• Zen Cart Experts
  • Web Sites
  • Training & Support
  • Content Management
  • Other Services
  • Newest Zen Cart Version Just Released

    The newest verison, 1.5.5, was just officially released today. I immediately downloaded and installed the final version. I had dug into it a couple of times but just hadn't had time to examine it thoroughly.

    A number of decisions were made after 1.5.4 came out. I was monitoring and occasionally sticking my two cents in during this process but after some crucial decisions were made that I disagreed with, I just ignored what happened after that.

    In the end, this version is very different in some ways than the last but it's not just bug fixes this time. There were a few, yes, but most were either tiny or not detrimental to the cart. For my own purposes I have a set of files to use when working on a 1.5.4 cart to make sure the crucial stuff is added in.

    Responsive Now in Zen Cart

    So, what's the newest in 1.5.5? First, there was a lot of cleanup, removing tables and old html to prepare for responsive. I had already done most of that in the template I use.

    The biggest thing after that is the responsive template that is now default as opposed to the classic template (which is still there). And here is where I disagreed. This template uses a function to detect what device is accessing the site in order to deliver up the correct mobile, tablet or full site version. There's some backup – thanks heavens – built into the css template. Testing it on my desktop, it does change depending on the size of the browser. I personally believe that's all that is necessary. I had used the mobile detect function when I first developed my mobile template. The reasoning here is to list all operating systems in a file so that you can be sure to deliver the correct template. Ahem. Therein lay my problem. This is nearly impossible to test and if any manufacturer changes or adds something to a device, this system will eventually fail. It will need constant monitoring and updating to be any where near correct.  I just don't think it's worth the trouble.

    That said, the new responsive template isn't bad. I personally dislike the colors but no one liked the classic green either. The point is to always change the template to your desired colors and not stick with the default that comes with the package. So next then I had to check out the CSS where this kind of thing is handled. Instead of two or three CSS files, we now have 17, yes, seventeen as in more than ten and less than twenty.

    Yeah, sure, let's make some changes to our default cart. (sarcasm, in case you missed it) What it boils down to is no newbie zen cart owner is going to be able to tackle this unless they are already a pro.

    So that means more folks will be coming to me to get help right? I doubt that seriously. One of the biggest draws always of zen cart was the simplicity, the ability to use it to learn those basics of Zen Cart and of CSS. That's actually how I got started. Now Zen Cart has joined the ranks of complexity of possibilities without providing a choice of usable templates. Folks are going to be relying even heavier on the available free and paid templates – most of which should carry the surgeon general warning labels. Most of the time I won't touch them and require the owner to get another template.

    So 17 stylesheets. I gallantly starting looking at them. They have separated out different types of CSS. Now there's a font color file, a file for mobile, a file for responsive that attempts to cover all the column widths possible, a default responsive where many of the main divs are now incarcerated, one named stylesheet.css as in years before. To say the least I have a lot of files and work to do to master all of this in order to make the changes. One Zen Cart lady is going to gain one hell of lot of business altering her CSS files. Oh, no, not me. The lady who created this complicated responsive template. 

    Sound like sour grapes? Naw, I really didn't want to start down the responsive road at all. I already had my mobile template (which is still the best user experience – see previous posts). I did accept the responsive challenge in December and created a simple responsive template. That CSS contains all the info ones needs in order to start with converting a site. One other file was edited to create a simple responsive template with little fuss and no trouble. That's a good starter situation for Zen Cart newbies. You can purchase that entire template (with some really useful additives) for a low cost and start playing to create your own customized site.

    Should You Upgrade?

    Will I be upgrading 1.5.4 sites to 1.5.5? The answer is no – not unless I required to by an owner who wants to incur some fees. The two carts are just two different and two many changes to make this an easy upgrade. I do not see that the money is worth it. 

    The next question is will I upgrade from other prior versions to 1.5.5? Will I start using 1.5.5 in my default install of Zen Cart for my new clients? The answer will depend on the client and he/her goals. I will make no assumptions and will be very, very careful of who I put into 1.5.5 and that responsive template because all I've heard tells me their next upgrade to 1.6 will be just as major as 1.5.4 to 1.6. 

    Supposedly that, the 1.6 version, will be the next step – it definitely will be very, very different and in fact may totally have some crucial changes template-wise that sends the 1.5.5 responsive template to the trash can.

    So I'm primarily saying spend your money to upgrade later when you really won't have a choice instead of now when you have a choice.

     

    Author: Delia Wilson Lunsford, Founder & CEO, WizTech, Inc.