Can someone help this newbie?

Hi everyone! I'm new to this forum but have been running Zen since February. My husband has been the one taking care of the site but he hasn't had the time lately to devote as much attention to it as he was and now I'm trying to take over. Unfortunately, I have zero experience with this and have no idea what I'm doing and am so afraid that I'm going to mess something up. Can someone help me with a few questions?

1 - Is there any way to add a page hit counter to the store itself? I've got several on my homepage which ranks my site with other similar sites and helps with advertising so I'd really like to have it on the store page too for those that go directly into the store. Here's my homepage so you'll see what I'm talking about. http://www.chscrapbooks.com/

2 - When we first setup, we had the template pink in the store but when we upgraded recently it went back to brown. How do I change it back to a different color?

3 - Also since we upgraded, there is a red bar on the very top of the store page and I can't figure out how to get rid of it - any suggestions?

I'm sure I've got lots more questions but hopefully someone can help me out with these initially so I can at least make a few changes.

Thanks everyone! :D

Here's my shot at help for ya...

#1 your counter you can put into the footer of your site by adding the code for it in the YOUR_TEMPLATE/common/tpl_footer.php

#2 There are no more extra templates included in zen ( as in the older where we had classic / template default / and blue strip ). So in order to change the template you can d/l one from the contributions or create one - at least.

#3 is an error - but I am in a hotel on dial up at the moment and I have been waiting for your page to finish loading so I can see what the warning is. Usually it's Configure.php is writeable or zc_install still exists, but like I said I am not sure which as it has taken 2 full minutes and the site still hasn't completely loaded :( sorry.

Hope thats a little help at least!

Thanks for your help! I'm off to try them now!

a bit off topic but using a 420KB image is down right cruel to your dial-up customers...:cry:

I'm on high-speed and it has taken several minutes to load...

other speed stealers once the determined and perseverent customer reaches the site are category counts: admin/config/mystore - listed about half way down

you're on the classic style sheet which you should invest doing some research on the forum regarding upgrades and the override system -- it is actually simple to change despite the martian speak you will encounter at first. You really should change that before doing any more code customizations (which are easier to do than you think). :cool:

Another newbie suggestion is to use Firefox browser and get the Web Develop Toolkit Extension - it is very helpful.

Also you'll need to get familiar with admin/tools/developers tool kit - it is a search tool to find words and phrases in the code so you'll know which files to make changes on

those colors are in the CSS stylesheet - look in includes/templates and either in classic folder (where you need to copy to another folder once you learn a little more) you'll find "background-color" all over the place - but the orange you see is actually a gif image tile_back.gif - you could quickly find that in your images folder (I think that's where it is - try out the admin/tools/developer search) maybe in template images folder and look at it in a graphics program such as Fireworks... make another one in a different color call it the same thing and Wham...magic strikes again.

you'll need an editor (I use dreamweaver) that color codes text making it easy to find and edit what you need

MAKE BACKUPS

did I mention MAKE BACKUP COPIES

it actually gets easier the more patient and methodical you are willing to be...:lookaroun just taking a few weeks to read the forum helps a lot....:P

PS: you should ask for Zencart help directed to http://www.chscrapbooks.com/store2/ not the excrutiatingly slow https://www.chscrapbooks.com

Thanks for the tip - I didn't even think about the image for dialup users. Is there any way to put links from my homepage into my store setup so that I can eliminate the homepage?

wasana:

Another newbie suggestion is to use Firefox browser and get the Web Develop Toolkit Extension - it is very helpful.

you'll need an editor (I use dreamweaver) that color codes text making it easy to find and edit what you need

MAKE BACKUPS

did I mention MAKE BACKUP COPIES

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Thanks for your help! First, where do I get the web develop expansion? I have Firefox but I can't find this particular extension. How do I get this Dreamweaver and is it easy to use? And I don't have any idea how to make a backup...this sounds serious!

easy (sort of ) I actually did this today...

You don't want 'links' you want to move the store up one level in your directory. Instead of https://www.scapbook.com pointing to your index.html file it will use the index.php file that is included under the zencart (store2) directory.

You can use your FTP program to "move to" the files up one level. (from httpdocs/store2/admin to httpdocs/admin etc - ie select folder, right click move to httpdocs) - USUALLY the way it works, different FTP programs have different ways of working

**important: ** Look in Forum FAQ - do search for 'rename' - http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/faq.php?s=&do=search&q=rename&match=all&titlesonly=0 - you'll see a couple items about renaming the folder etc. Follow the instructions thouroughly - and you should practice editing files first - not a good idea for this to be your first editing adventure --again you need a text editor that color codes so you can find relevant code stuff easily (dreamweaver works)
the two configure files show other files where to look for things. The sessions ID is changed in admin/configuration/sessions

For example only **DO NOT COPY **and use (there are a couple more edits per page)...

define('DIR_WS_ADMIN', '/store2/admin/');
define('DIR_WS_CATALOG', '/store2/');
define('DIR_WS_HTTPS_ADMIN', '/store2/admin/');
define('DIR_WS_HTTPS_CATALOG', '/store2');
define('DIR_FS_ADMIN', '/usr/local/4admin/apache/vhosts/yoursite.com/httpdocs/store2/admin/');

changes to

define('DIR_WS_ADMIN', '/admin/');
define('DIR_WS_CATALOG', '/');
define('DIR_WS_HTTPS_ADMIN', '/admin/');
define('DIR_WS_HTTPS_CATALOG', '/');

define('DIR_FS_ADMIN', '/usr/local/4admin/apache/vhosts/yoursite.com/httpdocs/admin/');

this is a slightly incomplete explanation - you also need to rename your 'admin' directory to another name for security (you can search that topic)

I had issues with image folders but that was because I was running to stores while setting up the new Zen v1.3.0.2. If you have a store1 that might cause you some heartburn. You probably will be okay with that - just BACK UP BACK UP BACK UP - and you can rename files temporarily if you want to put a file folder where another one is...maybe a little too much info...

and do a little searching on the forum for this and related topics

you can always repost another question after doing a little homework if this is all a little too newbie for you:huh:

after awhile it makes sense

drinking from a firehose...

you might want to take a deep breath and step back and look at some of the forum threads about getting started and the tools you need. A slow and methodical start pays big dividends later.

backups - just make a copy of the files... (at some point you'll need to make a backup of your database but don't worry about that now) using an FTP program to access (copy/paste/change security settings)your files on your server. Your host site has something like a control panel and file manager but they are slow and frustrating.

I think dreamweaver is pricey - (I live in Thailand and since the gov't hasn't signed the free trade agreement about piracy rules...uhh... software ... is uhhh...cheap....) You can probably find other low-cost or free editors.

firefox extension
http://chrispederick.com/work/webdeveloper "Firefox/Flock Download"

once you have the tools in place and an idea of what to do with them...

Thank yoiu for the extension link, now I just have to figure out how to use it!

Another question - where do I find this? YOUR_TEMPLATE/common/tpl_footer.php
I don't see it anywhere.

ahhh, this is a good place to start experiencing how ZC works.

first:
Use the admin/tools/developerstoolkit - go to the bottom of that page, if you put in tpl_footer.php into the search box and change the dropdown menu in the middle to look for "all" - it will show you all the places that have a file with that name - you can also search for words that you might want to edit/change. Like "final step" changed to "almost done" etc.

second:
When you see a reference like that: YOUR_TEMPLATE/common/tpl_footer.php
the capitalized YOUR_TEMPLATE is what you would rename your template if you were using the override system - which you need to do soon or you will have real problems during upgrades.

Since you are using the 'classic' template you're going to find this file in either the includes/templates/classic/common or includes/templates/template_default/common; but eventually you should find it in includes/templates/template_ scrapbooks/common

glad I can help, it took me awhile to wade through this stuff too
:P

another cool Firefox tool is Xinha -

it replaces using the htmlarea editor when you are editing text content (not code) - htmlarea editor has a tendency to stop working which can be frustrating.

Xinha is very cool tool - in the editor box (like this one) you right click and it pops up.

http://xinha.python-hosting.com/

And the Xinha here! is a Firefox extension wrapper for above.
Hypercubed Firefox Extensions

I finally found it! Now, when I look at the code I don't really see a place to put in my new code. Can I post what it does say here? I really have no idea where to add anything new in.

not sure what you're trying to do...

Sorry I guess I should have been more specific!

I found the place to add my counter into the footer but I don't really see specifically WHERE to put the code.

You can post snippets of your code here for us to help you yes, just make sure that you don't post your config file with your user/pw info in it ;)

// this file can be copied to /templates/your_template_dir/pagename
// example: to override the privacy page
// make a directory /templates/my_template/privacy
// copy /templates/templates_defaults/common/tpl_footer.php to /templates/my_template/privacy/tpl_footer.php
// to override the global settings and turn off the footer un-comment the following line:

// $flag_disable_footer = ture;
require(DIR_WS_MODULES . zen_get_module_directory('footer.php'));

if (!isset($flag_disable_footer) || $flag_disable_footer == false) {
?>
<table border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<tr class="footertop">
<td class="footertop" align="center"> | <a href="<?php echo zen_href_link(FILENAME_DEFAULT, '', 'NONSSL'); ?>"><?php echo HEADER_TITLE_CATALOG; ?></a> | </td>
</tr>
</table>
<table border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="footer">

  <tr>
    <td class="footerbottom"><?php echo TEXT_YOUR_IP_ADDRESS . '  ' . $_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR']; ?></td>
  </tr>

  <tr>
    <td align="center"><div class="banners"><?php echo zen_display_banner('static', $banner); ?></div></td>
  </tr>

  <tr>
    <td class="footerbottom"><?php echo FOOTER_TEXT_BODY; ?></td>
  </tr>
</table>

Here is the code in my footer, where do I add the code for the counter and why does it say "disable" everywhere?

?>

That will place it right at the very bottom of the page.

Vger

quick tip you may already be aware of but advice is free...(sort of ) - and the professionals are going to groan about the incomplete accuracy of this, but:

when 'coding' CSS and PHP and you;re told to un-comment or comment-out - it doesn't mean 'erase' rather use some text characters. Even though you think you don't need it, commenting-out is better than deleting - a common newbie mistake is erasing stuff (been there, done that). In a good editing program you will see the color change. PHP and CSS have different rules but for the most part

the // will comment-out the line
beginning /* and ending in */ will comment out the whole section.

// $flag_disable_footer = ture;
require(DIR_WS_MODULES . zen_get_module_directory('footer.php'));

turns to
$flag_disable_footer = ture;
require(DIR_WS_MODULES . zen_get_module_directory('footer.php'));

it looks like there is a typo in that code: ture should be true I think

copy files before editing...

another hint in reference to your original question about color

look at your sideboxes - see that the headers are orange all the way across while the footers just have that one little orange square. that square is the tile_back.jpg - probably in your CSS stylesheet the footer says something like no-repeat while the header says repeat... (in this case you can visually look for these references or use the editor search function - not the admin/tools/devtoolkit)

background color is gray... or actually some #------

comment out the tile_back.jpg line and change the background color and see what happens...

Cool - my counter is there now!! Thank you so much! Now off to figure out the rest of this. Thank you for helping me, all of this is so scary to me. I'm so afraid that I"m going to do something wrong and screw the whole thing up!