Blocks disappeared in CMS after upgrade

This can happen when you have different versions of the encoded files:

includes/record.php
includes/templates.php
includes/va_functions.php
admin/admin_cms_page_layout.php

Please make sure they are from the same version build.

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Parameters for custom blocks

In any Custom Block settings in CMS there is present a field 'Parameters', the variables that can be used there are:

item_id - for products, articles and ads ids
category_id - for any kind of category ids
manf - for manufacturer ids
search_string - when user is doing some search
article_id - to show block only for some articles

example:
You can create different Custom Blocks first, then go to CMS > Pages Layouts and add the blocks to the pages where you want to show them and when you click on block's settings specify in the pop-up window the following string in the 'Parameters' filed:
category_id=13,48
13 and 48 are the categories where the block will be shown. read more...

How to activate the blocks 'Products Related', 'Related Articles', Related Forums'

Please perform the below steps:

1. Add products (articles, forums) that you consider related to the product(s) via
Dashboard > Products & Categories > 'Related' link (located under the title of the product).

2. When this is done, go to CMS > Pages Layouts > Product Details Page where select the related block from the right hand menu and add it to some column.

3. When selecting the block 'Products Related' specify the number of items per page and the number of columns for the related products. This is done in the Settings section (click on 'tools' icon next to the block).

4. In the block ''Products > Related Articles', you can specify the number of articles, columns, image type, description and date.

5. In the block ''Products > Related Forums', you can specify the number of forum threads, columns, description, author information.

When all the settings are done, press the Save button and then 'Update'.
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What latest products are showing in Products Latest block?

Block 'Products Latest' has a special setting that allows to define by what criteria latest products should be picked up:
- Product Issue Date
- Date Added
- Date Modified

To select this setting go to CMS > Pages Layouts > Home Page Layout and click on block's settings (tools icon next to the block). Click Update and then Save. read more...

Add blocks into header

Below is a simple example to understand how the system works.

Let's add a user login block to the header.

1) First of all, we will need a simplified version of the block template without all styles parameters. By default there is such file example - templates/user/block_login_simple.html
(Using this example you may strip of unnecessary elements every template but please make sure to save it under a different name e.g. block_language_header.html)

2) Then open header.html file where specify a tag for this new block e.g. {login_simple}.

3) Go to CMS > Pages Layouts > Home Page Layout where add a "Global > User Login" block into the Header frame. This block should be above the block you need to build it in, in this case it would be "Global > Header" block:
Global > User Login
Global > Header

4) Click on the Tools icon of "Global > User Login" block where specify:
Tag Name: login_simple
HTML Template: block_login_simple.html

Click Update and then Save. The same procedure should be done for all pages where you would like to show this block. Please read more info here http://www.viart.com/build_in_blocks.html read more...

How to add some code on all pages before head tag?

This code should be put in your layout template, for example if you use a Two Columns Layout, put it in the 'layout_two_columns.html' file.
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