Things every New Zenner needs to know

kelvyn:

However, right now, it's strictly for the techie types! If you don't know what php is, you're probably off to a losing start.

What a load of crap! The truth is that as long as you understand the basics of uploading and downloading files from the 'net, either via FTP or your host's control panel, and can read and follow instructions, anyone can set up and make minor changes to a Zen cart store.

However, should you want to make a completely unique template and massive customisations, then yes, you need more knowledge, but even then, you don't need to be a fully qualified programmer. As long as you have a decent understanding of css you can make a considerable difference to the appearance, and obviously, the more changes/additions you wish to make, the greater the level of skill needed in the various aspects... html, css, php and javascript. But I believe I've built some pdg stores with ZenCart without being a programmer!

Not only that, I have quite a few clients who could just about send an email when we started and who now have complete control of their sites with minimal assistance from me.

kelvyn:

it's based on extremely poor Osc codeI think it's not that bad, it's just very very old. And has never been updated (except from some bug and security fixes).

It was written when (PHP) templating systems where not very common. When CSS was great, but only in theory.... When layout tables where the only way to go (or at leats far better than using frames for layout, which are even still used today, even by some big companies...).

It sounds to me like using stoneage tools, and then blame those who invented it at the stoneage ;-)

Could someone tell me how to change the background images on the EZ Pages? I want a different on on each of the pages I have created (like my old XHTML website) but I cannot figure out how to do that. The test cart is here: http://www.possets.com/zen-cart/

The original website is here: http://www.posets.com

I know now how to change the background images on the "main" part of my Zen Cart website (make up a CSS for each page I want to change like when a page ends in Path=2, I make up a CSS with only the thing I want to change and save it as c_2.css in the proper place and it automatically effects the proper page. Is there some way to accomplish this with the EZ Pages?

Thanks for any help on this.

http://www.zen-cart.com/index.php?main_page=product_contrib_info&cPath=40_47&products_id=393

I tried to make a new background image on the EZ Pages but I failed and hope you can shed a bit of light on my error.

I downloaded the module you mentioned. I read it carefully and figured that I should upload the html_header.php file to my Zen-cart on the internet, in case I did not have the proper html_header in there. I do not have a folder includes\templates\MYTEMPLATE\common but I uploaded html_header.php into templates\templates_default\common (which was the only place close I could find a folder called "common"). I also uploaded html_header.php into a new folder I made under includes\templates\YOURTEMPLATE\ and called that "common" and uploaded html_header.php there figuring that that could not do any harm and if it was looking for a call out there, it would find it.

I made up my EZ Page background in css and uploaded it to my css file. I had checked the page number of the ezpage and I named the file ezpage_5.css which is the right name for it. I loaded that up. I loaded up the image I wanted to put on the page background and send it to includes\templates\YOURTEMPLATE\images. All I put on the css page was what I wanted to change.

I loaded it all to the proper (I hope) place but the background has not changed. I am using Zen Cart 1.3.7. My cart is here. The background image should be the three graces, but it is still Venus Reclining. Can you help me get the hang of this.

Sorry if I gave you too much or not enough information. Please let me know if you need anything else. The ezpage_5.css is loaded correctly and so is the image 3graces.jpg. The image is not appearing as it should, that's all. :dontgetit

I had a small problem. I had an X in the Header Main Bar. I went into index.php in the main and top portion of my Zen Cart and made this:

Into a comment so it would not show. I then loaded index.php up to my website and now all of my code is gone! It reverted to the original and stock Zen Cart welcome page. I don't get it.

I realized that the stylesheet which was called out was the classic one, so I changed it to magic. I got the right background but now I have a bunch of sideboxes littering the left hand side and all of the formatting is gone from the center box.

Can't you directly effect the coding in the index.php page? You can't get at it with the Define Pages Editor or the CSS. What happened? How can I get back all of the coding I did? How can I edit the info on my lead page without wiping out all of the coding I have done?

This is the second time it has happened to me and I really don't want to go for a 3rd. Should we never ever go in and code a page directly? :frusty:

I got the page back and will tell you how it was done later. Maybe there is someone else out there who had a similar problem and I would like to put the fix in here so it could be found by others.

You can likely make edits to the index.php if you get it from the
server. From the browser it's written in a bunch of html - that's
what the php does, it generates it. But if you put the html in the
index.php file it confuses the heck out of it.

:no:Originally Posted by Ryk [IMG]http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/images/ZCgreen/buttons/viewpost.gif[/IMG] What a load of crap! The truth is that as long as you understand the basics of uploading and downloading files from the 'net, either via FTP or your host's control panel, and can read and follow instructions, anyone can set up and make minor changes to a Zen cart store.:no:

kelvyn:

:clap:And there's the problem - "read and follow instructions". How long to learn php, and about not putting spaces after a closing tag, and about matching quotes and about uploading in binary (even though it says ascii for text files) and about permissions??!

To even change the default text on the front page requires at least all of the above. :clap:

Thank You kelvyn. :smile:

I had given up on trying to set-up Zen Cart after four months of trying to get answers, following the, normally outdated - written for older versions, cryptic instructions and trying to read through the thousands of responses which matched every word used in a search term. And, after getting derogatory responses such as Ryk gives. The last straw was when I kept getting told to buy the book for my answers because it contained all of the FAQ's and answers I would need. Not true.

I have been working with websites for about 12 years now, yes that was before CSS and PHP, and continue to be amazed at how blind and egotistical some of the open source programmers and people with an understanding of how a software package works are. They continue to assume that everyone knows what they are thinking and should, therefore, know how to use their software and add-ons/plug-ins.

They feel as if they shouldn't have to write instructions or explain anything to anyone because "they" know "everyone" will know what they know and meant. I give Ryk's words back to Ryk; "What a load of crap!" The instructions, if they wrote any, for version 1 are still good for version 99. That is just not true. The programmers seem to think it doesn't matter if they changed filenames or coding, because "everyone" should know how to use and apply it anyway. An example of that are the instructions for installing the 2 Checkout.Com plug-in. The plug-in was updated, but the instructions still talk about the original filenames and directories, which no longer exist. :frusty:

I added a new category, Collections (they are collections of different scents about one theme). The Collections page is Path=14 but each of the collections has a different prod_id number. Each separate collection is a product. Can I change the backgrounds of each of the product pages? I was thinking I could do the same thing as I did with the EZ Pages background changes, and I know there is a chapter feature (i.e. name the stylesheet for product_id=55 something like chapter_55) but I don't know exactly what to use for a stylesheet name, is this a feature I can use? Thanks.

fabienne:

I added a new category, Collections (they are collections of different scents about one theme). The Collections page is Path=14 but each of the collections has a different prod_id number. Each separate collection is a product. Can I change the backgrounds of each of the product pages? I was thinking I could do the same thing as I did with the EZ Pages background changes, and I know there is a chapter feature (i.e. name the stylesheet for product_id=55 something like chapter_55) but I don't know exactly what to use for a stylesheet name, is this a feature I can use? Thanks.You can create stylesheets called p_??.css where ?? is the id number of the product.

fabienne:

I added a new category, Collections (they are collections of different scents about one theme). The Collections page is Path=14 but each of the collections has a different prod_id number. Each separate collection is a product. Can I change the backgrounds of each of the product pages? I was thinking I could do the same thing as I did with the EZ Pages background changes, and I know there is a chapter feature (i.e. name the stylesheet for product_id=55 something like chapter_55) but I don't know exactly what to use for a stylesheet name, is this a feature I can use? Thanks.

kuroi:

You can create stylesheets called p_??.css where ?? is the id number of the product.

Here are some additional examples

(category) c_??.css ??=category id
(product) p_??.css ??=product id
(manufacturer) m_??.css ??=manafacturer id
(chapter) chapter_??.css ??=chapter id
(expage) ezpage_??.css ??=ezpage id
(individual pages) ??.css ??=page name (i.e. contact_us.css)

I want to change my e-mail welcome. I have to do that in an override. Fine. But the e-mail welcome file is in an area where there are no files named either "classic" or "template_default". It is here: **zen-cart/admin/includes/languages/english/email_welcome.php

**No where along the way do I see any folders or files called "classic" or "template_default". Where should I put my override email_welcome.php? I don't think I should put it in the same place I overrode all the other things, should I? zen-cart/includes/templates/magic/..

Great confusion. Thanks for any help.

There is presently no override system for admin, so you would need to replace the core file with your own - but when doing that, always rename the original first and leave it on the server rather than just overwriting it.

Also, the email welcome content can be found in includes/languages/english/create_account.php which can be overridden

The one you are looking at in admin is the preview

Thanks, now I see that it is possible because there is a "classic" folder in the English level. Many thanks.

Hello all :smile:

As a 'new Zenner' I considered it appropriate to reply to your current discussion. I am not a coder.

In recent weeks I attended a web page design course with a local college here in England, which gave me a good introduction to HTML and working with Dreamweaver. Since then I have been playing around with designing my own website (s) as a type of further education / hobby.

Then came my experimentation with OS Commerce, which I spent around 45 hours trying to understand and install correctly. That experiment ended yesterday morning :frusty: By the afternoon I had accessed this forum and set up Zen Cart on my server. I also added the UK contribution and later experimented with templates (both of which I could not do with OSC) :clap: I have yet to customise the software to what I require.

I am at a very early stage in my Zen career and have only touched upon CSS in Dreamweaver. So I would urge all of those Zenners out there who are involved in development of Zencart tutorials to keep it simple :lamo:

Thanx for listening (reading) :smile:

How do i remove the the message "This is the main define statement for the page for english when no template defined file exists. It is located in: /includes/languages/english/index.php" from my main page. I have located how to remove sales message goes here and you have successfully intsalled zen cart. My shop's url is http://www.onlineduka.com/shop

mdoja:

How do i remove the the message "This is the main define statement for the page for english when no template defined file exists.You would create the template-defined file without that text.

mdoja:

How do i remove the the message "This is the main define statement for the page for english when no template defined file exists. It is located in: /includes/languages/english/index.php" from my main page. I have located how to remove sales message goes here and you have successfully intsalled zen cart. My shop's url is http://www.onlineduka.com/shop

open /includes/languages/english/index.php

and delete the following as indicated by the highlighted portion:

define('TEXT_MAIN','This is the main define statement for the page for english when no template defined file exists. It is located in: <strong>/includes/languages/english/index.php</strong>');

be sure NOT to delete the single quote marks.
save the file and upload to your server

Sermonzone:

PRE-EMPTIVE EDIT:

A lot of documentation has been added to the Knowledgebase:
https://www.zen-cart.com/tutorials/index.php?category=16

Further, you will find great value in the eStart Your Web Store with Zen Cart users manual, which walks you through setting up your Zen Cart site from start to finish, along with many day-to-day tasks.
You can get your copy of the book here: http://www.lulu.com/content/466605

Original discussion:
New Zen Cart users get easily frustrated. They often do not know how to find answers to their questions and if they stumble onto the right answer they don't realize it's the right answer. The recent 'reboot' for the forum so closely on the heels of the upgrade to 1.3 seems to have made things worse.

I am considering writing a "Getting Started" style document that focuses on templates, overrides, colors, text, images and the like. Perhaps a reasonable title will be "Top 10 Questions asked by New Zenners" or "10 things every New Zenner should know but doesn't know where to find."

I would like to hear from New Zenners about this project. What did you have the most trouble with? What documents did you feel were lacking? What were the top problems and questions you had? -- Things like that.

Part of the rationale for this project is that as users can perform more tasks without having to post a thread like "I am such a newb and have no idea what I am doing" it will free the Devs for more time in core upgrades. Hopefully, users that are more successful at the beginning will press on and have a viable online business and donate back to Zen Cart.

I will be away from the forum for a few days (niece's wedding) this weekend. Further, I don't plan to reply to every post. This is a place to collect feedback from new users.

If more experienced users post, perhaps you could list the mistakes you most often see.

The final location for the project is uncertain. In many ways, it will be a duplicate of material in the FAQ and Wiki. However, much of that material needs to be updated and New Zenners seem to not read it or not understand it. I will continue to try to coordinate this with the Devs so that it benefits the most in the community.

Please presume a successful install of ZenCart 1.3+. I would like to focus on customizations issues that every new users is likely to experience.

Feel free to PM with info you would rather not be in the forum.

==================================================
Hi Bruce,

I think you should divide that "Getting Start" Book in two separate one:

1. Technical: Where you explain to code writers how to do changes on the following:

a) New release update or install: Explain in detail what every one of the options on the installation/upgrates screens are all about. When doing upgrade how it should be run (one level at a time or all levels at once, etc).
b) Main page customizations: (Logo, page 2.....page 4, Information box, banner boxes, category and products boxes.... boxexs colors, background colors, images.... etc.). show up the path to get to every program needing change (At least the most common ones)

c) Others pages to customize: Detail about the pages and how to locate them in the host.

2. Functional: seetting up configuration data, testing the shopping cart with using all active paymenet modules, offer a deeper explanation of the meaning for avery database file and their fields (data elements).

This two guides in conjunction will be very helpful for every one (technical or non-technical) implementing Zen-Cart.

If I get more information that I consider should be included I'll be back to you.

Regards,

AngelT::clap: