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Easy Populate & Products Attributes


VJ

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post a few lines of your data,

 

Hi,

 

I have a problem with easy populate.

 

I installed and everything works nicely until a certain point.

I can download the file (tab delimited). I can upload it. And the uploading works.

 

The only problem happens when I try to add a subcategory or new product.

 

I have 3 category levels. (ie. level1 > level2 > level3 > 'products here')

 

Any new subcategory or product from a subcategory of level3 get inserted as a level1 category.

 

So instead of having:

level1

>level2

>>level3

.....old_existing_product

.....new_product

 

I have:

level3

.....new_product

level1

>level2

>>level3

.....old_existing_product

 

[Legend: >, >> subcategory; ..... product inside prev subcategory]

Can anyone tell me what is the problem. I cannot figure it out.

 

Thanks, cbp

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Do I need to be using v_status or or v_db_status and should I be using 1 or Active, I have tried the same combination for both columns using Active and 1 and still nothing works!! arggg still got a couple hundre products InActive and I dont have time to go in one by one and set them active in the admin screen.

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No it will not let be do a complete because i have 10,286 products. It times out on me, but I have installed the new contrib a couple weeks ago that supposedly resolved that problem but I still think I have way too many products for it to work though. So I am doing it from my last file I created well over a couple months ago but the same products are still there.

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post a few lines of your data,

 

I think I found what the problem is.

 

It turns out that I did not put anything in the Product Model column. This made them all to be treated as a new product. As soon as I put the product model 2 behaviours could be detected:

1. two different products with same product model inside the csv; the second one replaced the first in the database upon upload.

2. two different products with different product models worked nicely. Existing products in the database are being updated and the new ones (with different product model) inserted.

 

The subcategory to category problem doesn't apear anymore for some reason.

 

My question now is Why is it important to have different product models for each product for them to be different? I may have products with the same product model inside the same subcategory.

 

Is it possible to make EP not decide what to do based on the product model. Can I make it to compare the product name instead? or product ID?

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this is the sample txt file top line:

v_products_model v_products_image v_products_name_1 v_products_description_1 v_products_url_1 v_products_name_2 v_products_description_2 v_products_url_2 v_products_name_3 v_products_description_3 v_products_url_3 v_products_price v_products_weight v_date_avail v_date_added v_products_quantity v_attribute_options_id_1 v_attribute_options_name_1_1 v_attribute_options_name_1_2 v_attribute_options_name_1_3 v_attribute_options_id_2 v_attribute_options_name_2_1 v_attribute_options_name_2_2 v_attribute_options_name_2_3 v_attribute_options_id_3 v_attribute_options_name_3_1 v_attribute_options_name_3_2 v_attribute_options_name_3_3 v_attribute_values_id_3_1 v_attribute_values_price_3_1 v_attribute_values_name_3_1_1 v_attribute_values_name_3_1_2 v_attribute_values_name_3_1_3 v_attribute_values_id_3_2 v_attribute_values_price_3_2 v_attribute_values_name_3_2_1 v_attribute_values_name_3_2_2 v_attribute_values_name_3_2_3 v_attribute_values_id_3_3 v_attribute_values_price_3_3 v_attribute_values_name_3_3_1 v_attribute_values_name_3_3_2 v_attribute_values_name_3_3_3 v_attribute_values_id_3_4 v_attribute_values_price_3_4 v_attribute_values_name_3_4_1 v_attribute_values_name_3_4_2 v_attribute_values_name_3_4_3 v_attribute_values_id_3_5 v_attribute_values_price_3_5 v_attribute_values_name_3_5_1 v_attribute_values_name_3_5_2 v_attribute_values_name_3_5_3 v_attribute_options_id_4 v_attribute_options_name_4_1 v_attribute_options_name_4_2 v_attribute_options_name_4_3 v_attribute_values_id_4_1 v_attribute_values_price_4_1 v_attribute_values_name_4_1_1 v_attribute_values_name_4_1_2 v_attribute_values_name_4_1_3 v_attribute_values_id_4_2 v_attribute_values_price_4_2 v_attribute_values_name_4_2_1 v_attribute_values_name_4_2_2 v_attribute_values_name_4_2_3 v_attribute_values_id_4_3 v_attribute_values_price_4_3 v_attribute_values_name_4_3_1 v_attribute_values_name_4_3_2 v_attribute_values_name_4_3_3 v_attribute_values_id_4_4 v_attribute_values_price_4_4 v_attribute_values_name_4_4_1 v_attribute_values_name_4_4_2 v_attribute_values_name_4_4_3 v_attribute_options_id_5 v_attribute_options_name_5_1 v_attribute_options_name_5_2 v_attribute_options_name_5_3 v_attribute_values_id_5_1 v_attribute_values_price_5_1 v_attribute_values_name_5_1_1 v_attribute_values_name_5_1_2 v_attribute_values_name_5_1_3 v_attribute_values_id_5_2 v_attribute_values_price_5_2 v_attribute_values_name_5_2_1 v_attribute_values_name_5_2_2 v_attribute_values_name_5_2_3 v_manufacturers_name v_categories_name_1 v_categories_name_2 v_categories_name_3 v_tax_class_title v_status EOREOR

you must use Active

 

No it will not let be do a complete because i have 10,286 products. It times out on me, but I have installed the new contrib a couple weeks ago that supposedly resolved that problem but I still think I have way too many products for it to work though. So I am doing it from my last file I created well over a couple months ago but the same products are still there.

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each item requires a model #, else ep has no idea what to do with it.

each item requires a category.

 

I think I found what the problem is.

 

It turns out that I did not put anything in the Product Model column. This made them all to be treated as a new product. As soon as I put the product model 2 behaviours could be detected:

1. two different products with same product model inside the csv; the second one replaced the first in the database upon upload.

2. two different products with different product models worked nicely. Existing products in the database are being updated and the new ones (with different product model) inserted.

 

The subcategory to category problem doesn't apear anymore for some reason.

 

My question now is Why is it important to have different product models for each product for them to be different? I may have products with the same product model inside the same subcategory.

 

Is it possible to make EP not decide what to do based on the product model. Can I make it to compare the product name instead? or product ID?

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per the code:

// If zero_qty_inactive is true, then items with zero qty will automatically be inactive in the store.

global $active, $inactive, $zero_qty_inactive, $deleteit;

$active = 'Active';

$inactive = 'Inactive';

//$deleteit = 'Delete'; // not functional yet

$zero_qty_inactive = false; // Set to true if you want to set product to inactive if zero qty

 

this is the code from the default, thus if you do not have quantity in there or zero is set to true . . .

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I found the solution to my problem with the Date Added field being zeroed. The issue was with excel (which I expected). Aparently excel decides that it is smarter then the user and switches the date format on the date added field. The solution is fairly simple (unfortunately it has to be done every time you export).

 

In excel, Select the date added column

click format->cells

click Custom on the left if it isn't already selected

Enter the following in the Type: field:

 

yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss

 

That's it - then it works like a charm.

 

-Chad

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Just posting to thank Will, whom was the brains behind my mind numbing road block. Product not appearing in catalog after uploaded.

:thumbsup: THANK YOU !!!! :thumbsup:

 

I was having the same? problem with files uploading but products not showing, I had tried everything listed. Then I went and read down thru the easypopulate.php file.

 

// **** Field Separator ****

// change this if you can't use the default of tabs

// Tab is the default, comma and semicolon are commonly supported by various progs

// Remember, if your descriptions contain this character, you will confuse EP!

global $separator;

//$separator = "\t"; // tab is default

//$separator = ","; // comma

$separator = ";"; // semi-colon

//$separator = "~"; // tilde

//$separator = "-"; // dash

//$separator = "*"; // splat

I assumed that since I had never change anything that I would be set to default and didn't really pay any mind. But if you look I was set to semi-colon.

 

I change this to tab:

// **** Field Separator ****

// change this if you can't use the default of tabs

// Tab is the default, comma and semicolon are commonly supported by various progs

// Remember, if your descriptions contain this character, you will confuse EP!

global $separator;

//$separator = "\t"; // tab is default

//$separator = ","; // comma

$separator = "\t"; // semi-colon

//$separator = "~"; // tilde

//$separator = "-"; // dash

//$separator = "*"; // splat

And now it works amazing what happens when you read line for line.

Edited by liquidbodies
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I found the solution to my problem with the Date Added field being zeroed.  The issue was with excel (which I expected).  Aparently excel decides that it is smarter then the user and switches the date format on the date added field.  The solution is fairly simple (unfortunately it has to be done every time you export).

 

In excel, Select the date added column

click format->cells

click Custom on the left if it isn't already selected

Enter the following in the Type: field:

 

yyyy-mm-dd  hh:mm:ss

 

That's it - then it works like a charm.

 

-Chad

 

Thanks for the fix - I just installed EasyPopulate and this Excel issue was already starting to annoy me!

 

I've just found this - Easy Populate date fix, No longer necessary to change date - haven't tried it yet but I think it might interest you, too, and anyone else experiencing this issue.

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Hi guys,

 

I'm trying to get EP to add the images for my categories_name_3 level - can this be done?

 

Top line of my install file:

 

v_products_model	v_products_name_1	v_products_quantity	v_products_price	v_products_description_1	v_manufacturers_name	v_categories_name_1	v_categories_name_2	v_categories_name_3	v_status	
01002	GSXR1300       YOKE PROT'	17	6.3  Suzuki	Suzuki	GSXR1300	Yoke Protectors  EOREOR

 

I've looked at the SQL tables, and I can only see reference to category_images - no sign of anything for the lower divisions?

 

Categories table has 970 rows in it, and no obvious way of tallying the numbered IDs agains my data - can anyone help me out?

 

Thanks,

 

Dan

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Before I even attempt it (just installed EP yesterday, it's working great) how easy would it be to 'tweak' EP to allow for the following contribs (both of which add extra bits to the database): -

 

1) Add Weight To Product Attributes - I'd want the data from here included in the Complete and Model / Attribute .txt files, and obviously handled by EP on upload.

 

This contrib runs this SQL: -

 

ALTER TABLE `products_attributes`

ADD `options_values_weight` DECIMAL (5,3) DEFAULT '0.000' NOT NULL;

 

2) Products_Short_Descriptions_V1 - I'd want the data from here included in the Complete and Model / Price / Qty .txt files, and again handled by EP on upload.

 

This contrib runs this SQL: -

 

ALTER TABLE products_description ADD products_info TEXT NOT NULL ;

 

 

If this is very easily done a few pointers would be great, if not and is a headache then I won't bother as they're just a "nice-to-have" :)

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very easy, all u have to do is add the fields to the database, add the fields in the proper spots to easypopulate.php and you are done.

ep already handles attributes, if the fields you are adding go with them it may work out of the 'box'

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Hi,

 

Just testing OS and so far so good....

 

adding easypop - (very useful) downloaded db and restructed tab file and uploaded, 3 problems

 

upload says it worked, but

1. images not shown - they are full url's (data from external source)

2. prices show 0

3. several products went into cat/sub cat's but most didn't

 

around 40 products in list. (test)

I've fidlled but no longer know what I'm fidling with..

 

Help would be appreciated

Thanks

Graham

 

Yournaturalhealth.info

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you can not use external url's in the images, you will have to custom program osCommerce in order to do that.

prices probably show 0 because you have stock set to false or you populated your text file with the $ sign.

all products must have model #'s and be in categories.

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Hello all,

 

I am new to osCommerce, and for a moment I was freaking out until someone pointed me to Easy Populate! I was worried that inventory levels and new products/categories would always need to be added manually through the web-based admin tool.

 

I have two questions here, one is to make sure Easy Populate is appropriate for what I was looking for, the second is a desperate hope that given my hosting configuration I can actually use Easy Populate!

 

QUESTION ONE

 

Anyway, I was looking for a package that basically did this:

 

1) Allowed me to use a spreadsheet to create new products (say given a particular productID code that osC would use to identify the product uniquely). I would be able to enter the quantity, weight, and any text-based description, and hopefully also a filename for the image to go with the product. This would all be done locally on my computer.

 

2) Allowed me to somehow "upload" or sync up the new inventory levels and products to the live database.

 

That's the base functionality, with bonuses being:

 

- ability to upload in an "additive" fashion, so that if I uploaded a csv or spreadsheet that contained quantities, it would ADD those quantities to the existing quantities in the DB

 

- ability to reduce stock in the same fashion, for example if I decided (locally in the spreadsheet) to set aside a certain number of some products, say to sell them on ebay, all I would need to do is enter them in a new CSV, and upload them "subtractively" to the DB.

 

Can Easy Populate do this?

 

QUESTION TWO

 

My hosting provider has put the following message up on the admin panel relating to my MySQL DB and phpMyadmin access:

 

"Your MySQL databases are stored behind a firewall to protect your data. You can only access each one exclusively through your server. Direct access to your MySQL databases using a home PC (external ODBC connection) cannot be established."

 

 

Does this mean I can't use Easy Populate? Or does Easy Populate actually run on the webserver, i.e. I just upload a CSV file to it, and then run Easy Populate on that server (which is naturally behind the firewall).

 

 

Thank you for any and ALL clarifications!

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Hi there :)

 

It's a "yes" to all your Question One stuff - just check out the documentation for the exact ins and outs of it all ;)

 

Not sure about the Question Two though - are you saying you need to physically log in to the server machine to access your SQL?

 

Sounds a bit weird..

 

Dan

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It's a "yes" to all your Question One stuff - just check out the documentation for the exact ins and outs of it all ;)

 

Not sure about the Question Two though - are you saying you need to physically log in to the server machine to access your SQL?

 

Sounds a bit weird..

 

Thanks. Things are tough to find in the osC world, and there are sooo many versions of everything. Which is the correct version of Easy Populate to download, and which is the most current documentation?

 

As for the second bit, I think it means I can't access the SQL connection through some sort of client software running on my home computer, connecting to the db through ODBC.

 

But if Easy Populate is something that runs under the unix shell itself (which I guess it must be) then as long as I run it on my webhost where my osC installation is, it should be able to access the DB fine. I think.

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Heya,

 

The EP system is browser based, just like your admin CPL - can you access the CPL ok from your workstation?

 

EP hooks directly into your SQL db, meaning you don't need to use phpMyAdmin etc to perform bulk uploads.

 

Latest version of EP is usually the one nearest the top of the screen on the contribs page:

 

http://www.oscommerce.com/community/contributions,500

 

Hope this helps,

 

Dan

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