NEW;
    $title_link = FILENAME_PRODUCTS_NEW;
    require($template->get_template_dir($column_box_default, DIR_WS_TEMPLATE, $current_page_base,'common') . '/' . $column_box_default);
  } 

Let's change it a bit ...

We want to add a condition for an IF statement to test should this show ...

Change the code to read:

// test if box should display
  $show_whats_new= true;

// only show if the main page
  if ($this_is_home_page == true) {
    $show_whats_new= true;
  } else {
    $show_whats_new= false;
  }
    

if ($show_whats_new == true) {
// display limits
//$display_limit = zen_get_products_new_timelimit();
      $display_limit = zen_get_new_date_range();
  $random_whats_new_sidebox_product_query = "select p.products_id, p.products_image, p.products_tax_class_id, p.products_price
                           from " . TABLE_PRODUCTS . " p
                           where p.products_status = 1 " . $display_limit . "
                           limit " . MAX_RANDOM_SELECT_NEW;

  $random_whats_new_sidebox_product = zen_random_select($random_whats_new_sidebox_product_query);

  if ($random_whats_new_sidebox_product->RecordCount() > 0 ) {
    $whats_new_price = zen_get_products_display_price($random_whats_new_sidebox_product->fields['products_id']);
    $random_whats_new_sidebox_product->fields['products_name'] = zen_get_products_name($random_whats_new_sidebox_product->fields['products_id']);
    $random_whats_new_sidebox_product->fields['specials_new_products_price'] = zen_get_products_special_price($random_whats_new_sidebox_product->fields['products_id']);
    require($template->get_template_dir('tpl_whats_new.php',DIR_WS_TEMPLATE, $current_page_base,'sideboxes'). '/tpl_whats_new.php');
    $title =  BOX_HEADING_WHATS_NEW;
    $title_link = FILENAME_PRODUCTS_NEW;
    require($template->get_template_dir($column_box_default, DIR_WS_TEMPLATE, $current_page_base,'common') . '/' . $column_box_default);
  }
} // eof: test $show_whats_new 

Now it will only show when the variable $this_is_home_page evaluates to true ...

[dwijadas]

Hi,

Your reply was great help to me. Are there variable for other pages too ? Lets say I want to hide "shopping cart" side box on checkout page.

How do I do that ? If the variable not existing then how can we define the variable ?

this will be great help in customizing side bad based on current page.

Thanks,
Sena

[dwijadas]

I did it.

$current_page = is always having current page name .. by checking the page name I manage to hide side boxes as and when needed.

thanks,
Sena.

[kmh]

I am struggling with this...
for the featured sidebox, I have changed my code to read:
// test if box should display
  $show_featured= true;

// only show if the main page
  if ($this_is_home_page == true) {
    $show_featured= true;
  } else {
    $show_featured= false;
  }
    

changing the "whats_new" above to "featured".

i get the following error on my main page:
Parse error: syntax error, unexpected T_VARIABLE in /home/animalve/public_html/zencart/includes/modules/sideboxes/custom/featured.php on line 13

I also tried following the instructions on page https://www.zen-cart.com/tutorials/i...hp?article=270 with the same result.

what am i missing?

[Ajeh]

What's on lines 10 - 15 on your file?

[kmh]

first 30 lines are:
<?php
/**
* featured sidebox - displays a random Featured Product
*
* @package templateSystem
* @copyright Copyright 2003-2005 Zen Cart Development Team
* @copyright Portions Copyright 2003 osCommerce
* @license http://www.zen-cart.com/license/2_0.txt GNU Public License V2.0
* @version $Id: featured.php 2808 2006-01-06 17:17:32Z drbyte $
*/

//&#160;test&#160;if&#160;box&#160;should&#160;display
&#160;&#160;$show_featured= true;

//&#160;only&#160;show&#160;if&#160;the&#160;main&#160;page
&#160;&#160;if&#160;($this_is_home_page&#160;==&#160;true)&#160;{
&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;$show_featured=&#160;true;
&#160;&#160;}&#160;else&#160;{
&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;$show_featured=&#160;false;
&#160;&#160;}

if ($show_featured == true) {
$random_featured_products_query = "select p.products_id, p.products_image, pd.products_name
from (" . TABLE_PRODUCTS . " p
left join " . TABLE_FEATURED . " f on p.products_id = f.products_id
left join " . TABLE_PRODUCTS_DESCRIPTION . " pd on p.products_id = pd.products_id )
where p.products_id = f.products_id and p.products_id = pd.products_id and p.products_status = 1 and f.status = 1 and pd.language_id = '" . (int)$_SESSION['languages_id'] . "'
order by pd.products_name desc
limit " . MAX_RANDOM_SELECT_FEATURED_PRODUCTS;


produces error message:
Parse error: syntax error, unexpected T_IF in /home/animalve/public_html/zencart/includes/modules/sideboxes/custom/featured.php on line 15

[Ajeh]

I cannot seem to break mine based on the code you are displaying ...