Raziell Posted May 16, 2003 Posted May 16, 2003 Ive been searching for quite a long time for a template system for osCommerce that is user friendly and flexible but to no avail. Could anyone give me their best recomendations on an osCommerce template system that I should test out? Thanks to anyone who helps.
Guest Posted May 17, 2003 Posted May 17, 2003 Personally, I haven't seen one that was worth the time installing yet. I am really hoping that the Core Development Team utilizes something like Smarty in MS3 so that a real template system is in place. The ones available now are simply CSS and image hacks. They don't really allow you full access to the layout and make that easy to change.
cannuck1964 Posted May 17, 2003 Posted May 17, 2003 Hi there, Personally, I haven't seen one that was worth the time installing yet. I am really hoping that the Core Development Team utilizes something like Smarty in MS3 so that a real template system is in place. I have a system out now, which still allows the user to add contributions and give a much wider flexibility to make modifications to the layout of the site. The ones available now are simply CSS and image hacks. They don't really allow you full access to the layout and make that easy to change. No idea if you have seen my system,, but it is diffenately not just a css or image hack. My system allows the user to create a layout and implement it with one page. Granted it is not in the smarty class, but then if it was then the contributions available currently would not be usable without serious modifications. From what I have researched, a template system is just a separation between the layout and the coding so designers have the freedom to create what they want, without the worries of the actual underlaying coding. My system does this to an extent, but not fully since the functions already built within osc have embedded html code as well, which is not in the philosophy of a true template system. But without a major over-haul of the functions built into osc, this will not be possible. Ive been searching for quite a long time for a template system for osCommerce that is user friendly and flexible but to no avail. Could anyone give me their best recomendations on an osCommerce template system that I should test out? Thanks to anyone who helps. You can try my system out, it is avaiable for free download via http://www.hosting-osc.com cheers, Peter McGrath ----------------------------- See my Profile (click here) for more information and to contact me for professional osCommerce support that includes SEO development, custom development and security implementation
Guest Posted May 17, 2003 Posted May 17, 2003 No idea if you have seen my system,, but it is diffenately not just a css or image hack. Saw an old version of your system and it was simply to cumbersome and unworkable. Not sure if you changed it or not because every time, I find a link to it, the link is dead. Got tired of looking and wasting my time.
Guest Posted May 17, 2003 Posted May 17, 2003 Sorry, just took another look. Your system includes all sorts of other contributions like Administrators Ver 1.4.5, Easy Populate, Thema System, Main Page, Download controller, Paypal IPN, Catagories Box, WYSIWYG editor (needs IE 5.5 or higher), Template System Version 2, Site Text Editor System. I have my own WYSIWYG editor that works in IE and Mozilla. Easy Populate doesn't work unless you have a default database structure, which I don't and there isn't much that is easy about it. Not sure what Categories Box does but am not interested in it. The Thema contribution shouldn't be necessary unless you can create different templates for different themes. The others might be worthwhile but since I have made so many changes to the system already, it would be a lot of work. Why can't you just release the Template System by itself? I don't need an entire OSC distribution where someone decides what contributions I need for my store. Thanks for the updated link but I'll pass. It will most likely be too much trouble to pick and choose through the code to find out what is truly needed to implement the template system. I am sure, that it will have a following among beginners to OSC though.
cannuck1964 Posted May 18, 2003 Posted May 18, 2003 Saw an old version of your system and it was simply to cumbersome and unworkable. Not sure if you changed it or not because every time, I find a link to it, the link is dead. Got tired of looking and wasting my time. Well my old system was added as a contribution only. It was a beta version only to maybe give some ideas to others on how to implement it. The current system links have never been dead....you just need to add your real email so I can change the status from pending to download...if this is too difficult...sorry.... I have my own WYSIWYG editor that works in IE and Mozilla. Easy Populate doesn't work unless you have a default database structure, which I don't and there isn't much that is easy about it. Not sure what Categories Box does but am not interested in it. The Thema contribution shouldn't be necessary unless you can create different templates for different themes. The others might be worthwhile but since I have made so many changes to the system already, it would be a lot of work. Well the easy populate is a function you can use or not...your choice... the catagories box....well I like the look of it better the the standard osc box...again your choice, I am sure you could change to the standard osc box or what ever you are using into the system with minimal effort... the thema contribution does exactly that, (if you bothered to look)...lets you change the colour scheme for the layout, and each layout can have various themas added into it..... Well if you are interested, which it sounds like you are not, since you most likely have an operational store fully modified and you would really have no need of a template system.....I am sure you would perfer to change all 30+ pages rather then just one.....if you are interested in changing your shop into this type of system, it would take about a day to perform.... Why can't you just release the Template System by itself? I don't need an entire OSC distribution where someone decides what contributions I need for my store. Thanks for the updated link but I'll pass. It will most likely be too much trouble to pick and choose through the code to find out what is truly needed to implement the template system. I am sure, that it will have a following among beginners to OSC though. And why can't loaded 5 do the same?? sure my system is probably easier to use if you are starting out, but to add different contributions into my system is not much more difficult then adding the same ones into the standard osc... to pick and choose what you need to implement the system is not difficult, sine the actaul code to do so is contained in the application_top file, which controls the action of the layout presentation....if you are looking for a system like smarty to implement the template system, like you posted earlier, do you actually think you will be able to add in a simple contribution and keep all of your contribution work you have performed?? If you think this, I think you need to do some more research on the smarty system and the coding needed to implement this into osc.... I do hope other people who are starting out or have an operational shop look at it, find the full potential of it, and ask how to change their shop so they can use a template system, rather then waiting for someone to come up with a contribution that is just plug and play, I think you will be waiting a very long time for this indeed... Sorry if you feel I am a little irate in this message, but I have read so many messages where people want a system custom designed for their expectations and not for a more "global answer". OSC is a global answer to an e-commerce shop, and you have to perform changes to it to personalize it. My system is more complex then other contributions, and after a thinking on it, I decided to release the entire system apposed to just the instructions on how do make the system....if you want instructions on how to implement this, I am more then willing to post them via the forum, as well as help out.... cheers, Peter McGrath ----------------------------- See my Profile (click here) for more information and to contact me for professional osCommerce support that includes SEO development, custom development and security implementation
Guest Posted May 18, 2003 Posted May 18, 2003 Well if you are interested, which it sounds like you are not, since you most likely have an operational store fully modified and you would really have no need of a template system.....I am sure you would perfer to change all 30+ pages rather then just one.....if you are interested in changing your shop into this type of system, it would take about a day to perform.... Actually, I am quite interested in a working template system. We are opening up 30-60 stores all selling a sub-selection of a 35,000 product database. It is mandatory that each of these sites work of their own look and feel. It is very tiring to edit 50 files every time, I want to make a slight layout change. Don't you agree? I had signed up before on one of your sites and was never able to download. I always use a valid email address as well, it would be unprofessional to do otherwise. Also, the Loaded snapshot adds no new features that aren't available as separate contributions. It is a completely different scenario. I wouldn't use it though because some of the contributions that were chosen just add resources.
cannuck1964 Posted May 18, 2003 Posted May 18, 2003 It is very tiring to edit 50 files every time, I want to make a slight layout change. Don't you agree? this is one reason I made up the system as I did, another is so I could implement it with my mall system as well...My system does allow you to make up one layout page and use it throughout the site. if you want to start with a fresh MS1 or 2.2 snapshot and implement the template system I would be more then happy to help you out... Also, the Loaded snapshot adds no new features that aren't available as separate contributions. It is a completely different scenario. I wouldn't use it though because some of the contributions that were chosen just add resources. Well this is true, but then I have made the site text editor system available as a contribution, the template system is much more involved so I did not do so, I am not sure which contributions you are referring to that add additonal resourses (added load???) to the system. The contributions I added are very simple ones to add in. I had signed up before on one of your sites and was never able to download. I always use a valid email address as well, it would be unprofessional to do otherwise. I have had people having problems finding the download link, but this is due to the fact that I really have not put any real work into making it more user friendly, I just added in the downloader contribution, hoping this would be what I wanted, but in the future I will be looking at this issue, since you are not the first to say that the download link is hard to find.... Peter McGrath ----------------------------- See my Profile (click here) for more information and to contact me for professional osCommerce support that includes SEO development, custom development and security implementation
Hunkah Posted May 21, 2003 Posted May 21, 2003 There is nore info to this topic here: http://www.oscommerce.com/forums/viewtopic.php...mplates&start=0
Guest Posted May 24, 2003 Posted May 24, 2003 I think you should give Peter's system a test drive. It does have a bit of a learning curve if you are not familiar with it but some time spent exploring can take care of that,. The biggest rub for me is that I am somewhat accustomed to the OSC structure so my insticts always have me going to the coded files when I can actually do the changes right in admin. From what I see Peter is going in the direction that this project proposed to go as far as making things more modular. Right now I am away from home with none of the usual prop software like Dreamweaver so I have to do my html from hardcoding which I hate - once Peter is done my life will be much easier when I work with some of these Luddites out there.
Guest Posted June 9, 2003 Posted June 9, 2003 Cannuck1964, I've been to the site, and I cannot find the actual download of your system, I can add it to cart, and see the download dropdown, however it is nowhere to be found. I am currently testing/building a store under the osCommerce 2.2 Milestone 1 release and am looking for something that is easy to integrate the functionality into an already functional design. Does anyone know of a better way? I don't need a lot of sidebar stuff like review or languages, and the Categories are to be taken care of using my own methods, the shopping cart info will not be needed as it is currently, I will find another spot for it as the content/cart area is to be thin (480px) sort of a similar layout to http://www.americangirlstore.com/pls/ag/AG...mb?catid=375889
cannuck1964 Posted June 9, 2003 Posted June 9, 2003 Cannuck1964, I've been to the site, and I cannot find the actual download of your system, I can add it to cart, and see the download dropdown, however it is nowhere to be found. To download the system go to the site www.hosting-osc.com purchase the template system pay by cheque, or IPN if you wish to donate.... if you pay by IPN then you are automatically given the download status if you pay by cheque I will update the status of the order from pending to download you will recieve an email telling you of the status change click on the link containred the email login to the main site at www.hosting-osc.com/login.php go to the purchased order history from there you can click on the orders purchased link you will see the order info and a download box click on the link in the download box to start downloading the software A newer download feature in the near future will enable an easier download, but I am in the process of adding in the functionality of multi-languages again to the system. This additionaly functionality will be added to the site text editor, the dynamic web site and article pages tool found in the Admin. Look for this about a week after MS2 is released. Peter McGrath ----------------------------- See my Profile (click here) for more information and to contact me for professional osCommerce support that includes SEO development, custom development and security implementation
Guest Posted June 9, 2003 Posted June 9, 2003 I get a: Link expires: Tuesday 07 December, 1999 And no download link, tried both ways to get the file, to no avail, why don't you have just a spot to download it from your page?
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