Remove BTS from MS2-MAX???

[cxm322]

Hi,

I have to say. I reallylike MS2-MAX, but I relaly do not like the basic Template System Mod. It has it's diasadvantages. Mainly, I am looking to just remove BTS from MAX and keep everything else as is.

My thoughts were to jsut reverse the installation instructions for the BTS mod but I want to make sure this will work. I am not sure if doing this will interfere with other mods that are included with MAX.

Can anyone post the best way to do this or if reversing the BST install instructions will work OK?

Thanks.

[Anonymous]

that would be a huge job, because you would need to modify every single page! and convert it back to the old system... it would be easier to start with a clean istall of MS2 and install the mods you do want!!

thats my opinion.

Regards Chunks

[cxm322]

Well, that is what I am trying to figure out. I just looked at the installation instructions for BTS and it is very simple to install.

I just installed an OSC MS2 store on my domain. WHat I intend to do is delete the folders and their files that are unique to BTS and then replace all the other files that were mosified for the BTS with the default OSC MS2 files. However, I have no idea if

a) there are more files that need to be modified like the files for the affiliate modules and such and
b) if the files that were modified for the BTS module were also modified for other mods. If this is the case, simply replacing the files moded for BTS with default OSC files will not work as it would mess up other modules.

But this is all speculation. the only people who can answer this question are those who were involved in installing all the mods for MS2-MAX.

SO I really hope to get a definite "yes" or "no" to the question...

If I just reverse the BTS install, will my store and all other mods work correctly???

[cxm322]

OK. Here is the skinny. I actually went ahead and decided to give it all a go.

So I installed MAX to /shop directory and regular OSC MS2 to /store.

Next, I went to the installation faq for BTS and I found that the when installing BTS you have to insert

  define('DIR_WS_TEMPLATES', 'templates/');
  define('DIR_WS_CONTENT', DIR_WS_TEMPLATES . 'content/');
  define('DIR_WS_JAVASCRIPT', DIR_WS_INCLUDES . 'javascript/');

into to catalog(in this case shop)/includes/configure.php.

So I just removed that code.

THen, since you have to create the following directories when installing BTS...

- catalog/includes/javascript
- catalog/templates
- catalog/templates/content

I removed those asl well.

The only other step when installing BTS is to upload all the files into the /catalog and /catalog/includes and /catalog/includes/boxes directories.

So what I did, was I copied all of these files that must be included in the above directories from my /store diectory (which contains my OSC MS@ store, remember?) to my hard drive.

I then uploaded and overwrote these files to my /shop store (the one with MAX installed).

The end result was that I was getting errors that my affiliate.php, whats_new.php, and tell_a_friend.php files were referring to the BTS system so I went in and deleted the "require" lines that referred to the template.

I then went back to my store and everything works great...

EXCEPT

-The "affiliate info" box does not show at all in the left column.
-The "what's new" box does not show at all in the left column.
-Also, the "Gift Voucher FAQ" and "Printable Catalog" links do not appear in the "Information box" in the left column.

So...

when I go (for instance) to www.mydomain.com/shop/affiliate_info.php, I get the following errors...

Warning: main(DIR_WS_TEMPLATESTEMPLATENAME_MAIN_PAGE): failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /hsphere/local/home/myusername/mydomain.com/shop/affiliate_info.php on line 24

Fatal error: main(): Failed opening required 'DIR_WS_TEMPLATESTEMPLATENAME_MAIN_PAGE' (include_path='.:/usr/local/lib/php') in /hsphere/local/home/myusername/mydomain.com/shop/affiliate_info.php on line 24

SO of course, I get these same errors when I try to access my /shop/gv_faq.php and my /shop/catalog_products_with_images.php files (whith the error reflecting the respective files of course, but other than that, the error is exactly the same).

I do not get an error when I go to my /shop/products_new.php file even though the "what's new box is not showing.

THe funny thing is, I decided to go to the installation file for the Affiliate mode and I checked to see if anything might have been deleted when I mosified the store ad there is nothing missing. THat is to say that the affiliate mod is infact installed in my store. SO I am guessing that this is the case with the gift voucher mod as well.

I have come to a roadblock at this point. I can no longer figure out what to do next. It seems that I am just a hair away from having the BTS system completely removed and everything else in tact but I have no clue on what I need to do to make everything work correctly.

Please, andyone with any more knowledge than me, please respond with any possible solution.

I feel at this point that I am the only one interested and I am basically talking to myself [/code]

[michael_s]

cxm322, I cannot for the life of me figure out why you would want to remove BTS. It is very much superior to a stock installation, and much easier to use.

Basically, BTS is fully integrated into the code, and many mods are integrated into the template files. If you remove them, you essentially break all the mods in max. In fact, the affiliate mod is not intact, since all the files have been separated into templates and mainfiles. Plus much of the affiliate code was placed in other templates...It just becomes a big nasty mess.

I highly suggest sticking with BTS. You get all the mods, and a very easy, flexible and powerful template structure with which you can easisly change the entire look of the site by editing 2 files instead of the standard 40 or so...

I agree with the above post, if you dont want to use BTS, don't use max. Use a stock MS2.

All the mods that are installed in max have been modified to work with BTS, and there is no way to make them work without BTS, unless you recode everything from scratch.

[jpf]

Hi,

I have to say. I reallylike MS2-MAX, but I relaly do not like the basic Template System Mod. It has it's diasadvantages. Mainly, I am looking to just remove BTS from MAX and keep everything else as is.

What disavantages? It removes MOST of the HTML from the PHP code. That way you can acutally edit the HTML (template files) in Frontpage or Dreamweaver or any HTML editor you want. If You don't want to use the BTS - then just use the CSS to customize your shop.

If you don't like MAX then install the orginal MS2 release and add just what you want manually - it would be much faster than removing BTS.

BTW - a version of (or based on) BTS is to be included with MS3 or MS4 as there "template" system!!!

[Anonymous]

My problem with the BTS is that I don't know which two files to customise. In the readme file that comes with the mod, all I see is an example of how to alter the boxes, one at a time. It appears to me that you have to change each box individually, that is too time consumming if you ask me.

Is there any way that you can come out with a MAX version with the STS instead of the BTS. It would be really cool if we could choose between BTS and STS!

[michael_s]

Guest, you are way off.

1 file for entire layout: main_page.tpl.php

1 file to change all boxes : box.tpl.php

1 file to change all colors and styles : stylesheet.css

Your problem with BTS is only that you don't know how to use it. Once you learn (which I have just taught you in 3 lines .. ) it is really easy...

The old NON-BTS system made you edit each individual box, and each individual file (over 40 files). Now, I am not a math whiz, but 40 or 3? Which is better?

[paulM]

In the readme file that comes with the mod, all I see is an example of how to alter the boxes, one at a time. It appears to me that you have to change each box individually

Which BTS version are you talking about? There might be a problem with the documentation. You can create separate templates to make different infoboxes, but you certainly don't have to!

[Anonymous]

Which BTS version are you talking about? There might be a problem with the documentation. You can create separate templates to make different infoboxes, but you certainly don't have to!

I have the BTS 1.0, is there a way to upgrade to a newer version?