I have to use frames and need help
 

Hello,

First time here so I need some guidance.
I have a frame design I need to understand how I can implemet Xcart using this layout.

Here is the layout: (SF -small frame; MF - menu frame;Se-search frame;LF - language frame)

-------------------------|-------|
top frame.................|..SF...|
-------------------------|-------|
...............................|.........|
...............................|.........|
main frame- ............|..MF...|
...............................|.........|
-------------------------|-------|
.....SeF....................|....LF..|
-------------------------|-------|

For example I need to know how can I include the head.tpl into the top frame or how can I include the Search module into the SeF.

Any help and ideas are welcomed.

Thanks a lot.

i would not bother using frames

I have to use it so I have to find a solution :cry:
HELLLLPPPP! :wink:

you shouldnt get used to using frames, they are terrible in web designing. Also they scream out amateur.

Just use tables and have it call out to certain pages. Check your skin1/customer/home.tpl for an example of the customer side layout of this.

Thanks gibberish, I really appreciate being called an amateur.

cipi,
The point that should be made is that frames are very hard to do right. If you don't know how to make them work right, it is better to do without. Frames are very easy to break and that's when they make your site look crappy. Either way, splitting different parts of X-Cart into different frames will get fairly complicated.
I put my cart into a frame on my existing site and it works great so far. I haven't tried to break it yet, so I'm sure I'll have some changes to make once I start testing. I didn't try splitting out different parts of the cart into different frames, so it may not be what you're looking for. You can see what I'm working on at:

http://www.amarillobolt.com/abc_cartindex.html

Hope this helps in some way.

Another emphatic ix-nay on the rames-fay here.

Also, I would suggest against having the menu items on the right hand side unless you are aiming at a right-to-left reading audience (such as Arabic and others).

Sorry if this all sounds unhelpful and negative. What are you trying to accomplish with this layout? Perhaps someone can give you a non-frame alternative. (you will thank them later :) )

when you come to test your xcart in frames you will find absolute nightmares with retaining sessions through the different frames. Particularly if you use ssl.

Take most people's advice and avoid the frames like the plague, they are not worth the hassle.

If you really want to acheive somehting like this then consider DHTML/CSS framing.

I didnt mean to offend.

What I was meaning that more novice designers use frames because they dont think about the draw backs of the inaccessibility of frames.

Just a few points are that you cannot link a page, or even bookmark a favorite spot of the site. This would be a big no no for a store since most people like to bookmark or send links to friends for opinions on products or bookmark it to come back to it later. When using frames if they bookmark it will most always bring them to the index.html

Search engines cant really find anything if the site is in frames.

Printing is terrible in frames.

Frames take longer to load since the browser has to load a few pages in order rather then just one.

Also you get a blinking effect everytime you click on a link.

I dont think we want to get in a pros and cons debate with frames. I am just saying that functionally and userablitly wise they are bad for websites.

Thanks for all the replies but...

I know frames are not good. I develop (graphic and programming) for about 2 years and I am against frames.

Unfortunately the design was given to me together with this cart and I have to use frames. I now some PHP but not that much so it will take a lot of time for me to understand the whole application.

So, if there is a way to do it with frames and some one did it or has an opinion, that's great for me because I will have a starting point.

If it cannot be done than I will inform my project leader about this. But if there is a solution I have to take it.

Another thing: Can I contact the people who made it and ask for support or ideas?

you cab speak to xcart via the members message board

x-cart.com/members

you can also purchase extra support there too if you need. you get 3 months support when the licence is first purchased if i remember right