Zen Cart and Delia's News
When I realized I hadn't sent out a newsletter since last summer, I decided to remedy that asap! Thus, leading to lot of words and reading....there's a lot to "unpack" here so take your time to digest it all.
1.5.6c
I'm now upgrading to 1.5.6c (including the latest updates to 1.5.6c that have not been released as a new version yet) as well as 1.5.5f. Not enough has been changed to warrant the 1.5.6d release and we're working on 1.5.7 right now. The only major remaining problem with 1.5.6c is that the COWOA (checkout without account) has not been and may not be upgraded to this version.
COWOA is destined to be incorporated into Zen Cart at some point and the team is working on starting that process but it may be a while before it's actually available. I have also removed COWOA from my responsive template to make it version friendly with less core changes. Of course, there may be other mods not yet ready for 1.5.6. I offer a site evaluation to make that determination before the upgrade starts.
The biggest benefit of 1.5.6c is that it is fully PHP 7.3 capable. Though most hosts are still allowing lower PHP versions, 7.1 is already slated for the dustbin and 7.4 is coming soon. Since these changes are often mandated by your hosting company, upgrading to 1.5.6c puts off any other updates for longer compared to 1.5.5 though many can avoid an upgrade for a good while yet. 1.5.5f is still a solid option.
As of 1.5.5, the admin is now fully responsive. I'm not going to promise you that you will love it but it's a major improvement for mobile users. Take a peek: https://youtu.be/NNmlbOCOXt0
Other updates you may need include UPS, USPS and Square. All three will tell you in admin if there's a new version available but like in the case of USPS, there may be no urgency and I've definitely seen issues with the UPS upgrade. Do stay alert to customer complaints about any of these three modules or if you can see no use of one of those three compared to other methods for payment or shipping.
If you are on maintenance, I have already uploaded these patches but checking after me is not a bad idea ever! If not on maintenance, I will be glad to take care of this for you for $25 per mod. You may pay using this link: https://www.wiztech4zc.com/hosting/cart.php?a=add&pid=18
Version 1.5.7
I'm not going to forecast the date of the release of 1.5.7. I'm personally happy to let it be further down the road but it probably will be this year. Revving up the timing of releases is normal for the industry now, no matter how frustrating for the website owner it might be, but that is why I'm now upgrading to 1.5.6c. If any security patches are released, I'll be sure to let you know.
So far all changes are pretty minor for 1.5.6c but 1.5.7 is incorporating some of the Zen Cart users/consultants' wishlist items. Much of it is usability features to make your admin tasks easier but actual mods are being incorporated as we speak. I don't have an list - I have heard of several things underway so that's a stay tuned note! I can tell you that there's improved checkout (especially the success page) and place order for a customer in admin. In fact the entire admin looks better and clearer as the team continues to improve the responsive template.
One thing I have to brag about is the inclusion of a define page in 1.5.7 for the shopping cart. This has always been available as a mod but it's a pain in the neck to remember or even note that it's installed when I go to upgrade the site. I have included it in my template now since it will be coming. It was my first actual code contribution to the core Zen Cart version. It's a super (and easy) way to deliver shipping info and vacation times, etc., to your buyers before they check out.
 
Upgrading and Responsive Templates
Folks (including well-known template creators within the Zen Cart community) still are not bothering with upgrading their templates to 1.5.6c or PHP 7.3 but my responsive template is fully ready for both. I find that most folks need a mobile responsive template when they upgrade so I do discount a bit if you do both at the same time. If you haven't checked out my ready to go template yet, the demo is here: https://deliatest.com/readytogo/.
I've recently made some changes for security and script removal. The mobile menu is now purely CSS, reducing load time and rendering the screen much much faster. The advantages of my template versus all I've seen are three-fold. Less code, faster loading, and desktop computer friendly.
Responsive design is and has always been driven by a mobile first mentality but I start with a decent looking website on your computer and reconfigure for smaller mobile devices. Though mobile is real now, usage stats for most websites still see less than half of visitors as mobile users. Allowing the desktop users a good experience still needs addressing and I promise you most of the mobile first templates are just not good for desktop users.
The ready to go template does not change based on the individual device but on the width of the screen so I don't guarantee perfect results on all devices but I doubt you will be disappointed! You can see screenshots of some of the custom templates with both mobile and full views in the portfolio: https://wiztech4zc.com/portfolio/zen-cart-responsive
I made the decision to produce this as only a custom template - designed specifically for your website and your needs to make sure I have happy customers with websites that meet their needs. I tried packaging it as a lower priced option that website owners could install themselves, but I really couldn't justify the time sink of keeping the package updated at a low price point. I don't believe in offering you anything less that the best so I only do this in a fashion that I believe will be better for you, your website and your customers in the long run. I could offer free but buggy templates and suck you in to paying money to get fixes and updates but I don't believe in doing business that way. Having to fix someone else's free template last week highlighted this for me. Just dang!
Included in the package can be the installation of additional mods, some rewrites of text, redesign of your home page content, logo design and I always dispense advice - whether you want it or not and with no extra cost to you! I don't just throw up files and abandon you either. I guarantee my templates (and my upgrades). So take a look and then either contact me (https://www.wiztech4zc.com/contact-us.php) or just do it - by purchasing it now: https://wiztech4zc.com/hosting/cart.php?a=add&pid=57
Though I specialize in Zen Cart, I also work constantly with WordPress and from scratch static websites. Don't hesitate to contact me if you have questions or need help with your website.
Delia
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