I need Help!

[Jascar]

Hello. I'm starting a business selling movies. I had somebody install oscommerce for me. After that I have no idea what to do. I set up the settings the way I want. I only except PayPal, so that is my only payment installed.

 

How does oscommerce work? I have no idea where to start on how to implement it into my site. How does the catalog work? Do I setup a a template in osCommerce for my content area, that will update the page?

 

If anything could you suggest somebody that would implement into my site for a fee?

 

Totally Confused :( ,

Jascar

[kirchenbauer]

I have a couple of tips that might help.

 

You said you updated the settings the way you want them. I

am assuming you did that from your Admin console. This is

the same place where you add your products. Click on the

Catalog button. You will need to add your manufacturer or

supplier first, then your categories, then your products.

 

osCommerce will update your site to reflect the products that

you have.

 

It automatically comes with sample products that you will

need to delete or disable. I recommend disabling the sample

products that have options to them instead of deleting them.

That way, you can look at those samples to see how the options

are set up if you have any products that you want to have

options.

 

The main text area of your site needs to be updated using

a file manager. Do NOT use the osCommerce file manager.

Ask your web host if you are unsure about how to access your

file manager.

 

There really is a lot more to it, but those are some tips. I

recommend reading the Solutions area and some of the starter

guides that teach the basics.

 

Also, to get familiar with the way osCommerce interacts with

your site, add a couple of products and then check your site

to see how it works.

 

Good luck!

[Jascar]

Thanks! Thats a start. How does oscommerce reflect to my site though? I haven't told it where on my site I want it to reflect or anything like that. (Don't know how.)

 

For example, I have an area on my page where I want product to be listed. How do I go into OC and tell it, this is where my product goes?

[kirchenbauer]

osCommerce has a default setup when you first install it. When you add products, everything is laid out on the page according to the default.

 

All of your products are in the catalog path.

 

For instance, my website is www.noahsanimalfigurines.com and that is my home page. My product catalog is www.noahsanimalfigurines.com/catalog.

 

Some people set their sites up with the home page being the same as the catalog page, so their home page would be www.noahsanimalfigurines.com/catalog

 

The default setup is for shoppers to access the products using the catagory tree in the left column. If you want to have products show up when people first load your catalog, then the easiest way to do that is with html by modifying the index.php file. There are other ways to do this, but html would be the easiest if you aren't familiar with osCommerce.

 

Do you know how to access your files to modify the html? If you do, then the file index.php in the catalog folder is where your page is laid out. The main body of text in the center of the catalog page is modified under a different index.php file: catalog/includes/languages/english/index.php. The majority of the headings and text are located in files under catalog/includes/languages/english.

 

Note: Be sure to make a backup copy of any files you modify. There is a backup function in the osCommerce Admin console under "Tools", or you can save a copy of the file in a folder on your computer. It is easy to mess things up if you don't know PHP, which many of us don't know.

 

With the name of my site "Noah's Animal Figurines", I learned right away that appostrophes must be handled in a special way; otherwise, you will get errors. Anything with an appostrophe must be preceded by a "\", so my site name needs to be listed as Noah\'s Animal Figurines within the code in the files.

[OSCnewbie]

Thanks! Thats a start.  How does oscommerce reflect to my site though? I haven't told it where on my site I want it to reflect or anything like that. (Don't know how.)

 

For example, I have an area on my page where I want product to be listed.  How do I go into OC and tell it, this is where my product goes?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I'm new to os Commerce, but when I was going through product configurations, I think there was an option to add a 'product URL'. Not sure if that's the right one, but thougt I'd mention it anyway just in case. If you need me to find it again for you, please reply to this post.

 

-OSCnewbie.

[OSCnewbie]

UPDATE to my last comment....

 

I re-read your questions, and now I think my response might have been answering something different than what you were asking (sorry).

 

if you access yoru administration area, you can set up products in there. There is a list on the left side of screen of items to add or configure. One of those is 'categories/products'. Click on it and it will take you through adding your products one at a time.

[Jascar]

osCommerce has a default setup when you first install it.  When you add products, everything is laid out on the page according to the default.

 

All of your products are in the catalog path.

 

For instance, my website is www.noahsanimalfigurines.com and that is my home page.  My product catalog is www.noahsanimalfigurines.com/catalog.

 

Some people set their sites up with the home page being the same as the catalog page, so their home page would be www.noahsanimalfigurines.com/catalog

 

The default setup is for shoppers to access the products using the catagory tree in the left column.  If you want to have products show up when people first load your catalog, then the easiest way to do that is with html by modifying the index.php file.  There are other ways to do this, but html would be the easiest if you aren't familiar with osCommerce.

 

Do you know how to access your files to modify the html?  If you do, then the file index.php in the catalog folder is where your page is laid out.  The main body of text in the center of the catalog page is modified under a different index.php file:  catalog/includes/languages/english/index.php.  The majority of the headings and text are located in files under catalog/includes/languages/english.

 

Note:  Be sure to make a backup copy of any files you modify.  There is a backup function in the osCommerce Admin console under "Tools", or you can save a copy of the file in a folder on your computer.  It is easy to mess things up if you don't know PHP, which many of us don't know.

 

With the name of my site "Noah's Animal Figurines", I learned right away that appostrophes must be handled in a special way; otherwise, you will get errors.  Anything with an appostrophe must be preceded by a "\", so my site name needs to be listed as Noah\'s Animal Figurines within the code in the files.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Ok just to clarify in simpler terms. If I go into the index.php file I can copy and past that into my site and alter the code anyway I want?

[kirchenbauer]

Actually, no. The index.php file is already part of your site.

 

When you go to www.yoursite.com/catalog, the page that you are seeing is the index.php file.

 

You just need to go in and update the index.php file so that it is formatted the way you want it to look.

 

So, you won't be copying and pasting the code into your site. The code is your site. I do suggest making a backup copy of the files, though. Do you know how to use FTP? I copied all of my files to my computer before I changed them, so that I would have a backup in case I messed them up. Then, I didn't modifiy the files I copied. I modified the original files that are on the site. If I messed them up, then I restored the copy that I made.

 

Do you have a web site now that I can take a look at? Have you gone to visit any of the shops? Go to the top of this page and under "Showcases", click "Live Shops" and look at how people have done theirs. You can also look at mine.

[Jascar]

Actually, no.  The index.php file is already part of your site.

 

When you go to www.yoursite.com/catalog, the page that you are seeing is the index.php file.

 

You just need to go in and update the index.php file so that it is formatted the way you want it to look.

 

So, you won't be copying and pasting the code into your site.  The code is your site.  I do suggest making a backup copy of the files, though.  Do you know how to use FTP?  I copied all of my files to my computer before I changed them, so that I would have a backup in case I messed them up.  Then, I didn't modifiy the files I copied.  I modified the original files that are on the site.  If I messed them up, then I restored the copy that I made.

 

Do you have a web site now that I can take a look at?  Have you gone to visit any of the shops?  Go to the top of this page and under "Showcases", click "Live Shops" and look at how people have done theirs.  You can also look at mine.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ok, I see what your saying. I do have the address, I warn you its still in its infant stages. Only the first page is up , the rest I am working on offline. http://www.moviebargainusa.com

Yep, I use FileZilla as my FTP client. Yeah, I have 2 back up up copies...heh ..ya never know ;) I'm gonna go ahead and visit the shops tonight when I get some time.

Thanks

[kirchenbauer]

Your site looks great so far. Nice color scheme. If you go to

http://www.moviebargainusa.com/catalog/ you will see that

all of the example products are in there. You will change the

majority of your info using the Admin console (where you

changed your settings and installed your payment options).

Read the main body text that exists there on your catalog

page. It explains some of what I already wrote and also

some things I didn't mention.

 

To change the main text area, you will need to go to that

index.php file under catalog/includes/languages/english.

Look for the text area and replace it with what you want to

have there. You can setup the body part nearly the same

way as you have it now.

 

For the top image that you have, you will need to go into the

header.php file (under catalog/includes) and replace the

osCommerce logo with your image. You will find it where

the html code starts.

 

Under catalog, there is a file called stylesheet.css. You can

check that out and change your color schemes.

 

I suggest getting your products added and a general layout

of the catalog page. Then, you can see what the osCommerce

has set up by default and change it to how you want it.

 

Another tip: The bottom of your page has a copyright for

osCommerce. Do NOT delete this. Your catalog will not

function. The site must be modified to a certain degree before

you can remove it. I just kept mine on there to promote

osCommerce, and I added my copyright info. You CAN

remove their logo, though.

 

I remember how confused I was when I first saw the

catalog page under my website because it didn't have

any resemblence to my site. All of that stuff on there is

for an example. Once you add your products via the Admin

console and disable their products, it will start looking more

like your site. Then, add your header image to the header.php

and modify the main text area. Go into the stylesheet.css and

change the colors to what you want.

 

Take a look at the other shops to get ideas and see how they

look. Good luck!