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osCommerce

The e-commerce.

Templates / Layout


Mark Evans

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I have looked at other carts that have a drop down menu system. That would be a great template. I sell candles. I would like the customer to be able to choose a size, then have a drop down menu to choose the scent.

 

You can do that already in the admin with product atributes.

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Just to pitch in with my two pennyworth

 

I'd like to add my support for seperating the design from the functionality, ideally using XHTML and CSS and some kind of tag system to insert data into the templates.

 

I think that osC is fantastic from the engine point of view - it meets the needs of most shopping applications.

 

I think that it is currently less good from a design point of view, because it is rather inflexible (even, IMO, after adding a contribution like Simple Template System).

 

When a customer asks a web designer to create them a site, the customer generally has firm ideas about how that site should reflect their brand image - they are not generally prepared to compromise on fundamentals like "I want to present a list of my categories in a side bar on my home page, next to my company news...", or "I want the product page to show a main image, and up to six alternative images in a tabular format like this..." etc.

 

Where a customer is generally prepared to compromise is in the back-end that his target market never sees: the admin site can look how it likes, as long as it meets their operational needs (I'd also like to see an SDK that allows developers to create links between a customers office system and their osC site, to automate their site updates).

 

By all means ship the product with a simple set of pre-designed templates that will meet the needs of rapid development or people who 'just want to set up an online store' - one of osC 's strengths is the speed with which one can get up and running out of the box.

 

If osC can make it easy for the next level up (reasonably competant HTML/CSS site designers) to create a front end, using a flexible system to drop in the site data wherever they want, then I truly believe that osC will capture whole new segments of market, stealing custom from expensive 'pro' shop solutions.

 

In summary, keep the 'engine' as it is - it's great, and seperate out a flexible XHTML/CSS template system that allows the developer to present the engine's data however and wherever they want.

--

668 Neighbour of the Beast

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  • 1 month later...

I really, really like using OSCommerce. I really, really don't like designing for it.

 

Although the site has very modular components, the coding is not conducive to modular re-designing.

 

My suggestion - break the code into whole components so boxes/elements can be easily dropped anywhere in the overall setup using single includes.

 

Think of the overall site in 5 boxes (files) where content can be placed:

 

Top (header)

Left Column

Body/Center

Right Column

Bottom (footer)

 

Slam them together to form a solid box - top and bottom are full width, and left+body+right=full width, and let designers hack away at the CSS. Since I'm guessing there are some scripts that might need to be placed in certain areas to maintain function as visitors travel through the site, just note which includes need to accompany other includes.

 

My biggest frustration is that the HTML is scattered between the PSP scripting in an annoyig fashion. Table cells often start in one .php file and end in another.

 

If every element was an individual include, pretty much any designer should be able to make their own custom site with minimal frustration (or minimal mucking of the PHP scripting).

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Why don't we start by having a username and pasword for security purpose for the login and not rely on the hosting to provide ... also you need some sort of written user guide for your admin side.... that goes through each section individually...its not too user friendly.... i am just starting to use this shopping cart... and so far im not impressed with the admin panel....

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Why don't we start by having a username and pasword for security purpose for the login and not rely on the hosting to provide ... also you need some sort of written user guide for your admin side.... that goes through each section individually...its not too user friendly.... i am just starting to use this shopping cart... and so far im not impressed with the admin panel....
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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

I have run this SQL script

 

"INSERT INTO configuration (configuration_title, configuration_key, configuration_value, configuration_description, configuration_group_id, sort_order, date_added) VALUES ('Display Add Multiples column', 'PRODUCT_LIST_MULTIPLE', '0', 'Do you want to display the Multiple Quantity with Attributes column?', '8', '11', now());

INSERT INTO configuration (configuration_title, configuration_key, configuration_value, configuration_description, configuration_group_id, sort_order, date_added) VALUES ('Display Add Multiples with Buy Now column', 'PRODUCT_LIST_BUY_NOW_MULTIPLE', '0', 'Do you want to display the Multiple Quantity Buy Now with Attributes column?', '8', '12', now());

INSERT INTO configuration (configuration_title, configuration_key, configuration_value, configuration_description, configuration_group_id, sort_order, date_added) VALUES ('Number of column per row', 'PRODUCT_LIST_NUMCOL', '4', 'How many columns per row to display?', '8', '13', now()); " in phpmyadmin

 

 

 

..is not working,I have done all the steps from product_listing_columns_2_2a http://www.oscommerce.com/community/contributions,1098

 

I have no ideea why is not working,I steel have 3 products display across the line ||| instead of 4products |||| .

 

Thank you for all advices .

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  • 3 weeks later...

am new to os commerce...

any one here could tell me how can to modify the "manufacture" info box on the left side of the home page pls?

I want change the "manufacture" to a differnt name to display,which file should I change?

 

thanx very much!

:thumbsup:

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  • 3 weeks later...

Might i suggest for any new oscommerce release, that you make the admin more in depth,

Possibly add the functionality of point and click of some of the contributions (centering the site, removing the base images)

 

but i would also love to see the admin more in depth, on a few things it has a 1/0 trigger to the yes and no, YET NOTHING tells you what does what..

 

i would also love to see some descriptive notes in the CSS, header/footer/left-right column and stuff too

 

just helps the non php scripters on whats what and so on

 

theres prolly more that i prolly thought of.. but forgot. haha. its late.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I've started to rewrite osCommerce to use Smarty Templates, and to do less re-directing. I think templates will add a much needed cumtomizing effect to the osCommerce site. I like the software, but really can't stand the way it looks. (Personal preference, please don't feel you need to change anything)

 

Templates can add two nice features, one, if they are cache-albe or pre-compiled, it will decrease server load, many of the product info pages are static, and therefore lend them selfves to caching. And if the lifetime is set properly will be hugh load reduction. Two, less confusing PHP<->HTML intermixed code. Which is a problem in of itself. PHP and HTML should not be this intertwined IMHO.

 

I have not 100% compiled data on page rendering, but will try to do so in the next few weeks. But have always seen a decrese in server load on past efforts.

 

Smarty allows for custom plugins, {insert} tags are not cached. Therefore they can be used to show non-static content. Also, modifiers can be used to render pages by language. Such as {'TEXT_HELLO_WORLD'|lang} would render the defined constant in the current language. Also, if you use the Smarty->display() with a cache_id, you can cache pages by language id.

 

I've already written wrapper plugins to render things link tep_href_link and tep_black_line and others.

 

If you want i will submit my code, under GPL, for the smarty plugins, and a sample template for the overwelming products attribute page. My clients thought that was way too tough to use and maintain.

 

I will galdly support osCommerce through my company HDSS Inc, however, my time is split between day job, osCommerce and webERP.

 

Brian G. Shea

High Desert Software Solutions Inc.

(Why Hack? Becasue i can!)

Brian G. Shea

High Desert Software Solutions, Inc.

(Why Hack? Because I can!)

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hello, i have a problem.

 

no matter how much i alter the stylesheet design, even if i delete it, the color of the infoboxes just won't change. I have no idea why i can't change it. Even if i delete the stylesheet online, it just stays the same. how can i change this?

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hello, i have a problem.

 

no matter how much i alter the stylesheet design, even if i delete it, the color of the infoboxes just won't change. I have no idea why i can't change it. Even if i delete the stylesheet online, it just stays the same. how can i change this?

 

I use a contribution called infobox customize - it allows you to customize the appearance of each infobox individually through your stylesheet :blush:

 

Has anyone here worked out a way to have classes/boxes.php call your infoboxes in div's rather than tables? I'm working on trying to re-write the whole dang thing in order to do this but I'm still somewhat new to PHP and getting confused here and there as to what code is needed in order to put the content into the div vs what code is there just to create a <tr> or <td> inside the table.

~Tracy
 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hello Everyone

 

I'm very very new to Oscommerce and would like to know how i can make the navigation at the top like this site....

 

http://www.templatehelp.com/preset/pr_prev...BtkrBpdA1KUWg4M

 

I really like the feel of it.

 

If someone could pls tell me if there is some type of mod i need to install or any instructions would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks

Andrea

 

 

www.mia-g.com.au

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Allow for the same product listing to be called from categories, what's new, specials, bestsellers, etc ... but also the modules (e.g. new products)

Have this product listing layout fully controlled by stylesheets so that you can go from a row to a column layout just by swapping stylesheets.

 

I personally would also like to have a show_produkt function that is typically used in the infoboxes that would allow for a uniform display with some control as to what items to show/not show, and any formatting driven by css.

could you give me some suggestion about my store?

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Clean up the code a bit - I was having my site shut down a few times per month with max_questions_resource error. I believe it was from the who's online function in includes/application_top.php

 

Ease of use - ability to change the footer, header, boxes, add boxes to the middle, change the New Products box or move as needed, add/remove links on the main page(shipping, feedback, newsletter, blogs, contact us, wishlist, FAQ) easily.

 

Ability to change the type of column... for example the ability to change the categories list, to a drop down and place it anywhere on the main page.

 

Search - ability to place this anywhere on the home page and make it sleeker looking.

 

More professional look - The basic site looks great, but with all the new technology coming it, the site is beginning to look dated. Maybe the ability to add a flash header with programming for meta tags, etc...

 

Mods - update with all the latest mods with the ability to turn them on/off in admin. This can avoid some problems later.

 

Shopping Cart - get rid of that update button. I have had so many suggestions and complaints that customers cant update their quantity of products in the shopping cart... not realizing they have to click the update button. Customers do not want to have to think. I modded mine so that you can change the quantity in the cart, and then just hit enter, or tab to update it.

 

Ability to change the quantity on the actually product page AND in the shopping cart during checkout.

 

Shipping Calculator - so the customer can calculate their potential costs before checkout.

 

Sub Menus for categories - something easier to view for the customers

 

Actual prices in the attributes drop down boxes(vice + $12.95), etc...

 

Actual prices in the best seller list

 

Customer phone number on emailed invoices

 

Ability to enter product ID when creating a new product and having it show up on the mailed invoice

 

Password Change - Ability for customer to change their own password to whatever they want in their account. I have had many customers who cannot get into their account because they cant remember the pw sent to them, and then they never return.

 

Cross-Marketing

 

Ability to add Catalog or Manufacturers drop down boxes in the header in admin.

 

Ability to add a customizable line in the header for links (like in this forum... ie. About us, Solutions, Community, Showcases, Partners, etc) :)

 

Support - Online chat option in admin(on/off)

 

Links or Newsletter forum option in admin, maybe like PHP NUKE

 

Affiliate Program

 

Coupon/Promotion Codes - Ability to add a coupon/promotion code during checkout that will change either the percentage off the product price, dollar amount off product price, or shipping charges(free or reduced amount)

 

Point System - customers are able to accrue points that can be saved up and used when the customer wants to use them. Maybe something in checkout showing the customers total points accrued and the amount of savings they can apply towards this order, or save it for their next order.

 

This is all I can think of right now...

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Clean up the code a bit - I was having my site shut down a few times per month with max_questions_resource error. I believe it was from the who's online function in includes/application_top.php

 

Ease of use - ability to change the footer, header, boxes, add boxes to the middle, change the New Products box or move as needed, add/remove links on the main page(shipping, feedback, newsletter, blogs, contact us, wishlist, FAQ) easily.

 

Ability to change the type of column... for example the ability to change the categories list, to a drop down and place it anywhere on the main page.

 

Search - ability to place this anywhere on the home page and make it sleeker looking.

 

More professional look - The basic site looks great, but with all the new technology coming it, the site is beginning to look dated. Maybe the ability to add a flash header with programming for meta tags, etc...

 

Mods - update with all the latest mods with the ability to turn them on/off in admin. This can avoid some problems later.

 

Shopping Cart - get rid of that update button. I have had so many suggestions and complaints that customers cant update their quantity of products in the shopping cart... not realizing they have to click the update button. Customers do not want to have to think. I modded mine so that you can change the quantity in the cart, and then just hit enter, or tab to update it.

 

Ability to change the quantity on the actually product page AND in the shopping cart during checkout.

 

Shipping Calculator - so the customer can calculate their potential costs before checkout.

 

Sub Menus for categories - something easier to view for the customers

 

Actual prices in the attributes drop down boxes(vice + $12.95), etc...

 

Actual prices in the best seller list

 

Customer phone number on emailed invoices

 

Ability to enter product ID when creating a new product and having it show up on the mailed invoice

 

Password Change - Ability for customer to change their own password to whatever they want in their account. I have had many customers who cannot get into their account because they cant remember the pw sent to them, and then they never return.

 

Cross-Marketing

 

Ability to add Catalog or Manufacturers drop down boxes in the header in admin.

 

Ability to add a customizable line in the header for links (like in this forum... ie. About us, Solutions, Community, Showcases, Partners, etc) :)

 

Support - Online chat option in admin(on/off)

 

Links or Newsletter forum option in admin, maybe like PHP NUKE

 

Affiliate Program

 

Coupon/Promotion Codes - Ability to add a coupon/promotion code during checkout that will change either the percentage off the product price, dollar amount off product price, or shipping charges(free or reduced amount)

 

Point System - customers are able to accrue points that can be saved up and used when the customer wants to use them. Maybe something in checkout showing the customers total points accrued and the amount of savings they can apply towards this order, or save it for their next order.

 

This is all I can think of right now...

 

I just wanted to add...

 

Sitemap with a link on the header or somewhere on the home page.

 

Printable Catalog - that will allow the customer to print a text only product listing with price, and the option to print only a certain brand and the products associated with prices(ie. CytoSport and all this companies products)... instead of having to print out the entire catalog, if thats what they want.

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