The 12 steps to Zenvana or "How did YOU do it?"

Greetings Zen Jedi,

Until someone puts all the "Yellow Brick Road" info into a post or pdf, I thought it would help out new Zenners (myself included) if the Zenmasters who
have been through the mill & hoops to list the basic steps you took to
get your cart up after the initial installation.

E.g. did you start with an empty cart or demo? What modifications did you make if any? What was the most difficult part?

Just a basic 1-2-3 , "I did this, then that, etc, and it only took me about X amount of time to get there". It would be enlightening to see what path
each took to Zenvana..

You could even include tips on what to do or not do. This would be a very helpful guide for newcomers.

Many thanks in advance,
:wink2:

It's been so long, I seriously don't remember. I wish I did.

The best piece of advice I can give a ZC newcomer is not to let yourself get overwhelmed. ZC seems complicated and obscure, but it's not either. Lots of people sit there going :shocking: and trying to absorb everything at once. That's not necessary. If you read the documentation that comes with the download (not the clearest, I admit) and take a serious look at the FAQ/tutorials, you should be able to get over the learning curve in a relatively short amount of time (it won't feel that way).

Because of the override system, ZC is extremely forgiving when you're trying to see how things work. You can always revert to the original file if you've gone beyond the point of being able to figure out what you did wrong.

I recently made a list of the basic files you need to change to customize your ZC site. There are lots of other changes that can be done as well, but the items I list here are the only things I changed to create the look of this prototype.

• includes\languages\YOUR_TEMPLATE\english.php
• includes\templates\YOUR_TEMPLATE\template_info.php
• includes\templates\YOUR_TEMPLATE\common\tpl_header.php
• includes\templates\YOUR_TEMPLATE\images\logo.gif
• includes\templates\YOUR_TEMPLATE\css\stylesheet.css

Anywhere you see a \classic\ folder, you can create a folder for your custom template.

My advice, and what I've done:

First, take a look at all of the various implementations linked in the Reviewer's Corner. Get your own idea of what looks good, before you get wrapped up in the difficulty of making it possible.

Then, install ZC. I installed without the demo products.

First, go through every FAQ category and browse the titles. When you see a title for an article that you're interested in implementing, open it into a new tab(or window). Follow the instructions therein and then close the window. After you've completed this process once, you may be more ambitious, so go through the FAQ titles again. Repeat until you're satisfied that there's nothing more in the FAQ that you want to implement.

Second, take an honest look at your site. Ask yourself, "What could this use?" "How could I make this look better?" "How could I make this more usable for my visitors?" Make a discrete list of changes that you'd like to make. Work on one at a time by searching the forum for a two or three word phrase that describes the problem. You might have to wade through four or five pages of topics to find two or three posts which help, but 95% of the time you will find the answer. To find the right post, I usually go through every page of results that the search returns, opening into a new tab any topic that looks like it might relate to my problem. Sometimes, you might not find the answer but will find better terms to search for.

If you have some programming experience, once you've found every solution that's described in the forum, you might be able to go about making your own simple solutions. Like Mary says, use the over-ride system to make reversion a snap.

At some point, I think it's a great idea to start all over again with a fresh install. You'll be in a position to create a much better site with a clearer idea of what you want and a firmer grasp on proper practices.

Of course, there's a whole other side to designing your site which I'm unfortunately unqualified to address. That's the artistic side. Luckily I have a wife who's gifted there.

After all of this is completed there's the marketing side. I feel that there's disproportionately little conversation on this issue, but there is plently of information out there which you must absorb in order to have a successful business.

Best of luck,
Joe

Great advice, Mary & Joe! I hope we'll get at least 10 other replies...actually,
I wish anyone who gets to the top (i.e. have a functional cart online) would pause, look back, see how far they "climbed" and stop to leave some helpful
tips for those just starting the hike or who are 1/2 way up Mt.Zen.

"More, more.....!"

:thumbsup:

Best advice that I can offer is to First make it do the things that you want and not concern yourself with the looks. once it is performing the things that you want then and only then direct attention to styling.

Too many get hung up on the look and jockey back and forth between styling and function.

My trick was to sit down and rewrite all of the code ... :smartass:

Oh silly me ... I am on the Zen Cart Team ... I am suppose to be re-writting all of the code so you don't have to ... :lamo:

Ajeh:

My trick was to sit down and rewrite all of the code ... :smartass:

Oh silly me ... I am on the Zen Cart Team ... I am suppose to be re-writting all of the code so you don't have to ... :lamo:

And an excellent trick it is! :cool:

I realized I left a few things off my earlier list. :blush: Here's the revised version:

• includes\languages\YOUR_TEMPLATE\english.php
• includes\languages\english\YOUR_TEMPLATE\index.php
• includes\languages\english\YOUR_TEMPLATE\header.php (to change the logo)
• includes\templates\YOUR_TEMPLATE\template_info.php
• includes\templates\YOUR_TEMPLATE\common\tpl_header.php
• includes\templates\YOUR_TEMPLATE\images\logo.gif
• includes\templates\YOUR_TEMPLATE\css\stylesheet.css

Install your main cart without demo products..then install
second cart with demo products.
Enter your products in main cart, using second cart as reference
to how installing is used.
When you have your products installed, use afo's tips to customise
look of your new main cart and donate a cup of coffee to ajeh
and zen team for coding it...
:smile:

I don't remember much about the first cart I did - remember I don't "own" a store - I create them for others - All I remember is searching on hotscripts, finding the software, installing it - and well reading. A LOT.

I agree with Misty - Install 2 stores, the demo and YOUR store - work thru your setup using the demo as an example.

And as Kuroi said - set up your backend FIRST - worry about looks once it is functional.

And as EVERYONE says - make sure you come back and contribute to the coffee fund. Linda, Kim, Steve, and Chris all need all the caffeine we can give em so that OUR businesses can continue to grow :)

Download the Zen
Try to install it
Then realize you had to create the database first
Delete the Zen and start over with the database installed first
Re-Install Zen
Start clicking things in the Admin to see what does what
Try to remember what you did in the Admin to "Get that to happen" again
Learn you cant find what you did, Un-Install Zen and start over
Re-Install Zen
Add Products
We wont get into the whole images issue.....
Lose a week of sleep........ Un-Install Zen and go to Thearpy
Re-Install Zen...... Because we wont let it win!!
Find out that the new version has CSS ..
Read the FAQ
Add a few products just to see
Look at the "Attributes" :shocking:
Up grade to the new version
Read about the Over-rides!
try to re-do what you had before the upgrade
Realize your just a little turtle and this is over your head
Install another Cart
Realize you "Think" you had problems before
Re-Install Zen because its a better cart
RE_READ THE FAQ's
Use the OVERIDE's
Set up the cart via the Admin to function the way you want
One Admin click at a time then Test that, then test that, then test that.....
Make a Backup of the files you want to edit
FTP them to your over-rides, then test that ......
Start messing with the template folder
Realize "this is going to be interesting"
Crash your Host's Servers
Beg for your host not to remove you from their servers...
Start Making one change at a time in the CSS to find out what does what
E-Mail the Zen Team and admit your a total loss, beg for help
Start reading the forums and see you might be able to get this done yet

:lol: So true, Turtleman! :lol: