Fixing the Slideshow Dilemma on Shopify's Modular Theme

Ah, the joys of setting up a Shopify store. At first, I felt like a digital interior designer, arranging each pixel and GIF as if choosing the right spot for a couch in my imaginary mansion. The couch being, of course, the slideshow element on our product page. We want it to be comfortable—not sandboxed, not static—but a welcoming carousel of images that draws the eye like a flame does a moth. You know, a place where our customers could sip their coffee and easily flick through images of our products, immersing themselves in the visual story we’ve crafted.

Yet, there I was. Pictures stacked one atop the other like a teetering pile of pancakes—delightful to eat but not quite the breakfast menu I was hoping for. This happened to Noemie as well, on the slick Modular theme of Shopify. Let's walk through how to turn those syrupy stacks into a seamless slideshow.

Step 1: Understanding Our Product Page Settings

Let me rewind to a time when I, too, feared I'd break the internet. There’s a spot in our Shopify admin where all the magic—or chaos—happens. Let's go there now: click on Online Store in the left-hand menu, then saunter over to Themes.

Now, here’s the thing—there’s this hidden doorway called Customize. Click it, and on we go.

You’ll find yourself in the customization portal. It's like opening the closet to Narnia, where every banner image and typography tweak is ours to alter.

Here's a key part: the Sections on the left panel. Tap Product pages or anything that sounds like it would contain pics of what we're selling. We're diving in—the cool, refreshing waters of customization await.

Step 2: Activating the Slideshow in Modular

Back during my customization adventure, I found myself in a bit of a tangle—overthinking the purpose of the Modular theme. Let’s clear the cobwebs. The Modular theme may not come with an automatic slideshow for product images, but fear not, for we hold the power to change this.

Check for Slideshow Settings

Navigate within the Product pages section. Sometimes, the theme simply requires us to toggle on the slideshow feature. Look for something that screams 'Gallery style' or ‘Image carousel,' maybe even 'Slideshow setting.' If there's a checkbox, let’s tick it like checking off an item on our daily to-do list.

If you've spent hours staring at settings and found nothing, fret not. There's a little hack called code editing that might just be our silver bullet.

Step 3: Crafting a Custom Slideshow

Years ago, in a moment of insane courage and curiosity, I considered editing the theme’s code. Don't worry, I made it back sane and ready to guide you through. Here's how we add a custom slideshow if all else fails.

Venturing into Liquid and CSS

Scout back to Theme and click on Actions, followed by Edit code. Our digital cauldron of bubbling liquid code awaits.

In the left-hand list, tap open product.template.liquid or whatever your product page layout file is called. We’re about to weave our slideshow magic here.

Slideshow Code Snippet

Below's a sample code snippet that assumes the placement of the slideshow functionality—some themes might use slightly different locations:

<div class="product-slideshow">
  {% for image in product.images %}
  <img src="{{ image.src | img_url: 'large' }}" alt="{{ product.title }}" />
  {% endfor %}
</div>

And let’s fancy it up a bit with our theme.scss.liquid or styles.css—or the equivalent CSS file you have—by adding a bit of spice:

.product-slideshow img {
  width: 100%;
  display: block;
  max-width: 500px;
  max-height: 500px;
  margin: auto;
  transition: opacity 0.5s ease;
}

.product-slideshow img:not(:first-child) {
  display: none;
}

Connect this with a JavaScript snippet, ensuring our slides transition like a chef swapping out plates of sumptuous delicacies:

document.querySelectorAll('.product-slideshow img')[0].style.display='block'; // Show the first image by default

let index = 0;
setInterval(() => {
  document.querySelectorAll('.product-slideshow img')[index].style.display='none';
  index = (index + 1) % document.querySelectorAll('.product-slideshow img').length;
  document.querySelectorAll('.product-slideshow img')[index].style.display='block';
}, 3000);  // Here, 3000ms means 3 seconds per slide

Wrapping It Up

For every Noemie amongst us, the path to a dynamic slideshow on Shopify might seem like scaling Everest, but reflect on our journey here—with a blend of settings tweak and code sorcery, we can make those static images pirouette across our product page.

Remember, every step forward, every image arrayed in sparkling order, is a tribute to our vision—a tribute to making online shopping as memorable as an old friend’s hug, enveloping with warmth and ease. Adventure on, fellow Shopify adventurers.