Oscommerce Road Map for the newbies

[fengshui37 0]

http://www.fengshuinetwork.net/catalog

 

is the link on this. I must have missed the email from your last post asking for this link. Thanks again...

 

Hey when I did the search for word in in all files and folders, I just typed "Nathan" (without the quotes) and figured if that was in there somewhere it would give me the file in which it was located. No Dice....so have no idea where they parked the text on the index page that reads Jodi and Nathan....etc.

 

Specifically since I've now given the url.....I've been looking for the file that lodges this:

 

Welcome Guest! Would you like to log yourself in? Or would you prefer to create an account?

 

 

Return to home page

 

Jodi & Nathan are passionate about Feng Shui.

 

Our shop is the only dedicated Feng Shui Cures & Crystals Shop in Australia which is run by experts.

 

We provide quality products at affordable prices.

 

 

Australian purchasers please note the following GST (Goods and Services Tax) information:

Prices in this shop for Australian delivery are quoted on a GST EXCLUSIVE basis.

10% GST will be added to the price of each product at checkout.

 

Non-Australian purchasers please note the following GST (Goods and Services Tax) information:

Prices in this shop for Non-Australian delivery are exempt from Australian GST.

No GST will be added to the price of any product at checkout.

[fengshui37 0]

well, i looked in your source code and it is right there in your index.php file from what i can tell

 

 <td class="main"><br><a href="http://www.fengshuinetwork.net/shop"><b>Return to home page</b></a><br><br><b>Jodi & Nathan are passionate about Feng Shui.<br><br>Our shop is the only dedicated Feng Shui Cures & Crystals Shop in Australia which is run by experts.<br><br>We provide quality products at affordable prices.</b><br><br><br><b>Australian purchasers please note the following GST (Goods and Services Tax) information:</b><br>Prices in this shop for Australian delivery are quoted on a GST EXCLUSIVE basis.<br>10% GST will be added to the price of each product at checkout.<br><br><b>Non-Australian purchasers please note the following GST (Goods and Services Tax) information:</b><br>Prices in this shop for Non-Australian delivery are exempt from Australian GST.<br>No GST will be added to the price of any product at checkout.<br></td>

 

Lindsay, that is the html source code that is generated somewhere in the PHP scripting which is multi-layered and really difficult to track through. It is NOT in the actual index.php file as it exists on the server. When the script executes, it is pulling that from somewhere else in the file structure of the catalog to add the the html for displaying the page. The entire ecommerce package operates in this manner and that is what is difficult in trying to find stuff and perform modifications/editing on specific things to change.

 

Thanks again.

- Dan

[lindsayanng 4]

dan, i KNOW that, but when teh source calls for a different part of the code like the column right, ect you can see that. Since it does not SEEM to be calling for an includes file, it SHOULD be in the index.. USUALLY

 

i dont know WHAT your last guy did.. The logical place would be index.php, if not there, then in catalog/includes/languages/english.php but if that were the case, if your index.php file, you would show something like INDEX_MAIN_TEXT which woud call for the text from the english. PM your index.php code so we dont clutter up this thread

[fengshui37 0]

dan, i KNOW that, but when teh source calls for a different part of the code like the column right, ect you can see that. Since it does not SEEM to be calling for an includes file, it SHOULD be in the index.. USUALLY

 

i dont know WHAT your last guy did.. The logical place would be index.php, if not there, then in catalog/includes/languages/english.php but if that were the case, if your index.php file, you would show something like INDEX_MAIN_TEXT which woud call for the text from the english. PM your index.php code so we dont clutter up this thread

 

The PM stuff helped alot....thanks. I'm all set now (I think) but my next trick or project is going to be tougher...figuring out how to make it so the Header Title (One thing on the index page and another one that is universal for categories) can be changed to reflect category description for each individual category rather than the generic: "Let's See What We Have Here". If I figure it out, I'll post the solution back on here (unless someone else has already done this !!! and chimes in)....

 

- Dan (Feng)

[spooks 78]

Cat heading;

 

In catalog/index.php find:

 

<td class="pageHeading"><?php echo HEADING_TITLE; ?></td>

 

replace with

 

<td class="pageHeading"><?php echo ($category['categories_name'] ? $category['categories_name'] : HEADING_TITLE); ?></td>

 

You can a a category description as well with category description mod that lets add a short desciption to any category should you wish (http://www.oscommerce.com/community/contributions,2343)

 

 

There's a meta solution too, someone will no doubt chime in with that.

[belmont 0]

Thank you so very much, Lindsay.

I am new to osc. One of my friend helped to install the shopping cart and i have to do the rest.

There are so many things to learn and I spent couple nights searching in this forum for answers. I do get lots of useful info here, thanks to this forum. But most of the time, I still feel I am in the middle of nowhere, especially for somebody like me, English is not my first language. Your post gives me a very good whole picture of osc, like how the files are organized and what is their function, etc. Start from your post, I can go deeper and learn more from this forum.

[ruyman82 0]

I have been visiting the forum a lot. I'm a newbie, but in two days I did the store I needed (kinda, hehe)

 

I have a very important advice, because I haven't read it here: LEARN CSS.

 

I can imagine a newbie just installing millions of contributions, and sometimes it is not neccesary. Take a course somewhere, read it on internet, a book, ask a friend, "play" with Dreamweaver, you name it... but knowing CSS is the most important thing when customizing oscommerce.

 

Good luck to all!

[BA172 0]

To add to this thread, some information I am finding very useful is the W3 schools website:

 

http://www.w3schools.com

 

It's not specific to OSC, but it has a lot of PHP, XML, SQL, and CSS information on it.

 

I apologize if this is already posted elsewhere, I've been reading/searching on here a lot lately and I didn't see it. ;)

[onlinepartyplace 0]

heres a few more links in case anyone new is trying to figure out how to customize their oscommerce site. I know they have been posted before, but it should help if they come across this and now want to learn HOW to change them.

 

CATALOG STYLE SHEET DEFINITIONS

SOME MORE STUFF ON HOW TO CHANGE THE LOOK

BASICS FOR DESIGN THREAD theres a lot of info here. Just use the search field at the bottom of the thread when its open to search for specifics, or just browse

Newbie Road Map to oscommerce file structure

 

I also plan on explaining the style sheet for those who really are new to this whole thing..

 

I hope this helps people

 

Love this! But I can't locate the "Some more stuff on how to change the look" My admin site does not look like this. I need to change the layout and this looks like exactly what I need.

 

Thanks!

[onlinepartyplace 0]

heres a few more links in case anyone new is trying to figure out how to customize their oscommerce site. I know they have been posted before, but it should help if they come across this and now want to learn HOW to change them.

 

CATALOG STYLE SHEET DEFINITIONS

SOME MORE STUFF ON HOW TO CHANGE THE LOOK

BASICS FOR DESIGN THREAD theres a lot of info here. Just use the search field at the bottom of the thread when its open to search for specifics, or just browse

Newbie Road Map to oscommerce file structure

 

I also plan on explaining the style sheet for those who really are new to this whole thing..

 

I hope this helps people

 

Love this! But I can't locate the "Some more stuff on how to change the look" My admin site does not look like this. I need to change the layout and this looks like exactly what I need.

 

Thanks!

[lindsayanng 4]

That link "some more stuff to change the look" is not to emulate the admin side, it is a tutorial on how to change certain looks. There is the link in that page on how to change the box's look, the CSS, and more - but you have to read HOW to do it. IT does take coding and learning experience.

[cypher1919 0]

Thank You, very much!!! I cannot believe how long I trolled around this forum looking for answers. I've had to install OSC 3 different times since Monday. (2 were on different servers, 1 b/c I screwed it up so bad...lol). I didn't see this until this morning, I wish I saw it before I started. It would have saved me some headaches! Thanks again for this post.

[Waidesworld 0]

Great post, makes a lot of sense to me, now to sit down and learn how to do it on my own site.

[lindsayanng 4]

Waides, i can tell you that having read this BEFORE stressing over how to mess with your site, you are ALREADY ahead of the game. I was SUCH a mess when i started, and it wasnt that long ago that i did start. All i can say, is - put the link to this in your signature and tell every newbie you come across about this thread.. other AWESOME links are posted above too... the basics for design thread, the documentation (that MOST people miss!) and all that good stuff.

 

glad so many of you are finding it helpful

[famosa 0]

Many posts have mentioned the "includes" file, but I can't find that file. Under "catalog" I have Categories/Products, Product Attributes, Manufactures, Reviews, Specifications, and Products Expected. but no Includes.

[germ 233]

"includes" is a FOLDER, not a file.

 

And you'd probably find it in the File Manager (which I suggest you DON'T use) not under Catalog.

[lindsayanng 4]

you should get an FTP program, print out the main part of this thread, and then read it while you look at the files.. what you are looking in is the admin section, which is just a website - its like the customer version of your website but for the employees.. You need to actually go look at the files themselves.. and yes, as germ has said, includes is a folder.

 

So re-read the above and look at the actual files and folders.

[tigerpaw 0]

Hey Lindsay thanks for the thread, it is really very informative and helpful. I did have a question though, I would like to change the url (and delete for some) that is assigned to some of the images on various locations. For instance I have a gif file in the header, but when I goto header.php or top.php I don't see a url associated with the image file. Where could I find this at thanks. I have found answers to everything else in your column, thanks.

[lindsayanng 4]

glad to hear that the thread helped you.

 

as for changing the url (or location) of your file, you will need to change the directory. I am NOT very good at this, but i will try to explain.. Basically the php way of linking is using the tep_image (DIR_WS_IMAGES logo.gif . STORE_NAME) which says that the logo.gif file is located in the main Images folder, the file name is logo.gif, and the alt. text is the STORE_NAME which is called from the english file.

 

now an image that is in a different location looks like this:

tep_image_buttons (logo.gif . STORE_NAME) which says that the file is located in the images/buttons folder which are in the languages folders. Now ask me HOW oscomemrce knows its in the languages image folder and not the main images folder, i have NO IDEA other than the fact that there is no folder called buttons in the main images folder.

 

I wish i had the answer, but i am still learning how to really create all php links using the tep_ref and tep_image. Its all new to me, as i have only been doing php for a few months.

[carie 1]

It took me hours to figure out all the files were under tools. Then i noticed where it is mentioned in the default text on the main page and felt like a fool. Something I have not seen mentioned is how many files of the same name this program has and to be very careful when editing to make sure you are in the correct path.

 

now a question what is the reset button for in the file manager

[germ 233]

Oh that...

 

It launches all the world's nuclear missiles and resets humanity back to the stone age...

:o

 

But seriously, you shouldn't use the osc File Mangler Manager.

 

It's a security risk, and can be unreliable, and is best removed. (IMHO).

[lindsayanng 4]

really? i think i might push that big red button (or whatever color it is) Humanity NEEDS a reset at this time.. Really, i just heard a story about how a mom microwaved her baby to death> really, humanity NEEDS that buttoN!

[themysticlink 0]

Thank you so much for the road map! Its so overwhelming at first, and so many places to gather information, its great to have this explained so well!

Can anyone tell me how to add a box for the customer's account creation page so they can add "organization" or "company" to their information?

Lynne

[ZeroDegreez 0]

Thanks, that was helpful.

 

Alis

[lindsayanng 4]

themysticlink, please start a new thread in the general topics for asking for help. Your post is off topic.