Template upgrade,loose front end language!

[xtrgeo]

Hi all,

 

one of my clients bought a template in version 2.3.1

 

Trying to upgrade it,and reaching to 2.3.3 or 2.3.3.1 I get all the language change options in front end lost!

 

Languages are ok in back end!!

 

There does oscommerce keeps in it's code the front end language change options,so I can start from there??

 

Thanks

[ArtcoInc]

@@xtrgeo

 

You will find that the common concensus here is that *most* templates available for osC (especially older ones) are poorly coded, and typically make too many core code changes.

 

In addition, a lot has changed in osC since version 2.3.1. The current 'official' version is 2.3.4, but even that is getting old. A better choice are the community build versions based on the Bootstrap responsive framework. This makes osC much more useable on smart phones, tablets, etc., as well as being compatible with the newer versions of PHP, and having the most current security updates.

 

That said, you *might* be able to get your template to work with 2.3.4. It will take a *lot* of effort bringing the code up through all of the versions, and you'd end up with a Frakenstore that is unsupported, and you would be responsible for any security flaws.

 

So, while you (or your client) won't want to hear this, it sounds like your client probably made a bad investment in buying that template.

 

Malcolm

[MrPhil]

Upgrading osC from 2.3.1 up to 2.3.4 will, by itself, not create a "Frankenstore". That term is normally reserved for the 2.2RC2a-to-2.3 upgrade (which never should have been offered, and should be removed from the catalog). That leaves you with a store which isn't anywhere near the 2.3 code base -- sort of a hybrid random-pieces-sewn-together monster.

 

That said, the use of a "template" is almost always a mistake, leaving you with something that is incompatible with further osC upgrades, because it has modified so much of the code. With a lot of careful work, you may be able to manually apply the changes in the various upgrades to produce a more-or-less 2.3.4 + template store. Just be prepared for a lot of work. In the long run, you would be much better off jumping to 2.3.4BS and tweaking the CSS to get the look you want. If the template introduced new functionality (not just new appearance), you'll have to find a way (add-ons or custom code) to replicate that functionality.

 

As mentioned, 2.3.4 appears to be a dead-end. 2.3.4BS (responsive) is quite alive and well supported, while the official 2.3.4 has grown quite long of tooth. No one knows what 2.3.5 or 2.4 is going to look like, what it's going to be based on (2.3.4 or 2.3.4BS), and what (if any) upgrade path there will be. osCommerce is not in a good place right now, with no firm road map. It is quite possible that 2.3.4BS may end up being the fork of a new product, or 2.3.4 will be the one abandoned. Who knows.