Sales message goes here help request

[RescoCCC]

how does the system know to look at modified folder instead of the classic folder?

It's programmed to automatically check for files in overrides folders first. If it finds the file it's looking for, it loads it. If it doesn't find the file, it loads the default. It's very smart software.

[afo]

You have to identify your custom template with a includes/templates/YOUR_TEMPLATE/template_info.php file and select it from the pulldown in the admin. As RescoCCC said, Zen Cart will then check the folders for your custom template for the file it needs. If it doesn't find it, it will look in the folders that come with it.

This list is a bit outdated, but it'll give you an idea where to start to create a very basic custom template (you can build from there):

• includes/languages/YOUR_TEMPLATE/english.php
• includes/languages/english/YOUR_TEMPLATE/index.php
• includes/languages/english/YOUR_TEMPLATE/meta_tags.php
• includes/languages/english/YOUR_TEMPLATE/header.php (to change the logo and header text)
• includes/templates/YOUR_TEMPLATE/template_info.php
• includes/templates/YOUR_TEMPLATE/common/tpl_header.php <- may not be necessary
• includes/templates/YOUR_TEMPLATE/common/tpl_footer.php <- may not be necessary
• includes/templates/YOUR_TEMPLATE/images/logo.gif (or .jpg or .png)
• includes/templates/YOUR_TEMPLATE/css/stylesheet.css

Anywhere you see a /classic/ folder, you can create a folder for your custom template. You can copy the necessary files from either the /classic/ folder, the /template_default/ folder or the parent folder.

Edit includes/templates/YOUR_TEMPLATE/template_info.php to give your template identifying information so you'll recognize it in the admin under tools->template selection.

Note: if you've changed the height of the logo in header.php, you may need to change it in your stylesheet as well:

#logoWrapper{
background-image: url(../images/header_bg.jpg);
background-repeat: repeat-x;
background-color: #ffffff;
height:75px; <-adjust this line if necessary
}

[TheMortician4]

So just create these folders as described and substitute the your_template with a folder named, ie; "modified".

then modify the includes/templates/YOUR_TEMPLATE/template_info.php

I am running the 1.3.9h version. After changing these I can then upgrade to the newest version with no problems, correct?

[afo]

Yes, you've got it. Once you change includes/templates/YOUR_TEMPLATE/template_info.php you can select your template in admin>tools>template selection.

To be honest, when I started with Zen Cart, the override system was the hardest part for me to get my head around. Once I did, I couldn't figure out why I thought it was so hard.

In case you're unaware of it, there are free templates available for Zen Cart which can help you get a jump start on changing your website. You can see most of them "in action" at http://(sorry, site offline)/index.php.

I don't know about no problems, but at least fewer problems.

[TheMortician4]

awesome, at least now I have half an idea of what I am doing. Honestly, I thought the book would help, but it is very vanilla and should really be structured like a dummy series type book for individuals new to the system.

I run a large forum and well, copy and paste alot of code to prevent syntax errors with the php. HTML I am absolutely completely in the dark lost, and though that for the price the book would have been cake of a walk through. Hopefully a newer print that is more descriptive and concise will be released to help the newbie zenners like myself avoid these same stupid questions that I assume most everyone has asked at one point in time.

I am going to to work on this and hope that I can accomplish this task smoothly.

I want to thank everyone for their support and time assisting me, that alone tells me that I took the right step choosing ZenCart as my cart of choice.

[afo]

You don't really need much in the way of HTML skills for Zen Cart. It's mostly a matter of CSS and php (in that order).

[RescoCCC]

To be honest, when I started with Zen Cart, the override system was the hardest part for me to get my head around.

Ditto for me. Now it seems very logical.

[TheMortician4]

Ditto for me. Now it seems very logical.

Still learning. Have no prior experience with CSS and PHP, so everything I work on is a test of my ability to grasp the concept of the system and the code.


What happened to the good old days of batch file programming???

[TheMortician4]

You have to identify your custom template with a includes/templates/YOUR_TEMPLATE/template_info.php file and select it from the pulldown in the admin. As RescoCCC said, Zen Cart will then check the folders for your custom template for the file it needs. If it doesn't find it, it will look in the folders that come with it.

This list is a bit outdated, but it'll give you an idea where to start to create a very basic custom template (you can build from there):

• includes/languages/YOUR_TEMPLATE/english.php
• includes/languages/english/YOUR_TEMPLATE/index.php
• includes/languages/english/YOUR_TEMPLATE/meta_tags.php
• includes/languages/english/YOUR_TEMPLATE/header.php (to change the logo and header text)
• includes/templates/YOUR_TEMPLATE/template_info.php
• includes/templates/YOUR_TEMPLATE/common/tpl_header.php <- may not be necessary
• includes/templates/YOUR_TEMPLATE/common/tpl_footer.php <- may not be necessary
• includes/templates/YOUR_TEMPLATE/images/logo.gif (or .jpg or .png)
• includes/templates/YOUR_TEMPLATE/css/stylesheet.css

Anywhere you see a /classic/ folder, you can create a folder for your custom template. You can copy the necessary files from either the /classic/ folder, the /template_default/ folder or the parent folder.

Edit includes/templates/YOUR_TEMPLATE/template_info.php to give your template identifying information so you'll recognize it in the admin under tools->template selection.

Note: if you've changed the height of the logo in header.php, you may need to change it in your stylesheet as well:

#logoWrapper{
background-image: url(../images/header_bg.jpg);
background-repeat: repeat-x;
background-color: #ffffff;
height:75px; <-adjust this line if necessary
}

okay have a question. on the includes/templates/YOUR_TEMPLATE/template_info.php, there is no file called template_info.php.

There are 2 of them but each is in a different folder, these folders are:

/store/includes/templates/template_default, and
/store/includes/templates/classic

Which one of these do I use. Neither file has the same size of date/time stamp? my logo is in the classic folder, I would assume that classic would be the answer. But, we know what they say when we assume.....

[TheMortician4]

okay have a question. on the includes/templates/YOUR_TEMPLATE/template_info.php, there is no file called template_info.php.

There are 2 of them but each is in a different folder, these folders are:

/store/includes/templates/template_default, and
/store/includes/templates/classic

Which one of these do I use. Neither file has the same size of date/time stamp? my logo is in the classic folder, I would assume that classic would be the answer. But, we know what they say when we assume.....

okay hold on, I just realized the answer to my own question. But, the common folder is in a different folder than the classic folder, so I can take it from the /store/includes/templates/template_default and move it to the folder that holds the copies of the folders I copied from the classic folder?