Dynamic Sidebars

[pricediscrimination]

Hi is there a way to make the sidebars more dynamic like a wordpress site? Or, is this feature built into any of the newer themes?

[stevesh]

Not sure exactly what you mean by 'dynamic'.

[pricediscrimination]

Hi, I mean that you can create different style of sidebars depending on the page the visitor is on. For example, some pages might not even need a side bar such as the shopping cart, etc.

[stevesh]

General idea here:

http://www.zen-cart.com/content.php?...ll-other-pages

[schoolboy]

Yes... all of this is possible, though not in the same way that WordPress does it. There are a number of techniques, and indeed "combinations" of techniques, which include:

1. Stylesheets (page-specific)
2. Edits to tpl_main_page.php
3. Settings in layout controllers ( including EZPages, where you can disable columns based on EZPage ID numbers).

[gjh42]

You can also edit specific sideboxes' module files to control when they will display, if you want that level of granularity.

[pricediscrimination]

General idea here:

http://www.zen-cart.com/content.php?...ll-other-pages

Thank you, that's looks like it's going to be helpful!

[pricediscrimination]

Yes... all of this is possible, though not in the same way that WordPress does it. There are a number of techniques, and indeed "combinations" of techniques, which include:

1. Stylesheets (page-specific)
2. Edits to tpl_main_page.php
3. Settings in layout controllers ( including EZPages, where you can disable columns based on EZPage ID numbers).

Thanks! Is your #3 something to do with the option to turn on and off the center column status in the layout boxes controller? It never works for some reason.

[pricediscrimination]

You can also edit specific sideboxes' module files to control when they will display, if you want that level of granularity.

How about to get rid of the sidebar entirely on the checkout page to make that page full width for example?

[schoolboy]

Thanks! Is your #3 something to do with the option to turn on and off the center column status in the layout boxes controller? It never works for some reason.

No... column control is best-managed by:

1. edits to tpl_main_page.php (where you can disable left/right columns for specific pages)...

// 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;
  } 

EG

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

There are comprehensive NOTES in tpl_main_page.php for column display customisation


2. Page/category specific stylesheets (SEE THE README file in /includes/templates/classic/css/CSS_read_me.txt

Using {display:none} declarations for either the whole column, or even certain sideboxes in a column, you can hide elements on specific pages/categories...


3. For EZPAGES, see ADMIN>>>CONFIGURATION>>>EZ PAGES SETTINGS...
EZ-Pages Pages to disable headers
EZ-Pages Pages to disable footers
EZ-Pages Pages to disable left-column
EZ-Pages Pages to disable right-column