What I am trying to accomplish. Request for advice.

[Guest]

I am developing 2 websites simultaneously, one for a non-profit that I have begun and another for a for profit e-book retail site. I am wanting both to have e-commerce capability and I am wanting and willing to invest the time to understand how to set them up and run them before I turn over any portion of those responsibilities to anyone else.

 

After researching I chose Dreamweaver as my development tool and I think I am understanding it pretty well. I have set up a site based on templates that I have developed for info pages and product pages, leaving editable space between left and right side bars. I am now researching shopping carts. I am intrigued with the osCommerce solution and have loaded it up, but am having problems even getting into it.

 

I have three important questions before I go any further..

 

1. Using osCommerce, can I import a jsp product database into the editable region of a Dreamweaver template and automatically structure multiple pages of a category of products to be scrolled through using a page number bar? FYI, the ability to work with JSP is important as it is a requirement of the main ebook provider I will be using to access the primary ebook database that I will be selling from.

 

2. How much programming knowledge do I need to be fairly independent in using osCommerce? and what are some good sources for study and practice?

 

3. If I like the answers I get to questions 1 and 2, who can I get to help me really get going (e.g. getting past this register_globals deal that is keeping me from even getting into the program, etc.) very quickly AND be a good long-term source of support for more difficult issues?

 

Thanks for any help you can give! Chris D.

[FIMBLE]

I am developing 2 websites simultaneously, one for a non-profit that I have begun and another for a for profit e-book retail site. I am wanting both to have e-commerce capability and I am wanting and willing to invest the time to understand how to set them up and run them before I turn over any portion of those responsibilities to anyone else.

 

After researching I chose Dreamweaver as my development tool and I think I am understanding it pretty well. I have set up a site based on templates that I have developed for info pages and product pages, leaving editable space between left and right side bars. I am now researching shopping carts. I am intrigued with the osCommerce solution and have loaded it up, but am having problems even getting into it.

 

I have three important questions before I go any further..

 

1. Using osCommerce, can I import a jsp product database into the editable region of a Dreamweaver template and automatically structure multiple pages of a category of products to be scrolled through using a page number bar? FYI, the ability to work with JSP is important as it is a requirement of the main ebook provider I will be using to access the primary ebook database that I will be selling from.

 

2. How much programming knowledge do I need to be fairly independent in using osCommerce? and what are some good sources for study and practice?

 

3. If I like the answers I get to questions 1 and 2, who can I get to help me really get going (e.g. getting past this register_globals deal that is keeping me from even getting into the program, etc.) very quickly AND be a good long-term source of support for more difficult issues?

 

Thanks for any help you can give! Chris D.

 

Well this is a source of support!!

As for the other stuff, you will need to find out for yourself.

OSC is a fantastic Shopping cart, very big and complicated though.

If you are looking for some expert advice you can rely on, and have some kind of fall back on then I suggest you get a paid partner.

Nic

[Bushmaster]

This should fix the problem with the program.

http://www.oscommerce.com/forums/index.php?sho...egister_globals

 

Learning how to do a simple search would be good. As far as what you want to do osCommerce is a stand alone product you do not need a web site to use it. It is not a drop in to a web site you design your front page using the osCommerce package.

See the yellow button that says showcases..Mouse over it and click live shops. If jsp can be put inside a page designed with php then yes it can be used.