Changing the scripts design.

[Guest y2_stunner]

I am a somewhat php programming novice and I cant understand why the design of cubecart os so difficult to modify. All the html is wrapped inside the php which makes the over all flexibility an industry standard no no. From every programmer I ever spoke to they always said make sure the html and php files are distintly seperate so that they can be easily modified without worrying about fumbling through code. I really want to use the cart get it licensed and all that but this editing the deign is an utter nightmare and a half. Ive never had this kind of problem with any script ive edited in the past so needless to say the frustration is setting in. Is there a special tactic needed toc hange the design?

All I need to know is the html parts not any xml, xhtml or nothing like that as those parts are meaningless when it comes to design. I just need to know where the actual design coding is stored at so I can get it modified. Now I am an old school html author but I do know css and advanced html etc.

Sorry, im really not meaning to sound like a jerk but im really annoyed with how this design system is set up. ;)

[Guest bennyuk]

Personally I love the way that the code is set out. It is straight forward and relatively easy to understand. It is also easy to customise and optimise. I would suggest a basic book on PHP should be enough to make everything clear.

What does everyone else think?

[Guest Razarap]

I think a Shopping cart or any php script should be easy to customize. Making the customer have to change codes inside the php files is a no no and a turn off.

The shopping cart should have a built-in html editor to make it painless to edit the page templates. In fact, most of the good shopping cart have it.

[Guest]

Hey y2_stunner if you want to see a good example of a templated cart design go no further than cc3 it's looking great.

Sorry Razarap, but I don't agree with you about html editors in carts. Sure have one for those who want/need it, but it gets in the way and leads to sloppy html in most cases and means the admin will load slower. If there's one in any cart I use I look for a way to turn it off.

[Guest y2_stunner]

Im not actually referring to an html editor inside the script. I dont think thats really necessary. But when I program I always make sure that my php files which contain html are completely seperate and distinctly labled for easy editing. This can be done with simple includes and the correct functions. Actually funtions are not even really necessary for it to work but it keeps the html which generates a design and the php code which executes the sites features seperate so there is no question about what to edit if you go to change the design.

I mean seriously, if anyone has a cart in use that is locked in to a default pattern then its obviously gonna fail. If you visit joshmoesgifts.com and when you get there see a cart with cube cart palstered all over it nobody will buy because they will think that they are at the wrong web site.

I did give up on trying to fumble through 24 pages of code just to modify a header so I am just taking existing images and re designing them using exact sizes etc and am just going to work it that way. Will save a ton of energy trying to figure out what echo block is suppose to call what design fragment plus with all the ifs ands or buts it makes it that much more of a hassle.

I know I could do the design if I had time to sit down and filter through all the pages of that code but for people that go for shopping cart solutions lets face it 80% know nothing about php or html so when a product is released it has to be user friendly across the board but that is just my view point. Obviously im still using the cart so its not that I have a negative opinion of the product but I do have a poor opinion on design flexability as it seems that the script is trying to play cloak and dagger in order to lock its logos and graphics or designin place and intentionally make it as hard as possible to work with.

I can point out dozens of scripts that have all script funtions and configurations based in a couple of php files while the entire design is based on just straight html pages written in php which helps alot.

Thanks for the input though guys

Brian

[Guest y2_stunner]

Just to add here real fast. How stable is cube cart 3 to actually use now? Was just curious. Im a technology coward since new technology never works right in past experiences so will be terified to ever upgrade but was still wondering if anyone is actually using it in a full web site enviorment yet.

[Guest jbdancer]

Just to add here real fast. How stable is cube cart 3 to actually use now?

Don't use it yet as a life store

[Guest twisted]

In fact, most of the good shopping cart have it.

Really???

Before settling with cubecart [based on the fact that it is the EASIIEST...by far, to modify] I tried, without a skerrick of exaggeration, over 40 different cart scripts.

ONE of them had an html editor for editing the templates....that is out of the 4 or 5 that USED templates.

[Guest Ian MacMillan]

CC3 is so much easier to change style than in CC2. Its CSS based, and can easily be changed in one spot with a style.css.

[Guest johnoconnor]

Ian MacMillan: Althought CC3 is much easier to change through the .css files if you try to modify the file /content/viewProd.css it is very hard to change where the product options go because if you change them into different tables the product options wont work ;)