I'm completely lost on zencart

So here is my zencart setup: http://destroybmx.com/order/

Not clean and not ready by any means, but it's getting there.

Anyways, I'm just lost. I wanna edit the simple things, add a welcome greeting. But it seems when I edit one file, I change my template and it's gone. Then I read somewhere on here that you're not supposed to edit this file, you have to make a copy and put it somewhere else. It doesn't make sense how the site will just know where to look if I put a copy somewhere else. I think it comes down to the whole override system, just lost on how the whole structure works.

I've read the wiki, tuts and everything else I can and I'm still lost. I guess I just wanna be able to make small edits and ad news bits to the main page. I'm pretty sure I'm just not grasping some simple little step. If anyone has something else for me to read or wants to chime in and open my eyes for me, I'd really love it!

thanks a ton! I love the program so far, much better than the others I've tried(cubecart to name one).

dustin

Do not know what you have read???

Short Primer on overrides:

The basic concept is already part of the install - if you look at the templates folder you will see one named "classic" and one named "template_default".

Now classic is a template - if in the admin > tools > template selection yu will see this "classic" template listed.

Now being a template - you can create another in the includes/templates folder by creating a folder named for your template name choice. You must copy the template_info.php file into this folder and edit the template name in this file to match your template name. You have to select this new template in the admin > tools > template selection > edit > select the template > update AND tools > layout boxes controller > reset to reset the sideboxes to the default.

Now look at the template_default folder - any file that exists there that you want/need to edit can be copied to your template folder (and the folder name that it was in also - only here can you also copy folder names).

Now have a look around in the other folders - start with includes/languages you will see only one file - english.php and you will also see a classic folder.

BIG point - all the files tha exist here and where there is a classic folder as there is here can be overridden (in this case there is only one file) by making a folder with your template name and copying the file to be edited into it.

Now open the includes/languages/english folder - see the classic folder there - remember the BIG point - all files here can be copied edited and placed into a folder with your template name - overridden

Every where there is a classic folder - the files that exist there(not folders) can be overriden in the same way.

Just to add to Kobra's fine explanation, this is a list of folders to create and files to copy to create a very basic custom template (you can build from there).

• 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/common/tpl_footer.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. You can copy the necessary files from either the /classic/ folder or the /template_default/ folder. If the file doesn't exist in the /classic/ or /template_default/ folder, copy it from the parent folder - in the case of includes/languages/english/YOUR_TEMPLATE/index.php copy index.php from includes/languages/english/.

I'll give it a try a little later tonight and see what happens.

So basically, zen cart will look in the template folder first, if it's not there, it will go to the default folder? I don't have time to mess with it right now, but will a little later tonight for sure.

I'm looking at my file structure and it's starting to make some sense I guess, kind of, haha.

I guess I need to get some examples and see how those work. So if I wanted to edit just the header for my logo and a few otehr things, which file would I need to edit and will that file need to be moved into my template folder or can it stay in the classic folder?

anything that 'can' be put into an override folder 'should'
to play with the header info, copy tpl_header.php from /includes/templates/template_default/common
into /includes/templates/insert_your_template_folder_name_here/common/
feel free to beat the snot out of it, you can always recopy it over from template_default if it blows up to badly
Um, or so I've been told. you know, not that I would completely hose a php file. You see, I've got this friend.......

Buy the manual, and you'll save yourself a ton of time. Or do it like I did, get most of your site done, then buy the manual and laugh at yourself for not buying the manual first :laugh:

Okay, editing the actual code seems to make sense now, even though it looks pretty out of hand as far as coding goes.

Now to edit all the simple things like the banner at the top and the little taglines here and there.... I've been reading through the tuts/FAQ on the site and I'm going through each of them, but it doesn't seem to make sense to me. Oh well, I'll see how much the book costs and maybe pick that up this week.

Thanks for the help so far, it's helping, believe it or not, lol.

So I've found two books. There is the one written by Goh Koon Hoekm there is also this *** unauthorized book on amazon ***

is one better than the other. Kind of spendy, but I think it will be worth it. Hell, if five people say it's worth it's weight in gold, it must be.

The Authorized Zen Cart Book can be found at:
http://www.zen-cart.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=16

Note: the unauthorized book has reviews written a year and a half ago, which means that it is way out of date, regardless of its original merits.
Zen Cart has changed dramatically since then.

okay, just asking, I always hate to drop $50 on a book, only to find out the "other book" is ten times better.
I'll order it this week and mess with that, then post back and bother everyone with more questions.