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osCommerce 2.3 Template Installation

Step 0. Back everything up

The osCommerce 2.3 templates themselves do not require you to over-write any files, but prior to ever modifying your osCommerce installation (or anything else for that matter), always back up everything on the server and in the database! Again, back everything up!

Step 1. Install osCommerce

Before you install a free template, you need to first install osCommerce (version 2.3). If you're running an osCommerce 3 shop (the newer version), you need to either downgrade or consider downloading one of the many version 3 osCommerce templates available here.

For osCommerce installation instructions, go here.

Step 2. Download and unzip your template

Once you've got an osCommerce shop up and running, download and unzip your osCommerce 2.3 template.

Step 3. Upload your template to your server

Via FTP, upload everything in the 'upload' folder to the same directory as your store.

Template files:

The upload folder contains the following (### = template number):

includes/template_top.php
includes/template_bottom.php
includes/languages/english/images/buttons/button_quick_find_freeoscommerce_###.gif
freeoscommerce_###/stylesheet.css
freeoscommerce_###/images/ (template image files)

Important note: The template_top.php and template_bottom.php files in your osCommerce installation's 'includes' folder will be overwritten.  You may want to back these up before installing your template.

Step 4. Set up your footer and header menu links

Your osCommerce version 2.3 template is configured with menu links (or room for a brief description of the site or anything else you want to put there) at the top of the page, and a footer at the bottom of the page for links, copyright information and/or anything else.

To modify the menu links, you'll need to open includes/template_top.php:

You will find a section that looks like the following (where the Links have actual html and/or php code):

<div id="top_menu_links">
<span>Link 1</span>
<span>Link 2</span>
<span>Link 3</span>
<span>Link 4</span>
</div>

To modify the footer, you'll want to modify includes/footer.php, or modify the footer directly in includes/template_bottom.php.

Step 5. Input your logo (if desired)

If you want to put your logo in place of the website name, you'll want to open includes/template_top.php and/or includes/template_buttom.php and locate <div id="website_name"></div>.  Simply place code to display your store's logo in place of the php that displays the store's website name.  If you need to tweak positioning, edit the corresponding code in the stylesheet.

If necessary, you can work your logo directly into the template image using the PSD, as well.

Step 6. Enjoy your osCommerce 2.3 template

You can tweak the template by editing template_top.php, template_bottom.php and the stylesheet.  You can also modify the images using the accompanying PSD file ... just make your changes, save the slices to image files and upload them in place of the existing images.