Newbie needing help with root directories

[Guest]

Please forgive me and some of the dumb questions I am about to ask, but I have been looking through these forums for two days now, and am more lost than I was before.

 

I am completely new to php, my sql and oscommerce. I downloaded a template which I paid almost 200 bucks for, and cannot for the life of me figure out what I have to do. I also downloaded the oscommerce2.2 just in case I needed it. I have also downloaded Xampp, and have it installed, but am really lost.

 

I have NO idea how to start a root directory *blushing*. I created my site handcoding it, but it didn't look professional enough, obviously because I don't have a clue. I had one folder in my documents where I put all my HTML and images, and uploaded them through the EI FTP. Do I need a folder called ROOT, or something in particular? Where would I put this folder so my installation can find it? I tried installing it, I got connected to the server just fine, but then when I had to put the files into the directory, this is what came up /install/oscommerce.sql. Obvioulsly it is missing the beginning. I found some posts about this, but I couldn't understand mostly about the root directories.

 

I am really sorry, I am so new to all of this, and have been getting more frustrated by the minute. I purchased the template to make my site look better, but I can't get anything done with it. Any help would be appreciated, I really need a step by step dummies guide, and I mean DUMB. I did find a thread here earlier today, but lost it somehow, and now I can't find it.

 

I would appreciate things put in a layman's terms, it would help a lot.

 

Thanks!

Jamie

[spax]

If you are using XAMPP, your root directory should be called htdocs. If you installed it by its own recommendations, the path will be something like:

 

C:\Program Files\xampp\htdocs

 

When you find the htdocs folder, place your template there. Next, click on the XAMPP control panel icon, which if it is not on your desktop, should be under programs\apachefriends\xampp from the start menu.

When the control panel is open, click start for both Apache and MySql.

Then open up a browser window, as long as the configure files are set right, you should point it to:

 

(http://localhost/catalog) without the brackets.

 

I don't know anything about templates to be honest, I am assuming it is a full osCommerce catalog that has been formatted a different way.

 

That said, if everything is installed, you should have your store appear. If you get some error messages, come back and get some answers.

[Guest]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

 

That helps a lot! I just didn't know where to start from, kwim? I appreciate your helping me with this. I'm sure I'll be back, they really do need an oscommerce for dummies like myself LOL!

 

BTW, the template is like a catalogue, I can't wait to get it set up.