Mobile Friendly

[Johnnycopilot]

Thanks schoolboy, gilby, jeking, picaflor-azul, RixStix, Merlinpa1969, and rbarbour. I appreciate ALL of your help. I am going to follow the advice of Y'all and use a responsive template. If I were better at PHP, rbarbour has a great solution. I've realized that getting 'help' with merging this code would essentially be the same thing as someone else DOING the work for me. Hopefully this thread will help someone that is going through the same thing I am going through, and help them make some decisions. I have said this before, but I REALLY appreciate and enjoy this ZC Forum, and the awesome, polite, information and help that I get here.

[Johnnycopilot]

I ran across this tonight. I thought it only fair that I post this, for anyone who has been reading and/or following this thread. 12leaves has Mobile (only) Themes. They install in the root, and don't effect your current site. Their description of the Mobile Only themes is... "There is no duplicate content after you install our mobile theme. Only look and feel changes when you visit the site via mobile device, so all the settings, products and other content are exactly the same as you have for your regular desktop theme. It works as just you change your theme via admin area, but it automatically changes for mobile devices." I am more than likely going with a responsive template, but I wanted to share this in case this may work better for someone. http://blog.12leaves.com/2012/11/22/...cart-template/

[DivaVocals]

I'm tardy to this party, but wanted to add my three cents in case someone else stumbles here..

What the Responsive DIY Template Default CSS framework was built for....

1.) Creates a Responsive Template as a starting point for those designing their own website templates.

2.) Allows one to easily adapt the HTML necessary to convert an existing website template.
a.) The included CSS framework does the magic!

3.) Includes google Mobile Detect which allows Mobile users to view Full Website (desktop version) if they choose too.

4.) Includes php and css code to hide sideboxes on mobile devices which would otherwise clutter screen and slow loads.

Raymond's framework is a fantastic starting ground for someone who has an existing template they are happy with, and wants to "convert" it to responsive.. I was one of his guinea pigs for the pre-first-gen of this framework.. From the earliest versions of this framework, it was a LIFE & TIME SAVER.. After merging the files from his framework with my existing template, I saw my non-responsive template become responsive pretty much instantly.. I say "pretty much" only because I still had to do a little work (very little) to tweak the various device views to my client's liking, and I had to make some tweaks to other appearance modules that weren't responsive (at that time), and needed some nudging to work responsively. Additionally I found that media queries alone weren't enough to do everything I needed to do so I incorporated the MobileDetect script to fill in that gap there.. But the BIG game changer was Raymond's framework.. It did most of the heavy lifting for me.. The latest versions of his Raymond's framework now include the MobileDetect script, and a TON of out the box hints/helps/samples to get you off the ground and running.. He made a good thing even better IMHO..

Everyone here will give you good advice (but different) advice on how to proceed.

I will advise this, if you plan to DIY:

-Create a sub-directory and upload the latest version of zen-cart to it.

-With a fresh copy of your current template package, merge the The Responsive DIY Template Default code

-Upload your newly coded template

-Install easyPopulate or a comparable plugin and upload your categories and products

-Activate your template and see what CSS tweeks will be needed

This will:

A) familiarize you with the files that need merging
B) give you an idea of what CSS tweeks will be needed

If you do that and get stuck, share a link and I'm positive that someone or myself will chime in and help!

From there you can start uploading your plugins, all of which you listed, I don't see any major appearance issues that will need CSS tweeks, I cannot say they are or will be compatible with the latest version of zen-cart though.

Your advice mirrors what I would have suggested as well.. Doing all of this work in a test/dev environment will give the OP an opportunity to make all of his/her changes without interfering with the live site.. I would only make one additional suggestion, and that is create a sub-domain for this test store.. This way any if the live store is working from the top level of the hosting space, the dev store will behave the same (ie: behavior/paths when the store is operating from a sub-domain will be different) This will be important if the OP is doing anything that makes changes to the root level .htaccess file.. (and before anyone turns this ONE statement into an off topic URL re-writer discussion, take a pill and relax .. there are OTHER useful things one MIGHT be adding to their root level .htaccess file)

Thanks schoolboy, gilby, jeking, picaflor-azul, RixStix, Merlinpa1969, and rbarbour. I appreciate ALL of your help. I am going to follow the advice of Y'all and use a responsive template. If I were better at PHP, rbarbour has a great solution. I've realized that getting 'help' with merging this code would essentially be the same thing as someone else DOING the work for me. Hopefully this thread will help someone that is going through the same thing I am going through, and help them make some decisions. I have said this before, but I REALLY appreciate and enjoy this ZC Forum, and the awesome, polite, information and help that I get here.

Glad my other post about someone "DOING" the work was accepted in the spirit in which it was intended.. (some folks get bent out of shape when I inform them of this..) Wanted to add one more thing.. You do not have to be good necessarily at PHP, but you do need to understand the structure of the default template files to understand how to properly merge in Raymond's framework.. Time and practice will make this better for you.. Having a development store will give you that luxury..

OR

you can hire someone to do that work for you and save you a few gray hairs.. You can use those files to help you learn and understand what needs to be done..

That said I need to add one IMPORTANT caveat.. **drumroll**

For you poor souls who now have a Template Monstrosity or Theme Forrest or (yeah have to add them to "the list") a 12 Leaves template. You will have your own special brand of "fun" merging Raymond's framework with one of these beasts.. **to be clear** I am not saying you cannot incorporate Raymond's framework with one of these templates.. I AM saying that many of these templates already hack and crack the hell out of the Zen Cart core template structure (ALWAYS un-necessarily BTW!) to the point of making many of the core files unrecognizable, which then in turn will make the job of merging Raymond's framework an exercise insanity for vets and newbies alike..

So yeah.. while Raymond's framework is the BOMB, it can't fix BAD/CRAP templates on contact.. Kinda like how lipstick and designer clothes can't turn a pig into a super model..

[Johnnycopilot]

One more thing I ran across. (I put this in my other thread too) Quote from Google "Google recognizes three different configurations for building mobile sites... Responsive web design, Dynamic serving, Separate URLs, ..... Responsive design is Google’s recommended design pattern." More information here https://developers.google.com/webmas...t-config?hl=en

[Johnnycopilot]

I do have another question or two. I am going to use a responsive template, but for future reference, and perhaps even with my new responsive template, at some point I am going to need to merge some complicated (for me) php files. I wasn't aware of this the other day, but there are PHP Merging programs out there. Some free, some not. My questions... (1) is there one (that anyone here is aware of) that is particularly better than the others? and (2), how accurate (for lack of a better word) are these programs? Thanks

[DivaVocals]

I do have another question or two. I am going to use a responsive template, but for future reference, and perhaps even with my new responsive template, at some point I am going to need to merge some complicated (for me) php files. I wasn't aware of this the other day, but there are PHP Merging programs out there. Some free, some not. My questions... (1) is there one (that anyone here is aware of) that is particularly better than the others? and (2), how accurate (for lack of a better word) are these programs? Thanks

Beyond Compare.. PERIOD.. It's commercial, but worth EVERY SINGLE PENNY!!! (and let's be clear.. it's NOT expensive..) Skip the standard version.. Get the Pro version..

Winmerge is free and it SUCKS.. PERIOD.. You WILL get what you pay for with Winmerge.. nothing..

[jeking]

I do have another question or two. I am going to use a responsive template, but for future reference, and perhaps even with my new responsive template, at some point I am going to need to merge some complicated (for me) php files. I wasn't aware of this the other day, but there are PHP Merging programs out there. Some free, some not. My questions... (1) is there one (that anyone here is aware of) that is particularly better than the others? and (2), how accurate (for lack of a better word) are these programs? Thanks

Beyond Compare was well. Been using it for years!

[Johnnycopilot]

Thanks, I'll take Y'all's word and get it. Thank you verrrrrrrrrrry much

[kevinmc3]

So , in summary, converting an existing 1.5.1. Zen template to a responsive theme (for mobile ready) is the recommended and easier solution , than a separate mobile template that mobile visitors are redirected to? Is the Responsive conversion fairly simple, withotu needing a complete template redesign?

[Johnnycopilot]

kevinmc3, I'm sure that I'm not the best person to answer this, but I have learned a few things I would like to share. Google says the preferred method is a responsive template over the other two 'types'. Converting my existing template with the DIY responsive code did not work for me, because I was not able to merge the code with the highly modified 12 Leaves Template that I am already using; however, the people at 12 Leaves claim their responsive templates will work with Zen Cart with no core changes, so the conversion (Template install) is supposed to be very simple. I know that picaflor-azul (Anne here on the forum) has a ton of very very nice looking and working templates. I'm sure if you ask her or look around here on the forum, or go look at her demo's you can find out how they work and install. So, in summary, I am going to use a responsive template instead of converting my existing template. Also, I know that 12Leaves has some Mobile ONLY templates that you put in your root folder, in which you don't do anything to your existing template, that will make your site 'work' on mobile devices, and your existing template is still used when people view your site from a large screen; About the Mobile only templates, 12 Leaves says "They install in the root, and don't effect your current site. There is no duplicate content after you install our mobile theme. Only look and feel changes when you visit the site via mobile device, so all the settings, products and other content are exactly the same as you have for your regular desktop theme. It works as just you change your theme via admin area, but it automatically changes for mobile devices." ..... but like I said, Google claims that the Responsive site is preferred. I don't know if Picaflor-azul (Anne) has any mobile only templates, but I know has plenty of Responsive templates. Go to her site and check it out. Hope this helps.