beginner help please?

[loverboy260]

ok i am having a few problems if someone can help me?

 

i cannot see anywhere when i modify my shop, the options to:

-have returns policy etc

-change the front page

-it says on the main page when u log in to your shop as an admin, that it doesnt use SSL!! how do i enable that?

 

ALSO as a beginner, can someone help me brush up my shop please by viewing the site and suggesting some improvement tips??

 

www.almost-everything.co.uk/shop

 

thanks

[Guest]

well, it's suggested for you to follow the installation instructions provided on the installation instruction manual, just follow the following link, it has the answers to all of your questions.

 

http://wiki.oscommerce.com/docsinstallnew

[Jack_mcs]

ok i am having a few problems if someone can help me?

 

i cannot see anywhere when i modify my shop, the options to:

-have returns policy etc

-change the front page

-it says on the main page when u log in to your shop as an admin, that it doesnt use SSL!! how do i enable that?

 

ALSO as a beginner, can someone help me brush up my shop please by viewing the site and suggesting some improvement tips??

 

www.almost-everything.co.uk/shop

 

thanks

For your returns policy, you need to edit the file includes/languages/english/conditions.php. You will see where it tells you to enter your text. Add whatever you want, upload the file to your server (or save it if your editor allows saving via ftp) and refresh your browser. Some poeple like to have a separate page for returns. If you want to do this (it isn't hard) see wiki for directions or download the contribution that does this.

 

By "change the front page" I'm guessing you mean the text. Take a look at the includes/languages/english/index.php file. Search for define('TEXT_MAIN', and you will see the text displayed on your main page. Just edit that text and upload it to see the difference. Be sure you don't remove the two apostrophes surrounding the text.

 

To use SSL you have to purchase a certificate or use your servers, if they provide for it. Once you have that, you just change your admin/includes/configure.php and includes/configure.php files to show the path for the ssl.

 

The last one is the hardest since it is a design question and everyone has different opinions on what a good shop looks like. Take a look at other OSC sites, there's a long list of them HERE. If you see something you like, ask on the forums how to do it or ask the shop owner.

 

HTH,

Jack

[loverboy260]

ok thanks. did all of you buy this software or was it given with a web hosting? for me it was later one. reason i ask is because you want me to change/edit the files. willl these files be on the website where my shop is?

thanks 4 helping so far

[detsouvalas]

did all of you buy this software or was it given with a web hosting?

 

Anyone interested can download osCommerce from the downloads section! As stated in the first page of the support site osCommerce is open source.

 

because you want me to change/edit the files. willl these files be on the website where my shop is?

 

Yes! :blink:

[Jack_mcs]

ok thanks. did all of you buy this software or was it given with a web hosting? for me it was later one. reason i ask is because you want me to change/edit the files. willl these files be on the website where my shop is?

The OSC package is free although I have seen some hosts that charge extra for it. If you want any changes made to your shop, you will have to do it via changing files. This is no different than if you used a package like FrontPage to create your shop. You would edit the files and upload them. You just have to do it in a less automatic way. If you ftp to your web site, you will be able to see all of your files. The address for ftp'ing is differernt than your normal url so you may need to ask your host for help in how to do it. You will need a program to copy the files from your host to your computer so that you can edit them. There are many free ones available - SmartFTP being one of the best IMO, although I don't use it.

 

Jack

[loverboy260]

Thanks for helping me so far!

damn! i bought this webhosting package SPECIFICALLY because it contained the SHOP!! :(

[loverboy260]

Thanks just managed to edit the default text!!

 

DO you think i need to learn php etc to make my shop better/"original"?

[detsouvalas]

DO you think i need to learn php etc to make my shop better/"original"?

 

Oh yes, absolutely!!

[Jack_mcs]

Thanks just managed to edit the default text!!

 

DO you think i need to learn php etc to make my shop better/"original"?

Knowing php would make things easier but it is in no way required. Almost all of the changes you will want to make will not require you to know php. You will need to know a few things so that you don't break your shop. For example, you will see something like define('SOME_TEXT', 'This is some text'); If you want to change this so it displays something else, you only change the part between the apostrophes'. So it would be something like define('SOME_TEXT', 'This is some more text'); IOW, as long as you do not remove any of the required php items like ' and ); you can change it all you want. Same with editing the look of your site. Much can be changed from the stylesheet.css file - which isn't php code. And if you want to add or change the physical layout, you will find that the code consists of a bunch of html tables that have php code interspersed. So, again, you can move the tables around all you want as long as you do not delete the required php code or break the flow of the included code.

 

You will quickly pick up the little bit of knowledge about php you need to make changes. Don't be afraid to ask if you get stuck.

 

Jack