Stumped on Column by Page Removal

[jahgriz]

I'm trying to remove the right column from the main index page.

I have an override in place for tpl_main_page: /templates/my-template/common/tpl_main_page.php.

The original version has the following code at line 41:

// the following IF statement can be duplicated/modified as needed to set additional flags
  if (in_array($current_page_base,explode(",",'list_pages_to_skip_all_right_sideboxes_on_here,separated_by_commas,and_no_spaces')) ) {
    $flag_disable_right = true;
  }

In my file I have changed it to:

// the following IF statement can be duplicated/modified as needed to set additional flags
  if (in_array($current_page_base,explode("index",'index')) ) {
    $flag_disable_right = true;
  }

yet the home page still has the right column.

I've searched the forums for 3 hours and have seen a lot of potential ways to do it, but I'd like to change as little as possible, and this seems to be the way to go in the latest version.

Anyone have any ideas?

[Merlinpa1969]

you will want to put create a new folder named index in

includes/templates/your_template

so its

includes/templates/your_template/index

put your modified tpl_main_page in this folder.

remember to comment the right column

[jahgriz]

Thanks for the responce. I obviously had brain freeze, in that I had previously read the commented instruction on the top of tpl_main_page, yet for some reason missed the by page folder part.

Anyway, for others I did the following to get only the "home" page to drop the right column:

 if ($current_page_base == 'index' and $cPath == '') {
   $flag_disable_right = true;
   }

in place of the original:

// the following IF statement can be duplicated/modified as needed to set additional flags
  if (in_array($current_page_base,explode(",",'list_pages_to_skip_all_right_sideboxes_on_here,separated_by_commas,and_no_spaces')) ) {
    $flag_disable_right = true;
  }

So now, let me see if I understand this. I have overriden tpl_main_page in mytemplate/common folder which handles pretty much every thing associated with main_page, then I have overriden that file strictly for pages which main_page=index? And in my index override I have simply said if main_page=index with no $cPath (the home page) then don't show the right column.
That is very sweet.
Thanks again Merlin.

[gjh42]

I think you incorrectly modified the code in your first attempt.

...explode(",",'list_pages_to_skip_...

...explode("index",'index')...

It should be:

...explode(",",'index')...

I don't know php well enough to explain the "," part, but I do know that every character must be exactly right for it to function correctly.

If your version works, great! I think the "official" version may cause fewer database queries or otherwise be more efficient, but in this circumstance I don't think it really matters.

[jahgriz]

Thanks gjh42. I'll give it a try and report back for anyone interested.

[jahgriz]

gjh42, you were right. The only difference is that method removes the right column from all main_page=index.... pages. So it removes the right column from for example, the product pages along with the home page. Which makes sence, since there is no reference to the $cPath in that statement.