is it possible?

[shiningfaery]

I have been researching template designs today and come across creating your own in photoshop and slicing it into images and html. I am curious to know if it is possible to do this and then insert it into oscommerce? has anyone done this already?

[MrPhil]

It's sort of possible, but a lot of work. Some people make an image of an entire webpage (e.g., with Photoshop) and then slice it up and add HTML to lay out everything and do useful stuff. You end up with a "static" page (pure HTML with images). The problem with osC is that it's dynamic content, and written in PHP. At best, you would need to blend in the necessary PHP code with your HTML you just made, which means you have to understand what the current PHP code is doing and how it is laying out the page. Considering how much of the osC page is text that comes out of the database, your approach is probably more work than it's worth. If you're looking for a shortcut to make a template, I wouldn't advise doing it that way.

 

Did your research involve searching this forum for all the previous discussion on doing this sort of thing?

[♥Monika in Germany]

most osC stores use their own designs, and yes, they come directly off photoshop.

 

it can be done by modifying the php/html code directly (I do it that way) or by using a contribution that will add a lot of extra code but will make using your own design more easy. search the conteibutions for STS ...

 

HTH

[npn2531]

Designing in photoshop, creating layered psd files and then lifting the layers (slicing) is how websites are created in the professional world. Creating a design in photoshop is how you not only create a easy (easier in a relative sense) way to manipulate a design, but you also create the pieces you need to build the website. The problem with OSCommerce is that it is written in tables. Converting photoshop psd files of your design to html really requires using CSS, and this requires that a website be written in divs.

 

However, you can use this contribution and solve the whole problem:

http://addons.oscommerce.com/info/7263

[♥Monika in Germany]

I want to add that I have only ever converted ONE site into css and ALL my other sites are still table based and STILL use photoshop designs ... just to make my first post clear.

[npn2531]

http://addons.oscommerce.com/info/7263

 

This contribution converts OSCommerce, all of it, to divs and CSS. Every datatable, every possible design element, all of the html that OSCommerce interweaves with the php is given a class or an id, that can be referenced from a series of stylesheets. Using these stylesheets, without even opening up the catalog pages you can redesign the entire cart. Take the elements lifted, or sliced, from photoshop psd files and insert them anywhere in the cart you need to complete the design, all from within the stylesheets. Navigation, text, data tables almost everything, can likewise be styled by working from the 5 or 6 stylesheets.

 

The problem with tables, is that they just cannot be given the full range of styling, the breath of CSS selectors, that divs can accept. With tables you are stuck with rewriting every darn page, with manipulating the tables themselves to create a design. You can do it, but it's a lot harder, a lot more work. For a fun, dramatic lesson in the power of images (that is what photoshop does best) and stylesheets with CSS visit www dot csszengarden dot com.

[♥Monika in Germany]

George, I'm gald that you added your last comment. As in most cases, with programming, there are many ways to a solution. Your very first post made it sound as if only a tableless design would allow for a photoshop designed site. Which is very obviously not the case.

 

As for it being harder or easier ... I think, for a complete novice, working with STS (even though personally, I only use it when I add modules to sites designed that way) would by far be easier than anything css could do.

[npn2531]

I have never used STS, and the few times I have downloaded it, opened up to see what it is, I have lost patience, but that not saying anything about STS. Clearly it is the most popular contribution on OSC for a reason. I just like CSS. For years I have struggled with trying make my little website nice, design after mediocre design. I was ready to give up on OScommerce because of the difficulty in creating professional looking websites, until I discovered CSS, what you can do with it. I just personally feel set free, its like I can spend my time being creative instead of crawling endlessly though page after page of spaghetti code.

[shiningfaery]

Thank you for all your info, I started looking at this initially as I would like to add my own images/graphics to the info boxes e.g design my own heading section and applying it and that escalated to photoshop and website design. I have a limited knowledge of css and absolutely none of php so i will look into it a bit more using the links provided thanks george and monika.

[♥Monika in Germany]

good luck michaela, it's best to know of a lot of different options! and nowhere is it written in stone that you have to stuck to ONE method only ;-)