How to Change the Look?

hi i m new to The Zen Cart World. the zen cart have been installed succefully on a good luck basis to my site https://www.apnamardan.com/web right now i want to make change, i have change the title of the page successfully using forum help. Now i want to change the look from this default brown colour to any other colour and want to change the header_bg gif file to my own, last time i have just written my site name on the file but it dont show up fully mean it is a little bit down from it main place and secondly is the (powered by zen cart the art of ecomerece have been on top so i want to remove that and change that header gif file to a new one and secondly change the look from the brown to any other please help me ..visit the site https://www.apnamardan.com/web so u will be clear ..cos i m just i new and dont know how to explain what i want ...help will be apprciated thanks

Welcome zahoorahmad

There's lots of helpful information in this section of the wiki.

they all have describe the explaination in code words which i dont understand please write me short direct what do ...where to go...what to edit and the result will be what i want...please i new and did not understand the coding yet and the cart is installed on good luck...cos i dont know even how to install that...shall wait for positive post soon thanks

Zahoor,

The reason Kuroi gave you the link to read in the Wiki is that you need to follow some rules for templates. This is not a programming law. You can edit any file you want because it is your site and you own it. However, you should not do that.

The template override is THE BEST WAY to develop your cart. Before you customize too many things you should start a custom template.

This is the simplest tutorial in my opinion - http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7263 . This tutorial will tell you how to create a custom template and what files to edit.

While it takes a little longer to learn these basic principles and install a custom template, it is for your benefit in the long run.

Once you have that done, then editing for images and color can be done rather quickly. Again, the Wiki is very helpful. Search in the Wiki and read the instructions.

Best wishes.

that is very good i will go for it but please dont mind ...cos wheneve i did not understand something i m going to ask some irelevent question please dont mind that but thanks for u help :wink2:

zahoorahmad:

wheneve i did not understand something i m going to ask some irelevent question please dont mind that
You are always welcome to ask questions. Many questions are answered by the documentation at the links provided and we can give you better answers if you've already read that. Good luck.

Zahoorahmad,
I would suggest using the default temp instead of the classic temp as a base… the classic temp is much harder to change then the default temp and will give you more problems in the long run.

i have done it again but luck ................i have done...last night i upload the zen cart to another folder and change the image to my own image and then install it is working now but still i have little problem with how to romove the "sale message go here" text for the site please help me now ..cos i have almost done what i need thanks for the help all get possible with zen cart help forum ...:oops:

i have done it with a new installation of the zen cart...wonderfull mean what i need i have done now...thanks for the help from the zen cart members.....please tell me way to remove the "sale message goes here text " for the site and the link located at online...thanks again
the directory is
https://www.apnamardan.com/online

The file you are looking for is header.php.

By now you should have a folder for your own template. Can you tell us what name you are using? IF the name is /custom (like in the documents you have been reading) you will find the file at /includes/languages/english/custom/header.php.

Best wishes.

i dont have any folder for my custom templates i just search the cart for picture and where did i saw gif file i convert them to those i like an then upload, run setup....but upto now that i ok i reading for the wiki in the site so will get upto date soon...for now i have the problem with the "sales message goes here "
this is my header.php where should i edit it

<?php /** * @package languageDefines * @copyright Copyright 2003-2006 Zen Cart Development Team * @copyright Portions Copyright 2003 osCommerce * @license <http://www.zen-cart.com/license/2_0.txt> GNU Public License V2.0 * @version $Id: header.php 2940 2006-02-02 04:29:05Z drbyte $ */ // header text in includes/header.php define('HEADER_TITLE_CREATE_ACCOUNT', 'Create Account'); define('HEADER_TITLE_MY_ACCOUNT', 'My Account'); define('HEADER_TITLE_CART_CONTENTS', 'Shopping Cart'); define('HEADER_TITLE_CHECKOUT', 'Checkout'); define('HEADER_TITLE_TOP', 'Top'); define('HEADER_TITLE_CATALOG', 'Home'); define('HEADER_TITLE_LOGOFF', 'Log Out'); define('HEADER_TITLE_LOGIN', 'Log In'); // added defines for header alt and text define('HEADER_ALT_TEXT', 'Powered by :: ApnaMardan.com'); define('HEADER_SALES_TEXT', 'Onilne Stop For Mardan'); define('HEADER_LOGO_WIDTH', '192px'); define('HEADER_LOGO_HEIGHT', '64px'); define('HEADER_LOGO_IMAGE', 'logo.gif'); // header Search Button/Box Search Button define('HEADER_SEARCH_BUTTON','Search'); define('HEADER_SEARCH_DEFAULT_TEXT', 'Enter search keywords here'); ?>

please help

sorry to all ...i go some where else....the actuall file told me is there /includes/languages/english/classic/header.php and

i post the lines form the /include/languages/english/header.php

thanks

The 'Sales Message' is in the line

define('HEADER_SALES_TEXT', 'Onilne Stop For Mardan'); but you have already edited it.

Since it is not showing up on your site it means the template you have selected in your admin does not match the editing you have done to your files. This is one reason you should use the override system described in the tutorials I sent you.

Otherwise - just go to your shop admin > tool > Developer's Toolkit and search for any text you want to replace (Sales, Congratulations, etc) and edit it there.

Good luck.

Sermonzone:

Zahoor,

The reason Kuroi gave you the link to read in the Wiki is that you need to follow some rules for templates. This is not a programming law. You can edit any file you want because it is your site and you own it. However, you should not do that.

The template override is THE BEST WAY to develop your cart. Before you customize too many things you should start a custom template.

This is the simplest tutorial in my opinion - http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7263 . This tutorial will tell you how to create a custom template and what files to edit.

While it takes a little longer to learn these basic principles and install a custom template, it is for your benefit in the long run.

Once you have that done, then editing for images and color can be done rather quickly. Again, the Wiki is very helpful. Search in the Wiki and read the instructions.

Best wishes.

I would like very much to read this thread but I don't have access to it?
Thanks
Vix

That thread is so old it is in the archives and not accessible. There are newer tutorials for many things - look in the tutorials link above and search for template.