Changing Weight from Pounds to Kilos

[kuroi]

When making the changes outlined by Dave above, remember to edit copies of the files which you have placed in:

/includes/languages/YOUR_TEMPLATE_NAME/english.php and /includes/languages/english/modules/shipping/YOUR_TEMPLATE_NAME/zones.php

(the admin change will need to go in the file quoted as the over-ride system does not yet extend to the Admin)

[david.buckley]

Thanks for pointing out the bits that I forgot to mention Kuroi, and thanks be to Dr Byte for editing my post to remove the bits that I didn't really mean to paste in.

:)

Cheers all,

DAVE

[invokethegoddess]

Great thread...works well...I was able to change mine from lbs to kgs very easily although on the shipping estimator, it still says lbs....any idea where to change that file??

[FoneGuy]

Also, under Admin, Configuration, Shipping / Packaging, Package Tare - it still shows lb and lbs.
Not serious because the customer doesn't see it but would be nice to fix.
Anyone know where?
Thanks, Steve.

[oakwoodevents]

We have a website that has a default in lbs and this is naturally used for shipping, but we buy from a supplier who advertises the product in kilo's so we do have to make a change - wish we didnt. Fingers crossed for a dual weight cart, well we can live in hope

[RodG]

Fingers crossed for a dual weight cart, well we can live in hope

Please don't hold your breath while waiting. It'll probably never happen.

The fact is, zencart doesn't really weigh in lbs or kgs. It simply accepts 'numbers'. These numbers could mean anything, ounces, grams, kilo, pounds, even tonnes.

Wherever you see an 'identifer' such as "lbs", or "kgs" in relation to these 'numbers' it is important to realise that what you are seeing is nothing more than a simple text string.

With this in mind it should be easy to realise why there'll probably never a 'dual weight' option ('cos unless the developers incorporate code to cater for *every* possible weight conversion there will always be someone that wants a conversion that they didn't account for). IOW, by keeping it as simple as it stands, the weight can be adapted to *any* standard or format that the store owner requires. The moment the developers specify a particular weight format (for conversion purposes) they'll have immediately broken it for anyone that uses anything *other* than their specifed format(s).

If YOU were a developer, would you want to do that?

Cheers
Rod.

[johnwey]

I dunno RodG -- if it's only a text entry, there's no worries about actual weight. Wouldn't it be simple to just provide some drop-downs that change the text?

John

[kuroi]

I dunno RodG -- if it's only a text entry, there's no worries about actual weight. Wouldn't it be simple to just provide some drop-downs that change the text?

There are worries about actual weight. It's used in a number of places in the cart, in particular for shipping, but also for attribute pricing. As long as you are consistent and use the same units throughout, then it doesn't matter which units they are. If you start mixing units, then it would be a nightmare.

You're right that the ability to define the units differently would be helpful, maybe as a configuration value set in the Admin. However, the place that this would happen naturally (Admin > Configuration), does not currently support multilingual entries. So the location of this text in the language files is, at present, the best option.

[RodG]

I dunno RodG -- if it's only a text entry, there's no worries about actual weight. Wouldn't it be simple to just provide some drop-downs that change the text?

John

If everyone spoke English, yes. But just as with the other textual stuff, it is easier all around to let the end user edit them via the language files if and when required.
Most users edit these files as a matter of course when setting up and customising their stores anyway, so where's the hardship in changing the default 'lbs' to 'kgs' at the same time?

It isn't like an admin is going to need need to change this after the store is operational, so adding another dropdown menu seems a bit superflious to me.

Cheers
Rod

[artycles]

I'm in Australia, using 1.3.8 version. I've upgraded my AustPost thanks to Rod's help. Now have changed my lbs to grams.
Here's the current problem:

I've gone through and changed all the lbs to grams (using the developers tool kit I found them all eventually) and on the Austpost module also changed from Kgs to grams that I'm using. In testing it, the items in the shopping cart add correctly to 44grams but on the checkout the postage is calculating it way to much, I'm wondering what I've missed. Any ideas?

Ooooh I'm now thinking I should have made everying kgs and worked out every thing based on a 0.0kg...
I'll try that while I'm waiting to see if there was anything else.