2-MINUTE TUTORIAL ON OVER-RIDES / CUSTOM TEMPLATE
Let's take a simple example in the templates directory...
Let's say you want to (on your remote server) edit:
/includes/templates/template_default/templates/tpl_products_info_display.php
You will (in your FTP program) navigate to that file, and then you will FTP it BACK to your local drive, to THIS location:
/includes/templates/YOUR-TEMPLATE/templates/tpl_products_info_display.php
(if, in templates/YOUR-TEMPLATE/ you do not have a sub-folder called templates... create one before you ftp the file)
THAT is the over-ride location (which is mirrored on your server), and THAT is the copy of the file that you edit.
When you have edited it, you will ftp it to the MIRRORED location on your remote server.
So, now you have TWO copies of that file...
One is in CORE (and is un-edited) - /includes/templates/template_default/templates/tpl_products_info_display.php
The other is CUSTOM (edited) - /includes/templates/YOUR-TEMPLATE/templates/tpl_products_info_display.php
What happens now, in the inner workings of zencart, the override programming works like this...
Zencart says: "OK... I must display the PRODUCT INFORMATION PAGE, so I go FIRST to the over-ride folder and I look to see if Joe-Bloggs has made a custom file for that page. AH.. YES... Joe-bloggs HAS made an override file, so I use that one, and NOT the core file."
Basically, that is the override system... Zc looks FIRST in an override folder for a file, and will use THAT file if there is one.
If there is NO override file, it will go look for the file it needs in the CORE folder(s).