Template Monster Template Installation Problem

Hi,

I purchaed a new zen cart template and uploaded it according to instructions given, but when I perform the following step

2. Goto your Zen Cart administration...

Under the "Tools" menu choose
-Template Selection
-Edit
-Choose "Theme 14596" from the dropdown menu
-Click update

I don't see the template that I have uploaded. The dropdown menu has only the 'Classic Contemporary Green" template in the list.

Any help would be appreciated as I have spent 8 hours trying to figure out the problem but have failed.

Thanks in advance

Who did you buy the template from? Have they assured you it is compatible with your version of zencart.

Many templates being sold on the internet do not work with version 1.3.8a.

from template-help.com

Contact them and ask them to verify and guarantee that the template is fully compatible with the version of zencart you installed.

As you have just joined the forum, I assume the ZC version you installed is the latest version: 1.3.8a ?

If they tell you that it is 100% compatible, then you have not uploaded it correctly and must remove what you uploaded, and try again.

If it is not guaranteed 100% compatible, then you should ask for a refund. If you are very new to zencart, you will spend weeks (perhaps months) trying to fix problems!

template-help.com
Template Monster templates, which unfortunately do not work
correctly with zencart..
Suggest searching zencart forums for Template Monster
:(

They say that its 100% compatible with the version of ZC 1.3.8 that I have installed.

I feel that I have some problems with the file Installation. So this is what I need to confirm from you guys.

I have a directory called "zencart" on my server, so do I need to replace the "includes" sub directory with the "includes" directory that came with the template?

Thanks once again for your precious time you are spending to help me out.

Fredrick:

They say that its 100% compatible with the version of ZC 1.3.8 that I have installed.
Thanks once again for your precious time you are spending to help me out.
What they say and actual situation are two different things..
Similar problem reported today at
http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?t=97877

If the home directory of your Zencart installation is yoursite.com/zencart, then, yes,you would drag and drop the includes folder that came with your template to the zencart folder on your host. The files and folders inside will (supposedly) go where they are supposed to.

As the other repliers said, this is probably only the first in a long line of problems you'll have with your TM tempate. Get it installed correctly, then we'll see about other issues.

Fredrick:

so do I need to replace the "includes" sub directory with the "includes" directory that came with the template?

No, you do not replace any folders...

Just make sure that in your FTP program, the directories you see on your LOCAL DRIVE (probably the left-pane of your FTP program), are also being seen in the REMOTE SERVER (the right-pane).

You will not see ALL the folders... probably one just called "includes" ... in the left frame.

In the right frame, (the zencart folder), you will see all the ZC installed folders, from "admin" down to "pub" (then a few files underneath those...)

Just copy "includes" from the left pane, over to the right pane.

This will FTP the new template into the "includes" folder on your server.

Thanks!

Your suggestions worked and I managed to install the template.

But now there is a bigger issue and correctly said by someone on this post that what templatemonster.com say is not true. There are many files missing and I even cannot see the preview of the template from the ZC admin.

Thanks once again.

I was able to successfully install a template that I purchased through them a few weeks ago- but beware- I wanted to change the main image on the top of the page- and they would not help me wth it, and suggested that I spend another $300 AT LEAST to customize another template- all I wanted to do was change one image- I immediately scrapped that project and downloaded several of the free template that are available, and I am MUCH happier with them, they are much easier to customize

To change the image all you have to do is right click on the image and find out what it's called and where it lives, create a new image at the exact same dimensions and then overwrite the existing image.

BUT consider your experience yet another failure of tm to produce the goods.

It really is a shame that those hacks at Template Mobster keep pushing their snake oil on unsuspecting new zenners. I too once fell prey to their "oh-so-pretty", dangly, shiney jewels that they promise, nay, SWEAR will fit around ZenCart like a Custom Greased Glove!

It's EXTORTION, Pure and Simple!

There isn't one single solitary template that they either give away or sell that works 100% error free with Zencart, and Customer service from them is nothing more than a cruel JOKE!

Having said all of that, and knowing full well that there are literally hundreds of ANGRY threads on the subject here in this, our Sacred Land of Zen, Why doesn't someone create a warning sticky about those sorry SOB's! Something that contains lots and lots of keywords so that no matter what a new, or old zenner might use as a search word, or term, that sticky would most likely pop up and say, **STAY THE :censored::censored::censored: AWAY FROM TEMPLATE MONSTER and ALL OF THEIR AFFILIATES! **

Just my two :censored: bits worth.

Thanks for the support! I am glad to see that I am not the only one who had an issue with them after spending $160 for a stupid template, that seems like it would be simple to change! I appreciate your help with the trying to change the image information, that was my first thought- so I at least knew enough to try to find the image and relace it with the one I had created- unfortunately though, in this template I could not find where in the template pointed to the image- and I also wanted to replace it with the PHP slideshow download that another zencart user had submitted, so I actually needed to be able to put that coding into the template-

wtashby:

...Why doesn't someone create a warning sticky about those sorry SOB's! Something that contains lots and lots of keywords so that no matter what a new, or old zenner might use as a search word, or term, that sticky would most likely pop up and say, **STAY THE :censored::censored::censored: AWAY FROM TEMPLATE MONSTER and ALL OF THEIR AFFILIATES! **

Just my two :censored: bits worth.

In a Free Market, this is a bit extreme. The principle of Caveat Emptor must apply. Despite their many faults, TM templates are sometimes made to work by people who know how to write code.

It does surprise me, however, that the extent of the bad press TM receives on this forum (and probably others), does not prompt their management team to tidy up their act a bit!

fairestcape:

It does surprise me, however, that the extent of the bad press TM receives on this forum (and probably others), does not prompt their management team to tidy up their act a bit!

The power that comes with being a monopoly ensures they don't have to. Near as I can tell, all the sharp, image-based Zencart templates sold are TM, in one sense or another.

It would be very useful to document the ones that DO work well. THe templates on TM are much more professional and modern looking that most of the stock/standard templates that live here. One quickly gets tired of seeing the box-box-box format.

MotoDelta:

It would be very useful to document the ones that DO work well. THe templates on TM are much more professional and modern looking that most of the stock/standard templates that live here. One quickly gets tired of seeing the box-box-box format.

It's not that difficult to "tweak" the ZC Classic template to get a sassy, professional design - even within the relative constraints of the "header-columns-footer" layout.

To me, faultless FUNCTIONALITY is more important, and the standard template structure virtually assures this.

Point well taken. However doing that takes a fair amount of time. If you have 1 or 2 websites it's simple enough, but what if you're maintaining 20, or 100? Very nice to be able to just purchase one.

I suppose I should just look into hiring someone to create the snazzy ones for me. :)

On the flipside, here's some good news.

I bought a template monster template for our store and after some of the initial messing around with it, I got it to look the way it's supposed to.

Some of the little changes I had to make:

• The header didn't format correctly
• It took some work to get the top banner back
• The All Categories/New Categories part doesn't format right

I have an evil minion who understands CSS and computer-type stuff better than I do, so that helps.

I wanted to throw this out there so people knew what they were getting into with a TM template - it is doable but it takes some knowledge and time - probably 5 hours or so to make it look professional.