Getting OSCommerce Template design

[menk]

Hi all,
I just got my oscommerce installed but i've no experience nor idea to change the page layout,upload my image, etc2...

so, i am very much keen to get oscommerce templates but not sure how it works...

once i purchase the template, will it be easier to modify/update compares to default oscommerce pages? how do i make the changes? any limits on modifying the pages / adding pages?

tks for any advice...
totally novice here...

[michael_s]

The osCommerce templates are usually a full installation that you would install just like the standard version. If you have already installed osCommerce, but not made any changes yet, you should just be able to upload the entire template directly over your site (except for the configure.php files - make sure you do not upload the ones in the template if they are present).

That is usually all there is to it with the osCommerce templates, but some may require other methods. The good thing is that each template comes with full instructions and excellent support to help you get it installed.

[menk]

Tks Michael, it helps to get your advice about the template.

Once I install the template, would I be able to change the colours or fonts selection?

Is there any recommended oscommerce manual book that you would recommend for beginners?

Tks again,
Mich

[jpf]

Dive into CSS - Cascading style sheet

The main file is in your template directory call stylesheet.css (and other with .css

See online and printed references at W2C:

Learning CSS


This ONE file can change nearly all fonts, colors, spacing, background images on your whole site (anything that is not hard coded in the HTML code - and even you can change that too.)

Then change all your button and graphics to match.

These TWO steps can totally change the look of your site.(but not necessarily the layout of it).


With CSS you can even remove all the hard coded (and dreaded) tables.

[menk]

Tks a lot!!!

It just makes sense now...

Appreciate all the advices...

[menk]

Hi Guys,

If I am going to install my template, would I be able to use same SQL database or it will be considered as new one?

Coz, the hosting company mentioned that my 'free' SQL database has been used for oscommerce shopping cart, therefore, I need to have new SQL database.

Hope you guys can help me again..
Tks,

[jpf]

Hu? Like delete/overwrite/re-use the one you got. You COULD put multiple programs sharing ONE database, osCMax alow you to "rename" the table names if need be. But not needed here as osCMax uses the same tables as osCommerce (and then some).

On the second hand - They only allow ONE "free" mySQL database? How limited is your host? Consider moving - there is lost of hosts out there for about $100/year or less that has very generous packages.

[menk]

yap, u r right, jef...
the hosting company just replied again to me saying 'of course, i would be able to use existing database' for the template...not a satisfactory service there..would definitely move to other hosting once my contract ends..
tks!!

[Timu]

Any OSCommerce template tutorial recommendation ?




Thanks..
Timu
Web design and programing

[MindTwist]

You should probably be looking somewhere else (oscommerce.com forums maybe...?)

These are OSCMAX forums, which is a heavily modified OSCOMMERCE installation. One of the things OSCMAX has over plain OSC is the template system, which in OSC is pretty much lacking.

I have a totally customized template on my store I have done myself, but anything I could tell you about how I did it would be of little use to you if you want to know about (plain) OSC templates.