Working with Templates

The FinestShops shopping software has built-in development environment which allows you to access and modify templates in your store easily. Because the FinestShops store engine is very flexible and extremely configurable, you can change the look of your site completely. But be careful! The powerful flexibility requires basic HTML, CSS and Smarty PHP template engine knowledge and experience. When you are working with templates it is useful to enable Debugging console: General settings > General options. For easier startup see main templates /customer/home.tpl, /admin/home.tpl and /provider/home.tpl the templates which include all other templates.

To create a new file:

1. Click Edit templates on the Administration menu and the Browse templates form appears.
   • If you want to create a file in a sub-directory, click the directory name, in which you want to create a file.
2. Enter the name of the file you want to create in the text box next to the New file button..
3. Click New file and a new empty file will be created.

Picture 1. Browse template form

To create a new directory:

1. Click Edit templates on the Administration menu, and the Browse templates form appears.
   • If you want to create a new directory in a sub-directory, click the directory name, for which you want to create a new sub-directory.
2. Enter the name of the directory you want to create in the text box next to the New Dir button.
3. Click New Dir and a new directory will be created.

To create a copy of a file:

1. Select the file on the Browse template form.
2. Enter the location and the name of the copy you want to create for example "main/homebackup.tpl".
3. Click Copy to.

To delete file or directory:

1. Select the file on the Browse template form.
2. Click Delete and the confirmation window opens.
3. Click OK to confirm, or
   Click Cancel to cancel deleting.

Note: When you delete a directory all the files and sub-directories under that directory will be deleted.

To upload a file from the local computer:

1. Click Browse on the browse template form, the Select file window appears.
2. Locate the file and click Open.
3. Click Upload.

Note: If the file with the same name already exists in the selected directory, you have to delete the existing file first, and then upload a new one.

To edit a template:

If you want to edit templates successfully, you should possess basic knowledge and experience in HTML, CSS and Smarty PHP template engine. If you have any problems while editing a template, click the Restore file button to restore the original file.  

1. Click Edit templates on the Administration menu and the Browse templates form appears.
   • If you want to edit a template in a sub-directory, click the directory name to open the appropriate form where the template you want to edit is located.
2. Click the file name and the Edit file form opens.

Picture 2. Edit file form

3. Edit the file.
4. Do one of the following:
   • Click Save to save the changes.
   • Click Cancel to cancel editing the file.
   • Click Preview to see the file preview.

Warning: The preview of some file may display incomplete template due to the lack of real-time data.

• Click Restore file to restore the original template, all the changes made in the template will be lost.

To restore all files:

1. Click Edit templates on the Administration menu and the Browse templates form appears.
2. Click Restore all and all the templates will be restored by default.

Picture 3: Browse template form part II

Warning: There is no confirmation message; all the templates will be restored right away.

To compile templates to use only one language:

If you do not need multilingual support for your store, you can compile templates to use only one selected language. In this case all language variables will be replaced with its values. Compilation of templates simplifies the process of editing templates.

1. Click Edit templates on the Administration menu, and the Browse templates form appears.

2. Select the language for which you want to compile templates from the drop down list.

3. Click Compile templates.

Warning: If you compile templates to use only one language all text messages will be editable from the template editor directly, but you will not be able to edit the text messages using the Languages menu any more.

Note: Compilation process can take several minutes. If you want to restore the original templates, click Restore all.

Related topics:

HTML Basics

CSS Basics

Smarty Template Engine

Tutorial 1 : Store Design