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[questbg Friend questbgJoin date: May 2008Posts: 1912Downloads:0Uploads:1 Thanks: 146 Thanked: 339 times in 197 posts]

#134257

Hi Everyone

I’m about to build a site for my first ‘client’ . Before I upgrade to JA Developer in order to use a JoomlArt template on his site … I have a problem. There’s not really a current JA template that suits my needs. I need an ‘online foodstore’ template, and none of the current ones seem to suit.

I posted this before and had a few suggestions, but now I have more information from the client I’d like your input again please.

OK. First of all, I want a really sexy front page, nice graphics, not much text and maybe two ‘news’ articles. Log in/register, maybe a poll, maybe a few stats and ‘contact’. Finish. No JA Tabs, no highslide, no video.

One thing I will need is a ‘banner’ module included in the template.

Second, and most critical. I need some ‘amazing’ menus! I have around 20 sections (up to date), some sections of which have themselves 10 categories within … therefore I need a really flexible menu system to get these pages accessible from front page and every other page of the site.

Third. Shopping Cart. I am NOT using VirtueMart as it’s far more complicated than I need. I’m using SimpleCaddy instead, therefore I don’t need VM capability built into the template, I can handle that part myself … I can just add ‘Add Cart’ button to every single ‘article’ or food product.

Also, on each ‘category’ page, there is no ‘read more’, or ‘more details’. Each item will only be a ‘listing’ at category level, with only a ‘Add to Cart’ button. There is no ‘detailed view’, just a thumbnail image and product details. Simple:

This is a bit like Telline II/Ja News output, but I want a bit better looking that this!

Also, I want a ‘tried and tested’ template. Minimum of code hacking and bug-fixing please.

So, my question before my upgrade to ‘Developer’ is … which JA Template could handle this many sections/categories/menus but still look good on front page?

Thanks
Chris

[tonyg Friend tonygJoin date: June 2008Posts: 197Downloads:0Uploads:8 Thanks: 18 Thanked: 46 times in 27 posts]

#274615

Hi Chris

To me you are over the first hurdle, and that is you got pretty good idea of what you want. Pay the demo section a visit and go through every single template making notes of the elements or parts of the templates you would like in your new template. So you take the layout from one template, a menu from another, typography from another and so on. This way you can take the best bits and end up with exactly what you want. Try not to look for the overall vision you’ve got in one template.

It might sound like a lot of work but it really isn’t, these templates are well written to the point that one can make sense of the codes without necessary being a coder (by carefully studying and experimenting). One thing for sure you will end up with something you can be really be proud of.

My only concern with your idea of manually adding the Add To Cart button is that it won’t be very simple for your client to manage the shop when it comes to adding new stock. I’ve only used VM with Joomla so I can’t really suggest any other Cart, but I will say VM is worth getting to know well.

All the best with this project

[wooohanetworks Friend wooohanetworksJoin date: September 2008Posts: 1239Downloads:0Uploads:2 Thanks: 148 Thanked: 138 times in 41 posts]

#274663

I would simply use JA Mesolite, remove the VM and change the blue style to another style maybe even with some custom work on the picture files. This template is very much clean and open to everything, you just have to replace the Electronics content with your food content in your mind and you will see that Mesolite will also work for a food store.;)

You can also use the more fancy ones indeed, but Mesolite keeps the “still a shop” style and can also be changed to e.g. even a pink template or just a red template etc..

:D!

[questbg Friend questbgJoin date: May 2008Posts: 1912Downloads:0Uploads:1 Thanks: 146 Thanked: 339 times in 197 posts]

#274730

Many thanks both of you for the suggestions. I have browsed around the templates and think that Mesolite could be a good starting point!

I’ll have a play around on the demo version and see if I feel ‘capable’ of changing this to my needs 😀

Thanks again for the input.
Chris

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