Upgrading Magento - theming

For all of those developers out there using Magento 1.0 the upgrade to 1.1.3 is fraught with theme issues but the performance gain is more than worth the effort.

Currently, I am developing a catalogue site using a modified theme based on the Modern theme. Magento have done a great job on the overall system but the Magento theme system more complicated when compared to the theme systems employed by Drupal, wordpress et al. So be warned that any changes you make to your theme will have to be re-constructed for each Magento release until such a time that Magento PHP function and helper calls within themes are minimal.

Drupal's theme system is one of its strong points as it keeps presentation separate from core functionality so you can quickly update either the underlying code or the presentation without many issues. Drupal works by rendering output of core functionality combined with structural mark-up which can then be overridden using a master template file. All you have to do is open the core Drupal files and search for a function beginning with theme_ then within your master template file you simply copy and paste the complete theme_ function and rename the function to your theme name before editing the function i.e. for this website the function names begin with jnorton_ - the name of theme you are looking at. This makes it easy to theme the core functionality without actually changing the top level design template or the low level core functionality. The master template file serves as a middle man or intermediary between the top level HTML structure and the underlying code, to summarize: it is easy to use and update.

For more information regarding the Drupal template system and in particular the theme system I use to develop Drupal websites then visit the Drupal PHPTemplate page. For those of you who are recreating Magento themes then there isn't a great deal of help I can offer you besides reveiwing the upgrading Magento themes for latest releases page and running througha few best practice tips, namely:

Back up all Magento source files and the database!
Create a dev install of Magento using your backed up Magento source files and database. Then upgrade the dev install to the latest version - DO NOT use your live website.
Upgrading through Magento Connect is hit and miss, but by all means try this as you may get away without any issues. Alternatively, just download the latest Magento archive and upload the decompressed archive to overwrite your dev install.
Finally, upgrade your dev database to the latest version by navigating to your dev install's home page. This should automatically upgrade your database to the latest version.

After completing these steps you will have a safe development platform from which to update your themes and custom modules without impacting on your live shop.

Good luck!

About Me

I am a freelance website developer and designer based in Bristol (UK). I work as a remote Drupal developer, WordPress developer and Front-end developer for a variety of startups, charities and international businesses in Bristol, Bath, London and Europe. You can learn more about me by visiting my resume page.

Get in touch for a free quote on your next project and if you want to connect me with then check out my LinkedIn profile.

Testimonials

The quality of Justin's work has always been exceptional, exceeding every brief given to him. His knowledge of a wide variety of platforms and programming languages makes him one of the most versatile web designers / developers I know and an incredible asset to any organisation.
James Morell | Head of Search at Future Publishing
As a new enterprise operating in the competitive international education sector, we wanted to add specific technical direction and consultancy services from an experienced web designer / developer who had knowledge of online marketing and SEO.
Justin helped us plan and develop the portfolio of websites and associated digital products that form the core of our online service offering. He used his expert WordPress knowledge to great effect by building a range of complex/responsive search engine-optimised websites - not least our main student website - now used (and we hear appreciated!) on a daily basis by clients and customers alike.
With time in short supply and with relationships being key to supplier success, Justin wins by offering great objective advice and by being a pleasure to work with - not least because he's quick to respond to queries - not always the case with suppliers!
I'd be very happy to recommend Justin to anyone looking for a Rapid Response Team to add value to their web development resources.
Steve Green | Director at Study Bridge Group
What more can I say apart from Justin is the best in the business, bar none. Having worked with a number of web developers in my time, it's the attention to detail that sets him apart from all others.
His approach is both clinical and creative. He will listen to all requests, make suggestions where relevant, and - more importantly - never shy away from a challenge when others would. From the over-coded mess that was to be our new website, Justin helped us unravel and develop an ecommerce Magento store that was ready for launch in less than half the time we’d already accrued with our previous developer.
Put simply, to choose anyone else over Justin would be a bad business move. I cannot recommend him highly enough.
Kev Bailey | Marketing Manager and Designer at APC Workwear
Justin led the migration of the Startups.co.uk portfolio from a custom CMS onto a more easily scaleable Wordpress platform, ably assisting us on the strategy for doing so and providing valuable insight on how to structure the new technical set-up.

More recently, as the portfolio has scaled, Justin has been adept at turning his hand to the many and varied web development queries that have been directed at him, taking our (often very!) rough ideas, recommending approaches and converting them into a well-thought out solution. Added to that, his quick response and quick turnaround are always greatly appreciated.
Jonathan Young | Senior SEO Strategist at MVF
Justin is a diligent, creative and professional digital designer and web developer who can quickly master any technology or platform. He has particular strengths in PHP, WordPress, Drupal and complex ecommerce platforms such as Magento Commerce. In short, Justin is very good at understanding the commercial implications of design and translating that into distinctive and effective solutions.
David Ralston | Head of Online Marketing and European Operations at Champs-Elysées Audio Magazines
Justin led Fast Car Magazine's move and tricky migration from a complicated bespoke website to our current WordPress website / CMS. We found him articulate, highly-skilled and a great communicator. He delivered the project on time and fully fulfilled our expectations and more.
Glenn Rowsell | Fast Car Online Editor at Future Publishing
There are few better web developers or IT problem solvers than Justin, he is also a skilled creative designer. He took a failing project over and turned it into a successful one within three months. The previous developers had taken six months to create a poorly developed mess. Justin had to unravel it all and find fixes for so many things. He has good knowledge of business and will provide you with a solution that fits your needs. Once he knows where you want to go and what you want to achieve he will find you the best path forward.
Robin Chater | Secretary-General at The Federation of International Employers (FedEE)
Justin initially worked for me on a re-design of parts of our magic5 web application. I was very impressed with his work and subsequently engaged him to work on a full re-design. When it came to creating a new product web site, Justin was the obvious person to turn to. He has good technical knowledge and is particularly skilled in the business and commercial aspects of web technologies.
Andrew Sinclair | Director at Magic5 Software
We employed Justin's highly accomplished Drupal skills for a few initiatives during 2014 and 2015. He is highly-professional at handling issues and developing websites in tandem with our in-house design and development teams. What really stood out was his conscientiousness and eye for detail, I can strongly recommend him.
Ian Howlett | Head of Digital at Conran Design Group
Justin is a wonderful web developer, and more importantly, a flexible one. As with lots of the best agencies, we need to continually shift and adapt with technology and the changing face of client needs. Justin has continually been a valued member of the team and his ability to shift with those requirements, be they industry, or client based, is testament to his ability and passion for producing great work.

Highly recommended.
Paul Goodenough | CEO Aerian Studios
Justin Norton made an important contribution to Space Signpost, a science communication project I developed in collaboration with Futurelab. He created a sophisticated interface that incorporated all the learning from user research we had conducted. The project was under time pressure when Justin came onboard and Justin's role carried a lot of responsibility, but this did not prevent him approaching the job creatively. He worked well with the whole team and was an asset to the project as much for his imagination as for his technical skills.
Adam Nieman | Creative Director at GovEd Communications
Having worked with Justin on a number of projects his work has always been of the highest standard. His skills are versatile and flexible, and his consistent understanding of the details as well as the bigger picture really makes him a valuable addition to the team. From a technical and creative perspective I would gladly recommend him to anyone.
Jake Manion | Creative Producer at Aardman Animations
Justin worked on the web development of Future Publishing's internal training site during 2011. During the process Justin was instrumental in making the website work, designing the key stages and layout, and ensuring that when delivered to me, the customer, that it functioned properly and was easy to update. Justin has been the most brilliant support to me during the time he has been working on the site and I am extremely grateful. Justin made something very complicated seem easy. He is a true asset and I have no hesitation in recommending Justin.
Simon Hares | Head of Training at Future Publishing

Upgrading Magento - theming

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