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Last Post 10/18/2008 3:46:22 PM By lukezy. 1 replies.
10/18/2008 10:48:23 AM
jhcorey
Posts: 27
Joined: 9/29/2008
Trying to add custom controls
I want to create new menu items, and I've created some controls that I've added to /web/Controls/Blocks.
 
Now I'm trying to figure out the right routine to add menu items and include these controls.  I've done it once, but I'm having a hard time doing it again correctly, and I'm afraid to mess things up.
 
Here is what I've done:
1)  Go into Store Admin and add a page (I'm not sure if I need this, but I believe that the url's I create are added to the pick list).
2)  Go back to the home page and hit Enable Page Editor.
3)  I then pretty much follow the technique shown in the video.  When I add a menu item, I have to select a url.
 
What has happened at time is that I don't see a block container to add my control to.  There seem to be some block containers that appear on all the pages, and I'm sure sure if this is correct, as sometimes I've ended up with my control on all the pages (includind Home and My Account).
 
I realize that I'm rambling here, but I'm struggling with the page editor, and, as I said, I'm afraid I'm going to mess up some html or xml that is stored in the tables.
The Disable Page Editor button does not always work for me, and it's difficult for me to sense when I've saved my work. 
 
 
10/18/2008 3:46:22 PM
lukezy
Posts: 2109
Joined: 6/12/2007
Location:WA, US
Re: Trying to add custom controls
There are four master block containers that are persisted to the entire site. They are top, bottom, left and right. If you add controls to these master block containers they will persist to all pages. There are ways that you could hide left or right columns in individual page.
 
The page editor in the open source edition was written in Ajax.net and had some performance issue when you start adding a lot of controls. The page editor in our current version DotShoppingCart Suite V2.5 has been completely re-written by using JQuery. The new version page editor should solve the saving issue.
 
To hook up your own controls to the system, check this blog entry.
 
If you have any specific issue, please post back the detail and I am happy to help you out.
DotShoppingCart Staff