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  1. #1
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    Default Creating a new Zen Cart Template detailed instructions?

    I have realized that a weak point of the zen cart system is the absence of aesthetically professional 100% 1.3.8-compatible commercial templates. (I know the story about Template Monster and the other few companies that sell such templates...)
    So, I was wondering, in case someone wants to make a template from scratch, or even continue from a free zen cart 1.3.8 template, besides the tutorials/faq, wiki and the http://www.themeswiki.org/Creating_a..._Cart_Template article (excerpt from the Zen Cart: E-commerce Application Development book), is there a more detailed article for creating a new custom zen cart template from scratch ?
    (Does the above mentioned book contain more info on this issue?)

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Creating a new Zen Cart Template detailed instructions?

    No
    After those resources you are left to your knowledge of html, css, and the ability to at least read some php to move code blocks around in the template files
    Mike
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    The Zen Cart Forum...Better than a monitor covered with post-it notes!

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Creating a new Zen Cart Template detailed instructions?

    ok, I understand what you mean, especially after I read the above article on the creation of a new template (from the book). I think I am starting to get the general picture (i.e. of the file structure of zen cart and the function of each directory).

    But I wonder how come there haven't been any professional looking zen cart commercial templates that are 100% zen cart code compatible and at the same time having a aesthetic professional look that every client would prefer to that of the free zen cart templates ?

  4. #4
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    Default Re: Creating a new Zen Cart Template detailed instructions?

    JMHO - But, part of the reason there are not a ton of commercial templates is they are generally restrictive. They are limited to the artist's vision of what the site should look like and as such they restrict the functionality or the flexibility of the program.

    Zen Cart is extremely flexible and designing a template that works with 1,2 or 3 columns, can be fixed width or fluid, can have 50 sideBoxes or none is intimidating to some. And then there is the programming - an ecommerce application has many dependancies - the program has to have all of the "facts" in order to operate and removing one piece of the puzzle improperly can break something else.

    Factor number three is uniqueness - Do you really want a shop that looks like 500 other shops out there?

    While it does take a bit of time to grasp the system, once you understand the override system you can do just about anything you like.
    Please do not PM for support issues: a private solution doesn't benefit the community.

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  5. #5
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    Default Re: Creating a new Zen Cart Template detailed instructions?

    While it does take a bit of time to grasp the system, once you understand the override system you can do just about anything you like.
    I am glad to hear that, I was wondering though where can one find a complete documentation of the zen cart classes, methods, generally the API documentation (from what I saw in the wiki part, there is not much documentation, unless I missed some spots...there are mainly references to functions and variables, although I am just beginning to understand that this cross-referencing of the code project really must help a lot if one knows his way around php).
    Another thing I was wondering.... do you think that the "Zen Cart: E-commerce Application Development" book by Suhreed Sarkar contains more developer-oriented information than the "e-Start Your Web Store with Zen Cart" manual ?

  6. #6
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    Default Re: Creating a new Zen Cart Template detailed instructions?

    I've always thought that the reason TM templates mess with the code so much is because you can't charge ~$160 for something someone can get for free if you're doing most of the styling in the stylesheet.

  7. #7
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    Default Re: Creating a new Zen Cart Template detailed instructions?

    Quote Originally Posted by stevesh View Post
    I've always thought that the reason TM templates mess with the code so much is because you can't charge ~$160 for something someone can get for free if you're doing most of the styling in the stylesheet.
    You may be on to something there.
    Mary Ellen
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