EasyPopulate 4.0 Support Thread

Thank you, Chad. I have a clearer understanding now on how to proceed. Time and coding skills are not on my side. (I am a newbie.) So these directions will serve me well. I had run the Auto Install script for ZC 1.5.1 on my web-host and then manually updated to ZC 1.5.3. Do I delete all the files in my store folder and then start over? Or is there a ZC auto install script for ZC 1.5.3 that I can run that will overwrite the current installation?

FoodSourceDirect:

Thank you, Chad. I have a clearer understanding now on how to proceed. Time and coding skills are not on my side. (I am a newbie.) So these directions will serve me well. I had run the Auto Install script for ZC 1.5.1 on my web-host and then manually updated to ZC 1.5.3. Do I delete all the files in my store folder and then start over? Or is there a ZC auto install script for ZC 1.5.3 that I can run that will overwrite the current installation?

So there are as you have identified a number of ways to go about it, but if you look at the upgrade section of the documentation, there should be an indication of the files that have been changed/added/deleted based on the version from which have upgraded. Effectively, if the new files overwrite the old files, then only need to delete the "extraneous" files and verify that overridden files are/have been upgraded as well.

I have to say, I was obviously in the weeds of things when I wrote last... Categories... Sheesh, too much into writing some new code and thinking abstractly rather than specifically. :)

But as for some form of "autoinstaller" or autoupgrader, there are too many potential differences to effectively develop something like that at this time. Maybe if the core code becomes uneditable or fully overridden through the use of notifiers and observers, but until then it is my opinion that there are just too many possible differences that could exist in a file or set of files. There is the database upgrade that is performed through zc_install, but not an equivalent file editor.

FoodSourceDirect:

Thank you, Chad. I have a clearer understanding now on how to proceed. Time and coding skills are not on my side. (I am a newbie.) So these directions will serve me well. I had run the Auto Install script for ZC 1.5.1 on my web-host and then manually updated to ZC 1.5.3. Do I delete all the files in my store folder and then start over? Or is there a ZC auto install script for ZC 1.5.3 that I can run that will overwrite the current installation?

Btw, to more succintly answer the question of upgrading, I believe there are instructions in the documentation provided in the install, but there also is this faq: http://www.zen-cart.com/content.php?140-how-do-i-upgrade-my-site

FoodSourceDirect:

Thank you, Chad. I have a clearer understanding now on how to proceed. Time and coding skills are not on my side. (I am a newbie.) So these directions will serve me well. I had run the Auto Install script for ZC 1.5.1 on my web-host and then manually updated to ZC 1.5.3. Do I delete all the files in my store folder and then start over? Or is there a ZC auto install script for ZC 1.5.3 that I can run that will overwrite the current installation?

Over and over again in the forums you will see where people installed zencart using their host's provided cpanel script. Sometimes they work well, others not. It depends on the type of hosting you have and what they allow you to do and the quality of their install package... and if it's up to date. Sometimes you need to install patches after installing.

The PREFERRED method is to download the latest zencart from this site, then upload and run the installer that way. But to do this, you need to be able to create your database in your site's CPANEL.

Once you've installed ZC a few times, it will be second nature. And you'll always want to test plug-ins and modifications to a backup of your site before modifying your LIVE site.

Hi MC:

Just re-installed in root with no demo data. Reading up on stuff now. And oh. This time EP installed on first try....

Thanks for the feedback and guidance...

A.J.

I just completed a fresh install in the root after downloading ZC 1.5.3 from the ZC site...no demo data. Re-installed EP 4.0.. and BackUP MySQL...

I appreciate the guidance...

A.J.

Well I managed to figure out how to install the theme. Still have to do a lot of tweaking. But I have also spent significant time going over my product data looking at formatting, errors, missing data, etc. Today I am going to import jest a few products using the full-EPxxx file after I manually enter one or two products.

Following are some questions I have about formatting and field names:
My images are in the “fsd” folder under images on the server root:
public_html/images/fsd/18959-SO-Spicy-Taco.jpg

Is this the correct format for the image import field FOR ZC 1.5.3?
Example:
/images/fsd/18959-SO-Spicy-Taco.jpg

I have three images for each product. Can I mass import all three at the same time for each product? If yes, How do I write the link? Is it?
/images/fsd/18959-SO-Spicy-Taco.jpg,/images/fsd/18959_SO_Spicy_Taco.jpg,/images/fsd/18959.jpg
The three images:
18959-SO-Spicy-Taco.jpg Medium
18959_SO_Spicy_Taco.jpg Large
18959.jpg Small

What are these?:
v_metatags_products_name_status
v_metatags_title_status
v_metatags_model_status
v_metatags_price_status
v_metatags_title_tagline_status

I need to know how meta title, keywords and descriptions should be formatted in ZC.1.5.3
v_metatags_title_1
Meta Title: Meta title-Sandalwood(injojobaoil)
Meta title-ChamomileGermanInJojobaOil

v_metatags_keywords_1
Meta description-PeacefulPatchouliSweetOrangeFoamBath25oz

v_metatags_description_1
same as keywords?

What is “v_products_url_1”? Is it the same thing as “url rewritten”? Following are examples. Is it formatted correctly?
Examples:
sandalwood-in-jojoba-oil
chamomile-german-in-jojoba-oil

tags
Is this the correct formatting for tags?
Chamomile, German, in, jojoba, oil

AJ

FoodSourceDirect:

Well I managed to figure out how to install the theme. Still have to do a lot of tweaking. But I have also spent significant time going over my product data looking at formatting, errors, missing data, etc. Today I am going to import jest a few products using the full-EPxxx file after I manually enter one or two products.

Following are some questions I have about formatting and field names:
My images are in the “fsd” folder under images on the server root:
public_html/images/fsd/18959-SO-Spicy-Taco.jpg

Is this the correct format for the image import field FOR ZC 1.5.3?
Example:
/images/fsd/18959-SO-Spicy-Taco.jpg

I have three images for each product. Can I mass import all three at the same time for each product? If yes, How do I write the link? Is it?
/images/fsd/18959-SO-Spicy-Taco.jpg,/images/fsd/18959_SO_Spicy_Taco.jpg,/images/fsd/18959.jpg
The three images:
18959-SO-Spicy-Taco.jpg Medium
18959_SO_Spicy_Taco.jpg Large
18959.jpg Small

What are these?:
v_metatags_products_name_status
v_metatags_title_status
v_metatags_model_status
v_metatags_price_status
v_metatags_title_tagline_status

I need to know how meta title, keywords and descriptions should be formatted in ZC.1.5.3
v_metatags_title_1
Meta Title: Meta title-Sandalwood(injojobaoil)
Meta title-ChamomileGermanInJojobaOil

v_metatags_keywords_1
Meta description-PeacefulPatchouliSweetOrangeFoamBath25oz

v_metatags_description_1
same as keywords?

What is “v_products_url_1”? Is it the same thing as “url rewritten”? Following are examples. Is it formatted correctly?
Examples:
sandalwood-in-jojoba-oil
chamomile-german-in-jojoba-oil

tags
Is this the correct formatting for tags?
Chamomile, German, in, jojoba, oil

AJ

So, I tried to search for a previous post I made regarding meta data to clarify the issues/concerns about what a few of the fields are about. I think I also had a discussion about images in here somewhere that I was going to point you directly at. Sum and total though, and not to cop out of providing more direct assistance. I think much of the questions will be answered after you have entered one or more products for yourself then exported the data and reviewed it. I say this, because again EP4 is a tool to get you into the ZC database data without all of the clicks to modify/update many products. So... Regarding images for example. The rules of images are still the same here as they are in ZC, and EP4 does not put the images on the server. It only let's the database know where to look for the images. (I also meant to look at a data dump I had, but on a cell that's not the "easiest"). So, if I am not mistaken the path to your images as stored in the database should be relative to the path defined in the configure.php file for the images path. So, if they are in public_html/images/cartoons, then I think that all that is necessary in the database is cartoons/cartoon1.jpg for the image named cartoon1.jpg. But... The "correct" pth will be evident upon export of the test data. Btw, the reason I think I'm right is that a database can be transferred to another system and depending on how the configure.php files are setup then all of the data will still be available and point to the right location(s) if the associated files are in the locations identified by the configure.php references.

So, the next thing... Regarding image name(s), again, if you review the faq on how to add additional images, you'll note that the base filename is important to "finding" all of the additional images and the other thing is that the "main" or base image should be uploaded last. This later part is because after each image is loaded to the server, the path is also loaded to the database. So, with the base image loaded last, the record becomes populated with the base name and all other associated files are then located. Files that end in _MED will be used as the medium sized image, etc... Again something that would be seen on export of a product that properly displays and has additional images.

Regarding the meta information, first I would suggest looking at the meta information window of a product, at least to see the "fields" that are identified for meta information. Along the top I think it is are switches yes/no or true/false related to each of the meta attributes of a product. That is the "status" of the meta information. The other items, keywords, description, etc. Are more or less what they describe, keywords are single words or a combination of them that are expected to be associated with the product. The description is more sentence like, words that provide clarifiaction about the product that are "hidden" in the metatags. The number at the end of any field corresponds with the language designation in your cart and is a field that when multiple languages exist can be defined for each language or else will end up adopting language 1 (typically english).

As for the product_url, that is data that typically is filled in at the bottom of the product info page and when filled in provides a link with the product stating something like to find out more about this product click here with a clickable link to the address filled in.

At this time, EP4 has not been programmed to handle/address rewritten urls, not to say that it isn't possible, it just hasn't been incorporated into the code.

Hmm, think I got all the items, but if not feel free to ask again! :).

Thank you MC. This information is helpful. The motivation for asking (and you alluded to it) was for me to find ways to automate all data entry as much as possible. Also, I realize that it's going to to take me some more hours going full-blast to figure out how ZC works in terms of linking graphic images with products, categories, sub-categories and to edit my chosen theme. I have been search the forum; but, searches get me to the thread but not necessarily the specific post that has the information searched on. But, I'm making great progress. Yes, the glass is half full.... not half empty....

Successfully imported 1961 products without any errors after I increased the char length of categories from 32 64. Working on the figuring our why most of the images are not displaying. I will look at some sample data to see how the meta files are formatted. I already meta title, keywords and descriptions....

Now I need tuh figyah out di udah ting dem now. (Going to figure out the other stuff now.....

Thanks again

AJ

chadderuski:

My bad, I did forget to update the changelog.txt file ... I will try to get some basic testing done today.-chadd

Thanks for the EP plugin, thanks for the hard work, thanks for the testing, and thanks for the replies!!!

FYI, works great on the 1.5.1 and 1.5.3 (test and soon to be live zencart installs). Tested import and export with custom extra fields (no attributes/options, no meta tags), and everything seems to be working A-OK on 3,500+ products!

Just a quick comment on two things:

Meta Data: Things have really changed over the last couple years in regards to metatags. Much of it has been deprecated to the point that adding keywords does little to no good. Google has specifically stated that they don't look at keywords anymore:

http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.in/2009/09/google-does-not-use-keywords-meta-tag.html?commentPage=2
http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2296351/Goodbye-Keyword-Data-Google-Moves-Entirely-to-Secure-Search
http://selfstoragemagnet.com/tech/seo-tech/meta-keyword-tag-google-yahoo-or-bing/
http://www.708media.com/search_engine_optimization/keyword-meta-tag-seo/

Images: EP4 does not upload images, it just updates the entry for the main image in your products database. You need to use an FTP program to upload your images. Now, without stepping on any toes, I suggest you upload a nice sized main image and then use one of the image processing plug-ins to create your Small and Medium images.

For additional images to work, you start with your main image as the base file name, and append _1, _2, _3, etc. to each additional images:

hb_3270.jpg
hb_3270_1.jpg
hb_3270_2.jpg
etc.

Upload those using ftp and Zencart will automatically show your additional images.

Remember, the image names NEED TO BE THE SAME! I also highly recommend that your images name have NO spaces. Yes, names with spaces will work, but
in the long run you'll be better off not having them. Plenty of programs out there to help you fix things like this.

Hope that helps.
-chadd

Hi Chadd. As always, it does help. I had uploaded the images before uploading the product files with the link. But most of the images are not showing. Apparently there are some image size settings in Cat>Image that I had to set to match the image sizes of the images that I had previously uploaded. In fact I was researching image batch processing software before I stopped to read your post.

Well then, I am going to see what ZC plugin options are available to me that can be used to batch re-size and rename files using the original file name with an appendage of my choice. "_MED, _LRG or _1, _2, _3", etc.

AJ

Oops. I forgot something. Yesterday I did my first product upload. I used the FULL-EP template. At first 287 product records failed to upload due to category names that were too long. I fixed that. As I mentioned in the previous post, most images are not showing. I know that's a size issue and a few images are in fact misnamed and some are missing. But I also noticed that although I have set product descriptions and product names to display, they are in fact missing. How can I re-upload the records to delete the existing records and repopulate the catalog? And what might cause product names and descriptions to not display?

Is there a way to manually un-install ep4?
I removed the files installed, but is there more to it? MySQL, other configuration files modified during the install?

I get a blank page when I click the ep4 link in the admin panel. I know the file is there, I edited it with an echo just to prove it.
I copied the latest ep4 files into the correct locations.

I tried editing the easypopulate_4.php to run the remove (removed if statement) no difference.

php 5.4.30
MySQL 5.5.37-cll
zen cart 1.5.3
php 5/4/30
easypopulate_4.php, v4.0.23 07-13-2014 mc12345678
stopped working after zen cart automatic upgrade.

Thanks
Nick

nick02895:

Is there a way to manually un-install ep4?
I removed the files installed, but is there more to it? MySQL, other configuration files modified during the install?

I get a blank page when I click the ep4 link in the admin panel. I know the file is there, I edited it with an echo just to prove it.
I copied the latest ep4 files into the correct locations.

I tried editing the easypopulate_4.php to run the remove (removed if statement) no difference.

php 5.4.30
MySQL 5.5.37-cll
zen cart 1.5.3
php 5/4/30
easypopulate_4.php, v4.0.23 07-13-2014 mc12345678
stopped working after zen cart automatic upgrade.

Thanks
Nick

Blank page means an error log was more than likely generated. Check your logs folder (ZC 1.5.1 and above) or your cache folder (1.5.0 and below).

The uninstall will still keep the tools/EasyPopulate V4 menu option, so would need to uninstall that through some SqL that would have to look up. From what version did you upgrade and to what version?

nick02895:

Is there a way to manually un-install ep4?

php 5.4.30
MySQL 5.5.37-cll
zen cart 1.5.3
php 5/4/30
easypopulate_4.php, v4.0.23 07-13-2014 mc12345678
stopped working after zen cart automatic upgrade.

Hi Nick,

What happened was your were upgraded to a zencart version that wasn't compatible with your version of EP4. mc12345678 has updated the mysql to mysqli functions.

Normally, to uninstall EP4, you would go to Tools->EasyPopulate 4 and click "uninstall" on the right side. This uninstalled the Configuration menu entry and customization settings. You will still have a EasyPopulate 4 entry under Tools. You would then need to delete all EP4 files from the server.

If you still had an entry under Tools after deleting all files, I think you still missed one somewhere. Be sure to check all sub folders (comparing to the original file folder structure of the downloaded version).

If you download and install the latest version of EP4, it should fix things.

FoodSourceDirect:

Oops. I forgot something. Yesterday I did my first product upload. I used the FULL-EP template. At first 287 product records failed to upload due to category names that were too long. I fixed that. As I mentioned in the previous post, most images are not showing. I know that's a size issue and a few images are in fact misnamed and some are missing. But I also noticed that although I have set product descriptions and product names to display, they are in fact missing. How can I re-upload the records to delete the existing records and repopulate the catalog? And what might cause product names and descriptions to not display?

Status of 9 will delete the item with that model #. So that would delete the product.

Sort of an aside, I've seen several people recently extend the length of their category name. I'm just curious about what kind of category needs more than 32 characters. Somewhat rhetorical.
As for images, yeah I would go with IH4 (Image handler4). It will accept a file (suggested to use the largest sized photo) then recreate the image in the sizes desired (provided the desired size is not larger than the current size of the new image) for small, medium, and large. Sure, if you have a specifically desired image for one of the other sizes, then you can upload that image to the desired size designation. There's a lot of features/options associated with it and they are described in the user manual. There are some obscure connections between options, but they're there.

The lack of display, does the same issue occur even when you use the classic template? There is at least one template that I know of that doesn't display certain information without applying a fix first. Otherwise, I have seen that if the database isn't utf-8, that could cause such an issue by certain conditions.

Hi MC. I downloaded IH4 and read its documentation. I like all the features. Just a little timid about the whole core file change thing. The same reason why I haven't as yet installed Numinix.

Re: Missing data for V_Product_Name and V_Description_1. I noticed that column field headers are case sensitive. once I changed to lower case, problem solved. I downloaded picaflor-azul's Newport Eco them. I have to figure out how to fix a couple of layout issues. I feel like I am in school again.

AJ

mc12345678:

Blank page means an error log was more than likely generated. Check your logs folder (ZC 1.5.1 and above) or your cache folder (1.5.0 and below).

The uninstall will still keep the tools/EasyPopulate V4 menu option, so would need to uninstall that through some SqL that would have to look up. From what version did you upgrade and to what version?

Great, thanks.

The error in the log is
[25-Jul-2014 16:43:43 America/New_York] PHP Fatal error: Call to undefined function mb_internal_encoding() in (omitted path)easypopulate_4.php on line 143

The EP upgrade was from
$Id: easypopulate_4.php, v4.0.21 06-01-2012 chadderuski $
to
$Id: easypopulate_4.php, v4.0.23 07-13-2014 mc12345678 $
ep reports 4.0.24 7/15/2014?

Zen from 1.51-1.53, auto installed.

Like Chad mentions later in this thread my zen-cart was automatically upgraded, thus ep stopped working. I upgraded ep after reading the thread and still didn't work. I removed the files and tried uploading again.

FIXED IT!
Looking at backup easypopulate_4.php, I rem'd out both calls to mb_internal_encoding(). If I remember correctly I asked my host to change a setting on their server and they refused so I rem'd this as a work around.

Thanks for your help
Nick

I have a question regarding this module and the modules listed on the right hand side in the main page. Is there a list somewhere of where to find these? I do need something for my google feed for "Google Product Category" if possible.