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Installing an opencart 3.x theme without being forced to create and modify admin files?

Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2017 8:28 am
by chase1987
Hello I have a fresh install of opencart 3.0.2.0 and am trying to install a new theme. In the new version of opencart you go to (admin>extensions>themes). After installing a theme you can then apply in in admin>settings. So I tried just duplicating the default theme folder and renaming it. In previous versions of OC you could do this. Now here's where things get crazy.

When you go to (admin>extensions>themes) the theme is nowhere to be found. So I searched and according to this thread (viewtopic.php?t=185921) you MUST CREATE YOUR OWN CONTROLLER FILE in /admin/controller/extension/theme/ and modify that controller file among others. After doing this you can at least install the theme so in can be selecting in admin>settings theme dropdown, however the theme still does not work.

Question:1
Is this intended? Do the developers really intend for the end users to add files to the admin area and modify them in order to be able to install a theme?

So after creating the files in the admin section I was able to at least install and select the theme. But now when I try visiting the store front I get the "Error: A theme has not been assigned to this store!" error. I also notice that when trying to change theme settings in extensions>extensions>theme>myTheme, like the status it also affects the default theme.

Question:2
Is it possible to install a theme without creating and modifying controller files in OC 3.x? If not does anyone know what I am missing when modifying the files? I assume the settings model needs no adjustments and I should be looking for something in the controller file I was forced to create.

I found a thread on github with another person asking this question and he was met by some rude person telling him that the answers were all over the internet and on the forums but I haven't found any solution. The closest Ive come is the post I linked to above.

Is nobody else having this issue? I feel like I'm taking crazy pills.

Re: Installing an opencart 3.x theme without being forced to create and modify admin files?

Posted: Sun Oct 22, 2017 1:32 pm
by chase1987
Im the only one then?

Re: Installing an opencart 3.x theme without being forced to create and modify admin files?

Posted: Sun Oct 22, 2017 5:15 pm
by cyclops12
Here is what i just tried....
In my catalog/view/theme folder i copied and pasted the default theme, then renamed it to mine3.
Then in admin of my store goto extensions/extensions and choose Themes from the dropdown.
Edit your store then choose your new theme from Theme Directory dropdown box then click Save.
To check i then made a small edit to the header.twig file of my newly created theme, then went to extensions/modifications and clicked the refresh button, then back to the main dashboard and click the little blue cog on the top right, and clicked the refresh buttons for both caches.
Then opened up the front store and saw the small edit i had made.
This is a fresh default 3.0.2.0 hosted locally on my pc using xammp.
This seems to work ok BUT the only problem i can see with adding a new theme is when you use the Theme Editor in admin/design it wont allow you to choose what theme you are using so you can only edit the default theme files. Which seems a bit pointless if you use a different theme.

Perhaps i am missing something here ?

Re: Installing an opencart 3.x theme without being forced to create and modify admin files?

Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2017 4:26 pm
by chase1987
cyclops12 wrote:
Sun Oct 22, 2017 5:15 pm
Here is what i just tried....
In my catalog/view/theme folder i copied and pasted the default theme, then renamed it to mine3.
Then in admin of my store goto extensions/extensions and choose Themes from the dropdown.
Edit your store then choose your new theme from Theme Directory dropdown box then click Save.
To check i then made a small edit to the header.twig file of my newly created theme, then went to extensions/modifications and clicked the refresh button, then back to the main dashboard and click the little blue cog on the top right, and clicked the refresh buttons for both caches.
Then opened up the front store and saw the small edit i had made.
This is a fresh default 3.0.2.0 hosted locally on my pc using xammp.
This seems to work ok BUT the only problem i can see with adding a new theme is when you use the Theme Editor in admin/design it wont allow you to choose what theme you are using so you can only edit the default theme files. Which seems a bit pointless if you use a different theme.

Perhaps i am missing something here ?
This does technically work. However I think you are technically just changing the default themes directory and not adding a new theme. Is this what were all supposed to be doing? What about the theme settings under system/settings? Is the theme settings in system not intended for use anymore? That can't be right.

Re: Installing an opencart 3.x theme without being forced to create and modify admin files?

Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2017 10:02 pm
by straightlight
That analysis is correct. The default theme must not be renamed but rather duplicated into another folder in order to create a custom theme. Followed are working procedures and on how to proceed: viewtopic.php?f=202&p=683903&sid=d98ad7 ... 13#p683903

Re: Installing an opencart 3.x theme without being forced to create and modify admin files?

Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2017 1:24 am
by cyclops12
straightlight wrote:
Wed Oct 25, 2017 10:02 pm
The default theme must not be renamed but rather duplicated into another folder in order to create a custom theme.
That is exactly what i did as in post above
chase1987 wrote:
Wed Oct 25, 2017 4:26 pm
What about the theme settings under system/settings? Is the theme settings in system not intended for use anymore? That can't be right.
The theme under system/settings doesnt seem to alter if you change theme as if you look at the code it only calls heading_title and not the actual theme title