• Registered: 25-02-2007
  • Posts: 9

Topic: UK template Zen Cart v 1.3.7

Hello Kevin and all contributors

Firstly thank you for taking the care to produce a Zen Cart UK template for us all in the first place.

This is my first posting Kevin and can I ask for your kind detailed help please. I am an absolute beginner who is trying to learn all he can for education purposes at home on his own computer.  In the last few days I have downloaded and installed Apache 2.2.4 Win32, PHP, MySQL and Zen Cart 1.3.7.
All installed and are working OK.

I was recommended to come to your site from a guy called Brent who very kindly responded to a question I asked at the Zen Cart Forum.  Can I please ask you to have a quick look at my posting to save space here and you will see that I had a problem with Zones (despite all being said to have installed successfully).  The link is: http://www.zen-cart.com:80/forum/showthread.php?t=59243  In fact I could find no reference to United Kingdom anywhere within this program, many other countries yes, but not our own.

Now I have downloaded all your information for the current UK Template but as a complete beginner I am not going to "dabble" - but seek guidance.  I printed off the two readme files you include and read them through. But being honest, "modules" what are these!!  That is how raw recruit I am.  Installed before installation begins - I am confused.  I already have an installation on my "localhost" at home.

I realise these questions are really infantile, but I ask you to just bear with me as I begin to learn. Currently Kevin all the programs I have at present are working together, albeit I have to start gaining the knowledge to USE them. Have I got to un-install the current Zen Cart I have at the moment residing within my Apache directory set up and it does currently function correctly using the DEMO provided by Zen Cart.  What do I have to do at home to get the UK Template up and running.

Thank you so much for using your spare time to assist the likes of myself - I do appreciate it.  I have so much to learn and all help is so valuable to allow me to progress further.

David

  • From: Suffolk/Essex
  • Registered: 01-03-2006
  • Posts: 165

Re: UK template Zen Cart v 1.3.7

Hi David,

Welcome to the forum and welcome to Zen Cart.

The principle of the UK template is simple (if you understand the basics).  The fact you have managed to set up your own server is a MAJOR acheivement - so Well Done sir!

Installed before installation begins

What this means is that you upload the UK Template files just after you've uploaded the main ZC files - and BEFORE you start the main ZC install process.

The Zen cart development team built in the functionality to include other contributions or modules at the time you install zen-cart.

As you found out, with the basic install you are given the choice of USA options and states when you come to set up your store.  By installing ZC WITH the UK Template you will then have the additional options of UK counties to select.

Short of 'playing' and 'learning' how to 'hack' the UK Template to fit your existing store, as you are at the beginning it may be easier for you to re-install from scratch.  That way I know it will work.

If you need more help or get stuck feel free to ask here.

... and don't worry about my space -  I've got a few spare servers to fill smile

Good luck

Kev

kevinpolley's Website

  • Registered: 25-02-2007
  • Posts: 9

Re: UK template Zen Cart v 1.3.7

Thanks very much for such a speedy response Kevin and for explaining things. I do have a few points to raise if you don't mind.  I will list them as they seem to occur to me as problems in my brain!!

1. The fact that I am not "uploading" anything because it all resides on my computer - does this change the approach in any way?

2. Currently all files reside on my computer within the Apache sub-directory of "htdocs".  Initially when I went to install via "localhost" I just called up the index.php file. Subsequently I changed the install file name and the various configure files as was indicated I should do. So does this now mean I will have to remove ALL the Zen Cart folders and files that are present and retrace my steps back to the original download folders and files I had in the first place and put them back in the same folder ready for a fresh install please?

3. What I find puzzling Kevin, is because you have a zc_install folder, together with admin and includes, where would they go (if in the same htdocs folder referred to above).  Because then I would have more than one of those files present and I cannot follow that point.

4.  If I understand you correctly however, your modules have to be installed first and if so - is it a quite small and separate installation, done in EXACTLY the same manner as I worked before to install Zencart.  And, if so then where would all my original Zen Cart folders have to go whilst this is taking place so that they did not get in the way as I refer to it!  Basically I am getting confused because of the two zc_install files and the two admin and includes folders.

5. So currently I am needing to know please if I have to leave my current set-up as it is within the htdocs Apache sub-directory or just simply delete them all and start again. Then BEFORE I repeat what I did previously, I have to somehow install your downloaded files using the zc_install folder.  But that leads me to say where is the old "index.php" file that I used originally come in to start the installation.

Sorry about this Kevin, but having gone down the original road, that is all the reference points I have to return to.  When I have finally installed the UK Template OK I will have grasped it, but until then for my simple brain it is all "theory".  I am a sort of guy that learns from the "carrying it out" principle, with all its drawbacks!!  As you can see......  Thanks again.

David smile

  • pfm102
  • Junior Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 22-02-2007
  • Posts: 16

Re: UK template Zen Cart v 1.3.7

It sounds like you are using the WAMP distribution from http://www.devside.net/.  If you are, I would recommend reading about how to set up an apache virtual host for your zen cart local-environment.

Also, you might like to investigate source control.  I only mention that because you say you're a beginner, yet you've successfully set up a development environment that many professionals balk at - you might as well go the one step further.  Given that you're on Windows, all you would need is TortoiseSVN (a free subversion client), then to set up a local file://-based repository (two clicks, with TSVN) for your work.  Then, you can a) backup really easily, and b) not worry about making mistakes, because it'll maintain a history of your changes.

  • Registered: 25-02-2007
  • Posts: 9

Re: UK template Zen Cart v 1.3.7

Thanks  for that pfm102.

Sorry but I have never heard of http://www.devside.net/.

But where I did download from was:
http://www.mirrorservice.org/sites/ftp. … ies/win32/

Then I got PHP from another source I cannot at this moment recall properly. Finally I got the MySQL from a DVD contained with a 2007 book I have just purchased  covering PHP, MySQL and Apache.  So a bit of a "hotch potch" really I suppose!!

What I cannot follow really is this backup business.  Am I totally misunderstanding something.  I had thought that if I just copied the entire directory at any one moment in time and pasted that info to another independent medium or hard disk - that was my backup.  Or is it that I need a proper facility that does something more importantly or carefully as it does its work?

However I will try to follow your advice concerning -
TortoiseSVN (a free subversion client) - by the way what does that "free subversion client" mean please?

Thanks again for coming in and trying to help me.
David

  • pfm102
  • Junior Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 22-02-2007
  • Posts: 16

Re: UK template Zen Cart v 1.3.7

devside.net makes an all-in-one frictionless installer for Windows that sets you up with Apache, MySQL, PHP and a few other things.

Backups - Zen Cart (actually, any database-driven website) consists of the PHP files and the database; for a complete backup, you need to backup both things.  There's a howto on zen-cart.com's tutorials section for how to backup a database using phpMyAdmin (or you could use the MySQL GUI tools from mysql.net - MySQL Administrator, specifically).  To backup the PHP etc, you take a copy of the zen cart directory.

TortoiseSVN is a tool for interfacing with subversion source control repositories.  It's open-source and free, and comes with extensive (and user-friendly!) documentation both on the use of the tool, and the use of source control in general.

  • From: Suffolk/Essex
  • Registered: 01-03-2006
  • Posts: 165

Re: UK template Zen Cart v 1.3.7

daveuk wrote:

1. The fact that I am not "uploading" anything because it all resides on my computer - does this change the approach in any way?

Not really - in this instance it would be better to say 'copy the files too' - I hope that makes sense?

So does this now mean I will have to remove ALL the Zen Cart folders and files that are present and retrace my steps back to the original download folders and files I had in the first place and put them back in the same folder ready for a fresh install please?

ONLY if you are going to reinstall ZEN CART so you can get the UK template installed as I planned it to be installed.  The fact you have managed to set up a test server tells me you are more than capable of just 'copying' the UK template folders to the respective locations, run the sql file and then 'fix' the errors that will crop up.

3. What I find puzzling Kevin, is because you have a zc_install folder, together with admin and includes, where would they go (if in the same htdocs folder referred to above).  Because then I would have more than one of those files present and I cannot follow that point.

What should happen is that when you copy the UK template files to your web location it will overwrite a few admin files and create new template folders in the main catalogue.

The zc_install folder in the UK template contains the sql file.  This you don't need to copy if you attempting to 'update' your site rather than 'install' - just run the sql file from the admin control panel.

4.  If I understand you correctly however, your modules have to be installed first and if so - is it a quite small and separate installation, done in EXACTLY the same manner as I worked before to install Zencart.  And, if so then where would all my original Zen Cart folders have to go whilst this is taking place so that they did not get in the way as I refer to it!  Basically I am getting confused because of the two zc_install files and the two admin and includes folders.

I can feel a video coming on here smile
You copy the Zen Cart files first and THEN copy the UK template files to the same location.  THEN run the ZC install routine.

There will not be two zc_install folders as you will be copying IN TO one install folder!

kevinpolley's Website

  • Registered: 25-02-2007
  • Posts: 9

Re: UK template Zen Cart v 1.3.7

kevinpolley wrote:

ONLY if you are going to reinstall ZEN CART so you can get the UK template installed as I planned it to be installed.  The fact you have managed to set up a test server tells me you are more than capable of just 'copying' the UK template folders to the respective locations, run the sql file and then 'fix' the errors that will crop up.

Kevin, thank you so much for all the care you put in to your response it is very much appreciated.  In addition your kind words concerning my capability and in a way I see where you are coming from.

But, I must mention that truthfully I was just very lucky indeed to get it all working and that was by much trial and error. I try to be honest when dealing with folk because this way you seem to get the answers in the end.  I am really not very clever, and as far as MySQL is concerned all I have done is install the program - I know nothing about coding as I am about to turn to page 1 of my learning book!!

When you say "just run the sql file from the admin control panel" - how would I do that please?  I know the admin control panel, and I could see the reference to SQL patches near the bottom of the list.  But when I got into that section - I was lost.....

However, I did manage to put files and folders it would appear in the right places for updates, because I successfully got the UK Template up and running from within the admin control panel and then running "index.php" at localhost.  Nevertheless when I went in to the admin control panel and zones - it still had that Alabama state written there!  I managed to find the  country of United Kingdom, but no England, Scotland etc. etc. and tax zones and classes - none of that for the UK.  There was no way I had any selections at the Alabama Edit section to alter ANYTHING.  It was there and was not going to be altered.

Also when running the new zc_install it showed the SQL file and all the detail and I had no idea where to proceed from there.

Is this because bottom line - I have not known how to "run" that SQL file?

Please help as I feel I am very near to getting there!!!  Thanks for your patience with me...

David

  • Registered: 25-02-2007
  • Posts: 9

Re: UK template Zen Cart v 1.3.7

Kevin

Just been back in to admin control panel and altered my Template choice just to experiment and used the one that is not Classic.  Whilst there I chose country again - United Kingdom, but UPDATED and with that all the other counties etc., zones were available.  I chose Humberside which is where I live, plus amended and updated Tax details etc and got the GREEN LIGHT.

So thanks for everything to date.  I feel I am getting somewhere now...

However, would be grateful for your assistance on how to "run" that SQL file from the admin control panel for my further eductation.

Kind regards.
David

  • From: Suffolk/Essex
  • Registered: 01-03-2006
  • Posts: 165

Re: UK template Zen Cart v 1.3.7

The ZC core team have made that easy for us smile

Tools > Install SQL patches >
use the 'browse' button to find the file you want to install.
click on 'upload' once you have located it.

That's pretty much it.

Kev

kevinpolley's Website

  • Registered: 25-02-2007
  • Posts: 9

Re: UK template Zen Cart v 1.3.7

Thanks. OK.  I think I did actually do that come to think of it.

But when I uploaded the file it had lots of coding in it and it was at that point I thought to myself - no idea what to do now and left it alone!!

I think I have got too used to just having it easy and double-clicking *.exe files.  Life is going to be not quite so easy for the time being with where I am going in my studies.

Kind regards.

David

  • From: Suffolk/Essex
  • Registered: 01-03-2006
  • Posts: 165

Re: UK template Zen Cart v 1.3.7

smile

kevinpolley's Website