new custom template

[hadje]

hi there

i have just installed the latest version of Zencart, and i am wanting to learn how to customize.

i have a copy of the "e star your webstore" pdf

in this manual it instructs me to create my own custom template within the appropraite directory by copying all of the files from the "custom" (they use "classic" but i know that i should base on "custom") folder, and then modifying from there (p273 chapter 17)

however from the wiki, etc, in several places it says "only copy the files that you intend to modify"..

which is correct?

is there anything wrong with just copying all of the files so that i know i have everything that i could need already in my new template for customizing?

thanks from a newbie

peace

[afo]

Copy only the files you need to modify. Copying all of them is only bloating your installation with duplication that you don't need. In addition, when you want to update/upgrade your version of Zen Cart, you'll have all the files you modified isolated in your custom folders, so you won't have to go through each and every file in order to integrate your changes into the new version of Zen Cart. It's much simpler that way.

There are free templates available for Zen Cart if you need a jump start on creating your own. You can see them in action at http://(sorry, site offline)/.

[hadje]

thanks for the reply

first of all my apologies; in my initial post where i have writen "custom" it should read "default", for the template i am basing my custom template on

anyway, just to make sure i understand, when/if i upgrade in the future...the new upgrade installation will overwrite existing files/folders but leave my custom template(s) alone? and then i will need to compare my custom files to the new ones in case there are changes that i need to update manually?

as a side note i downloaded the Future Zen free template and copied over the files to my server...after making the settings in my admin panel and selecting the new template, etc, my site only displayed a blank blue screen, and i couldn't even revert back to the "classic" template...i ended up having to do a complete re-install of Zencart

peace

[afo]

Yes, Zen Cart updates/upgrades will leave your custom folders alone.

You may have incorrectly installed the template. I've used some of them and haven't encountered that problem.