Admin modification vs. .php file modification??

[recordshow]

If I make changes to my pages through admin, am I changing the .php file in the main template directory or my "custom" deirectory?

Shouldn't I be instead making the changes directly to the .php file (in text editor) and then uploading to my "custom" template?

For example....my main page still reads:
"This section of text is from the Define Pages Editor located under Tools in the Admin. To remove this section of the text, delete it from the Define Pages Editor."

So when I go to "define pages editor" in admin it just asks me which .php file I'd like to alter. Well shouldn't I be doing that in my favorite text editor instead. At least that is my preference but how do I ever know what .php file corresponds to the text I want to change. In other words what is the .php file I need to alter to change the text on the main page and how do I find it etc..?

[kobra]

All the files that you can edit from within admin should have been copied from
includes/languages/english/html_includes - to includes/languages/english/your_template_name/html_includes

Then you can edit them via the editor in admin or locally with your editor and this is where they should go.

If you install additional templates, then you need to make additional copies of this and other customized files for that template.

[Merlinpa1969]

there are certain php pages, ( the ones in the dropdown list ) that you can change on the fly,

you will want to choose the define_main_page.

[recordshow]

I just was reading through step by step directions for the override templates again and I don't see anywhere that it says to copy over the "html_includes" folder. Oh well I'm taking your word for it.

But what I don;t get is if I DIDN'T have the "html_includes" folder in there before and I was making changes through the admin with my custom template selected, what files was it altering? The ones in template_main?

[Ajeh]

When in the Admin and working on the Tools ... Define Page Editor ...

When you select a file to edit, it shows you the path to the file you are working on ...

Note: you should always edit the files located in your current template override directory, Example: /languages/english/html_includes/
Be sure to make backups after changing your files.

Editing file:
/home/myotherp/public_html/zencart_v137/includes/languages/english/html_includes/define_checkout_success.php

In this example, I have a template and override setup for /sample

However, because I do not have a copy of the files for my template setup in:
/includes/languages/english/html_includes/sample

I see that I am editing the files in:
/includes/languages/english/html_includes

Any file that is changed by you should always be in a template and override directory ...

The name always matches your templates and overrides directory for your website design ...

When you see something that does not indicate that directory name ... this means you are editing a core or original file ...

To make this easier to know where to utilize the template and override directories ... there is always a /classic

This is a key to alert you that you should be using a templates and overrides directory in the section of language files, or template files, or code files ...

[kobra]

Oba-san,

public_html/zencart_v137/

I sees a peek into the future!!

[kobra]

recordshow,

I just was reading through step by step directions for the override templates again and I don't see anywhere that it says to copy over the "html_includes" folder.

Whenever you plan to make changes to a file, see if it can be overridden first.
Files can be overridden if

* The directory where the file resides holds a sub-directory named "Classic".
* The current path includes "template_default" or a template directory, such as "classic". Eg. /includes/templates/template_default/common/

Unfortunately, not all files can be overridden at this time. Nothing under the admin directory can be overridden yet.

Maybe some inference required...but always check to see if there is a
"classic" directory/folder where the files that you might edit are and then if so ALWAYS make a copy and a directory/folder that is inline with your template name and edit only this file.

So if you look at the html_includes directory, you will see that there is a classic directory there, ergo override it.

While developing, I set permissions to all core files to un-writeable, cause I am old and forget....this prevents me from editing directly. All overridden files remain writeable until I am finished.