Slate doesn't provide an initial base theme to upload.

[ConduciveMammal]

Problem

I created a new Slate V1 theme to connect to a new dev store, as you know, new stores come with Debut pre-installed. So when creating the new theme, there's no base Slate theme to upload as there was with V0. There was also a message saying Slate will overwrite whatever theme I've configured Slate to deploy to, I assumed this meant it would erase the contents of Debut and push it's own files. Instead, it's simply added the new files to the Debut theme, so I'm using some pre-existing sections that came with Debut but with no styling for that section.

I'd propose that on the initial yarn create whatever-theme, the script creates both the Slate-compatible theme plus an initial .zip theme build to upload to the store to connect to.

[nemoeric]

Upvote for this matter as this is a blocking situation for theme developers. The fact that we can't use slate zip with V.1 is frustrating :/

[rizqinizamil]

I used to get this issue in the very first time using Slate. Then I thought step that i missed before connecting the store with theme ID is uploading Slate starter-theme from my computer to Shopify. So instead of using Debut we can use Slate starter-theme from our computer by using theme ID that we uploaded to Shopify.

[jonathan5572]

I usually fill out SLATE_STORE and SLATE_PASSWORD in the .env file and then run yarn zip to generate the blank theme, upload that to the store, grab the theme id for SLATE_THEME_ID then run yarn start. It's an extra minute at the start of a project, but it works!

[bristlebird]

Trying to get started with slate and this was a massive barrier to entry - there is no suggestion in the docs to zip and upload the starter theme to your store before connecting slate to your store. Following the steps in the docs resulted in connecting and deploying to the Debut theme and a very mashed up confusing preview!

Suggest the following docs update on https://shopify.github.io/slate/docs/connect-to-your-store:

"Now that you have a new Slate project, you need to compile the contents of the dist directory and create a ZIP file which you can upload as a theme to your remote Shopify store. You can then link your project to this theme on your remote Shopify store by updating the .env file with your API credentials.

To compile the contents of the dist directory and create a ZIP file of your theme in the root of the project

yarn slate-tools zip

Add this theme ZIP file to your remote Shopify store using the 'Upload theme' button under 'More themes' in the Themes section of the store admin."

[adammiribyan]

Wasted half an hour trying to wrap my head around the docs. Thanks for the suggestions!