Admin-Editable Sidebox - Support Thread

Sara, you cannot use cPanel to upload directories, only files.

You should be using your FTP program to upload as it will upload the directory and all files/sub-directories within the 'includes' directory for this module.

ckosloff, looking at your scroller txt file you linked, I would change this line:

scrollercontent[0]='<a href="index.php?main_page=login">

to

scrollercontent[0]='<a href="/index.php?main_page=login">

It presumes your Zen Cart is in Document Root and adding the forward slash tells Apache where to start looking; preventing any dir. confusion.

Can't help with the other problems as I'm not familiar with the Admin-Editable Sidebox module.

Website Rob:

ckosloff, looking at your scroller txt file you linked, I would change this line:

scrollercontent[0]='<a href="index.php?main_page=login">

to

scrollercontent[0]='<a href="**/**index.php?main_page=login">

It presumes your Zen Cart is in Document Root and adding the forward slash tells Apache where to start looking; preventing any dir. confusion.

Can't help with the other problems as I'm not familiar with the Admin-Editable Sidebox module.
Rob,
Thanks so much for help.
Do you know where to enter text in blank sidebox, please note that there are two locations?
Meanwhile will edit script and see if it works in Editable Sidebox.
Actually that module is easier than blank sidebox.

kuroi:

Like ckosloff, I'm a bit puzzled by your reference to cPanel. I access it via a web browser and can't drag and drop files to it. Are you sure that you were actually successful in uploading the files.

I downloaded it as a .zip to my desktop, opened and unzipped it. What should I have done after that? Obviously, I flubbed somewhere. Where do I take the... Hold it! Should I be doing this through my sarassoapsnsuch.com secure webdisk that's on my desktop?

Website Rob:

Sara, you cannot use cPanel to upload directories, only files.

You should be using your FTP program to upload as it will upload the directory and all files/sub-directories within the 'includes' directory for this module.

I have no clue at all about using FTP programs. I know just enough to be dangerous and to semi-understand what my programmer friends are talking about when they start "talking shop."

~Sara

@ckosloff

I'm familiar with the Blank Sidebox v1.1 module and it states this:

includes/templates/YOUR_TEMPLATE/sideboxes/tpl_blank_sidebox.php

as the file to edit for what is actually displayed on the Web page.

Note: when using JS code you must escape some of the JS characters such as: quotes and semi-colons.

@sarah, if you don't know how to use an FTP program then you are not yet "really dangerous". :wink:

For doing things such as uploading modules or customized files you should get familiar with an FTP program. Along with your HTML Editor, it is a very commonly used program for Web customizing.

@ckosloff

Your javascript isn't text, so I would concur that you should put it straight into the template file, taking care, as he says, to escape all special characters.

Sara's Soaps:

Should I be doing this through my sarassoapsnsuch.com secure webdisk that's on my desktop?I can't talk to the accuracy of the configuration of your webdisk, but in theory, yes you should be able to upload the files that way. Though my personal preference, like that of Website Rob, is a dedicated FTP programs (e.g. the free and excellent FileZilla). They're really not that difficult to configure and use.

kuroi:

I can't talk to the accuracy of the configuration of your webdisk, but in theory, yes you should be able to upload the files that way. Though my personal preference, like that of Website Rob, is a dedicated FTP programs (e.g. the free and excellent FileZilla). They're really not that difficult to configure and use.
Concur with the gurus, but...I think you should start by purchasing the Zen Cart Manual and setting up a test site.
You can then back it up and destroy it at your heart's content testing modifications.
In a test site, you wouldn't even need to FTP, you would just drag-n-drop the contribution, that will help you understand how it works.

Website Rob:

sara, if you don't know how to use an FTP program then you are not yet "really dangerous". :wink:

For doing things such as uploading modules or customized files you should get familiar with an FTP program. Along with your HTML Editor, it is a very commonly used program for Web customizing.

So I guess I'm just a little dangerous, huh? ;)

kuroi:

I can't talk to the accuracy of the configuration of your webdisk, but in theory, yes you should be able to upload the files that way. Though my personal preference, like that of Website Rob, is a dedicated FTP programs (e.g. the free and excellent FileZilla). They're really not that difficult to configure and use.

I'm going to try the webdisk thing first. What better way to test a theory, right? I've looked up FileZilla, and honestly, I'm soooo nervous about using it. OK, I know it LOOKS easy (and really, it does), but I'm so scared I'm going to screw something up. Note to self: Back up site first.

ckosloff:

Concur with the gurus, but...I think you should start by purchasing the Zen Cart Manual and setting up a test site.
You can then back it up and destroy it at your heart's content testing modifications.
In a test site, you wouldn't even need to FTP, you would just drag-n-drop the contribution, that will help you understand how it works.

Thanks. I think it's gonna be a necessity now. I wouldn't even be having to worry about this right now except for this blasted button I need to add. And there's a little bit of a time crunch on it. It needs to be on my site ideally by 1 November. Otherwise, I likely would just leave my site's format stand (except for adding new products) and play with it this winter when things slow down some.

Sara's Soaps:

I've looked up FileZilla, and honestly, I'm soooo nervous about using it.
Nothing to be nervous about.
Doesn't your webhost provide you with a utility like File Manager?
It's basically the same thing.

I've searched this thread for answers to hiding the titlebar of extra sideboxes without success, but before I ask that, I'm not even sure if its sideboxes that I want.
I'm trying to get to the stage where I can insert 'buttons' in the right column, for certain products only, which say things like "This item has free delivery", ""Suitable for home installation", "32GB", etc. But having made some nice pretty buttons and shoved one in a sidebox, I can see how much space is 'wasted' with the top and bottom border of the box, the top and bottom margins, the header, etc etc... Its not exactly aesthetic, either :no:
I **thought **what I needed then was a sidebox that had no borders or header, in which I could dump the buttons. But then of course I've got the problem of how I define which buttons should appear in the sidebox depending on which page I'm currently on (or rather, which product I'm currently displaying). So the next thought was that I needed a 'transparent' sidebox for **each **button, but with all the extra space removed so that the images appeared close together on the page.
So now I dont know **what **I want... Can anyone offer some advice? :cry:

ckosloff:

Nothing to be nervous about.
Doesn't your webhost provide you with a utility like File Manager?
It's basically the same thing.

Yes. The File Manager is under my control panel. I didn't explain that well yesterday.

~Sara

Update... Good news and frustration... I have successfully managed to add the define_editable_sidebox to my drop-down menu on my admin page. I can even add stuff to the box. Unfortunately, it's not showing up on my site. Kuroi, FYI, I did use the webdisk to do that. Still playing with it. And ckosloff, I ordered the e-book version of the manual.

Y'all will hear the wild whoops of joy when I finally get this puppy to work, even across the Pond. ;)

~Sara

Did you enable the sidebox in the Admin > Tools Layout Box Controller menu?

Sara's Soaps:

And ckosloff, I ordered the e-book version of the manual.
~Sara
That's the way to go because it's searchable.
Regarding File Manager, you can use that as an FTP tool, whatever you feel comfortable with.

kuroi:

Did you enable the sidebox in the Admin > Tools Layout Box Controller menu?

Um, duh! :blink: Didn't even think of that. I have now, though. Good news, it's there! Yea!!! However... My graphic's not showing up. This is the coding I'm doing:

<a href="http://www.outoftheboxsampler.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk239/Saras_Soaps/OOTBS125contributorbutton.gif" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

It looks right, but I've also been known to stare at something for an hour and have someone come up behind me, glance at it and say, "You left out a set of quotes here." The side box is flat; is that because there's nothing in it? Or do I need to adjust its height? And if I do, what's the path/line for that?

Thanks, guys, for your help!

~Sara

ckosloff:

That's the way to go because it's searchable.
Regarding File Manager, you can use that as an FTP tool, whatever you feel comfortable with.

The e-book is also cheaper, and it's almost time to pay rent. :D I like having a real, honest-to-goodness paper book in hand, so I'll probably print it off in stages, too, and stick it in a notebook.

~Sara

kuroi:

@ckosloff
Your javascript isn't text, so I would concur that you should put it straight into the template file, taking care, as he says, to escape all special characters.
Well, I escaped all characters to the best of my ability, and also added the / before index.php as suggested.
No joy, still breaking the site.
Could one of you guys take a look, please.
What am I missing?
PS. Sorry to post in this thread but to my knowledge there is no support thread for blank sidebox.

travellers:

I've searched this thread for answers to hiding the titlebar of extra sideboxes without success, but before I ask that, I'm not even sure if its sideboxes that I want.
I'm trying to get to the stage where I can insert 'buttons' in the right column, for certain products only, which say things like "This item has free delivery", ""Suitable for home installation", "32GB", etc. But having made some nice pretty buttons and shoved one in a sidebox, I can see how much space is 'wasted' with the top and bottom border of the box, the top and bottom margins, the header, etc etc... Its not exactly aesthetic, either :no:
I **thought **what I needed then was a sidebox that had no borders or header, in which I could dump the buttons. But then of course I've got the problem of how I define which buttons should appear in the sidebox depending on which page I'm currently on (or rather, which product I'm currently displaying). So the next thought was that I needed a 'transparent' sidebox for **each **button, but with all the extra space removed so that the images appeared close together on the page.
So now I dont know **what **I want... Can anyone offer some advice? :cry:

anyone? :(

travellers:

anyone? :(
The reason why you are not getting any answers is that your post is very confusing.
If you would know what you want maybe somebody could help you out.
In the meantime, check out Mystery Sidebox in the Downloads area.