Template/ Database backup confusion

Hi, all,
I am a bit confused, I was under the impression that when you backed up your database using phpmyadmin, that the template files wern't included? T
he story goes; i have the classic template on my live site, i installed the apple zen template on my local site, changed the sideboxes in the layout controller ( just playing).
i added some products to the local store, made a back up them uploaded the back up to my live store. Horror! It broke my template. the changes that i had made for the apple zen template got transferred to my live store.
I had to reset the sideboxes to what they previously were. Why was that? or is my understanding all wrong?

Many thanks in advance for all your help!

Soul

the changes that i had made for the apple zen template got transferred to my live store.
I had to reset the sideboxes to what they previously were. Why was that? or is my understanding all wrong?

Template settings changes that are made via the admin are stored in the database, but not the template files.

Kim, thanks you, for responding.
So, can i have defaults for both templates so i don't have to change the sidebixes every time i upload changes?
The sideboxes for my live template are on the left, but the apples zen template have them on the right, which i like.
I am playing around with the Apple zen template locally as i would eventually like to go live with it.
But it beams that every time i make changes an upload to the live site i have to redo the sideboxes.
I have tried to follow the overide system, but not closely enough.

Soul
http://www.k-craftteddies.co.uk

For the sidebox layout, yes you can. The changes that you make in the layout boxes controller when a particular template is enabled are saved with that template's name and will be the ones that determine which boxes are displayed wherever that specific template is active on either site.

Kuroi, if i switch from Apple ze,n back to my Custom template, everything should be as it was before i switched to Apples -zen, yes?
I will give it a try and report back. stay tuned!

Many thanks for he heads up

Soul

Kuroi,
i tried what you suggested but, somehow the changes that i made on both templates was not saved. Both templates reverted back to their original settings, before i made my adjustments. Help, how can i correct this? It seems that everything goes south( the default for the template ) when i click on the reset. The question is how do i save the changes i make so it then becomes the default for the template?

Soul

Pressing reset will reset your settings back to the default for the current template.

There is an add-in mod that allows you to change what these defaults are, but generally enabling the template you want to change, and then going the the layout boxes controller and setting each box as you want it is good enough (and I hear a whisper that this process will get quicker and easier in a future release of Zen Cart).

Thanks, again for the reply.
So it looks like ZC is behaving as it should do, and i am not going mad. Are you referring to 1.39? I am still using 1.38.

Thanks

Soul