Custom Template / Page question

[Patrick]

I have made a custom product template that uses thumbnails, but I have a
few problems before I switch all our products over.

1) Some of our products show up on several different pages (ie one with
20 items and one with 75 other items). Is there a way to have an item
NOT display thumbnails on one page and display them on another?

2)Javascript question - Is there any way of forcing the larger images we
use for the more info page into thumbnails, or do I have to resize all
the images individually?

Thanks for any help. This forum is definitely the place to find out
technical answers and I am glad that everyone is so willing to help out.

-Pat

[Fred Holliss]

In article <3C769526.50E42617@pricepoint.com>,
Patrick <patrick@pricepoint.com> wrote:

2)Javascript question - Is there any way of forcing the larger images we
use for the more info page into thumbnails, or do I have to resize all
the images individually?

Changing the HTML size tags can affect how an image displays onscreen,
but does nothing to change the image size. So if you have a JPG that's
50k at its normal size and you change the tags so it displays at 1/4 of
the size for a thumbnail, the browser still has to download 50k of image
and then crunch the numbers on-the-fly to display the image. No big
problem if there is only one image on the page, but if you have pages
with 75 thumbnails, each one requiring a 50k download and
post-processing, you're going to have a very slow-loading page. So yes,
you should have individually sized thumbnails.

That being said, there are a couple of solutions.

There are back-end programs that run on the server (GIMP being one of
them) and perform the conversions for you. These have their uses, but
you don't have a lot of control over the sharpness, colour balance, etc.
of the results.

My suggested solution is that you can just write an Action in Photoshop.
We have lots of images for our products and all of them need to be in
three sizes. We have an Action in Photoshop that basically lets us just
process a whole folder of images at a time. Quick, easy, painless.
Almost drag-n-drop, in fact. And Photoshop gives you complete control
over sharpness, colour palette, format, etc. So we end up with large
images for our More Info pages and small images for our catalogue pages.

--
Fred Holliss, webmaster, Fitter International Inc.
"Balance and Fitness for Life"
Toll Free: 1-800-FITTER-1 | Int'l: +1-403-243-6830
http://www.fitter1.com | mailto:webmaster@fitter1.com

[Patrick]

Thanks. I'll check into that.

Fred Holliss wrote:

In article <3C769526.50E42617@pricepoint.com>,
Patrick <patrick@pricepoint.com> wrote:
2)Javascript question - Is there any way of forcing the larger images we
use for the more info page into thumbnails, or do I have to resize all
the images individually?

Changing the HTML size tags can affect how an image displays onscreen,
but does nothing to change the image size. So if you have a JPG that's
50k at its normal size and you change the tags so it displays at 1/4 of
the size for a thumbnail, the browser still has to download 50k of image
and then crunch the numbers on-the-fly to display the image. No big
problem if there is only one image on the page, but if you have pages
with 75 thumbnails, each one requiring a 50k download and
post-processing, you're going to have a very slow-loading page. So yes,
you should have individually sized thumbnails.

That being said, there are a couple of solutions.

There are back-end programs that run on the server (GIMP being one of
them) and perform the conversions for you. These have their uses, but
you don't have a lot of control over the sharpness, colour balance, etc.
of the results.

My suggested solution is that you can just write an Action in Photoshop.
We have lots of images for our products and all of them need to be in
three sizes. We have an Action in Photoshop that basically lets us just
process a whole folder of images at a time. Quick, easy, painless.
Almost drag-n-drop, in fact. And Photoshop gives you complete control
over sharpness, colour palette, format, etc. So we end up with large
images for our More Info pages and small images for our catalogue pages.

--
Fred Holliss, webmaster, Fitter International Inc.
"Balance and Fitness for Life"
Toll Free: 1-800-FITTER-1 | Int'l: +1-403-243-6830
http://www.fitter1.com | mailto:webmaster@fitter1.com

[Kevin Sullivan]

Hi,

1) I am studying the custom pages & products pages to start building them
and I am confused between the difference between "smart tags" and the
"custom templates". It seems there are also two sets of specifications. I
printed out the smart tags and then also the Custom Template Specifications.

What is the difference between the two? Do I need to use them both?

2) If I were to simply copy a custom page or a custom product page's source
code from a similar site already built (with permission in advance), will
that also work if I then make the necessary changes to my pages?

I have just installed 6.0 Pro.

Thanks in advance. Kevin

[Karen Boyle]

"Kevin Sullivan" wrote:

1) I am studying the custom pages & products pages to start building them
and I am confused between the difference between "smart tags" and the
"custom templates". It seems there are also two sets of specifications.
I
printed out the smart tags and then also the Custom Template
Specifications.

What is the difference between the two? Do I need to use them both?

The difference between the two would be:
Custom Templates is a file that is uploaded to the server and is available
in the dropdown list of template styles for pages or products (whichever is
applicable). When a page is created using that template design, the page
inherits layout and design elements from the template. The pages are created
within ShopSite. The page is only "created" once and is reused via the
template.

Smart Tags are used within pages created in another application when those
pages are uploaded to a specific directory within ShopSite's reach. ShopSite
simply serves up the pages, the program doesn't create the pages. Each page
used is a unique page/file that has been uploaded to the server.

2) If I were to simply copy a custom page or a custom product page's
source
code from a similar site already built (with permission in advance), will
that also work if I then make the necessary changes to my pages?

No, that wouldn't work since the ShopSite tags have already been parsed and
converted to the appropriate HTML code.

Hope this helps clear the mystery.

~ Karen

[Switch Hits]

I wish all the particpants in this forum would include
a signature with a web address so we could all see
the variety of ShopSite Stores...and maybe pick up
a pointer or two.

Jimmy Hilburger
www.switchhits.com


"Karen Boyle" <info@NOSHARKSaz1net.com> wrote in message news:a6gi08$9ke$1@support.shopsite.com...
"Kevin Sullivan" wrote:

1) I am studying the custom pages & products pages to start building them
and I am confused between the difference between "smart tags" and the
"custom templates". It seems there are also two sets of specifications.
I
printed out the smart tags and then also the Custom Template
Specifications.

What is the difference between the two? Do I need to use them both?

The difference between the two would be:
Custom Templates is a file that is uploaded to the server and is available
in the dropdown list of template styles for pages or products (whichever is
applicable). When a page is created using that template design, the page
inherits layout and design elements from the template. The pages are created
within ShopSite. The page is only "created" once and is reused via the
template.

Smart Tags are used within pages created in another application when those
pages are uploaded to a specific directory within ShopSite's reach. ShopSite
simply serves up the pages, the program doesn't create the pages. Each page
used is a unique page/file that has been uploaded to the server.

2) If I were to simply copy a custom page or a custom product page's
source
code from a similar site already built (with permission in advance), will
that also work if I then make the necessary changes to my pages?

No, that wouldn't work since the ShopSite tags have already been parsed and
converted to the appropriate HTML code.

Hope this helps clear the mystery.

~ Karen

[Karen Boyle]

"Switch Hits" wrote:
I wish all the particpants in this forum would
include a signature with a web address so we
could all see the variety of ShopSite Stores...
and maybe pick up a pointer or two.

Jimmy Hilburger
www.switchhits.com


Jimmy, not all of us are storefront owners. ;~)

~ Karen

[Kevin Sullivan]

Thanks so much Karen, but a few more questions if I may:

1) So which has more "flexibility" when trying to customize?

2) Which is easier and works better in more browsers?

2) Do smart tags still draw any info from the database or just the product?
If I must place all those tags in a page, it seems like a lot of work?

3) How are smart tags much different from order anywhere then? (I now use
order anywhere for my site, where I create everything, so it's a lot of
work) If smart tags do not make pages on the fly, then why use them?

Thanks

Kevin Sullivan,

PS: Jimmy, How do I make a signature on my Mac and this newsgroup? 3 sites
I built and my email is vantel@gis.net.

www.pearlstogo.com
Www.awardsandplaquesonline.com
Www.timetapestries.com

"Kevin Sullivan" wrote:

1) I am studying the custom pages & products pages to start building them
and I am confused between the difference between "smart tags" and the
"custom templates". It seems there are also two sets of specifications.
I
printed out the smart tags and then also the Custom Template
Specifications.

What is the difference between the two? Do I need to use them both?

The difference between the two would be:
Custom Templates is a file that is uploaded to the server and is available
in the dropdown list of template styles for pages or products (whichever is
applicable). When a page is created using that template design, the page
inherits layout and design elements from the template. The pages are created
within ShopSite. The page is only "created" once and is reused via the
template.

Smart Tags are used within pages created in another application when those
pages are uploaded to a specific directory within ShopSite's reach. ShopSite
simply serves up the pages, the program doesn't create the pages. Each page
used is a unique page/file that has been uploaded to the server.


2) If I were to simply copy a custom page or a custom product page's
source
code from a similar site already built (with permission in advance), will
that also work if I then make the necessary changes to my pages?

No, that wouldn't work since the ShopSite tags have already been parsed and
converted to the appropriate HTML code.

Hope this helps clear the mystery.

~ Karen

[Karen Boyle]

"Kevin Sullivan" <vantel@gis.net> wrote:

1) So which has more "flexibility" when trying to customize?

In my opinion, it would depend on what you're trying to customize for,
whether you're trying to customize for a unique look that you will be
managing (uploading files to the smart directory as needed) or if you're
trying to customize for an easy to use/apply feature for clients to manage.

2) Which is easier and works better in more browsers?

Both methods work very well across different browsers.

2) Do smart tags still draw any info from the database or just the
product?
If I must place all those tags in a page, it seems like a lot of work?

Smart tags are going to draw info from the database to keep your product
info current. If you make changes to the product details, smart tags will
pick up those changes. Smart Tags were a very effective method of
controlling things (such as products displayed in columns) that couldn't be
utlized with the custom template options prior to release of V6.0.

3) How are smart tags much different from order anywhere then? (I now use
order anywhere for my site, where I create everything, so it's a lot of
work) If smart tags do not make pages on the fly, then why use them?

Column display of products was probably the biggest "feature set" utilized
by developers in using the smart tags feature - Essentially, smart tags are
going to allow for the precise placement of individual products as opposed
to the one after another display that had been available via custom
templates (sans additional programming).

Custom templates had provided the means to achieve the "look and feel" of
the site within the pages but was somewhat limited in displaying the product
records. The display for products could be customized however, using custom
pages/products had been a matter of one product display followed by another.
Custom templates had an advantage (if one after another was suitable) since
there was far less coding. Only the <loop> had to be inserted into the page
template, not the full coding (like with smart tags) for the product.

With the addition of column control in the custom templates, it would seem
templates would be the far more effective way to achieve a unique look with
maximum control over the display for the majority of sites.

Thanks

You're welcome!

www.pearlstogo.com
Www.awardsandplaquesonline.com
Www.timetapestries.com

You've done a nice job on those sites Kevin.


~ Karen

[loren_d_c]

***** see below.

-Loren



Kevin Sullivan wrote:

Thanks so much Karen, but a few more questions if I may:

1) So which has more "flexibility" when trying to customize?

***** Custom Pages (smart tags) is probably more flexible as far as design goes,
but v6.0 goes a long way towards extending almost any design into Custom
Templates.

2) Which is easier and works better in more browsers?

***** I would have to say Custom Templates are easier in the long run, because
they are a template that can be used on multiple pages (and products). You must
create a Custom Page for each resulting page you want.

***** Browser compatibility is not an issue as far as I can see, it's your own
HTML you are sticking these tags in, and any HTML that ShopSite might possibly put
in place of those tags is going to be extremely simple and browser type or version
will not be an issue with it, only your own HTML.

2) Do smart tags still draw any info from the database or just the product?
If I must place all those tags in a page, it seems like a lot of work?

***** Yes, they both draw info from the databases to replace the tags, there are
tags for both databases in Custom Pages AND Custom Templates, I believe.

3) How are smart tags much different from order anywhere then? (I now use
order anywhere for my site, where I create everything, so it's a lot of
work) If smart tags do not make pages on the fly, then why use them?

***** Because you can create Custom Pages (smart tags) once with the Name or Price
or any other product information being drawn from the database, and then if you
change that info in ShopSite and Publish, then the Custom Page will be re-parsed
and the Price changed (or whatever other modification you made). The pages are not
'dynamic', but they are generated when you Publish and the information from the
database refreshes the information on the page from the previous Publish.

Thanks

Kevin Sullivan,

PS: Jimmy, How do I make a signature on my Mac and this newsgroup? 3 sites
I built and my email is vantel@gis.net.

www.pearlstogo.com
Www.awardsandplaquesonline.com
Www.timetapestries.com

"Kevin Sullivan" wrote:

1) I am studying the custom pages & products pages to start building them
and I am confused between the difference between "smart tags" and the
"custom templates". It seems there are also two sets of specifications.
I
printed out the smart tags and then also the Custom Template
Specifications.

What is the difference between the two? Do I need to use them both?

The difference between the two would be:
Custom Templates is a file that is uploaded to the server and is available
in the dropdown list of template styles for pages or products (whichever is
applicable). When a page is created using that template design, the page
inherits layout and design elements from the template. The pages are created
within ShopSite. The page is only "created" once and is reused via the
template.

Smart Tags are used within pages created in another application when those
pages are uploaded to a specific directory within ShopSite's reach. ShopSite
simply serves up the pages, the program doesn't create the pages. Each page
used is a unique page/file that has been uploaded to the server.


2) If I were to simply copy a custom page or a custom product page's
source
code from a similar site already built (with permission in advance), will
that also work if I then make the necessary changes to my pages?

No, that wouldn't work since the ShopSite tags have already been parsed and
converted to the appropriate HTML code.

Hope this helps clear the mystery.

~ Karen