How to Install an Zen Cart Template

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HOW TO INSTALL A ZENCART TEMPLATE
Complete Instructions for Installing a ZenCart Template

Zen Cart is built on the framework of OSCommerce with some important differences. Using Zen Cart you can simply upload a theme instead of installing the full system each time you change the template, so you will need to have Zen Cart system already installed on your website, as well as your ThemeStock.com template readily available, when following the below instructions.

Step 1 in Installing a ZenCart Template:

The file that you have downloaded from ThemeStock.com will have a file name similar to:
TS-ZenCart-TemplateName.zip

Locate the folder on your hard drive where that template was downloaded to, and extract the zip file with WinZip or another similar extraction program. Extracting the file is typically as simple as right-clicking the file and clicking on "extract to here" as illustrated below:




After you have successfully extracted your files you will have a folder name similar to TS-ZenCart-TemplateName which will contain 3 subfolders named PSD, HTML, and ZenCartTemplate as pictured below:





Step 2 in Installing a ZenCart Template:

Next you will need to load your FTP client. A FTP client is used to transfer files from your computer to your website hosting space. If you do not have a FTP client, some popular choices include:

AceFTP Freeware
WS_FTP
FileZilla

After your FTP software is downloaded and installed, you will need to contact your website host for specific details on how to connect to your website space.

Once you have connected to your website space, you will need to FTP to your website and upload the files from your extracted Zen Cart template. In the left window pane, you will need browse to the location where the template was downloaded, which again, will have an extracted folder name similar to:

TS-ZenCart-TemplateName

You will then enter a directory further to:

TS-ZenCart-TemplateName\ZenCartTemplate\

Once you have entered into the above directory on your hard drive, it is time to transfer your Zen Cart template files to your server. You will need to transfer 3 directories to your server:

First you will need to upload the template folder with a name similar to TS-TemplateName to your templates directory. The default locataion of the templates directory will be in includes/templates within your Zen Cart program.

This is done by selecting the TS-TemplateName folder that is stored within the "ZenCartTemplate" directory on your hard drive and dragging it to the right hand window pane to transfer it to your server.

After the template has been uploaded to your "includes/templates" directory of Zen Cart, it will appear on both the left and right window panes of your FTP client:

Next, within the same directory, you will need to upload the template_default folder from your ZenCartTemplate directory to the includes/templates directory on your server. The template_default folder contains special styled buttons for your template and will overwrite the original default zencart buttons.

Lastly, you may need to upload the contents of the languages/english folder to your FTP as well. This is needed make minor formatting corrections to your Zen Cart system so that it is seemless with your new template. The languages/english directory should be uploaded directly over top of the existing /includes/languages/english folder on your server.

Note: The above screen shot is of the FileZilla FTP program. The appearance and features of your own FTP program may be different.

Step 3 in Installing a ZenCartTemplate:


Now that your Zen Cart Theme, template_default buttons, and your languages/english folders have been uploaded, it is time to log into your Zen Cart administration area and activate the template. The URL of your Zen Cart admin will tpyically be similar to:
http://yoursite.com/ZenCart/admin/login.php

Your Zen Cart administration page will appear similar to the below:


Step 4 in Installing a ZenCart Template:

When you have completed your login, you will be taken to the main page of the Zen Cart administration area. On the right hand column of this page, place your mouse on the link in the top navigation named "Tools", and then click on "Template Selection" as shown below:

Step 5 in Installing a ZenCart Template:

You will then be taken to a Template Selection page. On the right hand side of the page will be an edit button. Click the edit button to enable the template field.

Step 6 in Installing a ZenCart Template:

Upon pressing the edit button you will have enabled the change template directory field.

Click on the drop down arrow and select the name of the template that you uploaded in Step 2 of this tutorial and then click the "update" button to save your changes.


Step 7 in Installing a ZenCart Template:

Congratulations, your installiation has been completed! Return to the main page of your Zen Cart to review your new template!