v 1.4 - Merge all CSS files and compatibility with further updates

[oilvier]

Hi,

I've just installed Prestashop v 1.4 and from what I see, there is a css file for every module in the default theme (sometimes for only a few lines of code).
My question is, is it possible to use only one CSS file for all this modules ?

Another question concerns the updates and personalized themes.
If if create my own theme by changing all the HTML structure in the .tpl file, will it cause problems with the future updates of Prestashop ?

Thanks by advance

[oilvier]

I will answer to myself for my first question

I wasn't aware of the CCC feature, and thus I guess the creation of a CSS for each module is not avoidable.

But I didn't find the answer for the compatibility of custom templates.
So if any one of you know about this...

[Kaihaku]

Another question concerns the updates and personalized themes.
If if create my own theme by changing all the HTML structure in the .tpl file, will it cause problems with the future updates of Prestashop?

For major releases (1.x), you should anticipate having to make significant updates to custom themes to preserve compatibility. For revisions (1.4.x), it's less likely that a major update will be necessary but it's smart to check the changelog to see how the standard theme was revised and change your custom theme in accordance.

[oilvier]

OK, in short terms, a full compatibility with further releases can't be possible ? (Even with pro templates)

[Kaihaku]

For revisions (1.4.x), full compatibility with future releases should be the norm. There might be an issue now and then, but in general it should work.

For major releases (1.x), themes will most likely need to be updated to the current version. For example, I wrote a theme for 1.3 but it has needed some major revisions to be compatible with 1.4.

I think that some "Pro Templates" come with free updates to the latest version of PrestaShop, but you'd need to check for the specific template.

[Kaihaku]

I almost forgot about it but Prestashop does have a theme compatibility mode. However, using it causes you to miss out on many of the benefits of a newer version. Here's something from Rocky on the subject.

Yes. PrestaShop v1.4 themes use the stricter Smarty 3, whereas PrestaShop v1.3 and earlier themes use Smarty 2, so your theme won't work unless you go to the bottom of the Preferences tab and switch to Smarty 2. That will let you use your current theme with PrestaShop v1.4, but you won't be able to use any of PrestaShop's new features, only the features in PrestaShop v1.3. If you want to use the new features, you will need to rewrite your theme to work with Smarty 3. I suggest starting with the default PrestaShop v1.4 theme, then modifying it to look like your existing theme. It is a lot of work, I know, but it is worth it for the new features.

[oilvier]

OK, thanks for your detailed answer!

I'm reassured to know that even pro templates are set on an equal footing regarding updates.