How to move magento search bar from header to sidebar?

Edit "app/design/frontend/<your theme>/<your theme>/layout/catalogsearch.xml"

Fine the line:

<reference name="header">
    <block as="topSearch" name="top.search" template="catalogsearch/form.mini.phtml" type="core/template">
</block>
</reference>

Replace the reference name to left or right.

<reference name="left or right(your wish)">
    <block as="topSearch" name="top.search" template="catalogsearch/form.mini.phtml" type="core/template">
</block>
</reference>

Maximum execution time of 30 seconds exceeded

To fix it, open your php.ini and replace the value for 'max_execution_time' and 'max_input_time' as per below.


max_execution_time = 3600
max_input_time = 3600

How to show only first name in magento welcome message?

Comment the welcome message code in "template/page/html/header.phtml" and Use the below code to show first name only.

$customer = Mage::getSingleton('customer/session')->getCustomer()->getData();
if(Mage::getSingleton('customer/session')->isLoggedIn()){
   echo $this->__('Welcome, %s!', $customer['firstname']);
}else{
   echo $this->__('Welcome Guest');
}

How do I change SHOP BY text in left sidebar Magento?

Are you trying to replace the "SHOP BY" text? And failed to replace the text? Don't worry, that is not actually a text. That is Image.

Solution 1: You will need to replace the image under

"skin/frontend/default/default/images/bkg_block-layered-title.gif";

Solution 2: Locate a file

"app/design/frontend/default/YOURTHEME/template/catalog/layer/view.phtml" Change the class name "block-title" to something else.

How to remove my account,my wishlist in magento account link on home page?

To remove My Account link :

Open the file /app/design/frontend/package/theme/layout/customer.xml and comment these lines
 

<!--<action method="addLink" translate="label title" module="customer">

<label>My Account</label>
<url helper="customer/getAccountUrl"/>

<title>My Account</title><prepare/><urlParams/>
<position>10</position>
</action>-->

To Remove Wishlist link :

Open the file /app/design/frontend/package/theme/layout/wishlist.xml and comment these lines.

<!--<reference name="top.links">
    <block type="wishlist/links" name="wishlist_link"/>
    <action method="addLinkBlock">

<blockName>wishlist_link</blockName>

</action>
</reference>--> 

To Remove My Cart link :

Open the file /app/design/frontend/package/theme/layout/checkout.xml and comment these lines

<!-- <action method="addCartLink"></action> -->

To Remove Checkout link :

Open same file, /app/design/frontend/package/theme/layout/checkout.xml and comment the lines

<!-- <action method="addCheckoutLink"></action>-->

How to remove the index.php in magento?

To remove index.php from URLs follow the below steps :

1. Log-in Magento Admin.
2. Go to System -> Configuration -> Web.
3. From Search Engine Optimisation tab Use Web Server Rewrites select YES.
4. Make sure your Secure and Unsecure base urls should end with “/”.
5. And in System -> Configuration -> Web -> Secure -> Use secure URLs in the frontend, select YES.  
6. now edit your .htaccess ( will be in magento root folder ) and pate the below code and save:   

1	<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>

2	RewriteEngine On

3	RewriteBase /

4	RewriteRule ^index\.php$ - [L]

5	RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f

6	RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d

7	RewriteRule . /index.php [L]

8	</IfModule>

now your index.php issue will be solved. ** if that still does not work, then make sure you have mod_rewrite enabled / installed on your server.

New order email confirmation not being sent

Avoid cron:

 Transactional emails will be sent instantly.

goto following path: 

//app/code/core/Mage/Sales/Model/Order.php Line#1356,1450 
  //$mailer->setQueue($emailQueue)->send(); Change To 

          $mailer->send();

app/design/frontend/base/default/template/checkout/success.phtml
 //add following line Top success page for sending mail direct

 // Start Send Email Here......
$order = Mage::getModel('sales/order');
$incrementId = Mage::getSingleton('checkout/session')->getLastRealOrderId(); 
$order->loadByIncrementId($incrementId);

    try{ $order->sendNewOrderEmail();} 
    catch (Exception $ex) { echo "Email Not Sent..."; }
    $customer = Mage::getSingleton('customer/session')->getCustomer();
    $email = $customer->getEmail();//End Email Sending