Newbie questions about custom template - logo.gif, etc

I know this has been covered all over the place but I've been just reading and trying to fix it for weeks and not getting it done. First I had my customization working but then I found out about templates so I lost all my work. I want this done the "right" way.

Here is the website I am working on: http://www.sobebabies.com/catalog/zencart/

If you look at the source, you can see I did indeed configure it to find my template, but it is still finding the logo.gif in the generic templates directory. Why is this? I have put a copy in my custom template images directory. I don't want to kludge this!

I also set up header_bg.jpg and tile files when I was doing it incorrectly but now I can not get it to find the ones in my template. Help!

One last question - where is the info on changing the unfortunate pathname? I would like it to just be mywebsite/cart or something like that. I'd appreciate a push in the right direction.

Is this custom template a copy of the template default? If not, it seems to be reverting back to the default. Also, what version of Zen is this? There seems to be two different stylesheet.css's in there.

What exactly do you have listed for folders in includes/templates ?

To move Zen Cart;
http://www.zen-cart.com/wiki/index.php/Server_Admin_-_Change_Folders

sobebabies:

where is the info on changing the unfortunate pathname? I would like it to just be mywebsite/cart or something like that. I'd appreciate a push in the right direction.
http://www.zen-cart.com/wiki/index.php/Server_Admin_-_Change_Folders

LOL ... ya .. what she said :D

Sketchy:

Is this custom template a copy of the template default? If not, it seems to be reverting back to the default. Also, what version of Zen is this? There seems to be two different stylesheet.css's in there.

What exactly do you have listed for folders in includes/templates ?

To move Zen Cart;
http://www.zen-cart.com/wiki/index.php/Server_Admin_-_Change_Folders

I don't know what version. I downloaded a few months ago. If I check for updates, nothing happens. So I assume the latest?

In includes/templates, I have: classic, mine (sobebabies-template) and template_default.

Perhaps I have too many/inconsistent style sheets copied over. I didn't change too many files I put into my template and I haven't moved many but I do have some extras. But I don't see how that could be causing this. Oh. Gee I don't know much about style sheets. Let's see if you've pointed me in the right direction. I seem to have copied all the style sheets from both the classic and the default templates. So I need to get rid of the one that is from classic, or just use the ones from the default directory. Nope. That hasn't done it. Okay, I am still lost. I am off to try to fix that other thing I asked about meanwhile!

DrByte:

http://www.zen-cart.com/wiki/index.php/Server_Admin_-_Change_Folders

Woo hoo! Thanks for that one! I didn't find any 2nd file - /admin/includes/configure.php that needed changing. I assume they mean my admin directory. I did see the configure.php but I didn't seem to need to update it. I hope all is well! What a relief that's done! Now get this other nut cracked and I'll be ready to think about going live soon! :smartass:

Okay I did find the 2nd file to change. But I am still desperately seeing help for the original problem.

It looks like it's still soaking the files from template default. :ohmy:

In your custom template folder, how many subfolders and loose files are in there?
There should be at least two subfolders called "css" and "images", there should only be at least one loose file called "template_info.php".
All of the above file(s) and subfolders should only be in one folder, named "whatever-name".

If you switch templates to "Classic", does this problem still exist?

Sketchy:

It looks like it's still soaking the files from template default. :ohmy:

In your custom template folder, how many subfolders and loose files are in there?
There should be at least two subfolders called "css" and "images", there should only be at least one loose file called "template_info.php".
All of the above file(s) and subfolders should only be in one folder, named "whatever-name".

If you switch templates to "Classic", does this problem still exist?

Okay, here's what I've got in my template directory:

-rw-r--r-- 1 2546 512 2841 Oct 5 11:41 CSS_read_me.txt
drwxr-xr-x 3 2546 512 4096 Oct 4 18:42 buttons
drwxr-xr-x 2 2546 512 4096 Oct 5 11:41 css
drwxr-xr-x 2 2546 512 4096 Oct 4 18:42 css-bad
drwxr-xr-x 2 2546 512 4096 Oct 4 16:28 images
-rw-r--r-- 1 2546 512 777 Oct 5 11:41 print_stylesheet.css
drwxr-xr-x 2 2546 512 4096 Sep 18 19:24 sideboxes
-rw-r--r-- 1 2546 512 10768 Oct 5 11:42 stylesheet.css
-rw-r--r-- 1 2546 512 1619 Oct 5 11:42 stylesheet_css_buttons.css
-rw-r--r-- 1 2546 512 712 Sep 29 19:36 template_info.php
drwxr-xr-x 2 2546 512 4096 Sep 18 19:24 templates
-rw-r--r-- 1 2546 512 4978 Sep 29 18:30 tpl_header.php

When I put back the classic template (I'll leave it for a bit in case you're still on) my header_bg.jpg shows up - as I said, I had originally been putting it in the wrong place. I be so confused! :huh:

Okay, thanks. At least we know that template works.

Usually, the only way that default template shows up... if perhaps, someone had copied and pasted the whole or partial deal into a custom template folder. By doing that, a common oversight is forgetting to rename inside the file "template_info.php", concerning the line "$template_name = 'Custom Template';" Two templates cannot be named the same or have the same folder name... terminal woe will follow.

Or where you starting to build a custom template from copied files from the default template, but something went wrong?

Sketchy:

Okay, thanks. At least we know that template works.

Usually, the only way that default template shows up... if perhaps, someone had copied and pasted the whole or partial deal into a custom template folder. By doing that, a common oversight is forgetting to rename inside the file "template_info.php", concerning the line "$template_name = 'Custom Template';" Two templates cannot be named the same or have the same folder name... terminal woe will follow.

Or where you starting to build a custom template from copied files from the default template, but something went wrong?

Hmmm. I have "$template_name = 'SoBeBabies Custom Template';" in the file "template_info.php. I don't recall any interrupted process, but it's been so long since I started working on this, my memory is pretty fuzzy and I am having trouble piecing it back together. I tend to work on it in the wee hours, brain not at best.

Okay, that's a good start. That specific file you're talking about must be in your custom template folder... the one loose file that's not in a subfolder. There might also be three subfolders in there. In the subfolder called "common", that must contain the "tpl_header.php". In the subfolder called "images", that must contain all your image files. In the folder called "css" that must contain at least one stylesheet.css .

So, in essence, there must be three folders in your main directory includes/templates folder. One named "classic", the other "template_default", and finally the actual custom template?

I wasn't sure what specific file you meant. I just created a new template, which took all of a minute, but the same thing is happening. I must have messed something up somewhere else in the file tree. I really am lost!

Take a look here in the wiki for more information:

http://www.zen-cart.com/wiki/index.php/Customisation_-_Templates_-_Create#For_Zen_Cart.E2.84.A2_Version_1.3.0.2B

clydejones:

Take a look here in the wiki for more information:

http://www.zen-cart.com/wiki/index.php/Customisation_-_Templates_-_Create#For_Zen_Cart.E2.84.A2_Version_1.3.0.2B

Yes, yes, check my posts. I just started over with a new template according to those instructions and am having the exact same problem.

Look, no offense, but I am really frustrated here. I am an ex-programmer/consultant with 14 years of industry experience and I need something more than go re-read the instructions. :blink: I need some hacker help here, some serious debugging tips from someone who has been around the block. I am pulling my hair out. I may be a beginner to zencart but I know my way around computers, databases, programming, Unix, etc. I may not know zencart and I fudge my way through html and css, but that's what hackers do. Please, someone give me something to sink my teeth into here. :D Give me some serious pointers.

Obviously something else has been messed up somewhere :blush: :shocking: and I am not yet familiar enough with how it all pieces together.

Bump.

Still looking for help! :frusty: I forgot to add that in addition to being an ex-programmer, I also did a good few years in support and it is considered in bad form to say "Go read the documentation". :jawdrop: And to hear it 4 times is bordering on insulting.

I don't mean to offend but I gotta get some help with this issue; I need to do this correctly precisely because of my programming background. I can see how to do it wrong. I am looking to do it right so when I get an update to the software, I will be able to install it and not overwrite my changes.

There must be some other file that I have inadvertently modified. Or some feature or whatever. In the early days, one is lost. What could I have messed up? :oops:

I'll buy a drink for the whiz who helps me crack this nut! :cheers:

It's simple. I need to use my own header and logo. My template isn't being picked up quite correctly. Help!

Your header and logo should be in:

includes -> templates -> pink-brown -> images

I think this will help... there is a combo pack of different colored new Classic templates available here;
http://www.zen-cart.com/index.php?main_page=product_contrib_info&cPath=40_53&products_id=274

You can pick one of the different color templates that might help start with a basic color that you can expand forthwith. It has basically the same structure as your old one, but this way you don't have to spend extra time revamping the default template in it's raw form. You can even replace the images with your old ones for the beginning of a seamless transistion. There is a pink one in the combo pack. :D

clydejones:

Your header and logo should be in:

includes -> templates -> pink-brown -> images

Yes, they are in there.

You are a star, Sketchy! :smile: I just set these up and they work no problem. My header_bg doesn't work in the template I created but it sure does in these! This will do the trick. Thank you so much for this lead! :smile: YAY!

Sketchy:

I think this will help... there is a combo pack of different colored new Classic templates available here;
http://www.zen-cart.com/index.php?main_page=product_contrib_info&cPath=40_53&products_id=274

You can pick one of the different color templates that might help start with a basic color that you can expand forthwith. It has basically the same structure as your old one, but this way you don't have to spend extra time revamping the default template in it's raw form. You can even replace the images with your old ones for the beginning of a seamless transistion. There is a pink one in the combo pack. :D