where the heck is the side nav html code?

[leahdosa]

I'm using the amara software to replace my left nav menu bar and I have been looking in every file to find the code. I thought it'd be in the index.ph page, but I'm not seeing it. Is there something I'm not getting here?

 

-Leah

[germ]

/catalog/includes/column_left.php

[leahdosa]

/catalog/includes/column_left.php

 

Thank you. I looked in there, but I'm not finding the actual button names that I entered for the left navigation. Shouldn't those be listed somewhere in the <li> tags? If you go to my tester website: www.nomoreuglyjars.com (I know the name has nothing to do w/ the website), you can see that I have entered in the categories : # Mini Skirt Sets (3)

# Long Skirt Sets -> (3)

# Shoes (4)

# Swim (3)

# Gowns

# Pant Sets (2)

# Shorts Sets...where might I find the html that lists those? I thought it might be in the column_left.php file too, but I'm not seeing it anywhere.

 

??? :blush:

[germ]

The HTML you see is generated by PHP code.

 

The categories menu is generated in /catalog/includes/boxes/categories.php

[lindsayanng]

what are you trying to change?? if its ust the look or the actual names, the looks is dealt with in the style sheet, and the names are in the admin

 

i suggest you look in my signature for the OSCOMMERCE ROAD MAP FOR NEWBIES link and read

[leahdosa]

what are you trying to change?? if its ust the look or the actual names, the looks is dealt with in the style sheet, and the names are in the admin

 

i suggest you look in my signature for the OSCOMMERCE ROAD MAP FOR NEWBIES link and read

 

I am trying to do 2 things actually...change the look and the function, I guess. Here is the link for the menu bar that I'd like to replace mine with:

 

file:///C:/DOCUME~1/Justin/LOCALS~1/Temp/preview.html

 

The instructions from amara software sais to replace the code with theirs they provide me after I create the menu, and then to upload the swf file to the same directory. The only problem is I can't find the code anywhere for my left nav bar.

I looked in categories_php, but I'm not seeing it there. I suppose it's created with php, but the html is somewhere else?

 

by Germ: "The HTML you see is generated by PHP code.

 

The categories menu is generated in /catalog/includes/boxes/categories.php"

 

(Bare w/ me...I'm not even familiar w/ the difference between php & html...definately a newbie!)...so where can I find the actual html code or is that not accessible to edit when it's created through php?

[germ]

The instructions from amara software sais to replace the code with theirs they provide me after I create the menu, and then to upload the swf file to the same directory. The only problem is I can't find the code anywhere for my left nav bar.

Unless you know PHp fairly well, you may be in over your head on this one...

:o

[lindsayanng]

php is a server side code which means that it requires the use of the server to communicate with a database and the other files to create a full, working, page.

 

I am going to suggest this again.. READ THE LINK IN MY SIGNATURE.. Once you read that, i will happily answer any questions.. but i cant re-write everything that i have already written for every person who asks.

 

once you get the idea from there, THEN you can come back and ask questions

[leahdosa]

php is a server side code which means that it requires the use of the server to communicate with a database and the other files to create a full, working, page.

 

I am going to suggest this again.. READ THE LINK IN MY SIGNATURE.. Once you read that, i will happily answer any questions.. but i cant re-write everything that i have already written for every person who asks.

 

once you get the idea from there, THEN you can come back and ask questions

 

thank you. I've been waiting to read what's in your signature to reply(which is on my agenda for today), but I have a quick question regarding the php and the left nav. Couldn't I just replace the left nav with my new vertical menu bar and then link each new button to that product page?

 

-Leah

[germ]

That's not a practical solution.

 

The reason it's written in PHP is so it can keep in sync with your catalog as you add/delete products, and you don't have to edit it every time you change your catalog.

 

Plus you need to pass the session ID and that doesn't work using HTML.

 

Converting over to all HTML isn't an option (if that's where your heading), IMHO.

[leahdosa]

Thank you Germ. That makes sense. Well, I didn't want to come back here like a shmuck and not read Lindsay's signature (I hope that's your name) 'for beginners' post, so I finally did and am very glad I did. Thank you for offering your help on here! The thing I love the most about your post is to be reminded that everyone started out somewhere and that I'm not alone and I understand how the structure works much better after reading it. Anyway, I have so may questions, I don't even know where to start. I really really wanted to have the flash left nav, but I realized that the bigger priority for me is the get the store up and running moreover than being such a stickler about the look of the site. So, I'll move on (for now anyways:). Perhaps I should start a new posting for this, so just let me know if I should...but here are 2 things I really need help with...every time I add a new catalog folder in the admin, it is added to the top bar(I'm not sure what the name of that area is), where you can see all the 7 images are lined up (on www.nomoreuglyjars.com). I have many more categories I'd like to add on the left nav bar (on the column_left), but don't want it to be displayed on that top area. Do you know how I can do that if it's possible?

 

And my next question (probably a very stupid one) is how to get rid of that fine grey border around the product when you go to a category page? I thought that I'd find it in the stylesheet file or the product_php file, but can't seem to find that anywhere, unless I mabe overlooked it.

 

thanx.

[germ]

And my next question (probably a very stupid one) is how to get rid of that fine grey border around the product when you go to a category page? I thought that I'd find it in the stylesheet file or the product_php file, but can't seem to find that anywhere, unless I mabe overlooked it.

Get new images, maybe

 

I only looked at one:

 

example image - click me

 

And the border is in the image file itself.

 

I have many more categories I'd like to add on the left nav bar (on the column_left), but don't want it to be displayed on that top area. Do you know how I can do that if it's possible?

Not sure about that one.

 

A word of caution: You have a template. Any contributions you see here may or may not work on your site and if they do your code may be slightly different.

:o

[bkellum]

Thank you Germ. That makes sense. Well, I didn't want to come back here like a shmuck and not read Lindsay's signature (I hope that's your name) 'for beginners' post, so I finally did and am very glad I did. Thank you for offering your help on here! The thing I love the most about your post is to be reminded that everyone started out somewhere and that I'm not alone and I understand how the structure works much better after reading it. Anyway, I have so may questions, I don't even know where to start. I really really wanted to have the flash left nav, but I realized that the bigger priority for me is the get the store up and running moreover than being such a stickler about the look of the site. So, I'll move on (for now anyways:). Perhaps I should start a new posting for this, so just let me know if I should...but here are 2 things I really need help with...every time I add a new catalog folder in the admin, it is added to the top bar(I'm not sure what the name of that area is), where you can see all the 7 images are lined up (on www.nomoreuglyjars.com). I have many more categories I'd like to add on the left nav bar (on the column_left), but don't want it to be displayed on that top area. Do you know how I can do that if it's possible?

 

And my next question (probably a very stupid one) is how to get rid of that fine grey border around the product when you go to a category page? I thought that I'd find it in the stylesheet file or the product_php file, but can't seem to find that anywhere, unless I mabe overlooked it.

 

thanx.

 

If you absolutely wanted a HTML menu, you could still do it and keep the session ID's in place as well.

However, even though it is possible, it is not a good method.

 

Here are the links you would use for products and categories:

 

Link to a category:

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

Link to a product:

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

You can use the links above to create your menus.

 

You may also want to give the Simple Template System a try as it allows you to use HTML pages for the entire layout and design of osCommerce.

[leahdosa]

Thank you.

 

that sounds like the way to go. So, I was able to get my flash nav menu up. I love the look of the flash menu way better, but I'm running into 2 problems. The 1st: is replacing/removing the template menu. I tried to replace it by deleting this part of the left_column.php file:

 

if ((USE_CACHE == 'true') && empty($SID)) {

echo tep_cache_categories_box();

} else {

include(DIR_WS_BOXES . 'categories.php');

}

 

and then replacing it with the code for my flash menu...and it worked but it also deleted the 'search by manufactures' and the 'search' infoboxes. So, instead, I put it in the index.php file between the left navigation tags like this...

 

<!-- left_navigation //-->

<?php require(DIR_WS_INCLUDES . 'column_left.php'); ?>

<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000"

codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,0,0"

width="250" height="500">

<param name="movie" value="leftnav.swf">

<param name="menu" value="false">

<param name="quality" value="high">

<param name="wmode" value="transparent">

<param name="scale" value="noscale">

<embed src="leftnav.swf" menu="false" quality="high" wmode="transparent"

scale="noscale" width=250 height=500 type="application/x-shockwave-flash"

pluginspace="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash">

</embed>

</object>

<!-- left_navigation_eof //-->

 

but I still have the original template menu there. How do I get rid of the original template menu without taking off the infoboxes below it? It seems like my template never came with a right navigation (although I noticed that I do have a right_column.php page which I don't understand). Perhaps I should create one (or enable it if I do have one that's not showing) and put all the infoboxes on the right so that I can then delete the entire code that calls for the left_column.php so that I will only have my flash menu on that side and nothing else...or is there a better way perhaps?

 

The 2nd thing is that I can't seem to get my new flash buttons to link. Perhaps I'm not entering in the category name right. I used the category name of the folder which is 'Mini Skirt Sets' (for the one sub-button that I tested). Must I not use spaces/caps? Am I looking in the right place to find the actual name of the category?

 

(sorry so long) (I appreciate all the advice!!!)

[leahdosa]

Oh Yeah...you can see what I'm talking about at this address: www.nomoreuglyjars.com/catalog

[leahdosa]

I think I got lost in the wind...Please...can someone help me? I just need to know how to delete the oringinal left nav,how to get my right nav up (I know I have the file but it's not showing), and how to get my new buttons on the left nav to link (I used the code suggested above but it doesn't seem to work...perhaps I have the name of the file wrong...which leads me to my next question...where do I find the file name of a category??)

 

Any input is so appreciated.

 

thanx.

 

Leah

(www.nomoreuglyjars.com)

[leahdosa]

I love replying to myself :)

 

Perhaps I put this code in the wrong place. I put my new flash menu on the index.php page...should I put it in the column_left.php page?

[bkellum]

I love replying to myself :)

 

Perhaps I put this code in the wrong place. I put my new flash menu on the index.php page...should I put it in the column_left.php page?

 

Have you ever considered using the Simple Template System? It allows you to easily "move/remove" any of the boxes such as the categories box simply by not adding $categoriesbox in your template page. You could also add in your Flash file very easily (just the same as anyother web page) anywhere you wanted to place it.

 

Gauging the types of questions you have, I think you would find STS the perfect solution for your needs. It also appears that you are using a purchased osCommerce template so you may be interested in the following post I wrote on the subject:

 

http://www.oscommerce.com/forums/index.php?sho...p;#entry1131089

 

Hope this helped you out,

[leahdosa]

Thank you so much. That STS looks exactly like what I need, but before I try to install it, does it keep the session ID in tact? (bare with me...I'm a total newbie just trying to figure all this out). Does it just convert the home(index) page from php to html so that I can add the flash? Just to summarize some of what others are telling me (above)...I guess you can't add flash to a php page. Well, being the hard-head I sometimes am, I now realize that after trying every-which way. I was able to get the flash buttons to appear on the home page, so I was hoping that there was hope to get it to work by linking each flash button separately to the php category pages. Getting nowhere w/ that, I finally tried to link a still .gif button and got it to work. So, I just purchased some software so that I can convert a .swf file to an animated gif so I can still get the effect I wanted, but if this STS will allow me to add the .swf and not compromise the session ID, that would be even better. If I install the STS and set that up, will I have to re-do the whole site, or just the home page?

[leahdosa]

making my backup now...and ready to install this STS...just want to say thank you for showing me this...I'm excited to get this figured out...just have one more quick question...would you happen to know how I can widen my store to fit any screen?...I'd like for everything else to be set to fixed except the middle section (the 'content' area? or product_info area?), but without stretching the thumbnails at all (or the header either), if you know what I mean (sorry for my lack of terminology). Can I set this using this STS?

 

you can see how overly persistent I can be when I'm replying to myself all the time...sorry :)

 

-Leah

test site:www.nomoreuglyjars.com

website:www.shessofoxy.com

 

(ps: after reading some info on this STS, I'm happy to see it's the 3rd most downloaded contribution...tells me it's something good...might anyone reading this know what the #1 and #2 most downloaded contribution is? ...Or where I can find that info?)

[bkellum]

making my backup now...and ready to install this STS...just want to say thank you for showing me this...I'm excited to get this figured out...just have one more quick question...would you happen to know how I can widen my store to fit any screen?...I'd like for everything else to be set to fixed except the middle section (the 'content' area? or product_info area?), but without stretching the thumbnails at all (or the header either), if you know what I mean (sorry for my lack of terminology). Can I set this using this STS?

 

you can see how overly persistent I can be when I'm replying to myself all the time...sorry :)

 

-Leah

test site:www.nomoreuglyjars.com

website:www.shessofoxy.com

 

(ps: after reading some info on this STS, I'm happy to see it's the 3rd most downloaded contribution...tells me it's something good...might anyone reading this know what the #1 and #2 most downloaded contribution is? ...Or where I can find that info?)

 

Here is the link to the top downloads listing:

 

http://www.oscommerce.com/community/contributions/top,all

 

Enjoy,