How To: have different right and left column widths

**Kristine** · 03-25-2004, 08:30 AM

I just figured this out and thought I would share incase anyone else is trying to do this. I found the directions at osc.com but soon realized I didn't have a catalog/default.php a file that was needed to make the changes. Then it dawned on me that it might be because with MAX you've got the BTS.
So I just have to use the main_page.tpl instead. Here's how it works

1. Open catalog/includes/application_top.php
2. Find the line (around line 47) that reads

Code:

// customization for the design layout
 define&#40;'BOX_WIDTH', 145&#41;; // how wide the boxes should be in pixels &#40;default&#58; 125&#41;

3. after this, add the following lines ....

Code:

// customization for the design layout left column
 define&#40;'BOX_WIDTH_LEFT', 165&#41;; // how wide the boxes should be in pixels &#40;default&#58; 125&#41;
 
// customization for the design layout right column
 define&#40;'BOX_WIDTH_RIGHT', 125&#41;; // how wide the boxes should be in pixels &#40;default&#58; 125&#41;

6. (set your own width preferences (I have used 165 pixels for the left column and 125 pixels for the right) Save file
7. Now open the second file to edit: catalog/templates/main_page.tpl
you will need to change 2 lines.
8. Find the first line to change that reads

Code:

&lt;td width="&lt;?php echo BOX_WIDTH; ?>" valign="top">&lt;table border="0" width="&lt;?php echo BOX_WIDTH; ?>" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2">

9. REPLACE this line, with the following line ....

Code:

&lt;td width="&lt;?php echo BOX_WIDTH_LEFT; ?>" valign="top">&lt;table border="0" width="&lt;?php echo BOX_WIDTH_LEFT; ?>" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2">

10. Find the second line to change that reads

Code:

&lt;td width="&lt;?php echo BOX_WIDTH; ?>" valign="top">&lt;table border="0" width="&lt;?php echo BOX_WIDTH; ?>" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2">

11.REPLACE this line with the following line....

Code:

&lt;td width="&lt;?php echo BOX_WIDTH_RIGHT; ?>" valign="top">&lt;table border="0" width="&lt;?php echo BOX_WIDTH_RIGHT; ?>" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2">

5. save the file and upload your 2 changed files to your active installation.

**cameroti** · 08-03-2005, 10:53 PM

Hi,

Great tip. If you wanted to keep the box width changes confined to the template, ie allow you to switch box widths depending on the template you are in, simply insert the define box width left / right into main_page.tpl rather than includes/application_top.tpl

Thanks for getting me started on this Kristine.

Cheers
Tim