Things every New Zenner needs to know

yes but how do i get to the page to edit it!!!!!!

dan

hello dan

did you install with fantistico? if so...this is a problem i had when i started...reading about what files to edit but not knowing how to get to them

you need a copy of all the files on your computer hard drive so download them from sourceforge.... unzip it to your hard drive

you need a good text editor...crimson is free

browse the files on you computer to find your downloaded zencart file set...go through the folders to find the file you need to change...in your case to find

includes/languages/english/header.php

open the "includes" folder then the "languages" folder then the "english" folder...in this last folder you'll find the file named header.php

edit this file in you text editor and "save as" in a new folder called whatever your_template is

then you need an ftp client to upload files that you change...filezilla is good and free

connect to your server with filezilla....on the right are the files on your server...the left the files on your computer...

click through the folders (in a folder called public_html or equivalent) on your server till you get to includes/languages/english/ in the english folder create a new folder and call it whatever your_template is

open up your_template on the server side... and go over to the computer side

find the copy of includes/languages/english/your_template/header.php on your computer....upload header.php to includes/languages/english/your_template/ on your server

if you've changed your template in admin > tools >template selection to whatever your_template is then you should see you changes online

hope that helps yourself and others...

monkeymadness:

hello dan

did you install with fantistico? if so...this is a problem i had when i started...reading about what files to edit but not knowing how to get to them

you need a copy of all the files on your computer hard drive so download them from sourceforge.... unzip it to your hard drive

you need a good text editor...crimson is free

browse the files on you computer to find your downloaded zencart file set...go through the folders to find the file you need to change...in your case to find

includes/languages/english/header.php

open the "includes" folder then the "languages" folder then the "english" folder...in this last folder you'll find the file named header.php

edit this file in you text editor and "save as" in a new folder called whatever your_template is

then you need an ftp client to upload files that you change...filezilla is good and free

connect to your server with filezilla....on the right are the files on your server...the left the files on your computer...

click through the folders (in a folder called public_html or equivalent) on your server till you get to includes/languages/english/ in the english folder create a new folder and call it whatever your_template is

open up your_template on the server side... and go over to the computer side

find the copy of includes/languages/english/your_template/header.php on your computer....upload header.php to includes/languages/english/your_template/ on your server

if you've changed your template in admin > tools >template selection to whatever your_template is then you should see you changes online

hope that helps yourself and others...

:huh:

Hi,
Thanks for all your help but I am very sorry to ask you for the link of what I need to download I went to the website and got so confused.

I really am so sorry.

Daniel

hehe at the top of the forum it says "get zen cart"

which takes you to

http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=83781&package_id=171544

click on the

zen-cart-v1.3.0.2-full-fileset.zip

and choose your nearest location to download the files

its all a bit daunting at first but once you get the hang of it hopefully you'll love it too

good luck

:smartass: I'm so pround!!!! :smartass:

All I did was go to filezilla.sourceforge.net

Downloaded FileZilla and downloaded the files through that!!

Now I can customised my Page!!! I never new i could!!!!!

:thumbsup:

have fun

New Zenners should know about the 'no image' picture, and how it can be done automatically.

(I uploaded a whole bunch of "no image" pictures manually before I found that...which was right now...and I still don't know how to use it.

Also, new zenners should be directed to Image Handler, I just found that one too, wish I had it months ago.

And there may be more mods and such that would be good for newbies to know about, but thats what I know about and wish I had months ago.

We become a global society with the internet and that society tends to stand in front of the microwave and holler, "Hurry Up!"

How many of you still have shrink-wrapped instruction manuals all over the house?

How many, like my son-in-law, installed an LCD screen with a giant bracket only to find it did not have one cable installed properly. Only needed to set the delay for surround sound! EVERY movie is Godzilla with English dubbed! And, there's "not enough time to get it down and connected properly."

I still feel that the index page for ZC_Install should present the option of reading the docs, FAQ's, and Wiki with a recommendation to do so before continuing.

80% still won't do it BUT they'll have seen that there are docs, FAQ's and the wiki. Maybe it won't come as such a shock later.

in reply to dbltoe: I don't know if you're saying stuff in response to my previous post or everything else in this thread...I haven't kept up with it.

I did find the information I was looking for in the wiki docs, but damn, things just aren't easy to find.

I really think the biggest problem is that there is just TOO much information, too many options, too many little details. Too many things that have similar names, and do similar things, but don't do the same thing.

I don't think it's bad, it just takes a long time to become a zen master, and if you're looking for something specifically, it can be difficult to sift through pages and pages and pages of forum topics, and then you post your questions and sometimes all you get is "use the Search form!"

And that's not just here, any information forum I've ever been on...there are thousands of threads and it can be very difficult to find information.

The Wiki doc takes a nice approach for the admin section, listing every option and has a description...but it needs to be easier to find, the Admin is one of the most confusing parts of Zen Cart because there are just so many options.

clydejones:

Bruce,

To get you started, here are two of of the most common questions I've seen.

How do I change the "sales message goes here" text.

How do I change/turn off "Welcome Guest" message.

I also see lots of questions on modifing the tpl_product_info_display.php

Let me know if you would like some help with the project.

Ok I give up. How do you change the sales message and welcome message.

Stewart

Keremel:

Ok I give up. How do you change the sales message and welcome message.

Stewart

How do I Change the Sales message or Tagline
To change the “sales message goes here” or “Tagline Here” text to say what you want open the includes/languages/ENGLISH/header.php file in your code editor. Find the following line of code:
define('HEADER_SALES_TEXT', 'TagLine Here');
Replace the tagline text with your own text, making sure that the single quote marks are not left out.

How do I Change the Welcome Guest Message
If you want to eliminate “Welcome Guest!” Would you like to log yourself in?” message completely, turn off the Customer Greeting in your Admin -> Configuration -> Layout settings -> Customer Greeting -> Show on Index Page and set to 0.
If you want to replace this message with one of your own, start your text editor and open the includes/languages/ENGLISH/index.php file and locate these lines of code
if (STORE_STATUS == '0') {
define('TEXT_GREETING_GUEST', 'Welcome <span class="greetUser">Guest!</span> Would you like to <a href="%s">log yourself in</a>?');
} else {
define('TEXT_GREETING_GUEST', 'Welcome, please enjoy our online showcase.');
}
define('TEXT_GREETING_PERSONAL', 'Hello <span class="greetUser">%s</span>!');
As you can see, there are two Welcome messages depending upon whether you wish you Zen Cart to be a fully functioning store, or just a showroom. Edit the message starting from the word “Welcome” but be careful not to change the text in angled brackets, or the brackets themselves. Make sure that the single quote marks are not left out. If you want to include an apostrophe in your text e.g. “Lucy's Store”, you will need to put an escape character before the apostrophe, i.e. “Lucy's Store”.

How do I Change the Congratulations! Message?
If you want to change the Congratulations! You have successfully installed your Zen Cart™; E-Commerce Solution? Text with your own open the includes/languages/ENGLISH/index.php file and find the following code:
// This section deals with the "home" page at the top level with no options/products selected
/Replace this text with the headline you would like for your shop. For example: 'Welcome to My SHOP!'/
define('HEADING_TITLE', 'Congratulations! You have successfully installed your Zen Cart™ E-Commerce Solution.');
} elseif ($category_depth == 'nested') {
// This section deals with displaying a subcategory
/Replace this line with the headline you would like for your shop. For example: 'Welcome to My SHOP!'/
define('HEADING_TITLE', 'Congratulations! You have successfully installed your Zen Cart™ E-Commerce Solution.');
}
Replace the text starting “Congratulations” with your own text. Make sure that the single quote marks are not left out, save the file and upload to your server.

Hey everyone! As you can probably see I'm new to ZC and this is my first shopping cart experience. I just wanted to know what credit card processing companies you can use with ZC? I've looked in the payment modules and is that it? My client uses Innovative Merchant Solutions and they want to stick with it (they're switching hosting companies). I wasn't sure you can pick the one you wanted or what they had in the module you had to use.

Thanks!

Welcome to Zen Cart.

There are a few additional contributed payment modules available here:
http://www.zen-cart.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=40_48

It may be necessary to write one for the merchant in question. You could post an ad in the Commercial Help Wanted section to hire someone to write such a mod if needed.

Hey I think it's a great idea to start a ZEN GUIDE for new zenners.

An idea I'd like to contribute to you is that maybe you should consider adding a "GOING LIVE CHECKLIST".

Maybe a run-through, or a 'checklist' for new zenners to check before they actually go live with their site.

I wish I could find one right now! It would be a great way to make sure that I've got everything covered.

:cheers:

https://www.everythinglebanon.com/shop TEST SITE

Did you look in the FAQs?

:unsure: Hello everyone, I am brand new to Zen - well sort off, I had a web designer get me as far as i am now. Due to differences of opinion, we are not working together anymore. I want to know how to change some of the aspects of my template, I have no clue how to access any "behind the scenes" parts of the site, thank god I have the admin part down.

I want to change some aspects of my template design, like colors, the header design. Can anybody walk be through the basics here - I hear people talking about modifying lines of code, I don't even know where the code is acessed from!

Any help would be greatfully appreciated

here is what I have so far http://www.apostle.com
:unsure:

Get thee to FireFox!
Seriously, get a copy of FireFox with the Web Developer's and HTML Validator extensions. This will "show you the way" when you really need to know what's happening. For example, some of your hovers are not working due to a misspelling of the word hover on line 44 of the colors.css.
It may surprise you to even know that you have a colors.css. Did me. AND... It may be doing weird things to the site as I don't immediately see where it's called.

christayah:

An idea I'd like to contribute to you is that maybe you should consider adding a "GOING LIVE CHECKLIST".

Maybe a run-through, or a 'checklist' for new zenners to check before they actually go live with their site.

I wish I could find one right now! It would be a great way to make sure that I've got everything covered.

http://www.zen-cart.com/wiki/index.php/Basic_Checklist#Site_Setup_Checklist

I want to change some stuff on my template design, like colors, the header design. Can anybody walk be through the basics here - I hear people talking about modifying lines of code, WHERE IS THE CODE LOCATED? - i HAVE FF WITH THE DEVELOPERS kit - I am probably the most clueless zenner in here, can some tell me where the code is edited from or where it is at????

with Firefox and the Web Developer's toolkit, you can click on edit css in the web toolbar. There you can change your colors, etc. that are not graphics. Graphics will need to be changed outside the cart and re-inserted. Wording or code that you want to change can be found in the admin control panel using the tools menu and the designer's toolkit under it. Use the last item on the list and select all for the search area. It will tell you what file(s) you need to edit.