Templates are scary

ive spent the last hour or so reading about templates and havent been able to find some pretty key information about them:

first i dont see some explicit directions on how to install one. i found one i like much better than classic green on http://(sorry, site offline)

i would like to install it but i dont see step by step directions to do it, and i am dumb at the internets so im scared to just try something.

also, if i install one, will it delete my ezpages and other work i did using the default template? if so, thats worth crying man tears over :'(

any help would be very appreciated.

Any template from site you have quoted, should have install instructions included in zip file.
Download template you like, open zip file, look for readme.
Report back here if you do not receive correct info.

darkness is the name of the one i downloaded. i see a copyright file, but not readme .txt

all i see are adobe go live (php) and css files, and a few images.

i checked right when i opened it for directions but i do not see any =(

Files are already in the correct structure (includes/templates/darkness) so uploading should be a breeze
Those are instructions given for that template, on its download page.
When you unzip file on your computer, and then extract, you should have a folder as follows
/includes/templates/darkness
so you ftp into you zencart site, find folder includes, then folder templates, add darkness folder there.
So YOUR folder, includes, should now have following
/includes/templates/darkness
Activate new template via admin, tools, template selection,
drop down menu, your newly added template should be there
if you have followed instructions correctly.
YOU will have to activate your sideboxes for that new template
i.e admin, tools, layout box controller.

Most mods and templates will have a readme.txt or install.txt file when you unzip them on your pc. This should give complete instructions for installing.

Usually, you just upload the template files in their /includes/ folder to the root of your site.

After installation, you will need to reset the sideboxes in Tools > Layout Boxes Controller.

Installing a new template will not affect existing template files, except that

Hi, Geoff! I know EXACTLY how you feel but I was able to install the Mystic River template on my site and it looks gorgeous (except for the header spacing that I haven't worked with yet).

Have you downloaded and unzipped the template file?

Think of the unzipped template as the result of a big trip to the grocery store. You need to put the teabags with the teabags, the salt with the other spices, and the milk in the door of the fridge. But since you've been fed intravenously all your life <g>, the files come with labels to tell you where to put them away. (Hey, it's the middle of the night and I'm sick, I make no apologies for weak analogies.)

If you compare unzipped files with the structure of your test or live ZenCart, you'll see some similarities. (Everyone smart will tell you to always practice on a test store first.) Both will have an includes folder. (Depending on how you unzipped the template, you may have to go down through a couple of directories named something like Darkness to get to the includes directory.) Open both includes directories. Now, in the Darkness directory, you will probably see languages and templates directories. If there are any files in your Darkness directory that aren't in your store, copy them into your store. Then pick one directory and open it, both in your store and your unzipped Darkness directory. Again, compare files, upload any that aren't in your store, compare directories, upload any that aren't in your store, then pick a directory that is duplicated and repeat. Follow whatever pattern you choose to make sure you compare all the files and directories.

I have been told Filezilla can do this all automagically, but I haven't tried it myself.

Once you are done, you can go into Admin - Tools - Template Selection and click "Edit." A dropdown menu will appear that should have Darkness as an option. Select it and save. IMMEDIATELY go into Admin - Tools - Layout Boxes Controller and click on "reset" at the bottom of the page. If it worked, you can go to the store and you'll see the Darkness template. If it didn't work, go back into Admin - Tools - Template Selection and switch back to the Classic it was probably on.

I don't use EZPages so someone else will have to tell us both where they are stored and how to copy your modified pages into a Darkness directory.

i got it set up, and working, and it didnt even reset my stuff!

thanks everyone! i really appreciate your help!

i got it set up, and working
Great news!! Well done
:clap:

I don't use EZPages so someone else will have to tell us both where they are stored
EZ pages are stored in MYSQL database, so should not be affected on
template change, unlike define pages, which are template specific.

Your doing better than me. When I Visit http://(sorry, site offline)/ I can only see the Classic Contemporary Green.

From the dowload template section on the main Zen Cart site I downloaded a stylesheet that changed the green to a really nice red. Something I can't seem to find again.

I would love to bale able to look at these templates but I must missing be missing a trick - I've tried in Firefox and IE but no joy - any advice? Thanks

Figured it out:wacko: Select the template using the template selector on the right hand side.

So when you visit
http://(sorry, site offline)/138/index.php
Top right hand sidebox.. titled
Template Switcher.. you do not see list of
around 50/60 templates?