Struggling with templates

Ive just spent 6 hours trying to load a new template.

Ive read the tutorials but to be honest they seem about as clear as mud, Im sure there must be an ABC guide somewhere.

This is what Ive done -

Downloaded Apple Zen template,

Created a new folder and called it Custom, placed this folder in the Includes>Templates. So I now have a new folder called custom alongside the template_default and classic folders.

I then put my Apple zen "includes" folder in the newly created "custom" folder, but no success.

Im using zencart 1.3.8.

Should my apple zen folders be split up and put in different folders??

Any help appreciated or pointers to a tut in the forum, the ones in the tutorial area dont make sense to me. I cannot see a definitive Abc walkthrough there., but then again Im very tired now.

Thanks, Spot.

One more point.

Im doing this on Localhost. I took "template_default" out of the file completely just to make sure I wasnt putting my new custom template in a double copy on my machine, I then tried to get Zencart up in my browser which it didnt (this is what I wanted as it proved I was using the correct files to put my new file in).

Then I put the "default_template" back and loaded the localhost/zencart back up in my browser, which it did, only there are now no side panels (only centre column) and the header and center column now go full screen.

Im not worried by this as I can re-install again, just thought it was worth mentioning.

Most of the templates I've seen come with their own self named folders to upload, so why don't you try copying the applezen folders into your Zen Cart without creating "custom" folders?

Just tried it afo, no luck.

Im going to get some sleep and have another crack at it later.

Thanks anyway.

I then put my Apple zen "includes" folder in the newly created "custom" folder, but no success.That could be the problem. You should not be copying the entire "includes" folder into your "custom" folder. The Apple Zen "includes" folder structure reflects your store's "includes" folder.

For example, you should copy files from:

includes/templates/apple_zento

includes/templates/customAs afo suggested, you might want to use the "apple_zen" folders (instead of "custom") first, just to verify that you've got the hang of installing the template properly before doing your own templates.

Sometimes a good night's sleep works wonders. Let us know how you're getting on.

Hmm, Managed to get the apple_zen folder to show up in the admin panel but doesnt do a thing when I activate it.

Just to clarify, Ive put the whole apple_zen folder next to the default template and custom template folders.

If Im not supposed to put the whole file here then I dont understand why we would be given all the files that are provided with apple_zen, what would be the point of doing that (having spare files doing nothing).

Must be some simple explanation.

When I suss this out I am definately doing a dummies guide Walkthrough tut.

The apple_zen files should be placed in the same structure used by Zen Cart, so if there's an includes/languages/apple_zen/english.php, the apple_zen folder belongs under includes/languages on your website.

Being that there are overrides for multiple directories within the template (i.e. templates, languages) it is best to goto to the root directory of you store and place the includes folder for the apple_zen template there and all of the directories and files in that includes folder will be written to where they belong.

Spot,

Have you read this tutorial? https://www.zen-cart.com/tutorials/index.php?article=230

Especially, click on The Override System Simplified for a chart of the
Zen Cart /includes file structure where an override folder may be placed.

Typically, you would open the Apple Zen folder on your computer, and FTP
only the /includes folder there to your server. With a good FTP program,
like Filezilla, all the folders/files inside the Apple Zen /includes folder will
be placed where they belong in the /includes file structure on your server.

Ok afo,

So I should take my apple_zen file and split into 3 parts (I think).

Create a file in "templates", "modules" and "languages"

Then look for any corresponding file in apple_zen and place these in (next to/above in the file we created) the corresponding files that are already pre loaded.

For example, in the templates file we have "custom" and "default". Within "custom" we have "CSS" "images" and "template_info".

So we now take "CSS" "images" and "template_info" from our apple_zen file and place them in a newly created file next to the custom and default files.

Then proceed to do the same in "modules" and "languages".

Am I getting warm?

You're making it more complicated than necessary, but we all do that at first. As noted earlier, you can move the apple_zen folders into the correct places on your site and use it as is. You don't have to create new folders. You can, but it's not necessary.

I found the hardest part of getting started with Zen Cart was the templates/overrides. Once I got the hang of it, I couldn't understand why I thought it was so difficult. :shocking:

Being that there are overrides for multiple directories within the template (i.e. templates, languages) it is best to goto to the root directory of you store and place the includes folder for the apple_zen template there and all of the directories and files in that includes folder will be written to where they belong.

Thanks Barco57,

By the root directory, do you mean the WWW. directory in Wamp (this houses all my zen cart stuff, Im using local machine at the moment).

So I would just drag and drop into here?

Thanks afo,

I know you are right, Ill be kicking myself later.

Put your template default back inplace or there won't be anything to override.

I put it back Kim,

I realized eventually that default is common to all templates and we are just overiding classic.

yes the root of the store is the directory where you see admin, cache, editors, email, images, includes, ......etc. drag and drop the template includes folder at that level and it will write the rest of the files where they go

Spot:

Thanks afo,

I know you are right, Ill be kicking myself later.

I remember struggling with the overrides until a great big light bulb went on over my head and I felt like a complete idiot for being confused and frustrated by it.

I think getting one of the free templates to play with is a great idea. It'll give you an idea of how templates are laid out and how the overrides work.

Really losing my patience now.

I have done the drag and drop into root folder, I end up with a blank page.

I have even tried moving them 1 folder at a time then refreshing the store page (usually ends up with no side menus and stretched full screen), trouble is when it doesnt work out I simply go back and take the folders back out and then revert back to classic template, only nothing happens. There are still no side menus and the screen is still stretched even though I have put the folders back exactly as I found them on initial install.

Laptops going through window very shortly.

After selecting apple_zen from admin > tools > template selection, did you go to admin > tools > layout boxes controller and hit the "reset button" at the bottom?