Brand New to ZenCart and Needing Help PLEASE...

Zen Cart Version 1.3.8a
Database Patch Level: 1.3.8

I'll start by saying this is all very new to me, so please be gentle...hehehe I just started trying to configure my new website this morning (https://www.ponypartsexpress.com) and have been struggling with it all day.

Here are my current issues, which I'm sure one of you smart people can help me resolve. When you look at the main page of the website you'll see my company logo in the header area repeated three times. Now I suspect this is because the size of the logo is smaller then the size of the field so it's tiling it much like windows does with a wallpaper image that is too small to fit the screen.

Assuming that is what's happening how do I change the size of the field to match the size of the logo (i.e. make it smaller)?

You'll also notice the remnants of the original Zen Cart logo are still showing up with the lovely red X in the upper left hand side of the header. How do I make that go away?

Finally where, oh where, do I edit the 'Sales message goes here' text. Yes, I've tried following the tutorials on these subjects but as you can guess I've had no luck in resolving the problems. :eek: Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.

P.S. How can I get a copy of the Zen Cart book quickly (i.e. is there an online version I can buy instead of waiting a week or more for the paperback?)

For the red [X] problem,

Edit the header.php file and change the lines:

define('HEADER_ALT_TEXT', '');
define('HEADER_SALES_TEXT', 'your_company_name');
.........
define('HEADER_LOGO_IMAGE', 'logo_transparent.gif');

Oops nvm I dont see a red [X] on your site. For your problems, try using the method below.

For other things you need to edit but don't know where or how to do so, try using the Tools>Developers Tool Kit

Just try searching the exact text for every category.

Ex. For Sales Message Goes Here

Type in "Sales Message Goes Here" without the quotes and choose ALL LANGUAGE FILES for your option.

It will give you the results and location of the line in your files.

Using your FTP Client, navigate to the directory in this case it is public_html/includes/languages/english/classic/header.php

and navigate to line 21, and replace the text.

Use this method for anything you may need.

The tip about the Developers tool kit is a good one.

However, something strange is happening in your header.

Instead of changing the logo you have added a background. Which sort of works.

In the stylesheet look for a line that reads :

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

This is where the image is coming from. Change it to -

#logoWrapper{
	background-image: url(../images/header_bg.jpg);
	background-repeat: no-repeat;
	background-color: #ffffff;
	height:75px;
	}

Save and Upload.

This will mean that the image does not repeat.

However, I suspect that there is another issue as well which is that that image is appearing twice. Once as an image and once as a background. I can't tell because they are on top of each other.

Do that first change and we will see where we get to.

The stylesheet.css file is in includes / templates / YOUR TEMPLATE / css /

And ... before you do too many template customizations, you should learn about building your custom template using the override system. Will save a lot of heachaches when upgrading to the newest Zen Cart version. Search the FAQs for "overrides".:bigups:

As I look again I see that you seem to have broken the link to the logo image. When I look I see the alt text "Powered by Zen Cart : The Art of E-commerce [Home]"

Which means that the browser is not finding the image.

At the moment the src of the image is```
src="includes/templates/template_default/images/logo.gif"

Which looks about right.  Just check that you have a file called logo.gif in that place.  i.e in : 

includes / templates / template_default / images /

Good luck!

I will sleep now but if you let me now how you get on I'll look at it tomorrow.

Nick

niccol:

The tip about the Developers tool kit is a good one.

However, something strange is happening in your header.

Instead of changing the logo you have added a background. Which sort of works.

In the stylesheet look for a line that reads :

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

> 
> This is where the image is coming from.  Change it to - 
> 
> ```
#logoWrapper{
	background-image: url(../images/header_bg.jpg);
	background-repeat: no-repeat;
	background-color: #ffffff;
	height:75px;
	}

Save and Upload.

This will mean that the image does not repeat.

However, I suspect that there is another issue as well which is that that image is appearing twice. Once as an image and once as a background. I can't tell because they are on top of each other.

Do that first change and we will see where we get to.

The stylesheet.css file is in includes / templates / YOUR TEMPLATE / css /

Well I went and looked at the CSS file and cannot find any line for logo wrapper. :unsure:

TShooters:

And ... before you do too many template customizations, you should learn about building your custom template using the override system. Will save a lot of heachaches when upgrading to the newest Zen Cart version. Search the FAQs for "overrides".:bigups:

Yeah I'm starting to think I should just 'reload' the standard set-up and start again...lol :oops:

niccol:

As I look again I see that you seem to have broken the link to the logo image. When I look I see the alt text "Powered by Zen Cart : The Art of E-commerce [Home]"

Which means that the browser is not finding the image.

At the moment the src of the image is```
src="includes/templates/template_default/images/logo.gif"

> 
> Which looks about right.  Just check that you have a file called logo.gif in that place.  i.e in : 
> 
> includes / templates / template_default / images /
> 
> Good luck!
> 
> I will sleep now but if you let me now how you get on I'll look at it tomorrow.
> 
> Nick

Yeah we do not have a logo.gif anymore.  That was the standard file and the new company logo is in a file called logo.jpg.  My head hurts from all this stuff so I'm gonna call it a day.  :wacko:  So what do y'all think, should I consider reloading everything and starting over or are my problems small enough to fix and move forward...??  By the way, thank you for all the help.  :cheers:

This is copied directly from your stylesheet.css file :

#mainWrapper {
	background-color: #ffffff;
	text-align: left;
	width: 750px;
	vertical-align: top;
	border: 1px solid #9a9a9a;
	}

#headerWrapper, #contentMainWrapper, #logoWrapper, #cartBoxListWrapper, #ezPageBoxList, #cartBoxListWrapper ul, #ezPageBoxList ul, #mainWrapper, #popupAdditionalImage, #popupImage {
	margin: 0em;
	padding: 0em;
	}

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

#navColumnOneWrapper, #navColumnTwoWrapper, #mainWrapper {
	margin: auto;
	} 
#navColumnOneWrapper, #navColumnTwoWrapper {
	margin-left: 0.5em;
	margin-right: 0.5em;
	}

So, it is definitely there!

You may have more than one file (this is what Tshooters was talking about )

The one that is actually being used is in http://ponypartsexpress.com/includes/templates/classic/css/stylesheet.css which means that you are not using the override system.

Sorry to be a nag but you really must work that out. Not only does it protect you during updates but it means that you have a bit of a back-up when you do edits.

Whether to clean install is up to you. What is there is not irredeemable but sometimes it makes sense to start fresh. See what you feel like after sleeping. I am around all day tomorrow if you need advice (UK time). Don't stress. It is like learning to drive. The first lesson seems impossible then you find yourself driving fine and can't even remember that first lesson.

I need to sleep too.

Nik

Get some rest. It do blow your mind when you first start out, and there's a steep learning curve.

Either way you go, you'll need to copy what you've done to your custom template (sub-folders of includes/templates/classic - the css & images folders, plus template_info.php that's been altered to reflect your new custom template name), and choose it in admin/tools/template selection. (Don't forget to reset the sideboxes in admin/tools/layout boxes controller!) Fixing what you've already got will be good learning for you.

header_bg.jpg is the background of the header area, and logo.gif
usually sits off to the left in the classic template. You say yours is named logo.jpg, so it's calling the standard ZC logo.gif in template_default. You could go a couple of ways here. Do you have a photo editing program? I like Irfanview. It's free, and it's good for resizing/renaming/and batch editing photos.

I'd start over if I were you, since you haven't done much yet.

There is, I'm pretty sure, a downloadable PDF of The Book available. Well worth the money.

OK, I've decided to start over as I think it'll be easier to start with a nice clean slate. :huh:

Once I'm done I'm heading to the bookstore to see if I can find a copy of the e-Start Zen Cart book or possibly a Zen Cart for Dummies book..hehehe. I think I need a written step by step tutorial on how to set this up.

If I can't find what I need at the book store then I'd be very interested in the PDF version someone mentioned. :hug:

The book can only be ordered online (see the link at top of page).
Hard copy or ebook is available.

PDF version of the BOOK is at http://www.cucumbermedia.com/store/index.php?main_page=document_product_info&cPath=1&products_id=4.

Thank you, I just ordered it. Glad to see an e-book was available. Hopefully it'll walk me thru the process from start to finish including setting up the new custom templates, etc. :cool:

Have you seen kuroi's demo site for the free contributed ZC templates?
link here:http://(sorry, site offline)/

TShooters:

Have you seen kuroi's demo site for the free contributed ZC templates?
link here:http://(sorry, site offline)/

OK, now that's a cool way to see template options. For me the standard template should be OK with a few tweaks. I'm reading thru the book and I have to say I've very impressed. Much easier to understand what I'm doing now that I have this guide book..hehehe. :clap:

I do however have one question on shipping. My online store will have products shipped directly from the manufacturers to the customer so obviously there will be more then one location where the parts will be shipped from. How do I specify multiple 'store' locations and then tie my specific products to those locations?

Search the forums for 'dropship'.

Then search Google for 'ceon advanced shipping'.

OK, so I have a few new questions.

First, after spending yesterday going thru the ZenCart book and setting up all my configurations I came in this morning and it's all been reverted back to the default settings. Why and how do I keep this from happening in the future? :cry:

Then I've now copied the template called 'classic' to a new template called 'magic' so I can safely begin modifying the look and feel of the website. The problem I'm having is the template seems to have lost the left and right side boxes, the search box etc. What did I do wrong and how do I fix that before I begin making my modifications? :dontgetit

Just in case you forgot my domain name is https://www.ponypartsexpress.com

Once again thank you for the help. :wink:

when you install / select a new template, you need to re-set the sideboxes. ADMIN>>>TOOLS>>>LAYOUT BOXES CONTROLLER (scroll to bottom of screen).

There is a mod available, I believe that will "save" your default sidebox settings.

schoolboy:

when you install / select a new template, you need to re-set the sideboxes. ADMIN>>>TOOLS>>>LAYOUT BOXES CONTROLLER (scroll to bottom of screen).

There is a mod available, I believe that will "save" your default sidebox settings.

Ahhh...you the man! Thank you. :flex:

As far as dropshipping is concerned, the problem isn't so much one of code and programming as it is about practical logistics. I have spoken many times on the forum about this, but consider just one difficulty you need to overcome:-

In a typical retail environment, you carry all your stock, and when an order comes through, you package it up and get the courier service / postal service to come and collect it from you and take it to the customer. You set prices for this service based on your store policy/methodology and the cost is added to the customer's bill before they check out.

So, if I order:

• Product A
• Product B
• Product C
• Product D

And according to your shipping settings, get a charge of £6.95 to have this consignment delivered, then the charge to me will be the SUM of Products ABDC plus £6.95.

When you have a site that works with several dropshippers, each dropshipper has his own shipping charge. If Products ABCD are all from different dropshippers, then you are going to have to figure out a way of charging each one's shipping cost:-

• Product A (plus dropshipper's delivery fee)
• Product B (plus dropshipper's delivery fee)
• Product C (plus dropshipper's delivery fee)
• Product D (plus dropshipper's delivery fee)

Not only is this challenging to program into the code, but it also means that the customer's shipping bill can be astronomical!

And, as each drop shipper will pack and deliver separately, the customer must now be in a position to accept 4 different deliveries.

... good luck!