Moving an EZ-Page SideBox link to the Information SideBox?

[JonathonB]

Well, I am not happy with this but it does work. I am still trying to figure out how to Add a New option to the Information SideBox.

I did the EZ-Pages and it seams to work but it is not in the Information SideBox. How do I do this to make it look professional?

It can't be that hard as if you can do an EZ-Page why can't I insert a new link into the Information Sidebox?

All the help that I got on this still did not create or insert one properly. If you go to my site www.semielectronics.com you will see a NEW sidebox which I hate, LINKS. In there you will see the Make Offer link and when you click on it it does go to the proper Make Offer Information Link. All I want to do guys is to move that current link into my Information SideBox.

HOW DO I DO THAT?

[CoolCarPartsOnline]

Try this:
Go to includes/modules/sideboxes/your_template/information.php
open the information.php in your text editor,
add this code where you want to display the link

$information[] = '<a href="index.php?main_page=page&id=2">' . 'Make Offer</a>'; 

[JonathonB]

Glamorusshoe:
Your idea got me farther, but now the link will not work, there is no link at all. But it shows up corrently in the Information SideBox

Here is what I go so far:

SIDEBOX - INFORMATION.PHP

<?php/** * information sidebox - displays list of general info links, as defined in this file * * @package templateSystem * @copyright Copyright 2003-2006 Zen Cart Development Team * @copyright Portions Copyright 2003 osCommerce * @license [url]http://www.zen-cart.com/license/2_0.txt[/url] GNU Public License V2.0 * @version $Id: information.php 4132 2006-08-14 00:36:39Z drbyte $ */  unset($information);  if (DEFINE_SHIPPINGINFO_STATUS <= 1) {    $information[] = '<a href="' . zen_href_link(FILENAME_SHIPPING) . '">' . BOX_INFORMATION_SHIPPING . '</a>';  }  if (DEFINE_PRIVACY_STATUS <= 1) {    $information[] = '<a href="' . zen_href_link(FILENAME_PRIVACY) . '">' . BOX_INFORMATION_PRIVACY . '</a>';  }  if (DEFINE_CONDITIONS_STATUS <= 1) {    $information[] = '<a href="' . zen_href_link(FILENAME_CONDITIONS) . '">' . BOX_INFORMATION_CONDITIONS . '</a>';  }  if (DEFINE_CONTACT_US_STATUS <= 1) {    $information[] = '<a href="' . zen_href_link(FILENAME_CONTACT_US) . '">' . BOX_INFORMATION_CONTACT . '</a>';  }  if (DEFINE_MAKE_OFFER_STATUS <= 1) {    $information[] = '<a href="' . zen_href_link(FILENAME_MAKE_OFFER) . '">' . BOX_INFORMATION_Make_Offer . '</a>';  }

INCLUDES_LANGUAGES_ENGLISH_CLASSIC - MAKE_OFFER.PHP

<br>We carry many items that are <i><b><font color="#FF0000">New</font></b>, <b><font color="#FF0000">Used</font></b>,<b><font color="#FF0000">New/Used</font></b> </i>and/or<i> </i><b><i><font color="#FF0000">Refurbished</font></i></b>here at <b><font color="#0000FF">Semi</font><font color="#009900">Electronics</font></b>.&nbsp;</br><br>We created the <b><i><font color="#0000FF">Make Offer</font></i></b> optionfor our customers to allow you a way of getting a part below current marketpricing.&nbsp; You will find most <b><i><font color="#0000FF">Make Offer</font></i></b>options on <b><i><font color="#FF0000">Used</font></i></b> and/or <b><i><font color="#FF0000">Refurbished</font></i></b>part items, but at times you may even see it on <i><b><font color="#FF0000">New</font></b></i>or <font color="#FF0000"><b><i>New/Used </i></b></font><font color="#000000">partitems as well.</font></br><br>When a <b><i><font color="#0000FF">Make Offer</font></i></b> option is used,it will be apart of the Part Information.&nbsp; There will be a <b><i><font color="#0000FF">MakeOffer</font></i></b> option shown and a <b><u><font color="#0000FF">Yes</font></u></b>that will have an email link attached to it.</br><br><b>Make Offer:</b> <a href="mailto:makeoffer@semielectronics.com?Subject=ItemID: [Part ID Number]&amp;Body=Please Enter your Make Offer for this Item:">Yes</a></p><p align="center">Please note that all <b><i><font color="#0000FF">Make Offer</font></i></b> are unique to each part item so not to confuse you and/or us.</p> 

This is what is added to make this work in the Information SideBox.

Also how do I get the easy way of doing this to work as in Glamorousshoe demo as this looks like a better and easier way. But now I don't care as I want to it work no matter what method and I want it to work as I have wanted it to work in the INFORMATION SIDEBOX. I hate the SIDEBOX it has creted in the ez-page.

PLEASE for god sakes help me, as this should NOT be so hard, or I am a total moron as I can't figure this out!

[JonathonB]

FIXED IT MYSELF (With some help)

Ok this was so damn easy that all it took was two methods to fix it, one was to include a new line in the SIDEBOXES/INFORMATION.PHP and create an SIDEBOX_EZ_PAGE then use its created URL Link within the SIDEBOX_INFORMATION.PHP.

1> Include a NEW line in the INFORMATION_SIDEBOX. This file is located here: ...INCLUDES/MODULES/SIDEBOXES/INFORMATION.PHP
2> Add this to the new line in INFORMATION.PHP file:

if (DEFINE_MAKE_OFFER_STATUS <= 1) {    $information[] = '<a href="http://www.semielectronics.com/store/index.php?main_page=page&id=2&zenid=c903072ac8592ea1d59cfa7c2544e672">Make Offer</a>';  } 

3> The credit for this part goes to Glamorousshoe as it was her EZ way of creating a URL Link within the INFORMATION_SIDEBOX that made me think of doing the whole thing in an easy method.
4> Change all the MAKE OFFER text to what you want. (Examaple: Wholesale Pricing)
5> Change the A HREF URL line to that of the EZ_PAGE URL link page. You will need to make the EZ-Page Sidebox activite one time so you can Copy URL Page to paste it here. Then after all testing of the new link works, then you can disable the EZ-PAGE SideBox for good. Pleaes do NOT delete it as all your URL Page information is in there.
6> Create an EZ-PAGE within the ADMIN of Zen Cart.
7> Go to: TOOLS/EZ-PAGES to create an EZ-Page SideBox page.
B> Set Display/Order: SideBox then click on New File.
8> Create a Page Title: Make Offer and make sure that the SideBox is set to YES, do not worry about the Order.
9> Now set the HTML Content in as this will create your new page.
10> Now click on Update to save the new file.

Now open up your Online Calalog to see your new SideBox option. Important Links is the name of the new SideBox.

11> Click on the new link to test the URL out, does it do all that you want it to do? If not do all the changes that you nee dto make and then tet it out again. Once you have your URL Link created and the way you like it, now off to the next step.
12> You will now need to COPY/PASTE the URL Link to the SIDEBOX/INFORMATION.PHP file, as described on line 5 above.
13> With your Online Catalog running, Right Mouse Click on top of the Newly Created EZ-Page SideBox link (Make Offer). Select the Copy ShortCut from the listing (PC, not sure about Mac).
14> As in line 5, Paste the copied line in between the two " ' ". Make sure that the two " ' " (apostrphes not quotes) are left in tact as they are needed to make this work in the Information SideBox.
15> Now make changes to your information as to Link Name: Make Offer. Simple change the Make Offer name to the one you want but do NOT change anything else.

Now open up your Online Calalog to is your new link is in the Information SideBox.

16> Make sure the Link works as it should be a copy of your EZ-PAGE LINK.
17> If all is ok then go to the EZ-Page to now disable the SideBox but do not Delete it.
18> Go to: TOOLS/EZ-PAGES to edit the EZ-Page you created.
19> Simply set the SideBox: No. It will now just disable it but not delete it. The Important Links SideBox will now be disabled as well.
20> This now works PERFECTLY!!!!

Please people, use the correct method on how to describe methods on how to update or create to others. I haad to dig deep throught the crap as how to do something on here. There are many that gave GREAT information but it was so hard to follow that it was usless. So far, Glamorousshoe had a great solution that was understandable. Thanks to her I was able to piece all this together to make it more easier for the normal soul out there that is not a techno wiz.

I am a computer coder and yes, even I got lost. But with coding computer programs, one has to be tkinking of the end user. Really people, it what all this about is to make those that want to make money do it without spending any more?

I do thought give the owner and coder of this program the highest thank you know n to man as Zen Cart is a miracle to all of us trying to make a little money with having to spend a fortune.

Thank you Zen Cart for being there for us all! We need you more then ever, please don't leave.

Thank you

[new2u]

Nice. Thanks for doing the leg work on this.. 1 thing I would do is remove the zenid from your link.. you don't want that indexed.

[schoolboy]

A far more elegant solution is to move the INFORMATION links to the EZPages sidebox.

This is how...

Determine the PATH to the information sidebox links...

eg: Contact Us = index.php?main_page=contact-us

Then simply create internal EZPages links.

Kill the INFORMATION sidebox completely.

Now (if you want) edit english.php to change the "Important Links" header to "Information".

This method avoids hacking any code, and keeps everything within the zencart protocols.

[Bonkycat]

Thanks Schoolboy for this elegant and SIMPLE solution!

I spent two days searching the forums for a solution, found many that involve altering the code (I hate to do this) and finally resolved to attempt it when I found your solution.

Not only is your solution the best I have seen, but it makes it possible for the user to continue to edit and add to that area when they need to from the admin.

Thanks again!

[HmCody]

Thanks, Schoolboy! Your solution made my life a LOT simpler!

[strugglingnovice]

Schoolboy, you're a LIFESAVER!!! I've worked with this for hours, and you made it so simple. Thanks so much!

[WhitePhantom]

Hi,

I have done what you suggested, schoolboy, and created an EZ pages internal link to each of the pages that were displayed in the Information box. Then I disabled the Information box.

However I can't see how to make the EZ pages sidebox appear in its place...

In Tools -> Layout Boxes Controller, I edited the sideboxes/ezpages.php setting to switch the LEFT/RIGHT COLUMN status to 'On', and the sideboxes/information.php status to 'Off'.

When I refreshed my page, the Information sidebox as gone, but there was nothing in its place - the internal links I created in EZ pages didn't show up.

I know I'm really close to getting this to work, and there's only one little piece that hasn't been clicked into place, but I just can't see what it is - any help much appreciated!