Questions About Define_Pages

[DK_Scully]

http://book-oasis.com/index.php

Is it possible to create a sidebox that lists extra Define_Pages? Ideally we want to create author pages for each of our authors. Currently the only way we can see to do that is to create a category listing for each of them, and then have that listed beneath the existing categories in the Categories sidebox. But that will double the length of that sidebox, and it's already quite long. We'd like to have the author sidebox on the opposite side.

Yes, we know we can list the author names in the Manufacturers' sidebox...but while that creates a very nice dynamic list of the books each one has published, it does not provide the option for an author bio. Define_Pages should do that...if we can figure out how to link them into the index.php page.

Also, a few blank pages are included, but not nearly enough. How can we create additional blank pages? Is it just a matter of finding them on the server, then duplicating them and increasing the number counts? define_page_5.php, define_page_6.php, define_page_7.php, etc.?

Thanks very much for your help!!

[lat9]

Couldn't you accomplish that via EZ-Pages?

[DK_Scully]

I don't really know. I've never used EZ-Pages. Can I add those into a sidebox?

[DK_Scully]

Let me rephrase: I found the section labeled EZ-Pages and tried to create a test sidebox labeled Author Pages, with the text in the box saying "This is a test." Nothing happened; how do I get it to show up on the index page? I looked at the Layout Boxes Controller and no new sidebox category was created, so obviously I'm missing something.

[RixStix]

This might help

https://www.zen-cart.com/content.php...w-do-they-work

[dw08gm]

You could use the manufacturers_all or manufacturers_all_about mods, whether or not just the sidebox functionality, although I have not checked their latest upgrade status.

[DrByte]

Ideally we want to create author pages for each of our authors.

Yes, we know we can list the author names in the Manufacturers' sidebox...but while that creates a very nice dynamic list of the books each one has published, it does not provide the option for an author bio.

Perhaps what you need is just a little customizing of the Manufacturers display?
What if the pick-list of authors in the sidebox could still be used? That would let there be a quick-search for books by that author, and also display a bio at the top of the list.

This could be done by adding a manufacturer description. There's probably already a plugin for this, but you can do it yourself pretty easily:

SQL to add field to db:

ALTER TABLE manufacturers_info ADD COLUMN `mfg_description` text NOT NULL;

/includes/modules/pages/index/main_template_vars.php, (around line 219 in v1.5.5) :

if ($current_categories_name == '' && isset($_GET['manufacturers_id'])) {  $result = $db->Execute( "SELECT * FROM " . TABLE_MANUFACTURERS . " m
                           LEFT JOIN " . TABLE_MANUFACTURERS_INFO . " mi on (m.manufacturers_id = mi.manufacturers_id)
                           WHERE m.manufacturers_id = " . (int)$_GET['manufacturers_id'] . " 
                           AND languages_id = " . (int)$_SESSION['languages_id'] . "
                            LIMIT 1");
  if (!$result->EOF) {
      $current_categories_name = $result->fields['manufacturers_name'];
      $current_categories_description = $result->fields['mfg_description'];
  }
}

The above will make the mfg-description show above their products.

To enter the author bio's you'd need to add the raw HTML to the mfg_description field in the manufacturers_info table for each manufacturer.
How do you enter your data to the store now? Do you always use the built-in Admin screens? Or do you load data using other tools?