Re: FN-FORUM: Ecommerce - Zen Cart - Customisation

date posted 18th July 2007 10:40

At 17:37 +0000 17/7/07, [EMAIL REMOVED] wrote:
>Hello - I have looked for articles on customising layouts for Zen Cart
>templates using css with limited success
>
>I am sure this is a huge area - but can anyone with any experience suggest
>sites or a book on the subject - I can get everything running and manipulate
>the provided templates - but if I want to have any commercial application I
>need to create my own layouts.

For entirely bespoke designs, my tip is to strip down your install to
the bare bones and build up from there rather than trying to
manipulate existing third party templates.

Start by creating a custom template directory and template_info.php file:

/includes/templates/MY_TEMPLATE_NAME/template_info.php

Just copy the default template_info.php file, make the necessary
changes therein and upload it to your new directory.

Next, switch to your custom template style in the admin system:

Tools > Template Selection

Once you have switched to your new directory you should see a very
basic layout of flat coloured boxes rather than the default shop
style.

Any files you now copy from the default template directory into
mirror directories in your new template path will override the
default files.

Naturally then, you can change the sequence of elements by moving
them around in your duplicated files and if required adjust the
template logic to suit your purposes.

At this point it comes down to your skills with raw HTML, CSS and PHP.

I usually install any necessary custom modules and configure the
'side boxes' to get the interface roughed out before proceeding to
apply my visual styling. If the interface differs from the default
behaviour this is good time to implement those changes.

For further support the ZenCart community and forum is very useful.

>Or would anyone recommend I use a different program altogether? Are there
>any superior paid solutions - actinic?

I've seen (and replaced) a lot of bad Actinic sites with Zen Cart and
bespoke ecommerce solutions - but obviously don't know if these were
down to poor developers or the software itself. I certainly wouldn't
recommend it based on the sites I've seen.

HTH

ColinR
--
---------------------------------
Colin Rainsforth, BA (hons)
New Media Consultancy and Design
Web | Print | CDROM

Telephone/Fax: 01300 321 347
UK Local Rate: 0845 838 6790
http://www.rainsforth.com/
email: [EMAIL REMOVED]