change column-layout of contact form in Magento

Question

where can I change the column-layout (2-column left, 2-column right etc) of the default contact page in Magento?

thanks

Answer 1

First, determine the "layout handle" for the contact page. If this is the page you're talking about, then your layout handle is

contacts_index_index

Next, find the layout handle in your layout.xml file

<contacts_index_index translate="label">
    <label>Contact Us Form</label>
    <reference name="root">
        <action method="setTemplate"><template>page/2columns-right.phtml</template></action>
        <action method="setHeaderTitle" translate="title" module="contacts"><title>Contact Us</title></action>
    </reference>
    <reference name="content">
        <block type="core/template" name="contactForm" template="contacts/form.phtml"/>
    </reference>
</contacts_index_index>

Change the setTemplate call to reference your template

<reference name="root">
    <action method="setTemplate"><template>page/1column.phtml</template></action>
    <action method="setHeaderTitle" translate="title" module="contacts"><title>Contact Us</title></action>
</reference>

Alternately, add the handle reference to your local.xml file. The local.xml file is applied last, so whatever goes in there "wins"

<layout>
    <contacts_index_index>
        <reference name="root">
            <action method="setTemplate"><template>page/2columns-left.phtml</template></action>    
        </reference>
    </contacts_index_index>
</layout>   

Answer 2

The layout of the contact page is set in contacts.xml. So, an alternative method is:

1. Find contacts.xml in the base layout folder
2. Copy the content in that file
3. Create a new contacts.xml file in the layout folder of your template
4. Paste the content of that file and find the line that sets the default layout

<reference name="root">
   <action method="setTemplate"><template>page/2columns-left.phtml</template></action>
   <action method="setHeaderTitle" translate="title" module="contacts"><title>Contact Us</title></action>
</reference>

5. Change that line to whatever you want your default layout to be

<reference name="root">
   <action method="setTemplate"><template>page/1column.phtml</template></action>
   <action method="setHeaderTitle" translate="title" module="contacts"><title>Contact Us</title></action>
</reference>

6. Save, and it overrides the default layout

Answer 3

Firstly, Find contacts.xml in the base layout folder, then in 41 line,

change this code from

<action method="setTemplate"><template>page/2columns-right.phtml</template></action>

to

<action method="setTemplate"><template>page/2columns-left.phtml</template></action>