Creating custom themes

[Snaphaan]

Hi!

After searching for a shopping cart for ages I now finally settled with prestashop. It's incredible!

I would like to know if there are any tuturials/guides on how to ceate your own themes from scratch. I've looked at a book, Prestashop 1.3 theming but it seems that the book is not very substancial and only expands on basic theme changes. The few online sources I did find only goes over the process VERY briefly. Documentation seems to be a bit lacking here...

I'm really not a webdesign [spam-filter] or programmer (have a little CSS experience and build a few sites) but I don't mind getting my hands dirty with PHP or whatever else I need.

Any advice or guidance?

Thanks!

[theme_designer]

The easiest way is to use Photoshop. Then convert it to XHTML. Check http://trendytuts.com/web-layout-tutorials/learn-how-to-create-an-ecommerce-theme-for-magento-or-prestashop-using-photoshop.html

[Snaphaan]

I've been there.

Problem is I need to be a premium user to see the conversion to a prestashop theme - thats a bit stupid. I cannot believe that with all the users of this cart NO ONE has created any tutorial or guide? NOTHING execept some obscure basic rundown of what happens.

Designing the site in photoshop is not the problem. The problem is converting it to a prestashop theme...

Any other suggestions?

[razaro]

There was similar question in this topic with some answers.

I suggest you first try to copy default theme to get familiar with code, hooks, variables and tpl files.
And the you try to build theme from scratch, but for some parts you will end-up copy code from default theme.

Also coping default template doesn't limit you in any way, if you are creative enough and you are good with CSS, with some knowledge of PHP, Smarty and JavaScript you can build great themes. But it takes time.
And good part goes on customization of modules you want to use (here is one link about that).

------Next part is pasted but it could be useful

About hooks see following links
http://www.daveegerton.com/prestashop-guides/Prestashop-Designers-Guide/core-modules-structure/hooks.html
http://www.nethercottconstructions.com/content/27-prestashop-hooks

And some other links (some are little older)

http://esdev.net/ultimate-prestashop-toolkit-50-resources/
http://ardianys.com/64_how-to-add-new-hook-prestashop-engine-modification-tutorial-series.html
http://www.prestashop.com/forums/viewthread/23173/general_discussion/prestashop_doc

[Snaphaan]

Thanks razaro

I think I'll copy and work on the default theme. Building it from scratch is a bit much. At least I have the time now to open the 'hood' and see whats going on.

[chrisnyce]

Is the default theme installed with the package or is there a more barebones looking theme to start from scratch with?

Perhaps one with no styles attached. I'm already adept with wordpress themes, editing PHP and coding html and css and I usually start from a barebones theme but I haven't began to tinker with Prestashop yet.

Thanks.

[razaro]

Default theme is installed with the package and suggestion for bare-bone theme is already at feature request list but don't know if it will be included in next release.

[shacker]

here is the beggining of a series of tutorials for theming

http://catalogo-onlinersi.com.ar/tutorials/180-prestamagazine-prestashop.html

[mani313]

I've been there.

 

Problem is I need to be a premium user to see the conversion to a prestashop theme - thats a bit stupid. I cannot believe that with all the users of this cart NO ONE has created any tutorial or guide? NOTHING execept some obscure basic rundown of what happens.

 

Designing the site in photoshop is not the problem. The problem is converting it to a prestashop theme...

 

Any other suggestions?

 

are u sure olny premium user could get the guide of this conversion?