X-Cart forums

[PhilJ]

1. In footer.tpl, the facebook, twitter, etc. links include the rel="nofollow" tag. Wouldn't we really, really want the opposite: for search engines follow those?

Debatable whether it has much affect on SEO, but change to rel="follow" if you like.

2. How to increase the width of the search bar in the upper right corner? I'd like it to be about twice the width. (Yes, I have Firebug and identified div element st_search_input in /skin/smart_template/custom/themes/aqua.css and on line 46 I changed width from 134px to 234px. But that didn't work...)

That ought to work, but you'll also have to adjust the container - #st_menu_search

3. I think the edges/outlines all the Cufon fonts look just a tad bit too fuzzy/blurry, especially for the smaller h3 size. Anything we can do to sharpen it up?

Fonts have been converted to cufon format using the default settings - you could try creating your own fonts at http://cufon.shoqolate.com/generate
You could increase the 'units per em' setting, but may result in larger font files.

[ScrapbookSupplies]

A couple of things Phil, but first - glad you're back, we have all missed you! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

First, regarding this post, I'd like to toss a comment out there....

Originally Posted by PhilJ

The smart template has a pure CSS layout for products display, unlike the default x-cart, which uses tables.
So any badly formed HTML may break the layout.
Ensure that your product descriptions are well formed, ie. no unclosed DIV tags etc.

I have been using xCart for a few years now. I recently started two new sites, with brand new domains, using 4.4.1 with the Smart Template. I suspect that it is because of the design that you used (css as opposed to the tables), but both sites that I started up have skyrocketed in the SERP's. I have watched in amazement, as normally it takes a new domain a few months just to get out of elusive sandbox, let alone to be showing up in the SERP's. Both of these sites, after a couple of months time, are already on pages one and two. I feel like the unseen aspects of this template, how you designed it, plays a huge role in this. Before moving to the 4.4.1/Smart Template my shopping cart was barely registering in the SERP's at all. At any rate, I have now put the Smart Template on all three sites.


Second, I want to follow up on this error to see if you know what's causing it.

Message: 'products_data' is undefined
Line: 458
Char: 1
Code: 0
URI: http://www.knifegirl.com/

Message: 'products_data' is undefined
Line: 485
Char: 1
Code: 0
URI: http://www.knifegirl.com/

Message: 'products_data' is undefined
Line: 512
Char: 1
Code: 0
URI: http://www.knifegirl.com/

I am getting it on two of the sites that I have Smart Template installed on. I have a sneaking suspicion that when QT put the patch in for the bug/error I was getting with quotation marks in the product name that they fixed this error on the third site, but I am not sure.

Any thoughts?


Oh- Forgot to also inquire about the percentage saved (when the price is less than market price) displaying down in the description:

Attachment 2315

[JacksmithxD]

Hi Phil hope you had a good christmas/new year,

When can we expect you back on Skype?

Got a couple of questions needing answered about the template etc.

Thanks.

[jondoe]

Hi Phil,

Thanks for helping me to narrow down the problem. I think this is not related to what I put in the page. I've found that there is a single </DIV> tag in the page not in a pair. And I've found that the page would be messed up if I haven't put a retail price (not listed price) for an item.

After put the retail price, the page will show correct with the correct pairs of DIV tags.

Jon

Originally Posted by PhilJ

The smart template has a pure CSS layout for products display, unlike the default x-cart, which uses tables.
So any badly formed HTML may break the layout.
Ensure that your product descriptions are well formed, ie. no unclosed DIV tags etc.

[Mr. G]

Debatable whether it has much affect on SEO, but change to rel="follow" if you like.

Cool, but I was just wondering why you used nofollow there?

Next, I just added my first subcategory (never had one before ). Then checked "Enable vertical flyout category menu" in admin -> Smart Template settings, Force cache generation, Clear templates cache, cleared local FF cache and cookies. But, on the left vertical subcat panel, when rolling over the category, the subcat does not appear. Any suggestions?

[PhilJ]

Next, I just added my first subcategory (never had one before ). Then checked "Enable vertical flyout category menu" in admin -> Smart Template settings, Force cache generation, Clear templates cache, cleared local FF cache and cookies. But, on the left vertical subcat panel, when rolling over the category, the subcat does not appear. Any suggestions?

Yes, ensure you have enabled the flyouts module in modules.

[Mr. G]

Originally Posted by PhilJ

Yes, ensure you have enabled the flyouts module in modules.

Thanks. It wasn't enabled. After enabling, and after some unexplained delay of not working for at least 15 minutes, it started working :0

[PhilJ]

Scrapbooksupplies, glad you are getting good results with the search engines.

Not too sure about the errors you are getting, could be related to the patch I guess.

But I'd suggest avoiding the use of quotation marks in your product names.

Oh- Forgot to also inquire about the percentage saved (when the price is less than market price) displaying down in the description:

To fix the Save X% box, please add this code to skin/smart_template/css/altskin.css

 
/*----------------------------------------*/
/**
* Save % Label
*/
.save-percent-container {
margin-left: 10px;
width: 57px;
height: 57px;
}
.save {
float: left;
width: 57px;
height: 29px;
padding-top: 28px;
padding-left: 3px;
color: #fff;
font-size: 11px;
font-weight: bold;
text-align: center;
background: transparent url(../../common_files/images/save_money.gif) no-repeat left top;
}

[Mr. G]

Hi Phil,
Can you help with these issues, please?

1. With flyouts enabled, the entire left category panel disappears. After some number of clicks on miscellaneous links and page refreshes on random pages, the panel appears. I cannot replicate. It's random. However, with flyouts disabled, the panel is everpresent.

Also, I did go in admin and switch to some of the other Smart Template skins to see if that made a difference. It did not.
Also, I went to http://validator.w3.org/#validate_by_uri+with_options and checked http://www.xcartmods.co.uk/demos/smart/demo442/ It showed some errors which is normal, but you might want to look at this one: "Line 746, Column 23: character "<" is the first character of a delimiter but occurred as data." Perhaps that would break something?

I hope that helps you narrow things down. I'd really like to get flyouts and tree working.

2. How can I fix this overlap bug? (top red circle)http://comforta.net/overlappinglinesbug.png

3. How can I add an additional <li> element (menu item) in the Account box on the right panel? (bottom red circle)

4. This is really minor compared to the other questions.... I see on public_html/skin/smart_template/custom/featured_carousel.tpl the options

easing: 'linear', // swing, linear, easeOutElastic etc.

I saw no difference between linear and swing, fyi. Also, I had so much fun switching them that I'm wondering how to see those "etc." options.
Thanks, Phil! I love your Smart Template!

[mpepel]

PHIL, I upgraded my template to Vertical Flyout Menu, according to your instructions; however Vertical Menu is working only partially. The Instruction says: “Enable the vertical flyout menu in Smart Template Settings”, when I do that menu is showing in “Tree-Like expanding” not “Flyout expanding” with color background like in DEMO.
Thanks for any advise in resolving the problem.
Klemens
www.rozmach.com