Eliminating wrap-arounds

[blag]

ckosloff

I have now read this thread, and see what it is that you are trying to achieve. I would say one or two things about your web site, if I may. I still think that your images are too small, and in my browser it (seaMonkey) the mod 'works' just fine, but the text, particularly on the attribute images, is too small and indistinct.

There, is of course, a real danger that putting all the images stacked verically will cause the user to have to do what I just HATE - scroll down the page to see more! It's just so tiresome and, since you are trying to SELL, I would try to make the user's experience as simple as is feasible within the limitations of the zencart/web form so I would strive to display as much as possible (i.e. everything) visible at one go. How many times have you visited web sites where the pages just go on and on, and involve scrolling down and down? (I know most 'blogs' are like this, and other than the fact that most blogs are full of self-indulgent claptrap, this is the reason I have no time for blogs.)

As for CSS styles, I would suggest that you follow up on your collaborator's suggestion that you give the CSS styles unique 'names' and, of course don't include them in the code (cos the CSS styles will load every tiime with every new product 'page') - the CSS styles should be included in your template CSS file. Mastery of CSS will allow you to manipulate the format and appearance of much of your store. (I know my site is not a shining example, but take a look at the changes I have made to a zen cart site, mostly via CSS)

A good book on CSS is: CSS THE MISING MANUAL David Sawyer McFarland POGUE PRESS/O'REILLY 2006 ISBN-10: 0-596-52687-3 or ISBN-13: 978-0-596-52687-0 ***advert removed***

I don't know about firebug etc. so can't comment on that.

[gjh42]

The Web Developer and Firebug are two different programs. I have only used Firebug a couple of times, so am not really familiar with it yet. Some parts of Web Developer are like the back of my hand, but other parts I haven't explored yet.

The Display Element Info tool is generally the first thing I use, and that will show lots of different things - the tags on the selected element, its ancestors and children, position and dimensions, any inline styling, font info...

CSS > View CSS lets you look comfortably at all stylesheets applied to the current page, and Edit CSS lets you try different things and see the results instantly.

View Source is obvious, and there is an Edit HTML tool similar to the CSS one.

I learned a lot about CSS from w3schools.com and a few other online resources, and a couple of books I bought on the subject... and a lot of experimentation.
For instance, there is a huge difference in meaning between h2#productPrices {} and
h2 #productPrices {}, but none of my sources emphasized that. (The first means an h2 heading with an id of productPrices, and the second means an h2 heading that has an element *inside* it with id productPrices.) They are not interchangeable.

[ckosloff]

Guys,
Overwhelmed by the feedback, thank you very much.
Again, don't worry too much about how the "site" looks.
I am uploading lots of stuff right now.
Regarding scrolling there is not much I can do about it, since I have lots of attributes, I'm trying to impact the customer at first glance as much as possible.
One q. for Glenn: I have already installed Firebug in my Firefox, is Web Developer a free extension that I can download from the Mozilla add-on site?
Haven't seen it so far.
For you to know: I am planning on writing a mod with detailed instructions on how to tweak additional images, since this is a recurrent theme in this area of the fora, and also because the mods that are available are very defective.
Unless you want to write it, of course.
I will give you full credit and mention this thread.
Hey Mike, point taken, no problem, I will buy the CSS book via your site.

[ckosloff]

OK, so I installed Web Developer and got to play around with it a little.
Great tool, and, contrary to Firebug, not intrusive, because you turn off the toolbar at will from the View menu.
What was confusing is that the names of the utility and that of the download area in the Mozilla site are similar.
So now I have a new toy to play around.
Thanks.

[gjh42]

I had considered packaging a mod for the additional images, but decided it was so simple a change to the code (move a block and add a <div> and </div>) that it wasn't worth the bother. If you include the tweaks for styling and other information, it could be quite useful, and if you are willing to write it up, be my guest. I have plenty of other things to do. The more people helping with contributions, the better.

[ckosloff]

Actually I am very lazy.
That is why I tried first the published mods in the download area.
But they are very lackadaisical and obsolete, and will mess up your site more than help.
So I had to start thinking, testing, and learning.
I know it is very simple once you understand it, getting there is the tough part.
So I'll give it a shot and submit to the gods of Zen Cart.
Better to have a mod based on latest versions of file than those old kludges out there.

[blag]

Actually I am very lazy.
That is why I tried first the published mods in the download area.
But they are very lackadaisical and obsolete, and will mess up your site more than help.
So I had to start thinking, testing, and learning.
I know it is very simple once you understand it, getting there is the tough part.
So I'll give it a shot and submit to the gods of Zen Cart.
Better to have a mod based on latest versions of file than those old kludges out there.

ckosloff

I am not sure that I would subscribe to the view about you being v. lazy. You are certainly thorough!!

Way to go about your idea to post info about the mod, but don't forget that there are a lot of New Zenners out there who don't know the terminology - I would suggest that you keep things as simple as possible.

Good luck with the submission, and if you need a proof-reader or somebody to look over your work prior to submission, please don't hesitate to send me a PM.

[ckosloff]

Will do.
I already drafted the text and it is as simple as possible.
Anyway will take my time to check everything and rewrite as needed.
I will certainly send the mod to you and Glenn for input before submission.

[ckosloff]

Guys,
I have already drafted the text and built the folder structure for this mod.
But, very embarrassed to admit it, I am having trouble packaging the mod in a zip file.
I am using Winzip Pro 11, I can of course package the files but I don't see the folder structure.
Any suggestions welcome.
As soon as I overcome this hurdle will submit to you guys by attaching the mod here.
Only after your input will I submit to the Olympus of Zen Cart.

[gjh42]

I use 7zip (and have a six-year-old trial copy of Winzip:) so can't comment on how to use Winzip Pro 11... sorry...