Thread: template builder

Hi again, still trying to work out soholaunch, ha ha.

I have built a template in soho template builder but a message is appearing in red 'this template is not in format'. How can that be when I have built it in their template builder? I made sure the image was small etc, is there any way you can change the format?

Thanks in advance.

Jan

I'm getting the same error message ("This template does not seem to be in format."), however, not for a template I built in template builder, but for one I uploaded. Although I do think that the answer to my problem and the answer to Jan's problem will probably be in the same arena.

What I did was take an existing template (Corporate > Reflect Success) and first make copies of all the images that made up the page, then I modified them to suit my needs (which is basically just changing the top header), then I did a "View Source" and copied that code to create my required "index.html" file. I also navigated to the CSS file and copied that. The only thing I changed in the index.html file was the path to the images and CSS file, then I zipped them all and uploaded them via Tempalte Manager. My new template then shows up as one of the choices, but with the error message shown above. If I choose my template anyway, what then shows up on the site is all the elements of the header, footer, and left side navigation, but none of the content that I had already created in the content area. Even if I go into "Edit Pages" the content is still there, but it doesn't display on the site.
What I would like to know is: what specifically is it about my template that is not "in format"? It must have something to do with the main content area, but I can't determine what or how to change it so that it is "in format".
I hope it is something simple; since I get so far as having everything but the content area it seems like it should be.
Anyone have any ideas on how to fix this (or even to troubleshoot it)?
Thank you!

Could it be your CSS causing issues?

But if it's the same CSS that "Corporate > Reflect Success" was using, and my template is just a copy of that with the images modified, shouldn't it still work?

On the other hand, the tutorial says that a CSS is optional, and if you don't include a CSS it will use the default, runtime.css. Should I try uploading the .zip again, without any CSS included in it?

Web,

When I ummm.. borrowed one of their templates and modified it, I didnt do anything with the css or the html file. I installed the template closest to what I wanted, then went into my admin area, and I forget exactly where, but i downloaded the whole template folder. Then, I played with the template in dreamweaver and fireworks until i got what i wanted, renamed the template folder, to their format. Then made a zip file, and then went to sohoadmin, template builder, and uploaded the custom template there, and it installed it, and then I picked it right out of their lists, and had no issues.

Dont know if this helps, but thats how i did it.

Karen

OH>.. I forgot, I imported the whole folder as a site into dreamweaver as the modification files are php extensions, maybe thats an important clue!

Karen

Hi!
I'd like to know how can I download free templates for my Site. When I click the "Templates" button at the bottom of the site windows, the link doesn't work as shown in the tutorial...

Originally Posted by Zeper

Hi!
I'd like to know how can I download free templates for my Site. When I click the "Templates" button at the bottom of the site windows, the link doesn't work as shown in the tutorial...

clcik the below....

http://www.vodahost.com/library.htm

Thanks for the reply Karen Mac. I did what you suggested, sort of.
I found where the templates are located --
\www\sohoadmin\program\modules\site_templates\page s\
--and then I found the directory that had the template I was trying to modify-- CORPORATE-Reflect_Success-none -- and I downloaded the whole directory, then made a copy of it to work with. I renamed the folder CORPORATE-Reflect_Success-jz (the "jz" being for Jason Zapatka, the singer-songwriter who is my client in this project). Since all I wanted to change was the header, to add a small picture of Jason and change the long image from skys****er windows to guitar frets, I just reworked those elements (made up of three images) in Fireworks, and exported them with the same file names as the original, into the copy of the folder. Then I FTP'd the whole thing back to \www\sohoadmin\program\modules\site_templates\page s\ as a new directory, and it showed up as a choice in Template Manager and works just fine. (Note: to avoid confusion, it helps to also make a thumbnail image to replace "screenshot.jpg" -- helps you confirm you're on the right template, even though it will work without it).
If you want to see the result, look at CORPORATE-Reflect_Success in your templates, and then compare it to http://www.jasonzapatka.com/.
Thanks for your help Karen Mac -- finding that templates directory and working in there was the answer!

Web

You are most welcome. I remember fiddling with that for about a week before I figured it out totally! I found by doing it this way, I didnt have to tweak any of the other includes and drive myself even more senseless... So glad to have helped!

Karen

Anyone have an answer as to why I can not change a template?

I have been working on changing the template area of the Martech Inc website, which is presently offline until the entire site is revamped.

My issue can be seen below.

About Us Off Menu (Site Base Template) CORPORATE-A_Curvacious_Mark-Blue_Gray Delete


Home Page (Site Base Template) CORPORATE-A_Curvacious_Mark-Blue_Gray N/A


Privacy Policy (Site Base Template) CORPORATE-A_Curvacious_Mark-Blue_Gray Delete


As seen above the Home Page is unable to be deleted ( N/A )

I want to simply use the sohoadmin area to create pages with out any of the templates. I want to use the file upload to edit pages and put a different page header on each new page.

But when I try this the Home Page (site Base Template ) CORPORATE-A_Curvacious_Mark-Blue_Gray continually shows up with my header file ...

Mind is not see any way to use the edit pages without using a template?

Can anyone help?

Ram_Industries
Martech Inc

Ram,

Soho is template driven and to do what you want will require the creation of static pages and changing the includes file and customizing your category pages to point to the static pages instead of they dynamic ones. And you'd have to do the same for pages you created that arent necessarily in your shopping categories. I havent customized soho in that manner so I wouldnt feel qualified offering to help you in that respect. I dont mind messing up my stores, but I wouldnt want to be responsible for yours. You might check if there are any gurus on soho that will do that for you.


http://forum.soholaunch.com/

Karen

OOPs as a side note I forgot to add, that you probably wont be able to do that INSIDE the cart pages because they would have to customize your administration area for the cart to point to the creation of static pages, but on the front end, you could use that "Add an External Link" and the navigation would automatically point to those "statically created pages" without much trouble at all, if you are fluent enough in html to change the navigation coding etc to make the templates work outside of the soho builder itself.

As an example you can go look at:

www.grannyscountrynook.com/links/MyLinkDirectory.html

Those pages are all built outside of the soho template manager.

Karen Mac