IE strikes again

Why can't there be just one browser in the world and that browser not be IE!

I recently changed the layout of my shop from 3 columns to 2 following the instructions in another thread. (Removed the left - Column Left Status Global = 0)

http://www.charcool.com/shop

As I sat back and enjoyed at the sublime beauty of my renovations in Firefox, little did I know that in another part of the universe, known as Internet Explorer, the copy had not justified across the space vacated by the ex column but was cowering in terror against the left side of the page. So now I have a mile of white space in the middle doing nothing and all my images out of proportion.

I assume I need to do something with the stylesheet to compensate for IE's view of the world but don't know what.

Any help overcoming IEs lesson in humility would be greatly appreciated :smile:

Thanks all

I assume I need to do something with the stylesheet to compensate for IE's view of the world but don't know what.
Although you have named this template "charcool", it realy looks to be coded just like a Template Monster template and this is your problem, Not normally a simple css tweak...You either like the template as is or find another being the most economical alternative.

Kobra

Yes it is a creation of template monster...it looked so nice in the showroom:smile:

I just don't understand how it can look so good in Firefox and so bad in IE. :wacko:

So is my only option really to put the 3rd column back in or find an alternative?

Sorry I know this isn't exactly on thread but could I pay someone to make some changes to the code if it's not simple? Is it do-able? Or are these templates usually too much trouble to be worth the effort of customising?

kobra:

You either like the template as is or find another being the most economical alternative.

thanks for letting me down easy:smile:

So is my only option really to put the 3rd column back in or find an alternative?

Sorry I know this isn't exactly on thread but could I pay someone to make some changes to the code if it's not simple? Is it do-able? Or are these templates usually too much trouble to be worth the effort of customising?
Search for them here on this site...

We all agree that they make good looking templates but they also seem to use many writers and no standard. They take license and write outside of the Zen Cart structure so you better like how it is as many features that can be normally controlled via the admin just do not work.

Fixing it can take 20-30 hours of time which is much more than the template to begin with.

When you run into templates like that, the best solution is to re-write all the template code .

Hey guys ... is this a viable option for right column disable in this case?

in tpl_main_page.php (in the COMMON folder of the template) the following line (around line #43):-

  if (in_array($current_page_base,explode(",",'index,login,logoff,specials,product_info,products_new,checkout_shipping,checkout_payment,checkout_confirmation,shopping_cart,shippinginfo,privacy,conditions,contact_us,gv_faq,discount_coupon,featured_products,products_all,site_map,advanced_search,advanced_search_result,search_in_description,checkout_success,unsubscribe,create_account')) ) {
    $flag_disable_right = true;
  }

...may be helpful... ???

(Naturally, you will have to add whatever page names - separated by commas - you are seeking to disable for right column

I suspect that a declaration of width might solve the problem.

Try the following changes within you stylesheet.

.main_block {
color: #006633 !important;
} /changed body copy and original defined pages to green/

change to

.main_block {
border:1px solid red;
width:520px;
color: #006633 !important;
} /changed body copy and original defined pages to green/

Adjust width to suit then remove the 'border'.

schoolboy, is there any difference in the code you posted and using Turn off Right Sidebox globally from within Admin?

Seem like they both provide the same or almost the same results, but the latter is easier than the former.

Website Rob:

...is there any difference in the code you posted and using Turn off Right Sidebox globally from within Admin?

To be honest... I don't know. The technique I suggest was offered a couple of years ago to a posting regarding selective disabling of the right column - so it allows the user to select a page (or range of pages) where they don't want the right column to display. (You can also alter the code slightly to refer to the left column).

It just enables a person to disable right column selectively, while the setting in the admin panel is global.

I was just thinking that a "selective disable" (as per tpl_main_page.php) could perhaps keep elements of the template code intact, whereas a global disable may neutralise all elements.

All I can suggest is that Arliss61 tries my method and observes the result... :huh:

It is true the code can be used for selective turning OFF the Right-hand Sideboxes for various pages, it was just that you listed soooo many in your example, I wondered why you wouldn't use global. :smile:

And be it global or selective of turning them OFF, it just removes the coding for the Right-hand Sideboxes, nothing else is changed.

Hi all

First a grovel from our sponsor:

Thanks all for your help with this. You folk are fabulous for carrying all this information around in your heads and then using it to help someone you don't know out of generosity. The help I've had on these forums from people like yourselves is really the best part of zen cart. Bravo!!

Now a run down: I tried the change to the template code suggested by Schoolboy with both the Global left column on and off in Admin and it didn't seem to make much difference although thanks to Template Monster different pages behaved differently.

But thanks!!

Using Rob's suggestion of a change in the size of the main block with the red border to see what is happening (great trick) I have had partial success.

The main page and some others originally supplied with the template have responded (main, Shipping & Returns, Conditions of Use etc).

However, it seems any pages that I have created after loading the template eg category or product, EZ pages and some landing pages created using the about_us mod (http://http://charcool.com/shop/index.php?main_page=for_him
are still stuck with the white space. Same for Page_2.

I'm not too worried about the format of the category and product pages as most of my traffic comes from adwords so if I can convert them to purchase on the landing page, they'll probably never see the category pages.

I agree with Kobra and will find a fully compatable template to transfer across too because I am sick of the problems with this one eg header and footer boxes are U/S. But would like to do that when I have a little time.

You have got me so far.

Any suggestions on how to apply that width declaration to work with other pages but especially those based on About_Us?

Thanks again, give yourselves a :clap:

Upon closer inspection the problem seems to be here:

<td valign="top" width="312px">

IE is doing what is should be, by only using 312px.

To change that you will have to find the file with the TD code and change it to width="100%".

If not already familiar with, this is a good time to learn how to use:
Admin > Tools > Developers Tool Kit

:smile:

Website Rob:

... it was just that you listed soooo many in your example, I wondered why you wouldn't use global. :smile:

Yeah... I tossed these in as I was submitting the post - just to show that there's no restriction on what page titles could be included. :wink:

Arliss61:

Thanks all for your help with this. You folk are fabulous for carrying all this information around in your heads and then using it to help someone you don't know out of generosity.

Er... Rob and I usually PM our invoices to posters... Have you not received mine yet?

Hi guys

I may have a lousy template but I have a crash hot spam filter!:smile:

Seriously, thanks a million. The "width=100%" worked perfectly and I appreciate you looking at this for me.

Which brings me to my last question (at least on this thread).

Rob looked at the source code on the About_Us page and nutted out that <td valign="top" width="312px"> in the Main Page template was the culprit.

Can you recommend a resource that could at least help me understand how that translates to "keep the copy on a page based on this template to 312px wide".

"td valign" means absolutely nothing to me so I can never help myself.

Anyway rest assured u have helped me

• Fix my problem (and get a vague idea of page and code linkages)
• remind me of the Developers Toolkit search function (totally forgotten!)
• Got me more curious about using Firefox Web Developer tool to see how the page fits together

So all up you have been very productive. If I ever make any money I'll get a site like the SA shop and host it in Canada.

Thanks again guys. :clap:

CSS was invented largely to do away with tables - which were used in the jurassic era of the internet to help position elements on the page.

Also, many new devices (mobile phones, blackberrys, etc) work on the latest html standards - and <table> is not one of them.

[quote=Website Rob;511844]It is true the code can be used for selective turning OFF the Right-hand Sideboxes for various pages, it was just that you listed soooo many in your example, I wondered why you wouldn't use global. >>

Cool. So if I understand you correctly you can add that into the template and say add in only EZ-Pages and voila the sideboxes are gone? AND if you choose 'product info' every product info page would be missing the sideboxes. Does this change the width of the middle column or would that have to be another code?

Beth-Katherine

Yes, you understand correctly so why not try it and see. :wink: