Things every New Zenner needs to know

[TShooters]

Sylvia,

Pointing you to some tutorials on the overrides system, so your changes
won't be lost when you upgrade:

https://www.zen-cart.com/tutorials/i...hp?article=142

https://www.zen-cart.com/tutorials/i...hp?article=143

https://www.zen-cart.com/tutorials/index.php?article=36

https://www.zen-cart.com/tutorials/i...hp?article=230

[ttb]

> Confirm that when you go to admin > tools > template selection that the template DIRECTORY name is indeed "custom".

Yes, it is set to "classic." I tried to edit it to change it to "custom" but there are no options other than "classic."

All I want is the easiest, simplest way to replace the "Sales Message Goes Here" with "Welcome to MamaSylvia's Stuff." I'm not trying to do a lot of fancy layout or page customization. I may later on, but my immediate concern is simply to get the store working. I also need to find that 3-lb tare and change it, which I have had NO success with, sheesh!

you need to add a new directory to your includes/templates folder. call it "Custom" or whatever name you have chosen. then, go into the new folder you just created, and copy template_info.php from your classic file into your newly created directory. you can then edit the new copied file to change the name of the template to whatever you like.

[mamasylvia]

Upgrade? I haven't even gotten this version figured out!

As for creating new subdirectories and template files: isn't there an easier way to do it? Why won't the program just take editing a single line of the classic file? Why can't I just delete the whole top banner? I realize these options wouldn't work for a serious store designer, and maybe at some future point I'll be interested in making my store prettier. But right now I just want quick-and-dirty-and-WORKING.

[ttb]

the scenario I laid before you would take 30 seconds. maybe a minute if you type with 1 finger. if that isn't "quick and dirty" enough, then you may have other issues more pressing than web design.

[mamasylvia]

ttb, maybe it would take YOU 30 seconds. It took me several minutes to realize I didn't understand what you were talking about. However, I think I did that going through the tutorials TShooters recommended. And when I switched to the custom template, my store disappeared. Is this a bug? The ONLY thing I changed in the template_info.php was templage name and author. I haven't even figured out how or where to change the "Zen Cart" page title that appears at the top of Netscape.

I'm not a programmer. I'm a user. I consider myself an advanced beginner at HTML (I think you should be able to set up left and right hand columns to be considered an intermediate user) and know nothing of CSS. But I follow "go to this directory, copy this, put this here, change this line" instructions very well.

TShooters, I did try to go through the tutorials. I went through all the steps of the first one, and when I changed the template from classic to custom -- my store disappeared. The main page was completely blank, the same problem I've had when I uploaded the modified .php files to some directories earlier. So I quickly changed the template back to classic -- the "Sales Message" is annoying, but a disappearing store is critical.

The second tutorial listed all the places I could put up a custom directory. If this is supposed to help me, I missed it. I'm not trying to customize much at this point, just the "Sales message" message.

The third tutorial about template overrides was way beyond my current abilities. Might as well have been written in Greek. Is it necessary to just get rid of the "Sales Message" message? (Serious question. I really don't know.)

The fourth one, on Understanding Overrides, actually was more readable but only concerned what I consider fairly advanced changes, that I don't need.

Am I alone in thinking getting rid of the two "getting started" messages on the main page should be simple? Changing the message on the define_main_page.php was very straightforward, I did it completely from within the ZenCart management program. Why isn't getting rid of the "sales message" message equally simple and straightforward?

I hope this is the smilie for banging one's head against the wall:

[Website Rob]

mamasylvia, you provide good Feedback as it's important for Document Writers to know if what they wright is understandable & helpful; as is their intent. Although it is true that some learn better by visual aids then by reading documentation, words is mostly what we have here at the Forum.

Next step is to use the FAQ page (link at top of this page) and practice searching for what you need. I, for example, typed in "Sales message" and got back a link to How do I change the "Sales Message Goes Here" or "Tagline Here" text?

Learning to effectively use Searches within the Forum, FAQs and Wiki, are all part of what every Zenner needs to know. And based on the type of feedback you have provided so far, I'm sure some improvements can be made.

[TShooters]

Who knows? When the next version of ZC comes out, it may have some new,
can't-live-without features that you'll want. And any changes you made to the
core files (classic template, included) will be over-written and you'll have to start
alllllllll over.

What did you put in your custom template file? The css folder/files from classic? The images folder/files? The template_info.php file? If ZC isn't reading your
chosen template, you should have at least be seeing the default css (lots of
different colors) from template_default.

Are you making your file changes on the server? You should be making your
changes on your computer with a simple text editor, then uploading them to
your server.

If you want the tagline gone, and don't plan to have your own text there...find this in your stylesheet at around line 209:

#tagline {
color:#000000;
font-size: 2em;
text-align : center;
vertical-align: middle;
}

and change it to this:

#tagline {display:none;}

[mamasylvia]

Website Rob, I already went through the "how to change the sales message" FAQ. see my detailed report on what happened in message 474 of this thread.

Tshooters, I put in the new /custom subdirectory exactly what the first tutorial you referenced said to. At this point I don't remember what that was, I just followed the directions. And other than what can be edited using the built-in define_pages editor, I edit everything on my computer, save to a /custom subdirectory on my computer, then upload to whatever directory on my server looks relevant. (I have learned the hard way the value of keeping an unedited copy on my computer so when something I uploaded makes my store disappear, I can quickly re-upload the original so my store appears again.) Also, I don't know what "my stylesheet" is to make the changes you suggest.

I think there are three types of potential customers for ZenCart:

1. The rank newbies. These seem to be the ones who most frustrate the experts here. They don't know HTML or CSS and expect to instantly make millions with their web sites. IMNSHO, Zen could easily become the cart-of-choice for these people if someone wrote a "Getting ZenCart Started for Dummies" AND everything that is automatically set at something that has to be changed (checkout method, shipping setup, and of course the stupid "Sales Message Goes Here") is easily changed THROUGH THE PROGRAM. Oh, and make the "dummies" file downloadable. Even if the touted book does exactly this, having to order it and wait for delivery is impossible. I've only been working on my website a few days, but it is up and running. I'd still be waiting for the book if I'd ordered it, and I'd probably have lost interest in Zen Cart by the time it arrived. But if there was a step 1 for getting rid of the "change this" messages, a step 2 for shipping/taxes/currency, and step 3 for actually adding products, later optional steps could cover attributes, sales, coupons, Emails, etc. The basics would be done and the store would be functional.

2. Those with a little knowledge but far from experts. I put myself in this class, as I was able to maintain my own HTML website and static catalog pages using Paypal's shopping cart. We could benefit from the "dummies" file I described as well, although we're probably more likely to progress to the more-than-basic features like attributes.

3. The pros. These folks already know CSS as well as HTML and are excited by Zen Cart's massive customization features. They are the ones who probably benefit from the current FAQs and tutorials. Every time I've searched them, I've found highly technical articles covering what I wasn't asking. (I apparently have a black thumb for searching anyway. DH and I had a contest once where we started on a search engine at the same time using the same keywords. He had several good links bookmarked while I was still wading through ######## sites.) I would not say anything against these folks, or any of the fancy features (I hope to know enough to use them some day), but if the Zen Cart folks limit their potential market to only here, both Zen Cart and the less-knowledgable people will be the losers. It is already so close to easy-to-use for the beginners that only a little effort would be needed by the programmers.

I did finally find the shipping tare and think I fixed that. I'm getting accurate weights in the shopping cart now. Remaining question is how to get rid of the "Sales Message Goes Here," of course. New questions include: how to rename the "Page 2" link on the main page, I'd like it to read "MamaSylvia's Blog."

[TShooters]

Sylvia,

Your stylesheet is in the css folder of the includes/templates/your_custom_template...usually named stylesheet.css

Most of us have been where you are...newbies with heads spinning over
the sometimes very technical jargon of the forum. At first, I asked
myself "What is this overrides they are talking about?" And, I don't have
a custom folder anywhere. And I went merrily on my way customizing
the original files.

You will get the hang of it. It just takes a little time to learn. We'll try to help.

Check out: https://www.zen-cart.com/tutorials/i...hp?article=127

[WHAnderson]

I did finally find the shipping tare and think I fixed that. I'm getting accurate weights in the shopping cart now. Remaining question is how to get rid of the "Sales Message Goes Here," of course.

New questions include: how to rename the "Page 2" link on the main page, I'd like it to read "MamaSylvia's Blog."

Instead of trying to remove the "Sales Message Goes Here" use it to your advantage and replace those words with "Mama Sylvia's Outstanding Products and Services". Not only will that let people know who you are, it will give the Search Engines and Spiders something useful to list.

I have already changed it in the header.php listed below. The line is highlighted in red. You could just copy it as 'header.php' to your "/zencart/includes/languages/english/classic/" folder.

Or, you could just replace the changed lines in your "/zencart/includes/languages/english/classic/header.php" file.

<?php
/**
* @package languageDefines
* @copyright Copyright 2003-2005 Zen Cart Development Team
* @copyright Portions Copyright 2003 osCommerce
* @license http://www.zen-cart.com/license/2_0.txt GNU Public License V2.0
* @version $Id: header.php 2848 2006-01-14 09:47:08Z wilt $
*/
// header text in includes/header.php
define('HEADER_TITLE_CREATE_ACCOUNT', 'Create Account');
define('HEADER_TITLE_MY_ACCOUNT', 'My Account');
define('HEADER_TITLE_CART_CONTENTS', 'Shopping Cart');
define('HEADER_TITLE_CHECKOUT', 'Checkout');
define('HEADER_TITLE_TOP', 'Top');
define('HEADER_TITLE_CATALOG', 'Home');
define('HEADER_TITLE_LOGOFF', 'Log Out');
define('HEADER_TITLE_LOGIN', 'Log In');
// added defines for header alt and text
define('HEADER_ALT_TEXT', 'Powered by Zen Cart :: The Art of E-Commerce [home link]');
define('HEADER_SALES_TEXT', '<h1>Mama Sylvia's Outstanding Products and Services</h1>');
define('HEADER_LOGO_WIDTH', '200px');
define('HEADER_LOGO_HEIGHT', '70px');
define('HEADER_LOGO_IMAGE', 'logo.gif');
// header Search Button/Box Search Button
define('HEADER_SEARCH_BUTTON','Search');
define('HEADER_SEARCH_DEFAULT_TEXT','Enter search keywords
here');
?>

As for the 'Page 2' title. you should be able to change that using the Administrator Console. If not, you can got to "includes -> languages -> ENGLISH -> page_2.php" and replace the lines:

define('NAVBAR_TITLE', 'Page 2');
define('HEADING_TITLE', 'Page 2');

with

define('NAVBAR_TITLE', 'Mama Sylvia's Blog');
define('HEADING_TITLE', 'Mama Sylvia's Blog');

Zen Cart is a powerful shopping cart put together with PHP, CSS and HTML. This mix will confuse a lot of straight HTML programmers because they are not used to dealing with the integrated functions between the different coding languages.