Question about editing the top banner

I edited the banner at the top of my page by using this tutorial... https://www.zen-cart.com/tutorials/index.php?article=17

My edit looks like this...

// page title
define('TITLE', 'EARLY 1900 PHOTOS');

// Site Tagline
define('SITE_TAGLINE', 'Great Old Images From Long Ago');

I saved it and verified that it is back in the file system. However, My top banner still says, "Zen Cart The art of e-commerce".

What did I miss?

What filepath did you save it at? What is your current template foldername? Can we see the site?

sofasurfer,

on that tutorial page, note the comment about CUSTOM needing to be replaced with the name of your own template.

so, where it says... Save the edited file to includes/languages/english/custom/meta_tags.php and upload it to your server.

it means... Save the edited file to includes/languages/english/YOUR TEMPLATE NAME/meta_tags.php and upload it to your server.

If you log in to your zencart admin, click on the Tools menu then Template Selection and see what the name of your template directory is currently set to.

I did not see that I needed to place the file into "custom". I have now inserted the "custom" folder into the original path (/public_html/includes/languages/english/custom) and then moved the file there. Now when I reload the page all I get is a blank screen.

I do not yet know how to know what my current template foldername is.

The site is https://www.early1900photos.com

Hold on you guys. I lost the file and my page is blank. Give me a while to fix this.

If you have not created or installed a template, you are using /classic/. You can't just insert /custom/ into the existing filepath; you need to add a new folder /custom/ alongside the /classic/ folder there. Put it back the way it was so we can see it and help you.

I did one thing right...I have a backup. I am installing it not.

It may be a while. Restore is not restoring at this time. It appears that HG is mot responding as everything else on line operates fine.

Ok, I found my file and I placed it back into /public_html/includes/languages/english. It contains my edited text but the edit does not show up on my page, although the page is working again.

If you log in to your zencart admin, click on the Tools menu then >Template Selection and see what the name of your template >directory is currently set to.

The template directory is "classic" and the template is "Classic Contemporary Green".

I had to reread your post over and over to understand that you want me to put my file into the "classic" folder so now it is indedd in /public_html/includes/languages/english/classic. This directory now contains meta_tags.php and header.php.

My website still does not reflect my changes.

I do not understand why I had to move that file when all I did was edit a couple of words in it).

I wish I could find a very basic beginning tutorial for editing file. All of these tutorials talk about capitalized words and stuff as if I came into this with a basic understanding. I did not. Me no comprendo, senior.

I wish you all a lot of luck in helping me understand:lamo:

So I guess you are "installing it not" right now :)

...That would have been funnier about two minutes earlier...

I do not understand why I had to move that file when all I did was edit a couple of words in it).The default versions of all files will be replaced with new copies any time you upgrade to a new version of Zen Cart. If your changes were there, they would all be erased. Saving a customized copy of the file in the template override folder keeps your customizations safe; it also lets you have two or more different templates stored, for testing or seasonal switching, etc.

Note that /classic/ is actually not safe, as it will always be wiped and replaced. That is why it is advised to make your own custom template folder setup.

If your changes were there, they would all be erased.

Ok, I understand that :clap:

I think you may have struck brain. I am going to go make a folder call my_templates and place it into /public_html/includes/languages/english. Correct? Then I will put the file in there and see what happens.

Everything I read says "save" and "upload". Doesn't "save" automatically upload? Or do I have to save the file to my pc and then upload it?

Saving the file is having no effect on my web page.

After you edit a file on your pc, you want to save it so you have the current version. Then you upload it with FTP to your server.

A single folder named /my_template/ will do nothing; you need to create a template folder set following the tutorials on templates.

Is the process you just described for saving and uploading any different than opening the file in my file manager, editing it and just clicking the "save" button?

It is not recommended to edit PHP files in your server file manager. It can apparently sometimes damage a file.

Ok, I am going to take another stab at this.
I tried all you said and I tried what the tutorial said. Nothing seems to be changing on my page.

Let me make a point...
In post #11 you stated, "The default versions of all files will be replaced with new copies any time you upgrade to a new version of Zen Cart. If your changes were there, they would all be erased. Saving a customized copy of the file in the template override folder keeps your customizations safe".

So, for the sake of making things simple, lets ignore the fact that I may upgrade to a newer version later on. With that in mind I do not need to worry about losing my customizations any time soon, correct??? My changes will not be erased today or tomorrow, so, I should be able to simply edit the page title in the "meta_tags.php" file and see if reflected on my website. Correct??? I am not editing the layout or anything. I am simple editing a word or to that are to be displayed on my webpage.

I have read and read on this subject. I found about a half dozen threads by people who have the exact dilema I have and not one of them has accomplished what they were after, or at least they did not let any know.

So let me ask this in another way. Has anyone, in the last month or so been able to change the page title, "Powered by Zen Cart - The art of e-commerce" to something else?
I am asking for recent changes because then I know you have the same version I do.
I have edited the meta_tags.php file. I have put it in "custom" and in "classic". I have changed "define('HEADER_ALT_TEXT" in "english/classic/header.php". All for nothing.
If you have found a way to change that title, please tell us.

Man, this ain't goin' nowhere!!!
Maybe this question will stir someone. I was told in an earlier post that I need to make a custom template. I could not figure it out. Now I have found this website http://www.thatsoftwareguy.com/zencart_admin_title.html
Question...is this website relevant to my problem? I mean, it sounds like this is what I want except that it seems to say at the top of the page that this "fix" is meant for versions per-1.3.9 which is what I have. Or is it saying that it was fix after 1.3.9 (1.3.9a)?

And another question...
I just found this website http://www.esales411.com/document_general_info.html?products_id=2

From what I have read on it, if I install a different template than the one that comes with Zen Cart I will have an easier time customizing it. Is this true?