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28 Jun 2010, 9:31 PM

#1

pjlarambla

New Zenner

Join Date:: Jun 2010
Posts:: 58
Plugin Contributions:: 0

Main Page

Hi,

Being new here do not know if this is the right place to post.

But can someone tell me how to get a large image on the main page, where the large book was. though the define main_page,

If posible in very simple words.

Also while I am here can anyone sugest a editor that I can use to
edit the define pages on my computer and then FTP them upto my site,

I need an editor that can edit define pages that has ,php in them

By the way its Zen 1.3.9d

Thanks for your time.:huh:

28 Jun 2010, 9:37 PM

#2

hamid84

Zen Follower

Join Date:: Feb 2007
Location:: Walsall
Posts:: 223
Plugin Contributions:: 0

Re: Main Page

Notepad+ is the best open source editor and filezilla is free best FTP client.

Regarding the images, look into Configuration > Images and see if it helps by changing the size.

28 Jun 2010, 10:01 PM

#3

schoolboy

Totally Zenned

Join Date:: Jun 2005
Location:: Cumbria, UK
Posts:: 10,327
Plugin Contributions:: 0

Re: Main Page

It is necessary for the site "administrator" to have a fundamental understanding of how HTML works within the framework of a PHP site.

The CONTENT of the main page (as with all other defined pages and EZPages) is nothing more than "raw" html.

This raw html is entered into the system (by most users) in the ADMIN >>> TOOLS >>> DEFINE PAGES EDITOR interface.

Here, zencart comes packaged with a very basic WYSIWYG html editor called "HTMLArea". It's a rudimentary editor, and a bit "clunky" but you can still construct a basic content layout using this editor.

While it IS possible to "compose" your page content in an external editor - even MS FrontPage - there are a number of important "rules" that must be adhered to when using an external editor.

The first "rule" is that when you have composed your page content, you use COPY & PASTE to bring the raw html into the system. You need to use the <> toggle icon to change HTML area to Source Code mode, so that you can "paste" the html into the input window (field).

The second is that you copy and paste code that exists ONLY between the <body> and </body> tags. DO NOT post any header code.

This third rule is to know how to manually edit the PATH references to the <img src=....> tags. (You will need to specify the path to your relevant images, based on where these images are located on your SERVER (not on your home computer hard drive). You will also use RELATIVE and not ABSOLUTE paths.

If you are starting to feel a little lost from what I say above, then you need to do some basic tutorials on HTML coding, and a good place to start is https://www.w3schools.com.

29 Jun 2010, 7:02 PM

#4

gprit

Zen Follower

Join Date:: Mar 2009
Posts:: 176
Plugin Contributions:: 0

Re: Main Page

Can I come in on this (?) as I have a similar question.
My client does not use html - they change the main pages via define pages.

Using the editing area (using html rather than text) they can input their required wording etc.

The problem comes when they want to insert an image into the editing block. The control buttons have an 'insert image' but it relies on the image already being on the server AND the client knowing what URL to input directly to it. Most clients do not get that involved.

It should be possibe to just COPY an image to to the clipboard and then simply PASTE from the clipboard into the editing area - except I cannot get it to work.

In Firefox I have added a rule to the profile as per several guides - but it still won't paste.

In IE a box pops up to either allow and deny copies from the clipboard, but even when clicking 'ALLOW' it still does not copy into the area.

It needs this simplistic way of doing it so that the client can change images every week or so on their main page.

v 1.3.8 (with sec patch). Any thoughts?

30 Jun 2010, 9:49 AM

#5

schoolboy

Totally Zenned

Join Date:: Jun 2005
Location:: Cumbria, UK
Posts:: 10,327
Plugin Contributions:: 0

Re: Main Page

You are asking for a function that EMBEDS the image into the page... in much the same way one adds embedded images to an email message.

Remember... HTMLArea, CK and FCK editors are not part of zencart. They are just "linked" to facilitate the process of generating raw html when needed. They are also very rudimentary tools.

Rather than spend a lot of time fathoming out how reconstruct the programming to use copy+paste, spend 45 minutes showing the client how to upload an image and specify its path.

I provide my clients with a single sheet of A4 paper with the procedure written out in basic terms.

30 Jun 2010, 6:33 PM

#6

gprit

Zen Follower

Join Date:: Mar 2009
Posts:: 176
Plugin Contributions:: 0

Re: Main Page

Well that would be ideal but she has enough trouble resizing images to display correctly without trying to get her to get to grips with FTP and server URL's at this stage...fine for people who use it all the time but can be daunting to someone trying to get to grips with Zen Cart for the first time.

Cut and Paste is such a simplistic method it should work.

30 Jun 2010, 7:40 PM

#7

schoolboy

Totally Zenned

Join Date:: Jun 2005
Location:: Cumbria, UK
Posts:: 10,327
Plugin Contributions:: 0

Re: Main Page

gprit:

... such a simplistic method it should work.

Rule of thumb:

The more simple something is for a user, the more complex the code needed to drive it.

Consider a site that comprises:

A header logo
An input field
A submit button

One example of such a site cost $1.75 billion to build, and about $750,000,000 to maintain annually. It has over 12,000 servers worldwide...

It's called Google

Just becuase something LOOKS simple does not mean that it IS simple.

What IS simple, is to spend an hour with your client teaching her a few basics.