How to create custom theme for opencart 3

I tested it on an OpenCart 3.0.2.0 and 3.0.3.1, see attached screenshot for 3.0.2.0.

Ah ha, we've got to the bottom of this!

What you're doing is changing the directory of the default theme.

What I'm talking about is creating a new theme that appears here:

Yes, you are right. I usually keep the default theme, and only change the theme folder. As long as you don't need any other settings beyond the image sizes, the usage of just another theme folder will do just fine. If you need additional or different settings, then yes, you'd have to add your web theme controller/view/language to take care of these additional settings.

Here is one solution.
I've created php script for creating new OpenCart 3.x.x themes. Just enter name of your theme, download to your computer and then unzip and upload to your Opencart 3.x.x installation.

http://kotsarweb.5gbfree.com/opencart3-new-theme

I would very appreciate community feedback.

Well done, a good approach to solve that problem. At least for
those, using OC v.3 !

And to change a few things, one now only requires another Stylesheet,
matching the 'default' Version 3 OC way of doing things, to then have
different Designs as well, as I did in/for my Version I use, to so get a whole
range of different designs, like shown here:
http://www.openshop.li/shop/
I then usually only need the Custom Theme header + footer File, plus
possibly a good looking product.tpl (twig) File, and everything else is
'handled' by the default Theme OC Files.
(Not all Theme Styles have been 'perfected' yet, some misses might still exist!)

Such can only be achieved, if a Custom Theme is built according
OC v.x. Standards, and uses the same 'Style/Class-Variables', just with different
Values, to change visual Things. So, better don't try such with Pavo /Journal
and other highly customized Themes, since that won't work.

So, look around, to find (free! ) Themes + Stylesheets for your Version.
And, at first, just replace the default theme stylesheet.css with the new
one, to so immediately find out, if a Stylesheet is technically capable to
do the Job, without much work. And if not, scrap it, and try the next!
But better don't steal my Styles, they won't do the Job in your Version.

Good Luck!
Ernie

Thank you IP_CAM !

IP_CAM wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 11, 2019 8:31 am

Such can only be achieved, if a Custom Theme is built according
OC v.x. Standards, and uses the same 'Style/Class-Variables', just with different
Values, to change visual Things. So, better don't try such with Pavo /Journal
and other highly customized Themes, since that won't work.

We're in the process of designing and building several OpenCart "CSS Only" Themes along the lines of the legendary CSS Zen Garden.

My understanding from the instructions here is that you should copy ALL the default view/template files to your new custom theme.

But, I seem to remember when I created a custom theme with Opencart 2x that at first I did not copy all the default template files, and later would only copy to my custom theme only the specific template file I wanted to customize for my custom theme. My understanding was that Opencart would use the default theme files if it did not find a particular page template in my custom theme folder.

For example, if I wanted to customize only the product page template, then I would ONLY make a copy of the product page template and copy it to my custom theme folder.
Is that still the right way to work with Opencart 3.0 custom themes, or for some reason should you copy ALL the template page files to your custom theme folder from the beginning?

tom327 wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 02, 2019 3:37 am

Is that still the right way to work with Opencart 3.0 custom themes, or for some reason should you copy ALL the template page files to your custom theme folder from the beginning?

That's a good question - and I believe that is still the case, so you should delete any theme files that you do not modify.

paulfeakins wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 15, 2019 8:22 pm

I've combined various information here to produce this downloadable theme template with instructions on how to give it your own name:
https://www.antropy.co.uk/blog/how-to-c ... t-3-theme/

Thank you Paul, that was very helpful!

I only made one mistake: Got excited and forgot to enable the new theme.

Just a reminder, for those, not willing to play around with OC v.3.x TWIG, you
always have an Alternative, to create a Theme in the good old familiar way:
OpenCart 3 Template Switcher
https://www.opencart.com/index.php?rout ... n_id=31589