Where do I start?

[eisenbeis]

I have osCommerce installed, via some help from my webhosting site. But am uncertain what to do next. I have reviewed the "ms2.2 milestone2 osCommerce Help Documents" ... which is a bit intimidating ... and I started making changes to the Configuration at my site. Is there a basic doc that gives an overall summary of the necessary steps for creating a page?

[dave111]

Go thru the admin tools sectons of the documentation here:

 

http://www.oscommerce.info/docs/english/c_...ation_tool.html

 

It should give you an idea of what options you have.

[eisenbeis]

Hi Dave,

 

Thanks for the prompt response. The admin tools section, which looks identical to the doc I have read, describes the settings for a variety of options. I have more fundamental questions ... for example, does osCommerce create a page for me to begin editing or do I create my own html page?

[JKG]

When I first started I watched a flash tutorial for getting my website started at

 

http://www.demodemo.com/

 

it pretty much walked me through the basics of getting your website setup and how to use the features. This maybe a little easier on you if your completely new to oscommerce as I was.

[rgvsean]

Tried to buy it but when I have entered address and continue I get an error 440 page. :(

[♥Monika in Germany]

Tried to buy it but when I have entered address and continue I get an error 440 page. :(

 

lol, obviously that shouldn't happen ... I'd email them if I were you ...

[eisenbeis]

Thanks for the suggestions. I will check out the flash tutorial and the book.

[eisenbeis]

I just watched the flash tutorial ... very informative!!!

 

Now that I better understand how to build the site, I have some procedural questions.

 

1) When a person places an order, will I automatically receive an email with the appropriate information?

 

2) Can I get a download of all new orders placed on a daily basis? If so, do I have different formatting options for the download?

 

Thanks!

[♥Monika in Germany]

I just watched the flash tutorial ... very informative!!!

 

Now that I better understand how to build the site, I have some procedural questions.

 

1) When a person places an order, will I automatically receive an email with the appropriate information?

 

2) Can I get a download of all new orders placed on a daily basis? If so, do I have different formatting options for the download?

 

Thanks!

 

1) you get an email if you add an email addy to the admin -> configuration -> mystore -> extra order email

 

2) nope, but you can view them all in admin ... for an export you might wnat to search in the report contribs

[eisenbeis]

Thanks for the response Monika!

 

I'm scratching my head. Per the demodemo.com tutorial I should be able to access the column_left.php per the following steps: 1) under Locations select Languages, 2) select details, 3) select file manager, 4) select includes subdir. Even though I select the includes subdir, the contents of that subdir are not displayed. Only the contents of the catalog subdir are displayed. I am unable to view the contents of any of the subdirs in the catalog subdir. (With an ftp connection, I am able to view the contents of the includes subdir.)

 

Any suggestions?

[♥Monika in Germany]

Thanks for the response Monika!

 

I'm scratching my head. Per the demodemo.com tutorial I should be able to access the column_left.php per the following steps: 1) under Locations select Languages, 2) select details, 3) select file manager, 4) select includes subdir. Even though I select the includes subdir, the contents of that subdir are not displayed. Only the contents of the catalog subdir are displayed. I am unable to view the contents of any of the subdirs in the catalog subdir. (With an ftp connection, I am able to view the contents of the includes subdir.)

 

Any suggestions?

 

I cannot help with the file manager. It is known to be buggy and even corrupt files, so I do not touch it.

[eisenbeis]

Thanks for the straight scoop, Monika!!! I will use other means for editing the files. Vielen Dank!

[eisenbeis]

Is there a way to globally change the size of the text? Many of my viewers will be over the age of 50 ... I want to make it easy for them to read the info.

[squeakstar]

Is there a way to globally change the size of the text? Many of my viewers will be over the age of 50 ... I want to make it easy for them to read the info.

 

 

this a css thing dude, in your catalog directory there is a file called stylesheet.css any fonts used through out the OSC store are set up through tweaking this, and font size is blatantly obvious if you just open the file. just up the number a couple of points on every font size!!!

 

(this where you can change font colour and style too - both pretty obvious too ;)

[eisenbeis]

Thanks for the help squeakstar.

 

A new question. How do I control the width of the left column?

[♥Monika in Germany]

Thanks for the help squeakstar.

 

A new question. How do I control the width of the left column?

 

column width is set in application_top.php ... but it's a value for both columns, called BOX_WIDTH

[eisenbeis]

Thanks Monika in Germany!

 

Is there a way to find a specific file? There are numerous files and subdirs ... takes a bit of time to search all of the subdirs to find a specific file.

[♥Monika in Germany]

Thanks Monika in Germany!

 

Is there a way to find a specific file? There are numerous files and subdirs ... takes a bit of time to search all of the subdirs to find a specific file.

 

make yourself familiar with the osC tree. The language files always have the same name as the regular file they are used for, just they reside in the includes/languages/english or german folder. Same for the modules, they reside in includes/languages/english/modules folder.

 

Application_top.php is in the catalog/includes folder

 

For finding code snippets or defines, download Textpad and use that, it will search for an expression in a whole folder.

[jimmeh]

hey guys im a mechanic by trade so please bear with me. i am following the demodemo.com tutorial. and i cant get past the first steps. i have upzip the oscommerce file. and uploaded it to my server. the server im using is just the one provided by my isp.

1. do u need to first purchase a www.mysite.com and hosting service?

2. or can i go design my store on my current server.

3. when i go to change the access of the configuration file to 777. my ftp programs says 'SITE CHMOD 777 configuration.php': command not understood

 

so what do i need to do?

[eisenbeis]

Good suggestion, Monika. I downloaded the entire file structure (subdirs and files) ... and now can easily find files and text within files.

 

My immediate interest is in determining how to edit the opening page ... did a search for the phrase, "would you like", and found it in english.php. This led me to search for, "TEXT_GREETING_GUEST", and found that in general.php. It's not clear to me how general.php knows to search english.php.

 

Is there a flow chart that shows which php files call which other php files. I'm guessing everything starts with index.php?

[♥Monika in Germany]

Good suggestion, Monika. I downloaded the entire file structure (subdirs and files) ... and now can easily find files and text within files.

 

My immediate interest is in determining how to edit the opening page ... did a search for the phrase, "would you like", and found it in english.php. This led me to search for, "TEXT_GREETING_GUEST", and found that in general.php. It's not clear to me how general.php knows to search english.php.

 

Is there a flow chart that shows which php files call which other php files. I'm guessing everything starts with index.php?

 

all files include application_top.php

 

that file calls the functions and classes, and the appropriate language file for a page. All files call the language file english.php etc when you swutch the language with the language box.

 

no flowchart, sorry! What i did is read through the application_top file and then checkout all included files.

 

Steep learning curve, you betcha!

 

Of course, I still find spots that have been hiding from me till now, but the general outline is clear now.

[eisenbeis]

Hi Monika. I was in the middle of typing a new msg when I received your reply. After I sent the previous msg I realized many of these php files are define statements ... general.php is relying on those define statements to be declared before executing. And then I found that general.php is defined in application_top.php.

 

What is the top file that starts the whole process ... index.php?

 

I understand the define command ... what initiates those files with the defines to execute? For example, what causes english.php to execute? And what does the require command do?

[♥Monika in Germany]

Hi Monika. I was in the middle of typing a new msg when I received your reply. After I sent the previous msg I realized many of these php files are define statements ... general.php is relying on those define statements to be declared before executing. And then I found that general.php is defined in application_top.php.

 

What is the top file that starts the whole process ... index.php?

 

I understand the define command ... what initiates those files with the defines to execute? For example, what causes english.php to execute? And what does the require command do?

 

like I said each file does its own execution. You can start calling your website with the contact_us.php right? no index involved. Application top does the job

 

I think it's time to read either php.net or get a starter book ... :-)

 

define means that a new variable is created and has that value

[eisenbeis]

php.net ... that is one big manual! But, I can see, very useful. Thanks for the reference!