X-Cart:Changing skin

Before re-installing skins

Make sure you know the Auth code for the installed copy of X-Cart .

To find out the Auth code, use one of the following methods:

• Retrieve the value of the variable '$installation_auth_code' from the file 'include/install.php' inside the X-Cart root directory;
• In the Admin area, open the 'Summary' section (Administration menu->Summary) and see the Auth code BEFORE the 'License info' subsection.

Skins for X-Cart 4.3.0 can be reinstalled either manually or via the X-Cart installation Wizard. The exact instructions on how to reinstall the skins depend on which of the methods you use.

To reinstall skins via the X-Cart Installation wizard:

1. In the X-Cart root directory, locate the file 'install-file-xx-xx-xx-xxxxx.php' where the symbol 'x' stands for the numbers and letters (e.g. 'install-file-09-01-22-077ce.php') and rename it to 'install.php'.

2. Run the Installation Wizard by opening in a web browser the URL http://www.yourdomain.com/install.php where "www.yourdomain.com" stands for the true name of the domain where X-Cart is installed.

3. Choose the Re-install skin files option, enter the Auth code and select the 'I accept the License Agreement' check box. Click the 'Next' button to continue the installation.

4. In the 'Select shop layout' drop-down box, choose one of the available skins and click the 'Next' button.

The installation script starts copying the template structure of the chosen skin from the directory <xcart_root>/schemes/templates/<skin_name> to the main X-Cart's skin directory <xcart_root>/skin1 and creates a new layout. The progress is displayed on the screen.

5. Wait till the installation script copies the templates and creates the layout. After the process is completed, the installation script displays a preview of the Customer area with the chosen skin.

If you are satisfied with the preview and wish to accept the skin, click the 'Next' button to continue the installation.

If you want to choose a different skin, click the 'Back' button. This moves you to the previous step of the Installation Wizard where you will be able to choose a different skin.

6. Wait till the system generates a new system fingerprint and click the 'Next' button to complete the installation.

To reinstall skins manually:

1. Copy the contents of the directory '<xcart_root>/schemes/templates/<skin_name>' to to the main X-Cart's skin directory '<xcart_root>/skin1'. If prompted, choose to overwrite the existing files.

Note: The '<skin_name>' part stands for the name of the folder with the skin that you want to use. It can have one of the following values:

• artistictunes_business;
• artistictunes_car_tires;
• fashion_mosaic_green;
• fashion_mosaic_pink;
• vivid_dreams_aquamarine;
• neon_lights_sport;

etc.

2. After you copy the skin files to the directory 'skin1/', set the permissions of every subdirectory and file inside the directory 'skin1/' to 777 (write, read and execute for everybody).

3. To see the changes, clear the contents of the directory <xcart_root>/var/templates_c which contains previously compiled templates.

Selecting skin to use

Starting from X-Cart 4.4 selecting which skin to use has been simplified. You can select the necessary skin in Admin area. To do so perform the following steps:

1. Sign in to X-Cart Admin area.
2. Click Settings > General Settings > Appearance options.
3. Use the selectbox to select the skin you want to be used in the Customer area. The picture of the Customer area to the right of the selectbox changes as you move the mouse cursor along the skin list.
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. Click Save at the bottom of the page.