EXACTLY how to install the Column Layout Grid addon?

Hello, everyone!

I'm pretty much new to Zencart, and am still surprised on how so many people managed to "override" their Zencart files without actually messing up the layout itself. Anyhow, I recently downloaded Column Layout Grid for Product Listing addon, and still cannot figure out how to get it to work. The Product Listing - Layout Style isn't even there in my Admin panel.

Could someone please kindly explain step-by-step on how to properly install an addon without actually touching the finished layout (ie: CSS, modified PHP files, etc)? Each time I download an addon, the files there look just like what I already installed from the original Zencart installation in the beginning. How am I supposed to know which is which to override without messing up the complete modified files?

Thanks in advance.

A properly written mod like Column Layout Grid will have all of its files organized in the correct folder structure. All you need to do after unzipping the files is rename any /your_template/ folders to the name of your custom template folder, and upload the mod's /includes/ folder by FTP to the root of your Zen Cart (usually /public_html/ or /www/ or a subfolder like /shop/ or /zencart/).

If you have installed other mods or templates already, you should check to make sure the new files do not have the same names and locations of existing mod/template files.

For Column Layout Grid, there is a .sql file that you need to copy & paste in admin > Tools > Install SQL Patches - this is what gives the menu options.

Thank you for your response, gjh42! I gotta admit that it's overwhelming for a newbie like myself...... where exactly is a .sql file for Column Layout Grid? I found it through some forum around here, and it's as following:

INSERT INTO configuration( configuration_title, configuration_key, configuration_value, configuration_description, configuration_group_id, sort_order, last_modified, date_added, use_function, set_function )
VALUES (

'Product Listing - Layout Style', 'PRODUCT_LISTING_LAYOUT_STYLE', 'rows', 'Select the layout style:<br />Each product can be listed in its own row (rows option)
or products can be listed in multiple columns per row (columns option)', '8', '40', NULL , NOW( ) , NULL , 'zen_cfg_select_option(array("rows", "columns"),'
);

When installing it in the "Install SQL Patches" section, I get the following:

Failed: 1
ERROR: Cannot execute because table configuration( does not exist. CHECK PREFIXES!

Note: 1 statements ignored. See "upgrade_exceptions" table for additional details.

........what am I supposed to do?

Change the INSERT INTO configuration( by adding a space before the (
Then the system should be able to automatically insert the proper table prefix that your store has been configured to use when you installed it.

Okay, here's the thing. I continued to do more researches, and found this: http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?t=81638 -- very simple.

It works very well for both new and all product listing pages. However, I still cannot figure out how to do it for all the categorical pages. In reference to http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?t=84174&highlight=single+listing+template ... I am still lost. Could you present a simple instruction?

juukyuu:

I continued to do more researches, and found this: http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?t=81638 -- very simple.

It works very well for both new and all product listing pages. However, I still cannot figure out how to do it for all the categorical pages. In reference to http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?t=84174&highlight=single+listing+template ... I am still lost. Could you present a simple instruction?

I'm not familiar with those addons. Perhaps someone who is will chime in.

Hey, DrByte! I did not realize that you answered when I answered to gjh42's post. Got to say that your instruction worked! THANK YOU! However...... when I selected "columns" in the Product Listing - Layout Style section, it did not take effect. I also do not see anything where I could enter how many columns or such. What did I miss?