Hints & Tips

larger image

Overrides - love them or hate them?

I've got to admit I mostly hate the overrides system. OK, I like it... a little bit.

The problem is that there are alot of areas where it doesn't save time, it just makes more work. Let me explain.

It makes absolute sense to have an overrides system where files for the most part are not affected in subsequent versions. This will (should...) occur with the template system once it matures to eventually just be a bunch of variables that you can decide the location & presentation style for. I expect that once this area settles down, it will be alot less painfull to upgrade.

Similarly, the page defines are just blank text files, and these can use an overrides directory to ensure that you do not overwrite them. But hang on.. if we are upgrading, we aren't going to overwrite our modified files, right?

By having everything in overrides (for which there is an additional folder created for each instance) you may prevent accidentally overwriting your modifications (which you have a backup of..) but inevitably you must compare them to their new equivalents, otherwise you will end up mixing old files with a new store, and wonder why the checkout shows CHECKOUT_NEW_TEXT_DEFINE_IS_NAFF.

Apart from page defines and templates, why bother producing 10+ different folders in different places, all of which will require 10+ more identical new version folders produced when preparing a file comparison? Ugh!!! You can see this in the image, where there are a number of folders called "classicx" - each an instance of file overrides. A nightmare to upgrade, which happens often with Zen Cart's frequent release cycle.

Do yourself a favour - use overrides sparingly, and just hack files in situ without remorse - it will save you work in the long run.