Integrate Zen into Joomla

[DezineJunkie]

Just to clarify what were talking about here is a BRIDGE correct, so that Joomla and Zen cart share seamless admin resposiblities?

Can you specify more clearly what you have working together?
Are you providing management and users databases synchronisation, so two systems have the same set of customers and log into one system automatically leads to log into another one, thus an user does not have to log into two systems. Have you avoided the wrapper all together in Joomla? Are you able to show as a result of the integration zen cart data on Joomla pages (for example, show featured products on main zen cart page or Joomla? Do you guarantees sessions continuity and accounts synchronization?

I think we would all like to hear your progress, regardless if you can bring it to market. Just to know there is hope out there for this integration.
It is needed so badly, i dont get why it is not readily available.

[DivaVocals]

DezineJunkie,

I do not think this is a bridge.. I believe what Borat is speaking of is a ZenCart component for Joomla. At least based on the previous posts that's what it sounds like..

[meatball]

I use Zen Cart a lot and have made a number of sites using it. It is a fantastic script, but to suit my needs I have just created a Joomla site and have incorporated ECJC into it.
Other than a few minor hiccups, it seems to be working great, and with the modules that come pre-installed with ECJC, there is almost no need to add anything more.

Please note that I am not promoting either, or bagging Zen Cart. I am just pointing out my experiences.

It would be good to see Zen Cart operating within a Joomla environment.

[DivaVocals]

Been testing ECJC, but I'm not impressed.. Too many unresolved issues with the install and fucntionality to make this component ready for primetime in my book.. Plus the support forum is LESS than useful.. Too many issues go routinely unanswered.. Gimme Zencart any time over ECJC.. I'd rather just style my ZenCart to match my Joomla website..

[sunzhoujian]

It is very nice integration. my msn is sunzhoujian##########################. I hope that I can chat and learn a lot from you.

Cheers,
--Paul

Originally Posted by p m

hey, thanks for the link. i designed the plastique monkey site.

it's a wordpress blog in the root domain, with singapore gallery installed to /gallery/ and zencart installed to /shop/. i fussed around with the CSS until they looked mostly similar and added a tab menu stolen from the mistylook wordpress theme to tie them all together.

unfortunately for what you're trying to do, there's no real integration between the three sub-sites, just a lot of links (see this item on my blog, etc). i tried to use the external sidebox contribution to embed the "new in shop" zen sidebox in the wordpress sidebar, but the PHP involved was over my head. so i used an image rotator that i found on alistapart ("better image rotator", it's called) instead.

the shop is the only part of http://plastiquemonkey.com where people need to register. so i don't know how you'd keep people registered when moving from zen to zoomla, sorry...

[borhan]

Borat,
If you have really done this integration please share with this community. Both Joomla and Zen Cart community will be grateful for this. Joomla + ZC makes the best CMS+Shop. Please share as all others here expressed interest in it.

Regards,

[madmumbler]

I run Joomla for my main site and ZC for my e-commerce. I would LOVE a way to integrate the users. Not even combine the admin features -- just a way to duplicate the registration/login info for both. I had to go to a non-login format for my Joomla for this reason, too many people complaining about double registration.

I tried a "bridge" between Joomla and SMF and that was a pain. Didn't work right half the time. Or didn't update correctly the other half. Awful.

Would love something I could use that would take Zen Cart login/account info and duplicate it for Joomla.

I'm not a programmer, so I'm not sure where to begin to do that.

[birdoasis]

Search the forum, there is a way to make zen cart login free. Then you can turn your Joomla login back on.

I don't know of a module that integrates Joomla and ZC. There is one for Wordpress though.

[madmumbler]

Originally Posted by Kim

We keep asking why, because so far no one has supplied an answer. So I will ask one more time - What does the CMS add that Zen Cart is lacking?

Joomla allows for multiple users in different "levels" to be able to create, edit, and maintain content. It allows for various heirachial (sp?) levels of content, laid out in various ways. It allows easy updating, archiving, blogging features, etc.

In other words, Joomla is designed to be a flexible content management system, easily modified for multi-media interaction as necessary to a variety of different uses.

Zen Cart is designed to be a flexible ecommerce shopping cart. EZ-pages are not sufficient for someone who has to spend a LOT of time updating content, especially if they allow user/editor access. The one-level admin access of ZC is not sufficient.

If you are running an online newspaper/magazine with a lot of content upgrades daily by various people of various access levels, you cannot use ZC for that purpose.

[madmumbler]

Originally Posted by birdoasis

Search the forum, there is a way to make zen cart login free. Then you can turn your Joomla login back on.

I don't know of a module that integrates Joomla and ZC. There is one for Wordpress though.

I know I can use the "guest purchase" mod, but I really don't want to. I'd rather find a way to have the login info bridged between the two.