It is commonly known that Prestashop’s team has been developing a new version motor strongly for a long time. Reportedly the issue of final version is planned on September. But a rule of thumb states that this time may not be enough. Long wait for updating highly justified, since a lot of problems were set for developers. And functionality of platform has improved much while these problems have been being solved.

Now the job is on the eve of completion and you can become aware of huge superiority over version 1.4. The main innovation is the possibility of operation of some stores using only one back office. It is called Multi-store management. It should be noted that function After-Sales Service essentially lightens work with clients. With improved Shipping management you can operate some delivery addresses. Updated Cart pricing rules simplifies discount management, work with promotional propositions and complex purchases. Not only essential updating arose in Prestashop 1.5. Large quantity of small improvements and corrected bugs make impression of store with a high level of service. System “1-click Upgrade” is one of such innovations, and you may update your system by one click. This module is also available into prestashop 1.4.8.x and allows you easily proceed to 1.5.

If you are an owner of a store on 1.3 – 1.4 platform base, and plan to upgrade Prestashop to 1.5, it’ll be useful for you to become familiar with documentation about features of 1.5 version. Also you should to know, is the theme you want to buy created on the basis of the default theme of Prestashop 1.5? Taking into account cardinality of innovations, developers don’t recommend to adapt old theme for new version. Quotation:

“it is highly advisable not to adapt 1.4 theme to PrestaShop 1.5, but rather start with the default theme and adapt your HTML and CSS files to it. This way, you will ensure that all the new features from PrestaShop 1.5 will be included in your theme out of the box”.

The theme can’t be compatible with 1.4 and 1.5 at the same time.

The main differences in template’s structure of version 1.4 and 1.5 are:

1. Reference generation in patterns
The function of reference generation has been changed in new version of patterns. Now instead of:
{$link->getPageLink('order-slip.php', true)}

the following will be used:
{$link->getPageLink('order-slip', true)}

Of course Prestashop’s creators were concerned about backward compatibility, and old theme references will work on a new platform, but it’s recommended to use new function of reference generation.

2. New hooks

In the new version new hooks were added. So, modules which were designed for Prestashop 1.5 will not be displayed in old pattern, while new hooks will be used.

3. Product’s attributes

Prestashop 1.5 has new form for product’s attributes output and also required javascript code in product.js for working with this form. This means that product’s attributes will not be accurately displayed on product’s page while using old theme.

4. Shopping cart

The function order-payment provides data output about goods that you are going to purchase on the shopping cart page. It probably may be inaccurately represented in the earlier version.

5. New template file

In new version new template file layout.tpl was added. This tpl opens up a lot of possibilities for pattern designers.

6. Multishipping in order-address.tpl

New opportunities were added in pattern of address output for work with multishipping. In new version hook “HOOK_EXTRACARRIER” is used for multishipping. Earlier multishipping was not supported.

7. Adding mode js and css

Overpatching in function of js and css-files addition implies necessity of updating every module with its own scripts and styles. I.e. your old module template most probably will not operate.

The link to original document is: http://bit.ly/UkRxDJ