[Contribution] STS v4

[TracyS]

Tracy, I may be wrong but...

In order to do what you are wanting above, you would first have to have the content already before it could be pulled dynamically.

So, for each category, you would need a category description that works much like the product description does on a stock osC.

STS allows you to do this easily by creating specific category templates to your hearts desire. However, as you have experienced, if you have a lot of categories, then you would need to create a lot of category templates to get this effect.

 

The only work around to this is:

1. Create the category description (for each category)
   
2. PHP hard coding to stock osC files to pull in the category descriptions
   
3. Make it work so that it will be pulled into one STS category template dynamically with the $content tag
   

You can do the above yourself or take a look at one of the following contributions that should do all of the above for you:

http://www.oscommerce.com/community/contributions,4053

 

http://www.oscommerce.com/community/contributions,4294

 

http://www.oscommerce.com/community/contri...ons,4414/page,2

 

OK, I'll stop there just in case I am totally off on what you are wanting to do. :lol:

 

LOL -Sounds like you are totally ON with what I am wanting to do! I'll check out the contrib's in a bit and get back with you :thumbsup:

Thanks!

[TracyS]

OK. I have installed Oscommerce and STS 4 locally, using XAMPP as a test server. I've created an HTML file which is being used as the template, featuring a graphical banner at the top of the page with four graphical buttons to its left for navigation of 'my account', 'new products', 'contact us', and 'view cart,. Lower down on the left is the categories menu. Working in dreamweaver, I've linked each button to its respective PHP file, but its here that I think I am missing something.

When it came to testing the site, I noticed that navigating using the categories box held a session id to maintain items in the shopping cart, whereas navigating using my buttons seems to somehow loose the session id. I had a quick scout around on the knowledge base with reference to session id's, but all I came up with is code for use within a PHP file, which is seemingly no use for an HTML STS template. I've read that using the 'force cookies' option would help with my situation, but that it would be of no use as I am planning on using a shared SSL certificate.

What do I need to do to give my buttons the ability to carry the needed session id? And if I may run without being able to walk, what would I need to do in order to implement a flash menu in place of my created buttons?

 

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

p.s. If it turns out that I'm just being dense, I humbly promise to ascend a snowcapped mountain and lash myself senseless with a gnarled sappling -completely naked - and post the resulting footage on google video.

 

LMAO! Well - you're not being totally dense ;) It took me some help to get this figured out too. While I have no idea why you don't use the dynamically created category menu - here is how I have links setup in my STS Template files:

 

Link to a Product:

<a href="<?php echo tep_href_link('product_info.php', 'products_id=53&', 'NONSSL'); ?>">Product Name Here</a>

 

Link to a Category:

<a href="<?php echo tep_href_link('index.php', 'cPath=21&', 'NONSSL'); ?>">Category Name Here</a>

 

Hope that helps :thumbsup:

[laprisamata]

Thanks TracyS- I just came back here to tell everyone not to worry, and that I've just sussed it all out this very minute, but many thanks for replying so promptly.

I'm still using the dynamically generated Categories box, I just wanted to use buttons for 'my account', 'contact us', 'new products' and 'view cart'. My next step is to create the buttons as graphical rollovers, and eventually end up using flash.

On the subject of flash, would I use the same technique to carry the session using flash navigation?

[ocelote]

Hi,

 

In the marketing forum, there is a thread on how to block for the search engines the review pages with no text inside, because it reports a link with nothing at the end, and gives you a bad score, rank or whatever the search engine does.

 

In that thread one user posted a modification in the code of product_info.php, and I found that if I have sts installed and the product_info template installed and active, that change won't work and disable the template.

 

I tried to understand where the problem is, but Im not a programer, so if someone could look at it and find a solution or just a clue on where the problem is. Of course I tried this with my shop and my test site, but they have more contributions installed, so maybe the problem is no sts. If someone could check it too.

 

thank you

 

Ok i figured out how to make sure google doesn't spider a page that has no reviews and also not to mislead the customer into thinking there are reviews. First make sure you aren't blocking any spiders in your product_reviews.php page. (check your robots.txt and nofollow tags) Then make sure that you ARE blocking spiders for your product_reviews_write.php. Then in your product_info.php page find this

 

CODE

<td class="main"><?php echo '<a href="' . tep_href_link(FILENAME_PRODUCT_REVIEWS, tep_get_all_get_params()) . '">' . tep_image_button('button_reviews.gif', IMAGE_BUTTON_REVIEWS) . '</a>'; ?></td>

 

 

and replace with

 

CODE

<?php if ($reviews['count'] > 0) {

?><td class="main"><?php echo '<a href="' . tep_href_link(FILENAME_PRODUCT_REVIEWS, tep_get_all_get_params()) . '">' . tep_image_button('button_reviews.gif', IMAGE_BUTTON_REVIEWS) . '</a>'; ?></td><?php

} else {

?><td class="main"><?php echo '<a href="' . tep_href_link(FILENAME_PRODUCT_REVIEWS_WRITE, tep_get_all_get_params()) . '">' . tep_image_button('button_write_review.gif', IMAGE_BUTTON_WRITE_REVIEW) . '</a>'; ?></td><?php

}?>

 

 

So now if there is no review google will try to spider the write review page and it will not index it. If there is a review it will index it. Also, the write review button is shown to the customer instead of the review button if there is no review. Hopefully this will help against googles duplicate content filter.

[Guest]

Anyone else have a problem with the thumbnail not being able to open when clicking on "Click to Enlarge"? New OSC install with latest version of STS and now I don't get pop-up windows.

[denzel2364]

Anyone else have a problem with the thumbnail not being able to open when clicking on "Click to Enlarge"? New OSC install with latest version of STS and now I don't get pop-up windows.

 

 

 

Me too, PM me if you get a reply. Thank you.

 

Also, when i update the html page, it doesnt link to the css stylesheet. I cant work out why!! :-"

Edited March 29, 2007 by denzel2364

[Sousa]

This could happen if you have selected "test" as your sts template folder in the STS Default Module, AND you do not have a folder called "boxes" inside that template folder, AND you do not have a file in the boxes folder called "infobox_header.php.html or infobox.php.html.

This can be corrected by simply changing your sts template folder to "full" or copying the "boxes" folder from "full" into your "test" folder.

 

Note: The "test" folder was meant to be used only after you initial sts installation to "test" that STS is actually working. If all is well, you should either use the "full" template folder or create your own once you understand how STS works and you want to take advantage of specific templates for pages, categories, products, infoboxes, etc.

 

Hope this helped,

 

I try to change folder to full, in admin too, but the error still comming in screen,

[mltgroup]

I installed Header Tag Controller, then STS.

 

Now I am wondering how to get this?

 

"STS will auto-detect if Header Tag Controller is installed and use it if

available."

 

Currently, HTC does not seem to be working after install of STS. Wondering how to enable?

[jello1]

Hello,

 

 

I have read this man pages over and over and still cant get a grasp on this seprate template page.

 

here what im try to do

 

my http://www.taco-loco.com/index.php

ok, that page is how i want it to look. what i want is a seprate page for the cats and product. so if i were to click salsa it brings me back to the index page which has no $content. its a static page, i want it to go to cat 26 product 29 instead of coming back to the index page. now i have tried to make a page called index.php_2_6.html but it still goes back to the main index page. i put the $contents tag on the bottom of the index page just to test. any ideas how i can do this?.. thank you1!!!!

[TracyS]

Hello,

I have read this man pages over and over and still cant get a grasp on this seprate template page.

 

here what im try to do

 

my http://www.taco-loco.com/index.php

ok, that page is how i want it to look. what i want is a seprate page for the cats and product. so if i were to click salsa it brings me back to the index page which has no $content. its a static page, i want it to go to cat 26 product 29 instead of coming back to the index page. now i have tried to make a page called index.php_2_6.html but it still goes back to the main index page. i put the $contents tag on the bottom of the index page just to test. any ideas how i can do this?.. thank you1!!!!

 

A category page is the index.php_2_6.html, to go to product 29 you would need to have the link go to product_info.php products_id=29 rather than going to the category page. It looks like it is working now though - or am I missing something?

[bkellum]

Anyone else have a problem with the thumbnail not being able to open when clicking on "Click to Enlarge"? New OSC install with latest version of STS and now I don't get pop-up windows.

Justin and others who experience the missing Popup Image:

 

It really boils down to not having the JavaScript linked to your template. You do this dynamically using the STS tag in the head of your template file.

Be sure you have the following code in each of your STS Templates:

 

As far as the required code, you only need the following in EACH of your template pages to make STS work on those pages:

 

1. <?php DEFINE ('STS_END_CHAR', '#'); ?>

2. <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN">

3. <html $htmlparams>

4. <head>

5.<meta http-equiv="Content-Language" content="en-us">

6. <!--$headcontent-->

7. <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="stylesheet.css">

8. </head>

 

Line 1 above defines the stop character "#" (can be anything you want such as "$") that will parse the PHP faster. If you use this line, be sure to add the stop character to each one of your tags in that template. For example; "$content" becomes "$content#". See the STS User Manual for more details.

Line 2 will be different depending upon what type of HTML validation you are using. Look up page validation on Google for more information regarding this.

Line 3 is REQUIRED as is. See STS documentation for more details.

Line 6 is REQUIRED as is. See STS documentation for more details.

Line 7 will vary depending upon your css stylesheet and its file path. If your stylesheet is not in the root of your store catalog, then specify its location here.

 

Hope this has been helpful,

Bill Kellum

[bkellum]

I installed Header Tag Controller, then STS.

 

Now I am wondering how to get this?

 

"STS will auto-detect if Header Tag Controller is installed and use it if

available."

 

Currently, HTC does not seem to be working after install of STS. Wondering how to enable?

In order to get HTC and STS to work properly, you need to follow the install instructions listed on the STSv4 Power Pack site (link in my signature below). You will also find a bundled version of the two contributions on that site as well. My suggestion would be to download the latest bundle version and just use the installation instructions included but use the files from the latest versions of STS & HTC.

 

Tip: You can install the STSv4.3.3 & HTCv2.6.0 bundle first and then copy over all of the files in the latest STSv4.4 and everything would work perfectly (I hope) :-

 

Note: I am waiting for Chris to finish up the updates for STSv4.5 and then I will be creating another STS & HTC bundle with updated documentation to be posted at the STS Power Pack site. ;)

[bkellum]

I try to change folder to full, in admin too, but the error still comming in screen,

Recheck your folder/file structure at your hosted site. This particular error message is right on target and is not leading you astray. You are missing the infobox template files in the "your template folder"/boxes/.

If you set "Use Infobox Templates" to "False", then the error message will go away since it will no longer look (require) the "boxes" folder or the infobox.php.html file.

 

So, make sure you actually have a file called infobox.php.html & infobox_header.php.html located in a folder called "boxes" in your default STS template folder. The path should look something like this:

catalog/includes/sts_templates/YOUR TEMPLATE FOLDER/boxes/infobox.php.html and catalog/includes/sts_templates/YOUR TEMPLATE FOLDER/boxes/infobox_header.php.html

[jello1]

A category page is the index.php_2_6.html, to go to product 29 you would need to have the link go to product_info.php products_id=29 rather than going to the category page. It looks like it is working now though - or am I missing something?

 

 

Hello,

 

Yea i can only point to the product info. cant deem to get a cat page...

 

but now another problem just came up, i was working on the CSS and all of a sudden i got this error

 

Fatal error: Call to a member function on a non-object in /usr/www/users/tacoloco/includes/functions/html_output.php on line 78

 

line 78 is this:

 

 

// START STS v4.4:
  global $sts; 
	  $sts->image($src); // Take image from template folder if exists.
// END STS v4.4

 

I did not touch anything else... just out of the blue.. any ideas?

thanks again!!!!

[Guest]

The error in html_output.php has been solved in STS v4.5, the change is in application_top.php

 

- Rigadin2

[Guest]

Hi all,

 

I think I modified myself into a hole:) Please advise.

 

Take a look at the site, on the right side of the page click on "my account" or "checkout" and it will read file not found. All the other placeholders are working just fine.

 

Could someone give me some troubleshooting steps to resolve this issue? I was messing around in the languages file.

 

 

Thanks much,

Dano

[jello1]

Hi all,

 

I think I modified myself into a hole:) Please advise.

 

Take a look at the site, on the right side of the page click on "my account" or "checkout" and it will read file not found. All the other placeholders are working just fine.

 

Could someone give me some troubleshooting steps to resolve this issue? I was messing around in the languages file.

Thanks much,

Dano

 

 

your error is here:

 

https://secure237.hostgator.com/~dadano/~da...ut_shipping.php

 

this should read

 

https://secure237.hostgator.com/~dadano/che...ut_shipping.php

 

see where you got the extra ~dandano

 

it looks like an extra ~dadano is being addded to the file

Edited March 30, 2007 by jello1

[ortem]

Hello Everyone...

 

I am so happy to have come across STS to assist with templates! Thank you to the powers that be for all your hard work.

 

I've installed STS successfully and I am in the process of adding the tags to my custom template. I have 3 questions thus far.

 

a) Is there a complete list of all the tags available to use?

 

B) Regarding the "$content" tag, where would I find that file to alter it?

 

c) Is it ideal to change both the "index.php.html" as well as the "sts_templat.php.html" to match? They are the exact same file correct?

 

 

Any input is appreciated.

 

Thank you!

[Guest]

Hi all,

 

How would I create a content for the main storefront page only? I have found the index.php file where I can edit the text, but would like to design and upload some gif/flash ads instead of having any text at all there.

 

I also do not want to include the "new products for march" on the store front page.

 

Thanks,

Dano

[ortem]

Never mind my last post... I am reading the documentation now. :rolleyes:

 

Thanks!

 

Hello Everyone...

 

I am so happy to have come across STS to assist with templates! Thank you to the powers that be for all your hard work.

 

I've installed STS successfully and I am in the process of adding the tags to my custom template. I have 3 questions thus far.

 

a) Is there a complete list of all the tags available to use?

 

B) Regarding the "$content" tag, where would I find that file to alter it?

 

c) Is it ideal to change both the "index.php.html" as well as the "sts_templat.php.html" to match? They are the exact same file correct?

Any input is appreciated.

 

Thank you!

[ortem]

Me again...

 

As per the documentation : The main content of the page (middle of the page) is put in the $content tag, created in the file: “catalog/includes/modules/sts_inc/column_right.php”.

 

Please note that this file is not in this folder. Can someone tell me where I would find if? The original copy is just laying on top of the page layout rather then within the <div> I created for it and I am trying to fix this.

 

Thanks!

[Guest]

Hi all,

 

I put the dynamic dropdown menu on hold till we can find a fix, and went back to the horizontal flyout that we know works with infoboxes set to true.

 

Well, it looks like I need help backtracking..

 

When I set infoboxes to true I get:

 

Check out the source code for that ugly picture.

 

Ideas Ideas?

 

-dano

[Sousa]

Hello,

 

How can i have 1 template and translate, if i change to another language?

 

Like this:

 

index.php_1.html - the default is english (all text appear in english)

index.php_1.html - changing to portuguese or spanish always appear in english.

 

Maybe if the system verify index.php_1_en.html or index.php_1_pt.html this can be done.

 

Anyone can help me with this?

[Guest]

Me again...

 

As per the documentation : The main content of the page (middle of the page) is put in the $content tag, created in the file: “catalog/includes/modules/sts_inc/column_right.php”.

 

Please note that this file is not in this folder. Can someone tell me where I would find if? The original copy is just laying on top of the page layout rather then within the <div> I created for it and I am trying to fix this.

 

Thanks!

 

This file does not exist anymore, doc should be updated.

 

STS capture the content placed between the left column and the right column of the catalog script, for example index.php. It means that to modify the content of index.php, you have to modify index.php. To modify the content of login.php, you have to modify login.php.

 

- Rigadin2

[ortem]

This file does not exist anymore, doc should be updated.

 

STS capture the content placed between the left column and the right column of the catalog script, for example index.php. It means that to modify the content of index.php, you have to modify index.php. To modify the content of login.php, you have to modify login.php.

 

- Rigadin2

 

Got it... thank you Chris! :thumbsup: