Easy Populate 1.2.5.4 support

I'm posting this here to let visitors to this thread know about my recent experiences with APSONA.

I have (and may remain) an advocate for Easy Populate (1.2.5.4 and the commercial Ver 3.)

When Apsona introduced their Store Manager some years ago, I was invited to trial it. At the time, I was cautiously in favour of it.

This week, we were presented with a mammoth project, uploading over 3,000 products to a database, and with most having between 50 and 100 separate attributes. The data came from the supplier in a simple linear format (Excel), with every product variation allocated a product code.

That's a dbase with over 150,000 product options!

After examining a range of data-loading alternatives, including, bespoke SQL queries, EP 3, and even hiring an army of temp workers, I decided to load Apsona.

Wow... it has matured and improved since I tried it a few years ago.

The good news is that (using pivot table functions in Excel and a variety of other formulae), we will be able to load ALL products and ALL attributes in probably a couple of hours.

I think I might just abandon EP completely now, in favour of Apsona.

Interesting SB. I tried Apsona relatively recently and was underwhelmed. Perhaps I'll try it again.

After recently adding 3000 products to my store, I know what a task this is. I'd love to know the processes you took and the formulae. Any chance of an explanation?

wizer:

Interesting SB. I tried Apsona relatively recently and was underwhelmed. Perhaps I'll try it again.

After recently adding 3000 products to my store, I know what a task this is. I'd love to know the processes you took and the formulae. Any chance of an explanation?

Well... each person's needs are unique, largely because the data one works with tends to be uniquely compiled in a spreadsheet.

So I cannot give a "one-size-fits-all" tutorial on this.

The key to our solving the issue was to FIRST understand how APSONA handles data imports... and then to work BACKWARDS, getting OUR spreadsheets to comply with Apsona's format.

We watched all Apsona's video tutorials, and quite quickly determined how their system operates.

Then it was a case of getting our data into the same formats.

This does require a fairly good knowledge of Excel formulae, and how to create "pivot" tables to show the data's internal relationships.

Our supplier's spreadsheet listed EVERY product, replicated for each possible option value;

eg:

51400 - - Diningroom Table - - Beech - - 2000mmX1000mmX900mm - - Bevelled Edge
51401 - - Diningroom Table - - Beech - - 1800mmX1000mmX900mm - - Bevelled Edge
51402 - - Diningroom Table - - Beech - - 1600mmX1000mmX900mm - - Bevelled Edge
51403 - - Diningroom Table - - Beech - - 1400mmX1000mmX900mm - - Bevelled Edge
51404 - - Diningroom Table - - Oak - - 2000mmX1000mmX900mm - - Bevelled Edge
51405 - - Diningroom Table - - Oak - - 1800mmX1000mmX900mm - - Bevelled Edge
51406 - - Diningroom Table - - Oak - - 1600mmX1000mmX900mm - - Bevelled Edge
51407 - - Diningroom Table - - Oak - - 1400mmX1000mmX900mm - - Bevelled Edge
51408 - - Diningroom Table - - Beech - - 2000mmX1000mmX900mm - - Round Edge
51409 - - Diningroom Table - - Beech - - 1800mmX1000mmX900mm - - Round Edge
51410 - - Diningroom Table - - Beech - - 1600mmX1000mmX900mm - - Round Edge
51411 - - Diningroom Table - - Beech - - 1400mmX1000mmX900mm - - Round Edge
51412 - - Diningroom Table - - Oak - - 2000mmX1000mmX900mm - - Round Edge
51413 - - Diningroom Table - - Oak - - 1800mmX1000mmX900mm - - Round Edge
51414 - - Diningroom Table - - Oak - - 1600mmX1000mmX900mm - - Round Edge
51415 - - Diningroom Table - - Oak - - 1400mmX1000mmX900mm - - Round Edge

(and it went on for a total of about 100,000 lines, across 20 datasheets)

So, using PIVOTS, we could establish just how many attributes needed to be set up (Pivoting will achieve this).

Then, we created a set of DUPLICATE sheets. One set was used to build the product info. The other was used to build the attribute info.

Ironically, while there is no mechanism in ZC to list attributes by product CODE, the fact that the supplier had given each product variation a code actually helped us - as it ensured that after we SPLIT the work (attribute sheets / product sheets), we still had a unique identifier in both sheets.

Later, we will have to lose the suppliers codes - but they were very helpful to start with.

Very good work. Thanks for explaining. Will definitely have a look (after I fix this bloody paypal issue)

I am having a strange issue...

First of all, easy populate works. It gets products up to the cart and downloads them fine as well. The problem comes when trying to Search my products in the admin section. I get no results of the products uploaded by easy pop. There are other products in the store and queries all seem to work with them. It just seems easy populated products are invisible to it.

Known issue? I have searched the forums and this thread as well with no luck.

Thanks!

using zencart 1.3.9d

ok i got easy populate to install, and am able to generate the files. but when trying to populate the file i get a 500 Internal Server Error.

any ideas?

-Stephen

Hiya Schoolboy!

I think my EP 4 would have done what you needed. The basic attribute import lets you associate an attribute by product code one per line. So as long has you know your product codes, you can build the attributes at import, and even apply multiple attribute (like size and color) at import.

Perhaps the only caveat is that you'd need to name your attribute options, i.e. "Color" ...

-cj

Phaylon:

I am having a strange issue...

First of all, easy populate works. It gets products up to the cart and downloads them fine as well. The problem comes when trying to Search my products in the admin section. I get no results of the products uploaded by easy pop. There are other products in the store and queries all seem to work with them. It just seems easy populated products are invisible to it.

Known issue? I have searched the forums and this thread as well with no luck.

Thanks!

Under Tools -> Store Manager
Try running Reset ALL Products Master Categories ID and Update ALL Products Price Sorter.

chadderuski:

Under Tools -> Store Manager
Try running Reset ALL Products Master Categories ID and Update ALL Products Price Sorter.

And that solved the problem! Thanks for your help chadderuski!

chadderuski:

Hiya Schoolboy!

I think my EP 4 would have done what you needed. The basic attribute import lets you associate an attribute by product code one per line. So as long has you know your product codes, you can build the attributes at import, and even apply multiple attribute (like size and color) at import.

Perhaps the only caveat is that you'd need to name your attribute options, i.e. "Color" ...

-cj

Hi,

I just tested your EP4. It looks very good but for one glitch which I'm having with another EP.

We now need to use the meta tag function. The full upload with metatags goes good. However, when we upload our color/attribute sheet it wipes out the metatags, leaving a blank metatitle in View Source.

Same problem with the EP with group pricing and metatags we also recently tested.

Any idea why an attribute upload would wipeout the custom meta uploads?

Only solution so far that might work: use your EP4 for full/meta uploads. Then use our old and extremely reliable EP from OSC for the colors/attributes...which looks like it may work, but unweildly. My initial test with attributes/colors did not wipeout the metas. The fact that your EP4 is independent from other installed EP's may allow two EP's to function, using different sheets.

Thanks.

sph
Test Sites
https://www.prom-mart.com
https://www.wedding-mart.com

Also re-visiting Apsona after testing a year ago. Maybe it's an/the answer, but for some reason I still don't understand its import/export enough to get it to function properly.

sph

SPH:

Also re-visiting Apsona after testing a year ago. Maybe it's an/the answer, but for some reason I still don't understand its import/export enough to get it to function properly.

sph

The principles are pretty standard in the world of database populating. Like practically all these systems, Apsona requires you to ASSOCIATE the fields in your spreadsheet (or csv file) with the fields in the database tables.

It says: "Hey... you are showing me the following columns, where the column headers are 'ABC', and 'DEF', and 'GHI'. In my database, I also have a field called 'ABC', and another called 'GHI', but I can't seem to find one called 'DEF', so here's a dropdown list of tables that I do have and now you need to tell me which of MY fields matches up with your 'DEF' column, and then you must SELECT that field so I can associate your data with my structure..."

The nice thing about Apsona is that you can be very flexible in the selection of fields, and it also VALIDATES all the data before loading it.

Thanks, I'll study Apsona some more. Playing with it yesterday, I think I have the general idea, things just didn't go correctly. It does look like it will do everything I'm trying to do with the various EP's.

I just don't understand why the EP's with meta support get the metas turned off doing an attribute upload; perhaps a column is not correct. We could never trust such a situation, never being certain that our meta titles are on without constantly checking.

Unfortunately, when the upload turns off the meta titles, it does not default to the zencart metatitle using product name. Just a blank meta title in View Source.

Hopefully, Apsona will not do the same.

1.3.9h
i have successfully loaded my categories via my template. if i make an addition..new cat and sub cat with entirely different names.. the existing sub cats are loaded again so i end up with duplicate sub cats for the cats that were already there. luckily the top level categories dont duplicate just the sub cats. why is this happening and how do i stop it? thanks in advance.

SPH:

Hi,

I just tested your EP4. It looks very good but for one glitch which I'm having with another EP.

We now need to use the meta tag function. The full upload with metatags goes good. However, when we upload our color/attribute sheet it wipes out the metatags, leaving a blank metatitle in View Source.

Same problem with the EP with group pricing and metatags we also recently tested.

Any idea why an attribute upload would wipeout the custom meta uploads?

Hi SPH,

I haven't looked at that code in some time, but I do not see how that could be happening. If you could PM me and include the some sample test data that would help. The attribute import code doesn't touch meta-tags, so I find this really odd. Please send me some of your test data for testing and I'll look into it.

Group pricing with metatags? I'm not familiar with this ...

chadderuski:

Hi SPH,

I haven't looked at that code in some time, but I do not see how that could be happening. If you could PM me and include the some sample test data that would help. The attribute import code doesn't touch meta-tags, so I find this really odd. Please send me some of your test data for testing and I'll look into it.

Group pricing with metatags? I'm not familiar with this ...

Thanks for the reply! It's midnight now at my end so I'll PM something tomorrow.

The other EP we recently tested and first discovered the missing title tags is the 1.3.9.gp.meta.f downloaded here:

http://www.zen-cart.com/index.php?main_page=product_contrib_info&products_id=1424

Haven't yet seen its support thread.

Just discovered your EP4 here on this thread. One really great function you have is the ability to download by category, rather than the entire site. Similar to our old Easy Populate for OSC 2.77H also at ZC downloads. Very reliable but lacks meta support.

BTW, finally got Apsona full sheet to work; I overlooked final submit button to upload. But looks like attributes import doesn't readily work, so may not put further effort in to it.

Your EP4 looks exactly like what we'd like.

Later.

sph

This is my reply to a question regarding problems with my meta tags.
I believe my problem lies with Easy Populate as explained below.

I checked my Meta tags the next day and again they had reverted back to No. BUT, I beleive I found the problem this time, I realized that I had done a easy populate of my site, which I do about 4 times a week, Just the day before.
So what I did is revert all the meta tags to yes and auto populated my site again and Voila the meta tags on 285 items out of 823 had reverted back to No.
Now the problem is I don't know why. I'm trying to study the script to see if there is anything there that is returning meta tags to their default settings.
Would anybody out there know if this is at all possible and if so what is the remedy. :cry:
My site is https://www.tte.ca

I am using EP 3.0.3 and found a problem:

I search my store for an item (using model#) and find nothing, but every time I download the store file, I would see the item in there.

I also search the item in admin/catalog and cannot find the item either.

Whats the problem and solution?

Thanks

Hi,
I have been searching for hours and hope you can help.

zc - v1.3.9h
ep - 1.2.5.4

I am having trouble with quantity discount attributes.

I am unsure how to have products with prices for:

1-5 ... $2.00 each
6-10 $1.75 each
11-15 $1.25 each and so on.

I have no clue how to implement this into ep.

I have over 10k items and each have different price discounts for quantities purchased.

Thanks,
Kevin

Hi All,

I've just uploaded Easy Populate and I tried to upload one product for a test. Now I have this error message when I go into the sub category where the product should be and I don't know how to get rid of it??

Help?

Anyone?

Please?:dontgetit

Can't create/write to file '/tmp/#sql_446f_0.MYI' (Errcode: 28)
in:
[select p.products_image, pd.products_name, p.products_quantity, p.products_id, p.products_type, p.master_categories_id, p.manufacturers_id, p.products_price, p.products_tax_class_id, pd.products_description, IF(s.status = 1, s.specials_new_products_price, NULL) as specials_new_products_price, IF(s.status =1, s.specials_new_products_price, p.products_price) as final_price, p.products_sort_order, p.product_is_call, p.product_is_always_free_shipping, p.products_qty_box_status from zen_products_description pd, zen_products p left join zen_manufacturers m on p.manufacturers_id = m.manufacturers_id, zen_products_to_categories p2c left join zen_specials s on p2c.products_id = s.products_id where p.products_status = 1 and p.products_id = p2c.products_id and pd.products_id = p2c.products_id and pd.language_id = '1' and p2c.categories_id = '40' order by p.products_sort_order, pd.products_name]