Really really hard to customize - any easy hints?

[douglerner]

I appreciate all the power that Zen Cart seems to offer, but I am finding it really, really, really (really!) hard to customize. I don't mean special customization either - just getting my shop's basic info to override the sample text...

I read through the FAQs, but the folder hierarchies for override files never seem to *quite* be where they say they are in the FAQs and I am getting completely lost about where to keep things.

And when I edit documents with the page editor in Admin Tools they end up in some default area rather than in the custom override folder and I don't know where to move them afterwards, or if I need to.

And I can't figure out where some text is in order to edit it.

I'm afraid that I'm just making a big mess of it. Plus I'm worried that the way I did it I will lose modifications when it comes time to upgrade.

At the pace I'm proceeding it seems like it will take months to finish getting my site up.

Are there any up-to-date newbie documents with current path hierarchies and step-by-step instructions that would help get me through this process?

Thanks!

doug

[swguy]

You mean, like some sort of manual? :)

http://www.zen-cart.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=16

[schoolboy]

Hello Doug

It certainly helps if you have a reasonable knowledge of PHP and MySQL, but, like yourself, many new Zenners struggle with the fundamental principles of how this whole thing hangs together.

I would strongly advise that you buy the book (see link, top right of this page).

This book will help you establish the purposes (and resultant effects) of all the ADMIN configurations that are available.

The book does not delve significantly into the PHP code itself (other than a few references), as this is not its purpose.

However... by working your way through the book, you will soon learn how to configure many layout options.

I believe that if you use the book in this way, when you are confident enough to "tweak" the core code, you'll do so with a better understanding of how ADMIN participates in these processes.

[douglerner]

Hello Doug

It certainly helps if you have a reasonable knowledge of PHP and MySQL, but, like yourself, many new Zenners struggle with the fundamental principles of how this whole thing hangs together.

I would strongly advise that you buy the book (see link, top right of this page).

This book will help you establish the purposes (and resultant effects) of all the ADMIN configurations that are available.

The book does not delve significantly into the PHP code itself (other than a few references), as this is not its purpose.

However... by working your way through the book, you will soon learn how to configure many layout options.

I believe that if you use the book in this way, when you are confident enough to "tweak" the core code, you'll do so with a better understanding of how ADMIN participates in these processes.

Thanks for your response.

I think the problem I am having is not so much dealing with PHP or SQL as with the organization of the actual Zen Cart files hierarchy itself - what is controlled where - particularly taking into account customizations and avoiding having things overwritten when upgrades occur.

The problem is that the FAQ seems to say one thing about where the files are located, but I am actually finding them in different locations. So I have no confidence about what I'm doing.

Does the book have to be ordered and physically shipped, or is there an online version?

Thanks...

doug

[swguy]

To get a baseline understanding of customizations, I tell people to read

http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/faq.ph...late_customize

Scott

[zas]

I found this helpful
http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/faq.ph...late_customize

once you get the hang of customisation, it is quite easy
I have made my own notes so I can build a site in virtually no time at all

I am also still confused with the define pages editor in admin for main page, shipping info etc

[DrByte]

While swguy and zas are pointing to some good FAQ information, those particular FAQ documents are superceded by the knowledgebase, found at: https://tutorials.zen-cart.com
There, you'll find numerous articles on templating, overrides, etc ... which are more up to date than the older FAQ system (all the FAQs were copied over to the KB and updated).

[DrByte]

Also, the Overrides Chart is a helpful reference:
http://www.zen-cart.com/index.php?ma...roducts_id=298

[douglerner]

While swguy and zas are pointing to some good FAQ information, those particular FAQ documents are superceded by the knowledgebase, found at: https://tutorials.zen-cart.com
There, you'll find numerous articles on templating, overrides, etc ... which are more up to date than the older FAQ system (all the FAQs were copied over to the KB and updated).

That's where I was getting my info from, like on how to edit header.php, etc.

But the big problem with those tutorial pages is that the exact folder hierarchies don't literally match up with what is in those documents. Following the instructions literally led me to create a file and place it in the hierarchy and have it have no effect.

Then I noticed if I sort of looked at the hierarchy and moved the custom header.php file elsewhere the customizations took effect.

But I can't do that for each and every file because it was just happenstance that I stumbled across the right location.

I know I'm not explaining myself clearly, but the hierarchies described in the tutorials/FAQs are definitely different than the actual ones.

doug

[DrByte]

I know I'm not explaining myself clearly, but the hierarchies described in the tutorials/FAQs are definitely different than the actual ones.

If you don't mind pointing out which ones are wrong, we'll take a review of them to get them fixed.