Sidebox issue

[dbltoe]

I help with templates all the time and would not touch it myself. To suggest that I am here to denigrate versus assist is not sustainable. I believe it is most helpful to point out flaws that, without a doubt, will cause lower rankings and less traffic.

As often stated, my goal is to assist Zen Cart and its users. I would be remiss if I suggested someone try to make this template work when Zen Cart provides a much better platform on which to build what the storeowner wants.

Here's why I said what I did when I compared results of the site's home page versus ZC 2.0 RC2.

Existing Template
CSS - 55 Errors 1054 Warnings
HTML - 9 Errors 35 Warnings
Acccessibility - 9 Critical 27 Serious 37 Moderate 1 Minor
Lighthouse - Desktop 54 78 96 100 Mobile 38 74 93 100


ZC 2.0.0 RC2*
CSS - 14 Errors 671 Warnings**
HTML - 0 Errors 0 Warnings
Accessibility - 0 Automatic Errors***
Lighthouse - Desktop 100 100 100 100 Mobile 95 100 100 100


* The testing for ZC 2.0 was done with the latest Bootstrap, OPC, EO, and a database upgrade from 1.5.7d of a customer's site.


** All errors and all but 8 warnings are from outside sources.

*** No automatic tool can check things like hover contrast, text embedded in images, and other items not present without user interaction.

I simply can't suggest that someone continue down this rabbit whole and maintain a clear conscience.

Even a developer with new/limited abilities in Bootstrap would at the least have a clean canvas to work with and the storeowner can devote the "fix it first" cost to actual "style it" cost.

[Fenomenal7]

stop pissing on other peoples template choices. either help with their problem or move on.

all these comments do is chase potential developers from working on this project. less developers means less stores; less stores means less hosting.

TIS.

unlike others, i am willing to help people that have templates outside of the norm.

to start off, when working on your new site, i would turn off whatever URL writer you have on. getting that to work is generally not that hard; but when posting a link as to where your problem might be, it is far easier for someone, who actually knows code, to help when they do not have to decipher what, in fact the page is.

i think your template looks good, and i would encourage you to continue working on it.

i would also pay heed to what @swguy said. the security fixes are important.

best.

Thanks Carl! I got in touch with the developer and they basically just restored the original code for the page. They said not to use html editor, so there's that. A very easy fix but I was basically just a beginner when I started. Now I'm on my way to being a novice! I've finished with the website for the most part. I didn't know to put a link in the <li><a href="#!"> portion lol. This experience has been great, even though there was a learning curve, because I've been learning coding, learning the different files and their uses, and just feeling good about myself knowing that I can do anything I set my mind to. I love this zencart template because it looks snazzy! I have learned so much! I appreciate your help and will take the advice given about security! Enjoy your weekend.

[Fenomenal7]

I help with templates all the time and would not touch it myself. To suggest that I am here to denigrate versus assist is not sustainable. I believe it is most helpful to point out flaws that, without a doubt, will cause lower rankings and less traffic.

As often stated, my goal is to assist Zen Cart and its users. I would be remiss if I suggested someone try to make this template work when Zen Cart provides a much better platform on which to build what the storeowner wants.

Here's why I said what I did when I compared results of the site's home page versus ZC 2.0 RC2.

Existing Template
CSS - 55 Errors 1054 Warnings
HTML - 9 Errors 35 Warnings
Acccessibility - 9 Critical 27 Serious 37 Moderate 1 Minor
Lighthouse - Desktop 54 78 96 100 Mobile 38 74 93 100


ZC 2.0.0 RC2*
CSS - 14 Errors 671 Warnings**
HTML - 0 Errors 0 Warnings
Accessibility - 0 Automatic Errors***
Lighthouse - Desktop 100 100 100 100 Mobile 95 100 100 100


* The testing for ZC 2.0 was done with the latest Bootstrap, OPC, EO, and a database upgrade from 1.5.7d of a customer's site.


** All errors and all but 8 warnings are from outside sources.

*** No automatic tool can check things like hover contrast, text embedded in images, and other items not present without user interaction.

I simply can't suggest that someone continue down this rabbit whole and maintain a clear conscience.

Even a developer with new/limited abilities in Bootstrap would at the least have a clean canvas to work with and the storeowner can devote the "fix it first" cost to actual "style it" cost.

I'm not sure what all that means but it sounds like it could be a challenge. However, I like challenges and puzzles and wouldn't I be able to correct all these problems over time? By learning coding and reaching out to you guys if there's a term or something that I don't know/understand? I've definitely been learning along the way, however I do want to make sure security is tight!

Where do I go to find these errors you mentioned? And is there a way I can start fixing the problems? One thing I noticed is that my host kept switching php 7.4 to 8.0 and it was causing me problems everytime they did it, with various plugins. I would just jump in the chatbox with them and ask them to switch it back to 7.4, which they do in 2 minutes. Today when I asked them to switch again I let them know that I don't consent to them changing it because it seems like they change it back to 8.0 every week or so and it didn't seem like they had an option for me to not switch. Fortunately today they said they were able to make it where it doesn't switch anymore to 8.0. We shall see, but either way, if I have a weird problem pop up (like in GPSF II) I know to check with them about the php first. Slowly but surely I conquer all things because I don't have problems - I have solutions! Thank you, enjoy your weekend.

[dbltoe]

However, I like challenges and puzzles and wouldn't I be able to correct all these problems over time? By learning coding and reaching out to you guys if there's a term or something that I don't know/understand?

CSS and HTML errors can be found using the Web Developer tools in most browsers or go to https://validator.w3.org/ and select either the HTML or CSS checker. Any errors should be repaired ASAP. Accessibility can wait till the code is correct. Errors in CSS and HTML affect SE ranking the most.

After those are taken care of, take a look at the tools mentioned at https://docs.zen-cart.com/user/acces...bility-checker. There are more thorough checkers but this one is new-to-accessibility friendly and will give good suggestions for fixes.

One thing I noticed is that my host kept switching php 7.4 to 8.0 and it was causing me problems everytime they did it, with various plugins. I would just jump in the chatbox with them and ask them to switch it back to 7.4, which they do in 2 minutes. Today when I asked them to switch again I let them know that I don't consent to them changing it because it seems like they change it back to 8.0 every week or so and it didn't seem like they had an option for me to not switch.

I'm sure their "legalese" includes the fact that they can change the server software, database engine, PHP level, etc. at any time.

Speaking as a certified host for Zen Cart, I can tell you that most hosts are forced to go to higher versions of PHP for mostly two reasons:

1. The platforms they host have numerous security vulnerabilities at PHP levels 7.4 and below.
2. Their operating systems must drop lower versions of PHP when upgrading litespeed, cPanel, WHMCS, etc.

Only dealing with Zen Cart, myzencarthost.com is able to "hold on" to lower PHP values for now. We wil be forced to do so soon but want to keep lower versions through the upgrade to 2.0 process so that older sites can still run while upgrading on a test site. The fact that there are very few vulnerabilities in ZC that are associated with PHP allows us to do that and still protect our clients.

PHP 8.0 is already End of Life (EOL) and 8.1 wil do the same in November of 2024.

Unfortunately, non-certified hosts often upgrade their PHP versions without even checking what versions are currently used by their customers.

[carlwhat]

....
Speaking as a certified host for Zen Cart, I can tell you that most hosts are forced to go to higher versions of PHP for mostly two reasons:
....

your comment now has me curious. specifically:

• what are the requirements for being a certified host for zen cart? ie what does said certification entail?
• how long have you been a certified host for zen cart?
• who does the certification?
• how long does said certification last? and is there a renewal process?
• is there a cost, ie a payment made to ZC, for said certification? (payments for certification are pretty common in numerous industries.)

i have heard this expression elsewhere (as well as seeing it in your signature), but i have not been able to find any details on what said certification entails on this website. i am not saying it is not there, i just have not seen it.

[barco57]

@carlwhat I believe the certified host thing is really old and doesn't really exist anymore, as far as I can tell. You have to dig far back in the wayback machine (https://web.archive.org/web/20100420...es&pages_id=10) to find the old certified host page and the link to the application.

[dbltoe]

I think barco57 covered the requirements, but I do want to address the other items.

JEANDRET (the parent company) has been hosting Zen Cart for nearly twenty years. We did not apply for Certified status until most of the companies listed on the page that barco57 presented had closed or were no longer listed. Some are still operational. I don’t know why they are no longer listed or whose decision that was. I speak only for myZenCartHost.com

As you saw on the "Apply for Certification" link, I filled out the form and submitted it by pressing send. Where or to whom it went, I don't know.

You will have to ask someone else about duration and renewal. I have not been notified of any expiration date nor have I been contacted to renew any information on the original form. I'd certainly be happy to go through any vetting process needed to maintain my standing.

I note that the Services page states “Compatible Hosting”. I submit that even GoneDaddy is compatible hosting up to a point. I feel that the term certified implies that that host is going to look out for the Zen Cart customer. I doubt there is any instance where you cannot find that true of any of those listed on the host page.

There is no payment made to Zen Cart for the display of our information. I have no control over whether the information is displayed. I note that all hosts listed in Services on the forum are also represented in 2.0.0 in the banners presented out-of-the-box.

All links from my sig, the Services link in the forum, and the banner links of the distro point to an affiliate link that lets me know if any sale results from that link. We set an agreed-upon percentage of each sale to be returned to the development team.

Unfortunately, by the time folks get to the forum, they generally already have hosting somewhere. History has shown very little click-throughs that resulted in sales.

You didn't ask, but that's the main reason we decided to give a free license to our ADA/WCAG widget to the docs site. We've not been able to generate the affiliate revenue that we felt was sufficient so I felt that providing it was one way I could make up for the lack of affiliate return for hosting.

The widget makes it much easier for the entire world to get Zen Cart assistance. And, yes, the link on the docs site is an affiliate link to our widget site. I requested the link for the license, but it was not a requirement in the donation. I have done the same with other free projects and non-profits with which I have connections.

Whern the new bug was first identified, I received a request for help and used code from DrByte to test all of our databases trying to find a commonality between occurances. I'd like to think we were helpful in determing the bug affected only certain versions of ZC. It was helpful to us, yes. But, mainly, it was help for the team.

I can't speak for others, but I do know that the link to Square in both the old and your WebPay version 1.0.4 is an affiliate link like mine that will provide a small amount to go to the development team. That's why we recommend to all new customers wanting to use Square to go through the Services link or the one in the admin and "make a little money for the team".

Keyword - TEAM