you did not mention you where using version 3, so assumed version 4.
in version 3, the left column is generated in the Templates/main.dwt.php file bu this code:
<div id="leftColumn1">
<?php
if (!function_exists("getCatAccordian")) {
function getCatAccordian($StartWith=0,$prevLevels=0) {
$retHTML = "";
$retScript = "";
mysql_select_db($GLOBALS['database_PowerStoreConnection'], $GLOBALS['PowerStoreConnection']);
$query_SubCategoryList = "SELECT * FROM ps3_categories WHERE CategoryParent = ".$StartWith . " ORDER BY CategoryName";
$SubCategoryList = mysql_query($query_SubCategoryList, $GLOBALS['PowerStoreConnection']) or die(mysql_error());
$totalRows_SubCategoryList = mysql_num_rows($SubCategoryList);
$row_SubCategoryList = mysql_fetch_assoc($SubCategoryList);
$spaceStr = ' ';
if ($row_SubCategoryList) {
$retHTML .= '<div id="Accordion'.$row_SubCategoryList["CategoryID"].'" class="Accordion" tabindex="0">' . "\n";
$retScript .= 'var Accordion'.$row_SubCategoryList["CategoryID"].' = new Spry.Widget.Accordion("Accordion'.$row_SubCategoryList["CategoryID"].'", { useFixedPanelHeights: false, defaultPanel: -1 });' . "\n";
while ($row_SubCategoryList) {
$suboptions = getCatAccordian($row_SubCategoryList["CategoryID"],(1 + $prevLevels));
$retScript .= $suboptions[1];
$retHTML .= ' <div class="AccordionPanel" >' . "\n";
$retHTML .= ' <div class="AccordionPanelTab" onclick="doHighlighlight(this);updateContant(\'Products_Results.php?Search=1&ProductCategoryID[]='.$row_SubCategoryList["CategoryID"].'\')">'.(($prevLevels>0)?substr($spaceStr,0,12*$prevLevels):'') .$row_SubCategoryList["CategoryName"].'</div>' . "\n";
if ($suboptions[0]!="") {
$retHTML .= ' <div class="AccordionPanelContent" >' . "\n";
$retHTML .= $suboptions[0];
$retHTML .= ' </div>' . "\n";
}
$retHTML .= ' </div>' . "\n";
$row_SubCategoryList = mysql_fetch_assoc($SubCategoryList);
}
$retHTML .= '</div>' . "\n";
}
return array($retHTML,$retScript,$totalRows_SubCategoryList);
}
}
?>
<?php
$Accordian = getCatAccordian();
echo($Accordian[0]);
?>
</div>
change that to this:
<div id="leftColumn1">
custom content in the left column
</div>