Editable Home Page Centerboxes [Support]

[DivaVocals]

Glenn,
I got the zip file and installed it. It works perfectly. Guess I had it pretty much installed from the older version, created my own sql patch that worked, but I was hung up on the "layout settings" stuff which doesn't apply.

Your beta version is cleaner (removed extra | unnecessary define files) and includes the sql patch needed for the page registration in v1.5

I can install on a test site if you want to see it in action (or if other forum members want to see it)

Thanks for your excellent work and contributions to the community!

Tina

Yep the version available in the downloads was my original brainstorm (born out of necessity to make a particular client requested layout work).. It was never updated for Zen Cart 1.5 which is why you did not see the layout options in the admin configuration.. Glenn has certainly made this a much better thing than it was.. Now I just need to do as I promised and update that daggone readme file.. **LOL**

[charmedbytina2]

I am trying to make the middle boxes the same height (based on the height on the tallest one) and just can't find the right way of doing it.

The site I am testing on is here

Help.......

Thanks, Tina

[gjh42]

Version 2.0 of Editable Home Page Centerboxes is now available in Plugins.
http://www.zen-cart.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=1069
It is compatible with Zen Cart v1.5.x.

[DivaVocals]

Version 2.0 of Editable Home Page Centerboxes is now available in Plugins.
http://www.zen-cart.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=1069
It is compatible with Zen Cart v1.5.x.

You rock Glenn!!!! You took my orginal hack and turned it into real code.. I am sooo grateful!! You turned this into a REAL plugin!! Sooooo awesome!!!!

[DivaVocals]

Version 2.0 of Editable Home Page Centerboxes is now available in Plugins.
http://www.zen-cart.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=1069
It is compatible with Zen Cart v1.5.x.

Okay.. so the ONLY thing that would make this add-on even better is if there is a way to get the sidebox content to display inside the middleboxes...

WordPress provides something similar to what I am asking about in that in WordPress widgets can appear in any "widgetized area" (still called sidebars) which means that widgets can be displayed in horizontal or vertical layouts ANYWHERE on the page you want them to appear versus being relegated to only the traditional vertical left and right sidebar locations.

I've been experimenting and found that I can call some not all sideboxes (like the categories sidebox) on a defined page using something like

<?php require(DIR_WS_MODULES . 'sideboxes/featured.php'); ?>

However, that code does not work on the middleboxes defined pages.. Hoping some one has a clue how I could display the following sideboxes inside the middleboxes:

• Specials
• Featured Products
• Best Sellers

I am stumped and while I have a plan B, it would sure be nicer if I could just display the content of these sideboxes inside the middleboxes.. Anyone have any ideas??

[DivaVocals]

Okay.. so wanted to post a few recommended changed to the CSS and the middleboxes_controller.php that are needed. The first change was pointed out a few months ago, but the details of the changes required were not very clear in that previous post..

So first the CSS changes..

Find this in the stylesheet:

#navColumnMiddleWrapper {
    margin: auto;
    overflow:hidden; 
    }

Replace it with this:

#navColumnMiddleWrapper1 {
    margin: auto;
    overflow:hidden; 
    }

#navColumnMiddleWrapper2 {
    margin: auto;
    overflow:hidden; 
    }

#navColumnMiddleWrapper3 {
    margin: auto;
    overflow:hidden; 
    }

#navColumnMiddleWrapper4 {
    margin: auto;
    overflow:hidden; 
    }

#navColumnMiddleWrapper5 {
    margin: auto;
    overflow:hidden; 
    }

#navColumnMiddleWrapper6 {
    margin: auto;
    overflow:hidden; 
    }

#navColumnMiddleWrapper7 {
    margin: auto;
    overflow:hidden; 
    }

This corrects the middlebox wrapper ID's to match the way they are generated from the Middlebox Controller. This is required so that the rest of the stylesheet declarations will work correctly. (Especially if you want to use the class that will make all the middleboxes line up at the bottom)

In the includes/templates/YOUR_TEMPLATE/templates/tpl_middlebox_controller.php file change this:

<h2><?php echo constant('BOX_HEADING_MIDDLEBOX' . $box_no); ?></h2>

To this:

<h2 class="middleBoxHeading"><?php echo constant('BOX_HEADING_MIDDLEBOX' . $box_no); ?></h2>

This will add back the class that controls the format of the middlebox headers.

LOVE LOVE LOVE what Glenn has done to streamline and automate this!!

[gjh42]

To set standard middlebox wrapper styling in the stylesheet, change the
#navColumnMiddleWrapper {
to
.navColumnMiddleWrapper {
The #navColumnMiddleWrapper1 {} rules can then be added for any individual wrapper/group styling desired.

Without touching PHP files, there are already handles to address all middlebox headings:
.middleboxContainer h2 {}
or specific headings:
#middlebox_1 h2 {}

I don't recall how much I did with the stylesheet; it may want a makeover to reflect the full scope of the latest version.

[DivaVocals]

To set standard middlebox wrapper styling in the stylesheet, change the
#navColumnMiddleWrapper {
to
.navColumnMiddleWrapper {
The #navColumnMiddleWrapper1 {} rules can then be added for any individual wrapper/group styling desired.

Without touching PHP files, there are already handles to address all middlebox headings:
.middleboxContainer h2 {}
or specific headings:
#middlebox_1 h2 {}

I don't recall how much I did with the stylesheet; it may want a makeover to reflect the full scope of the latest version.

That might be true.. I will go back at this tonight when I get home and make the changes to the stylesheet as you suggest..

Soooooooooo any thoughts on how one could get sideboxes to appear in the content area of the middleboxes??? Zen Cart would be SOOOOOOOO much more flexible in terms of styling and layout if this were achievable..

[gjh42]

I haven't thought about that since we last discussed it (a long time ago), but I will look at some sidebox files and see what I can come up with.

[DivaVocals]

I haven't thought about that since we last discussed it (a long time ago), but I will look at some sidebox files and see what I can come up with.

I'd appreciate that.. (especially if ya come up with an answer)

I tried a BUNCH of stuff.. but I am fully stumped and frustrated at this point.... Interestingly I can use a "require" call and display the content of a sidebox on any other defined page, but using these very simple require commands on the editable middlebox defined pages or the main page defined page and I get PHP errors.. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr..