When a visitor proceeds to checkout they see the following:

• Optional Cart Header: This can be a formatted text string entered in the advanced tab, or it can be a container from elsewhere in the site.
• Editable Order Summary: This is a list of what was ordered with links to edit the items and a total including promotions.
• User Information Collection: This is a ship-to form or a visitor registration area.
• Send Order Button: This will include a PayPal message if PayPal is enabled

If the cart is empty or if the visitor is not allowed to order the checkout screen will not show and will return to the sites current page. The site will automatically not have Proceed to Checkout links under these conditions but in obscure cases a visitor might go "back" into a cart that no longer applies.

If the Checkout Header in the advanced tab is filled in it is displayed here.

As a special case, if the value is of the form
    cid=nnnn
the container matching that cid is shown instead. See the registration portion for more about container cids.

Sometimes you want a not-logged-in user to register or login during checkout. This can cause the user to be added to groups that can be the distribution lists for newsletters, or can cause the user to be remembered the next time they visit.

Login blocks are very rich in their behavior with flexible styles, groups added to, or even page creation. HotDoodle does not try to duplicate all of these options within the product catalog configuration.

Also, some sites may want to have more than just a login - they might want to have some explinatory text as to why the visitor should login, they might want to direct the user to anther place in the site to register,  they might even show a video.  In general, a site might need to have almost any combination of HotDoodle capabilities as what should be shown when a visitor needs registration.

The product catalog block has a simple approach to this -- it will show a container and whatever might be in that container, which could be text, loging blocks, videos, links, etc.  Typically that container will be configured elsewhere in the site, probably someplace a visitor cannot see such as in the showroom.  The container id ("cid") of that container is given to the product catalog to be shown when needed.

To get a CID, configure the container you want shown (you will need to click the "Configure Blocks" checkbox in the toolbar). At the bottom will be something like: 
  Note: this is cid=150

Configuring the Login Block:

• The login block should typically use the "Vertical -- tall and thin" option.
• By default a login block will take the user to a main page when done and will not return the user to the checkout page. To make it return the checkout page you need to set the "Actions to Take Upon Login or Registration / instead go to URL" field and set this to be the URL suggested in the product catalog block. To find this, configure the login block and click the help on the "Register upon ordering?" field. The help will show the URL needed.   Placing the cid of a continer holding a login in block in the product catalog configuation and placing the Proceed to Checkout URL in the the login block pairs the two blocks.
• Be sure to enable registration in the site configuration. If you do not see a registration form that is probably why.
• We recommend disabling manditory Captcha in the Site Preferences screen. HotDoodle will apply it when needed.

After registration (if the login block is configured to return to checkout), or if no registration is needed, buyer information is collected. The name and email stored fo a registered used is inserted by default, but may be changed by the visitor.

TBD: Discuss order being emailed but not yet paid, going to PayPal (if so set), and how to know if a payment is made

If the Payment Header in the advanced tab is filled in it is displayed on a confirmation screen shown after the order is sent..

As a special case, if the value is of the form
    cid=nnnn
the container matching that cid is shown instead. See the registration portion for more about container cids.