How do EZ-Pages work?

@closloff

The 403 error means that your server is preventing access to a call to a bare directory on your server. This suggests that the zen function is receiving information that it is unable to tie back to an EZ-Page in your database.

It will be difficult to provide further help without a link to the page with the malfunctioning link, and one to the page that you are trying to link to.

Neo2008:

have created ezpage and enabled it to be shown in header footer and side box but cannot see the page/link? any ideas?What sort order did you give the page?

kuroi:

@closloff

The 403 error means that your server is preventing access to a call to a bare directory on your server. This suggests that the zen function is receiving information that it is unable to tie back to an EZ-Page in your database.

It will be difficult to provide further help without a link to the page with the malfunctioning link, and one to the page that you are trying to link to.
Thanks for answer.
Here is the link to the page where the link is on:
http://www.ladywig.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=15&chapter=2
Please note that there is a discrepancy between the online database and the local one, previous posts were based on the local one; don't be misled, there were no typos.
The link is structured like so now and it works:
<a href="index.php?main_page=page&id=16&chapter=2">
I wasn't able to make it work the way you suggest, but I would like to experiment with it, because it would give more power to manipulate links.

ckosloff:

I wasn't able to make it work the way you suggestThat's not surprise since this is an EZ-Page and you can't use PHP functions (or other types of PHP on an EZ-Page. The function is used to point to EZ-Pages from other parts of your Zen Cart where PHP can be used.

kuroi:

That's not surprise since this is an EZ-Page and you can't use PHP functions (or other types of PHP on an EZ-Page. The function is used to point to EZ-Pages from other parts of your Zen Cart where PHP can be used.
Thanks for answer.
That is one of the explanations that I explored.
I also tried to link from a define page and got same error (look back in the thread).
Will post a link later, though that would mean defiling an online define page.

ckosloff:

I also tried to link from a define page and got same error (look back in the thread).If you edited the define page content directly, it should work. However, if you tried to edit the link in via the HTML define pages editor then it will most likely have been weeded out as it isn't intended as a PHP editor.

kuroi:

If you edited the define page content directly, it should work. However, if you tried to edit the link in via the HTML define pages editor then it will most likely have been weeded out as it isn't intended as a PHP editor.
I am not using any HTML editor for define pages at all.
I am against them because I know that they input extraneous characters in there.
I just type text.
However, I will attempt to edit directly, as you suggest, and see what gives.
Will be back to you on this one.
Thanks.

Having read this many times. I still do not fully understand EZ Pages.

Is there an easy to read HOW TO or even Tutorial to get me up and running please.

merlin01326:

Having read this many times. I still do not fully understand EZ Pages.

Is there an easy to read HOW TO or even Tutorial to get me up and running please.Have you read the dedicated EZ-Page section in the FAQ?

merlin01326:

Having read this many times. I still do not fully understand EZ Pages.

Is there an easy to read HOW TO or even Tutorial to get me up and running please.
The Zen Cart manual explains it very clearly.

Hi ckosloff

Is that the Zen Cart manual by Goh Koon Hoek?
or
is there another manual that I should be reading please

merlin01326:

Hi ckosloff

Is that the Zen Cart manual by Goh Koon Hoek?
or
is there another manual that I should be reading please
I am not aware of any other manual except the one by Koon Hoek.
There's gonna be a second edition based on 1.4, so I've heard.
You can buy this one and then upgrade, I think the best thing is to buy the e-book, because it's searchable.

I already have that book.

I have now sorted out a page using EZ pages.

However, Is there a way of putting the hyperlink into the sidebox marked Categories, instead of on the Header or in the important Links sidebox.

70% of my trade is done through my custom requirements pages.
Please have a look at my HTML site.. https://www.merlinmounts.co.uk and you will see what I mean.

Most, if not all www surfers automatically look at the categories/navigation sidebox and NOT elsewhere on the screen, so if it was in the header or in the footer then it would be missed by the scan the customer uses -their eyes......

I have asked for help in the Commercial section of the forum as yet have only had 5 visitors and no help forthcoming. Early days maybe or there is not an answer or there is a failing within the Zen Cart package to do this. I do not know...

I have constructed the EZ Pages using the product description and transferred my HTML into it.

Unfortunately the Html coding does not work - yet it does on my HTML live site.

Secondly I cannot for the life of me figure out how to get the link to the EZ-page into the Category Sidebox. Which is where I want it.

Should I be lucky and get the last action to work then another question. The EZ Page/HTML calls a php file to do some calculations. Where do I store this page please.

12 reads so far to my commercial post.

My only other option is to keep the existing HTML pages and call them a link. Again though how do I get that link into the Category side box.

merlin01326:

I have constructed the EZ Pages using the product description and transferred my HTML into it.

Unfortunately the Html coding does not work - yet it does on my HTML live site.

Secondly I cannot for the life of me figure out how to get the link to the EZ-page into the Category Sidebox. Which is where I want it.

Should I be lucky and get the last action to work then another question. The EZ Page/HTML calls a php file to do some calculations. Where do I store this page please.

12 reads so far to my commercial post.

My only other option is to keep the existing HTML pages and call them a link. Again though how do I get that link into the Category side box.
This post is very confusing for my nano-brain.
In my book, Categories are created in the database and you can put in the description all the HTML you want, images, links, etc.
When you click on that category link it will take you to that description.
EZ pages have a different scope, more like creating chapters with TOC.
Why not use each feature according to its concept?

Hi ckosloff
Have a look at my live HTML site and you will see what I mean.
https://www.merlinmounts.co.uk

In the left hand side box -Navigation Box - there are links to the various pages. Product pages if you will. Similar to ZC Category side box.

My Custom Mount Calculator HTML page is actually not a page that contains products per se It is an information gathering page before calling a php file to do the calculations which is then displayed on another results.HTML page.

Web pages - by default - really have the main Nav sidebox on the left.
ZC has the category sidebox.

As suggested, I have transferred the HTML coding into the Category description box. That category name is also added to the category sidebox list. When I select/click on that link (in the sidebox) I am correctly taken to that category page, where I do see the coding presented correctly. However some of the coding does not seem to work in the ZC format. Now I do know the coding is correct because it works on the live site. I do not know why it will not work when it has been transferred into ZC.

My other question still: Where do I put the calculation.php file. I have tried putting it into the store root. Yet it is not called or actioned. Likewise where do I put the results.HTML page/file.

As I stated If I retain my original HTML pages and call them by using an external Link. How do I put that link into the Categories Sidebox.

I do not wish to use the Information side box or the Header/Footer linking system. Customers are generally lazy and automatically look at the left hand Nav bar/Category sidebox (call it whatever you want) for their requirements. They will not look at headers/footers information sidebox for products. They will only look there for privacy/FAQs/T & C's etc..

merlin01326:

Hi ckosloff
Have a look at my live HTML site and you will see what I mean.
www.merlinmounts.co.uk
I did look at your site and found the calculator working OK in FF and IE.
Honestly, I don't think your question is related to EZ pages, if you still have trouble or things are not to your liking, you may try the Page layout changes forum here:
http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=130

Hi ckosloff

Of course that site works. It is NOT written in ZC format.

That is what I am trying to do.

Thank you for the tip I will ask again on the Page Layout section

kuroi:

There's a table in your database called "ezpages". Unless you're using the multilanguage ezpages add-in, it all goes in there and gets backed up with whatever you do for your main database backup.

Hi Kuroi,

What is the implication for ZC upgrades? Given that EZ pages are tucked away in the database, does that mean they would remain intact when upgrading to a higher version of ZC?

ScriptJunkie:

Hi Kuroi,

What is the implication for ZC upgrades? Given that EZ pages are tucked away in the database, does that mean they would remain intact when upgrading to a higher version of ZC?
Answer is yes.
The upgrade touches on some PHP files and provides an upgrade patch for your database, which does not affect EZ pages.
This is how it has worked so far, if EZ pages were to be affected, the ZC team would tell you what the work-around is.