Adding to an existing web site

[Adalast]

Rob, perhaps this might help you understand.

I have written some Python scripts that allow the user to put their 3D product purchase history into a database. I did this first for my own use, showed it to some friends, they showed it to some friends...and it has become a product to sell. So, I needed a HTML/php/MySQL web site to sell these (since the potential market could be hundreds if not thousands, I wanted to avoid the casual e-mail sales). I know HTML, but not php/MySQL...so I bought a book, modified the code to reflect my needs, and now just need the PayPal shopping cart, with the IPN capability that the book doesn't cover. I looked around, found Zen Cart, and I do like the capabilities of the platform...but it really isn't the most obvious learning path when you first dive into the pond. I finally read most of the available info, 3 days long hours, and think I have the core of an understanding of how & what it does. I actually think I may have something up & working in a couple of days. But I too am not pleased with having to re-code everything I already wrote - I will do it, but that doesn't make me eager to do so.

But to have to deal with the blindness - almost arrogance - of "This is the part I just cannot understand." is irritating...not everyone of us who comes to this point does so as fully knowledgeable of all you have to offer us. Some of us got here through some fairly thick underbrush, and are weary of having to learn yet "another" new way to redo what we've already done. And we DO appreciate the help we are getting - thus far I've gotten some great assistance. The WIKI, once you get orientated, is very useful. But being looked down at for having tried to do it without you is not helpful. Help if you can, but remember that not everyone is as lucky as you to have found Zen Cart right at the start, avoiding the stumbles...in fact, I consider the time spent stumbling as very useful in seeing the advantages of your product.

Thank you so much. I was just ignoring the post, but had I replied, I don't think I could have phrased it better myself.

[schoolboy]

I see where you are going with this... and I see how it would work. I really really would like to avoid it if at all possible though because the permutations are astronomical.

I did spend a brief moment thinking about the exponential nature of the calculations... but the idea was worth a shot anyway.

[rstevenson]

Rob, perhaps this might help you understand. ...
But to have to deal with the blindness - almost arrogance - of "This is the part I just cannot understand." is irritating...not everyone of us who comes to this point does so as fully knowledgeable of all you have to offer us. ...

Sorry to have upset you. I was responding to the situation as outlined to that point in the thread. The situation seemed to be that of a designer who accepted a job that they didn't know how to finish. Later info in the thread tells me that was not so, but there was no way to know that at the time I posted my remark. And it is an all too familiar situation, which I have had to deal with in my own business, cleaning up after someone else has failed. I hope it's obvious now I was just speaking out of momentary frustration and did not mean any offense to any particular individual.

Rob

[Adalast]

Thanks for the apology Rob. I did get in over my head a bit on the whole commerce portion of the site, but I'm learning. Still no answer on any possible alternatives to zencart that might be a little more simplistic? If not, is there anywhere else I might be albe to go to get an answer? I would like to have a few methods to propose to my clients along with the pros and cons of each so that they can make a decision of how they want me to procede.

[OrcaSoul]

Sorry to have upset you. I was responding to the situation as outlined to that point in the thread. The situation seemed to be that of a designer who accepted a job that they didn't know how to finish. Later info in the thread tells me that was not so, but there was no way to know that at the time I posted my remark. And it is an all too familiar situation, which I have had to deal with in my own business, cleaning up after someone else has failed. I hope it's obvious now I was just speaking out of momentary frustration and did not mean any offense to any particular individual.

Rob

Rob,

Apology accepted - and please accept mine in return. I had just gotten up from a restless night - something to do with a cat that has discovered my body makes a wonderful walkway in the middle of the night...and offers her thanks by massaging my neck...

I love her dearly, but...

[rstevenson]

... Still no answer on any possible alternatives to zencart that might be a little more simplistic? ...

Like many here, I came to Zen Cart after finally deciding the "simple" alternatives were anything but. Yes, it would be nice to be able to drop a Buy Me button into an HTML-based site anywhere you want, but the invisible things you get with a full solution like Zen Cart, including but not limited to security, multiple payment gateways, shipping modules to cover any situation, etc. really outweigh the pain of the learning curve.

If you can get through the first few weeks of learning and become an expert at designing within Zen Cart (and there really is almost nothing you can't do visually within ZC) you'll have a leg up on the competition, and can offer your clients a solid alternative.

And the best part of the whole thing is that you'll find lots of helpful people on this forum (and some occasionally grumpy ones ) to help you up the learning curve.

Rob

[Adalast]

OK... well that is understandable. Now how do I get started putting together this layout to look like the site I have made? Also, will I be able to use ZC for just the selling portions of my site and then use the HTML pages for the parts that do not need any sales aspects? Also, will I be able to use the identical menus that I have? They are a CSS/PHP driven system. How do I get started making a template to make it look exactly like I have now?

[rstevenson]

Now how do I get started putting together this layout to look like the site I have made?

Best place to start is in the Turtorials/FAQ section, link at the top of this page. In particular learn about the overrides system, so you get things in the right place right off the top.

Then have a look at the free templates available for Zen Cart. You should be able to find one that is leaning in the direction you want to go a lot farther than the stock template that comes with ZC.

Experiment with the stylesheet just to get a feel for what it controls. There's a huge amount of control possible using the stylesheet. Moving code is sometimes required. Writing code is rarely needed.

Check out the Free Software Add Ons (link, top-left) for mods that you will find useful. A lot of people have already invented the wheel, so no need to reinvent it.

Also, will I be able to use ZC for just the selling portions of my site and then use the HTML pages for the parts that do not need any sales aspects?

Best to use ZC for the whole thing. In the Tut/FAQs look up EZ Pages. Those are easy to make pages which automatically fit into the ZC navigation system and can hold any content. They're particularly good for "static" HTML content.

Also, will I be able to use the identical menus that I have? They are a CSS/PHP driven system.

I had a look at what you've done so far. That looks like a combination of category menus and attributes. This is an ideal thing to do using jQuery, which will be, I think, a part of Zen Cart 2.0 when it's released. (Or am I thinking of AJAX?) In the meantime, I believe it is possible to use jQuery within ZC now. There are a few threads here in the forum which touch on it.

But even without jQuery you should be able to do what you need using Attributes (again, see that topic in the Tut/FAQs.)

I hope this gets you moving in the right direction. Ask specific questions in new threads, one for each question, and you'll find lots of help here.

Rob

[Adalast]

Ok... I am off to a good start, but I can't seem to find some of the information I am needing.

• How do I set an EZ page as the home page?
• How do I move the menu from the top of the page to directly below my logo?
• How do I add EZ pages to the menu I am trying to move?
• Is there any way to replace the PHP script that is controlling that menu with the one that I am using on my original site?
• Should I be trying to make the Box Builder as an EZ page or as a product page?
• How do I remove the title from the EZ pages?
• How do I remove the login function completely? My client has no need for people to make accounts with them. If it is unable to be removed, I will try to find a way to spin it, but I would like to see it gone entirely.

I suppose that the way the menu works for the EZ pages right now would work overall... if I could get the product pages on there too. I am personally thinking of making the box builder as an EZ page and then trying to get the other two as product pages. Then all I have to do is figure out how to make the flash output the variables and I think I'll be in business.

[rstevenson]

• How do I set an EZ page as the home page?
  
  If you want static content on the home page, turn off anything you don't want in admin/Configuration/Index Listing, then add content to the home page by using admin/Tools/Define Pages Editor > define_main_page.php
  
  
• How do I move the menu from the top of the page to directly below my logo?
• How do I add EZ pages to the menu I am trying to move?
  
  Your EZ-Page links can be in the header links, along with Home, Log In and so on; they can be in the footer; and they can be in the Important Links sidebox. And maybe all three at once? Not sure about that. Have a look at admin/Configuration/EZ Pages Settings.
  
  
• Should I be trying to make the Box Builder as an EZ page or as a product page?
  
  As a product page so you can use the attributes. Or as an EZ-Page so you can employ totally custom code. Your choice.
  
  
• How do I remove the title from the EZ pages?
  
  You'd have to customize the php file which controls the layout of EZ-Pages. Off hand, I don't know where that is.
  
  
• How do I remove the login function completely? My client has no need for people to make accounts with them. If it is unable to be removed, I will try to find a way to spin it, but I would like to see it gone entirely.
  
  Search these forums for COWOA. And search the Free Software Add Ons for Login.
  

Rob