getting started

[jackat]

I've just installed osCommerce - now what?

 

I'm trying to start my online store, I built my site and got it hosted and only then learned that I should have started with an ecommerce solution (such as osC) and built everything from that - rather than try to add osC to an existing site.

 

I have an admin page and everything - now I need to transfer or rebuild my pages into osCommerce, but I don't even know where to see my new home page...? Sounds like dumb question I guess, but we all have to start somewhere.

[sarah1980]

I've just installed osCommerce - now what?

 

I'm trying to start my online store, I built my site and got it hosted and only then learned that I should have started with an ecommerce solution (such as osC) and built everything from that - rather than try to add osC to an existing site.

 

I have an admin page and everything - now I need to transfer or rebuild my pages into osCommerce, but I don't even know where to see my new home page...?  Sounds like dumb question I guess, but we all have to start somewhere.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Go to http://www.*yourdomainnamehere*.com/catalog/ - this is where you will see your new home page.

 

To log into your admin section go to http://www.*yourdomainnamehere*.com/catalog/admin - this is where you can turn different options and and off and where you can modify the settings to suit you.

 

Oscommerce is a complete web site in its own right so I would suggest that you not bother transferring your pages into oscommerce. Just simply modify the standard oscommerce installation to suit your needs.

[jackat]

Go to http://www.*yourdomainnamehere*.com/catalog/  - this is where you will see your new home page.

 

To log into your admin section go to http://www.*yourdomainnamehere*.com/catalog/admin - this is where you can turn different options and and off and where you can modify the settings to suit you.

 

Oscommerce is a complete web site in its own right so I would suggest that you not bother transferring your pages into oscommerce. Just simply modify the standard oscommerce installation to suit your needs.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

Thank you for your reply. I have a couple of additional concerns before I go ahead with this:

 

1) Because I already have my site hosted (www.eurohouseandhome.com) I guess I would have to point my hosting provider to a new home page (http://www.eurohouseandhome.com/catalog/)??? Is this right? Doesn't this change my domain - I mean, if someone then went to www.eurohouseandhome.com would they find my site, or would they have to add the "/catalog" part at the end?

 

2) I built my original site in Dreamweaver - can I still use Dreamweaver to adjust the look of my new site? I want to use more or less the look I designed - the same banner, maybe the same nav bar, etc - can I do this?

 

3) Can I still have pages outside product pages (like Home, About Us, etc.) look they way I designed?

 

I don't mind a few changes to my site's formatting, but I would like to control the site's appearnce more or less just the same.

 

I appreciate any/every comment and suggestion you can offer...!

 

Jack

[Guest]

Thank you for your reply.  I have a couple of additional concerns before I go ahead with this:

 

1)  Because I already have my site hosted (www.eurohouseandhome.com) I guess I would have to point my hosting provider to a new home page (http://www.eurohouseandhome.com/catalog/)???  Is this right?  Doesn't this change my domain - I mean, if someone then went to www.eurohouseandhome.com would they find my site, or would they have to add the "/catalog" part at the end?

 

2) I built my original site in Dreamweaver - can I still use Dreamweaver to adjust the look of my new site?  I want to use more or less the look I designed - the same banner, maybe the same nav bar, etc - can I do this? 

 

3) Can I still have pages outside product pages (like Home, About Us, etc.) look they way I designed?

 

I don't mind a few changes to my site's formatting, but I would like to control the site's appearnce more or less just the same. 

 

I appreciate any/every comment and suggestion you can offer...!

 

Jack

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

1) You either need to reinstall at the domain level, or you would need a front page with a click here for shop button... (most common ways of doing it)

 

2) Yes but you will need to install a contrib such as STS or BTS, you can then create templates in Dreamweaver

 

3) Yes you will need to create links to the pages manually, however there are contribs that can do these things for you..

[webbqt]

Thank you for your reply.  I have a couple of additional concerns before I go ahead with this:

 

1)  Because I already have my site hosted (www.eurohouseandhome.com) I guess I would have to point my hosting provider to a new home page (http://www.eurohouseandhome.com/catalog/)???  Is this right?  Doesn't this change my domain - I mean, if someone then went to www.eurohouseandhome.com would they find my site, or would they have to add the "/catalog" part at the end?

 

2) I built my original site in Dreamweaver - can I still use Dreamweaver to adjust the look of my new site?  I want to use more or less the look I designed - the same banner, maybe the same nav bar, etc - can I do this? 

 

3) Can I still have pages outside product pages (like Home, About Us, etc.) look they way I designed?

 

I don't mind a few changes to my site's formatting, but I would like to control the site's appearnce more or less just the same. 

 

I appreciate any/every comment and suggestion you can offer...!

 

Jack

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

I'm glad I'm not the only "complete newbie" here. I'm doing the same thing. I already have the search engines doing pretty regular checks on the site I already have running. My plan is to slowling add the new catalog site in. I'm going to keep my original site running as it is and add new decals to the new catalog with a link from the first site to the new catalog (to "see more decals" kinda thing). Then I'll just start adding links to the site already running. In the long term plan, I will keep the home page where it is (webbsgraphics.com), and maybe some information pages left there....but move all my products to the catalog (webbsgraphics.com/decals) I'm pretty sure that I can put links from the catalog back to my information pages already set up on the original site.....just havn't figured it out yet. I"ll sure be watching any suggestions added here!

One word of advise though....before you change any code, make a copy of the original and set it aside incase what you change doesn't work. I learned that the hard way! Even now I'm haunted by a "parse error" that I can't find, and had even made a copy of the original code that doesn't seem to work.....so be carefull.

[jackat]

I'm glad I'm not the only "complete newbie" here.  I'm doing the same thing.  I already have the search engines doing pretty regular checks on the site I already have running.  My plan is to slowling add the new catalog site in.  I'm going to keep my original site running as it is and add new decals to the new catalog with a link from the first site to the new catalog (to "see more decals" kinda thing).  Then I'll just start adding links to the site already running.  In the long term plan, I will keep the home page where it is (webbsgraphics.com), and maybe some information pages left there....but move all my products to the catalog (webbsgraphics.com/decals)  I'm pretty sure that I can put links from the catalog back to my information pages already set up on the original site.....just havn't figured it out yet.  I"ll sure be watching any suggestions added here!

One word of advise though....before you change any code, make a copy of the original and set it aside incase what you change doesn't work.  I learned that the hard way!  Even now I'm haunted by a "parse error" that I can't find, and had even made a copy of the original code that doesn't seem to work.....so be carefull.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

This sounds right - can't I do this: use my existing site and link it to my catalog pages run by osCommerce? Can this be done under the same domain? This way I can control my info pages and the appearance of my basic site, and still have the benefit of osCommerce handling my products pages... is there anything wrong with this? Is this bad thinking?