Second step in setting up your cart - templates

OK....I started by reading https://www.zen-cart.com/tutorials/index.php?article=230.

This is too advanced for my current knowledge level.... Is there a Zen for Dummies out there some place? I need more basic instruction that does not assume I am already knowledgeable.... In other words...I'm just getting started....is there something for a newby to use that is a more basic...step by step approach?

Hi i am a newby. having some real trouble setting up zen cart. can someone please mail me at [email protected] for some help. Many thanks. Dan

Just gettinf started and had a question. I am using xamp as a local server to get familiar with everything. couple of questions come up.

1. when i set up MySql through xampp how do I upload to the web?
2. how do I upload the finished cart to my site.
3. If I have to work from my domian for each cart, How do I unzip the templates I use form the Zencart site properly?

Okay mor then wo questions but i am trying to head off spending a bunch of time on a local serve only to find out i have to start over and work diretly for the hosting site.

Hi,

I'm very new. I have installed ZC here:
www.rehomeonline.com/cart/.

I want to keep the "clean" look of my site. I've noticed that there are two "Home" links, one with the "Log In" link at the very top and one indented a little bit and further south on the page.

Is there any way to condense these navigational elements into one horizontal line so that they don't take up as much screen real estate and also cause some confusion?

Also, when you click on one of my products, there is third set of links, "Live Workshops" and "Webinars". Do you know how I could better display these headings to let people know that they are product categories? I don't think that it is obvious that they are product categories.

Sorry for the very not-so-advanced-but-still-perplexing-to-me questions.

Best,
P

Oh, I also forgot to ask the question that I came in here to ask in the first place which is...

I can't figure out how to make my products sort in the sorting order that I designate. They seem to sort randomly, at least on the new products page which is the first page you see.

I don't think my customers understand that this first page is only a new products page and that there are more pages to be seen than this.

Any pointers are VERY MUCH appreciated! Thank you!!!

P

Heeelppp!

I want to install the template, "bluezenfish", but when I upload the files to the template directory, and then go into admin and select template selection, the template doesnt show in the list? I've tried with two other templates but cannot seem to make it work...

Any ideas?

J

As long as there are 'new kids on the block' the forum will be full of silly questions, like this one.....

WHERE is "includes/templates" ????????

following the instruction on this page https://www.zen-cart.com/tutorials/index.php?article=142

I did as suggested, making the new folders, files, re-naming... (Inside my server)

THEN - I get to the end & read the instruction > Upload your /CUSTOM folder to your server. :frusty: I just did ALL of the previous steps IN my server.

From Admin home - tools - template selection; I only had the default template. SO, I deleted all of the folders & files I had just put into my server. Went back to Admin home - LOOKING for "includes/templates" I am unable to find any such thing from the Admin home :shocking:

There has to be a SIMPLE answer to WHERE (via my server files? or in the Admin home) do I go to make a custom template. If it IS done in my server - why the instruction > When you've finished, your new file structure should look as follows: list of folders/files followed by > Upload your /CUSTOM folder to your server.:dontgetit
I'll keep looking to try and figure this out - any suggestions would be appreciated - as well as any imput on the e-Start Your Web Store with Zen Cart - is it going to help a non-code person as myself?
THANKS!!!!!

I have tried to use the same method of adding an image to the header to: #navColumnOne { hopeing to get an image behind my left side boxes. I've gone through the FAQ's and there doesn't seem to be anything on this, any ideas?
cheers.

I did get the cart installed! BUT - - I was having a really hard time with this cart :dontgetit It's probably a great program, for people that know how to read and write HTML. Not me. I am currently using one that has an admin, kinda like Zen - but has a WYSIWYG site builder. Well, it's actually a WYSIWYG program I already had - with the Web Shop built in. I didn't try it first, because it looked complicated - UNTIL, I tried this cart - ha! I need MUCH more code training before I can use this cart to it's fullest :(

HOPEFULLY - one of the "Zen Masters" will help you out with this :smile:

Sermonzone:

I am posting this information in order to provide a link that will more easily provide solutions for typical problems faced by most new Zenners. (Devs feel free to edit this for completeness and accuracy.)

Start here to learn just about everything you need to know to get started customizing your site - https://www.zen-cart.com/tutorials/index.php?article=230
https://www.zen-cart.com/tutorials/index.php?article=143
https://www.zen-cart.com/tutorials/index.php?article=232

Zen Cart is built on a system called ‘overrides.’ When you have worked hard on customizing your site you do not want to lose all that work when a new version or cart update comes along. So, follow the guide for creating a custom template and it will ‘override’ the stock template after any updates.

All of the files you change should go in special folders you create for your template. Something like /custom or /my_template. Your new custom template folder should only contain files that have actually been edited for your site. Copy the files from template_default, edit them, and make sure they are in the correct ’my_custom_template’ folder. Most of the /custom folders will be in directories that also have a /classic folder. The classic folder is a landmark to let you know you are in the right place.

If you are using ver 1.3+ you should use the template default as a basis for your new template and not the Classic template.

Remember to edit template_info.php and turn on the template in admin.

The Wiki also has great information. However, since the forum experienced an emergency reload, the links may not have been updated. Be patient. Some of the information refers to ver 1.2+ and is slightly different in 1.3+ so read carefully.

http://www.zen-cart.com/wiki/index.php/Customisation_-_Templates_-_Customizing
http://www.zen-cart.com/wiki/index.php/Customisation_-_Templates
http://www.zen-cart.com/wiki/index.php/Developers_API_Overrides
http://www.zen-cart.com/wiki/index.php/Basic_Checklist

If your new template does not work, please double check the following things before having a panic attack, starting to blame the devs, claiming there must be a bug and/or appealing to everyone’s good nature since you ‘are such a newb.’ Before posting a thread needing "emergency attention" ask:

2. Are your edited files in the correct folders?

3. Are you editing the correct files?

4. Have you misspelled a file or folder name?

5. Have you have turned on the template?

6. Have you have used Admin> Tools> Developers Tool Kit? Put the text you want to change in the box at bottom left and select ‘all files.’ You will get a list of files with that text.

7. Have you re-read the tutorials because you missed a step.

I have committed all these sins, and more, so do not think you could not have made a mistake.

Best wishes for your Zen success.
can you help me out to Get rid of text next to logo.gif on main page of Apple-zen template....{To change any of the site colors, open up includes/templates/apple_zen/css/stylesheet.css. To overwrite your own logo, upload your logo.gif to includes/templates/apple_zen/images/}

my site also encountered a attack, and i resolved this issue by these tutorials, thanks sharing.

I changed the green color of the classic theme in the stylesheet file. The only box I couldn't find to change the green color is left side "Sponsors" under "More Information", which shows now blue. What I am missing?

can i ask how to add new functionalities, zencart provide left and right positions, can i ask to add center positions? so that we can move it to anywhere we want?

is that possible?

thanks master zenner

I am having some trouble applying a template to my zen cart. I followed all the steps in the tutorial and used a template for my version, but for some reason when I apply the template, my zen cart shows up blank. It will only show up using the classic green template. Is there something I am missing??? Any help would be greatly appreciated. I have been working at this all day.

A completely blank page (if that's what you're seeing) usually means an error in the source code, or a corruption during uploading. But since you haven't told us anything about the template that you're trying to build or use, how you installed it, or given us a link to see how far it gets in its display, it's not really possible to be more specific.

I have just installed the 1.3.8. So far I have renamed my admin page and now I'm working on setting up my custom template from the following instructions: https://www.zen-cart.com/tutorials/index.php?article=142

My front page is hideous so I must have done something wrong. My site is The Manicured Bonsai. I didn't try to customize in any way before this so the look is not intentional. It should only look like the default template. Trying to correct I added all of the files from the template default into my custom template folder figuring I don't need to but hoping it won't hurt.

Can someone help? Thank you!

You named your templates and overrides directory with caps and spaces ...

You would do better without the spaces ... and as a general rule, caps are best not to be used ...

Try it without the spaces and see if that naming works better ...

Ajeh:

You named your templates and overrides directory with caps and spaces ...

You would do better without the spaces ... and as a general rule, caps are best not to be used ...

Try it without the spaces and see if that naming works better ...

Thankyou!....I've changed the template name. The only place I needed to change within a file was includes/templates/CUSTOM/template_info.php?? Just want to be sure I didn't miss changing reference to the template somewhere.

Any other suggestions?

The name in the template_info.php can be anything ...

What is the name of the directories that you are using for your templates and overrides files?

If you look at the Classic Template ... the name is called:
$template_name = 'Classic Contemporary Green';

But ... all of its directories are called:
classic

and you will see that it contains the directories:
/css
/images

then, in any place that templates and overrides can exist ... you will see:
/classic

Only files that are changed get places in template and override directories ...

What is the name that you are using for your templates and override directories?

If you copied the:
/css
/images

from the /template_default then you will look like you do ...

If you copied them from /classic then you would look like the Classic template ...

That's it!!! I was copying files from the default template rather than classic. THANK YOU!!!!!! I went ahead and deleted the files I hadn't altered as well. Thank you so much!!!!!:clap: