Welcome to the easiest template system to date for the osCommerce solution. STS has recently been ranked 5th among contribution downloads for osCommerce, passing BTS (Basic Template System).
The Simple Template System (STS) has seen a lot of great changes over the years, changes for the better and has drawn a huge fan base. I hope that this version will continue that trend as well as bring in the novice who may have considered previous STS versions “too taunting”.
This update includes the "Footer” patch, as well as the "Product info module v1.0.6" and “Index module v1.0.3” updates, integrated into one seamless install. We can all thank Chris (Rigadin2) for these fine updates! I have only taken these updates and bundled them into one seamless install package, along with easy to understand documentation and additional templates for your convenience.
With the author's blessing, STS v4.2 is an official release of the Simple Template System.
Why this new version 4.2?
STS 4.1 has seen three major changes and a few bug fixes since its release back in April 2006. Without this update, in order to install a stable STS v4.1, new users would have to download four different files as well as make some additional changes to a few of the PHP files in their store. With version 4.2, installation is as simple as downloading this complete package and following the instructions toward one seamless installation. Instructions for manual installation are still available for those who have a heavily modified store.
The support forum will continue to be located at the STSv4 forum that can be found here: http://forums.osCommerce.com/index.php?showtopic=204381
If you have kept up with all of the fixes mentioned in the support forum as well as the patches and new modules uploaded onto the contribution site, then you already have version 4.2, without the updated documentation and additional templates of course.
Main advantages of this version:
-Integrated all bug fixes and updates to this fine contribution into one seamless package.
-Updated the install text as well as the contribution’s documentation to make the installation and use of STS 4 more user-friendly.
-Added a new “blank” template with all of the required code for ease of use to create your own STS v4.2 templates from scratch.
-Added install instructions for the “Infobox Templates for STS” contribution as an STS4.2 add-on.
STS 4.2, differences with STS 4.1:
-Updated “includes/modules/sts/sts_index.php” (Rigadin2, May 8, 2006, Index module v1.0.3 for STS4)
-Updated “includes/sts/sts_product_info.php (Rigadin2, June 5, 2006, Product info module v1.0.6)
-Updated “includes/footer.php” (Rigadin2, July 25, 2006 “Footer Patch”)
-Updated “sts_templates” folder from both the “clean_osc” and “upload” folders (cleaned up discrepancies and remains from STS PLUS)
-Bug fix: “index.php_0.html” template for main page will now work as designed.
-Added: A new module parameter to set in admin.
You now have the choice to set STS to look for templates of parent categories.
-Bug fix: The “sts_product_info.php” module does not call the function sts_strip_content_tags anymore when using a content template, because there is nothing to take away from your content template.
Enjoy,
Bill Kellum
If you have any questions regarding this osCommerce contribution, you can contact me via email.
***NOTICE***
Attention STS Plus 4.07 Users:
The "Installation Text" has been updated on August 12, 2006 to
correct an error regarding the upgrade path for those upgrading from
STS Plus 4.07 to STSv4.2. The downloads on this page have been
updated. Sorry for the inconvenience. -Bill Kellum
Download STS v4.3 with the Header Tags Controller v2.5.9 (Full Package)(zip)
STS v4.3 with HTC User Manual (PDF)
Download STSv4.2 (Full Package)(zip)
STSv4.2 Installation Instructuions (PDF)
Infobox Templates for use with STSv4.2 (zip) (NEW-Updated on August 24, 2006)
STSv4.2 with the Header Tags Controller v2.5.9 (Full Package) (zip-modified August 17, 2006)
STSv4.2 with HTCv2.5.9 Installation Text (PDF) (modified August 17, 2006)
STSv4.2 with HTCv2.5.9 User Manual (PDF) (modified August 17, 2006)
Free Simple Template System Tips (NEW - September 28, 2006)
Minimum requirements: osCommerce 2.2 Milestone 2
The official STSv4.2 support forum is located below:
http://forums.osCommerce.com/index.php?showtopic=204381
The official HTC support forum is located below:
What is Header Tags Controller?
Header Tags Controller allows for unique Header Tags for the following on a per page basis:
Title
Keywords
Description
About Bill Kellum
Over the last year, I have developed a couple of osCommerce stores using the Simple Template System and have helped out in the osCommerce Support Forums. I noticed a common problem among new users of osCommerce. They had difficulties with the standard PHP layout of osCommerce and yearned for a simple HTML type template system.
STS was the answer to their problems regarding the HTML template system but that uncovered other problems. How does one get this to work with their existing osCommerce store? What about existing contributions already installed? Can someone please write the install instructions so that someone without a degree in PHP could understand them?
I feel my contributions above go a long way in solving these problems. I will be making STSv4.2 tutorials available early in the Fall of 2006. Check back often since I will not be making these tutorials available on the osCommerce Contributions Page.
About osCommerce
osCommerce is an online shop e-commerce solution that offers a wide range of out-of-the-box features that allows online stores to be setup fairly quickly with ease, and is available for free as an Open Source based solution released under the GNU General Public License.
osCommerce was started in March 2000 and has since matured to a solution that is currently powering 10,326 registered live shops around the world.
Today, osCommerce has been taken to the next level, moving towards an e-commerce framework solution that not only remains easy to setup and maintain, but also making it easier for store administrators to present their stores to their customers with their own unique requirements.
The success of osCommerce is secured by a great and active community where members help one another out and participate in development issues reflecting upon the current state of the project.