location >>> admin\home.tpl
 

I am trying to alter the backend of the site after doing a lot of work on the front.

Currently the backend is almost undreadable, and I cannot locate the admin home.tpl file.

According the code I have seen it should be

admin\home.tpl

much like

customer\home.tpl exists

Having said that, it is not there and I do not know where the general layout of the backend is coming from.

Brian

single/home.tpl

do you know if there is a way to use the old template for the backend and a new template for the front end?

huh?

do you know if there is a way to use skin1 for the frontend and create say a skin2 for the backend?

Yes, that is the default behaviour for version 4. Just create a new file called skin1_admin.css. Copy the contents of skin1.css into it. Then in single/home.tpl, change the name of the style sheet to skin1_admin.css. Edit skin1_admin.css as needed and it won't affect your front end.