Zen cart with Expression Web and payment gateway?

[query]

I have several queries. I have opted to use zen cart for a shopping cart but am wondering the following things:

1. If my payment site is being hosted on a payment gateway providers site, how does this affect my shopping cart if even?

2. My site needs to be dynamic- but I lack php skills. Expression Engine CMS has not worked out for me either- so I'm wondering what the solution would be?

Thanks!

[kobra]

1. If my payment site is being hosted on a payment gateway providers site, how does this affect my shopping cart if even?

There are payment modules included in the distribution for a few gateways and others available as 3rd party modules in the download area
The tutorials link above right has some explanation
I searched for "payment" and this is one of many results
http://tutorials.zen-cart.com/index.php?article=373

2. My site needs to be dynamic- but I lack php skills. Expression Engine CMS has not worked out for me either- so I'm wondering what the solution would be?

ZenCart is php based but IMO written well enough that one does not need to accomplished in php to be able to operate
The tutorials cover the most common alterations/customizations required to create a cart with a unique look
The backend(admin) features provide for most entry and management functions in a menu driven interface - so again no php required
Only if you MUST have a feature that is not built in would one need a certian competance in php to be able to code it....

[query]

There are payment modules included in the distribution for a few gateways and others available as 3rd party modules in the download area
The tutorials link above right has some explanation
I searched for "payment" and this is one of many results
http://tutorials.zen-cart.com/index.php?article=373


ZenCart is php based but IMO written well enough that one does not need to accomplished in php to be able to operate
The tutorials cover the most common alterations/customizations required to create a cart with a unique look
The backend(admin) features provide for most entry and management functions in a menu driven interface - so again no php required
Only if you MUST have a feature that is not built in would one need a certian competance in php to be able to code it....

It's good to know that my PHP skills don't have to be great to make it work.

I will take a look at the tutorial you've pointed me to. Another question- in regards to testing out my site but not hosting it publicly for the world to see, is there a method around this?

I already have a hosting account and a domain name. Thanks

[kobra]

Another question- in regards to testing out my site but not hosting it publicly for the world to see, is there a method around this?

I already have a hosting account and a domain name. Thanks

You can develop locally on a PC or a MAC by installing XAMPP, WAMPP, or MAMPP which are an implementation for APACHE, mysql and php for each platform....available free by googling...

But, I suggest that you load to your hosting account NOW
Google will see it and as you develop/add/change it they will also return frequently
Remember that the SE's only see content and not design/images
So do not concern yourself about looks
Keep adding content and products as you design to keep your site active/changing to illicit activity - - they will see this and continue to rank relevance
In this way you avoid the pitfall of developing over weeks/months until you are ready and then wonder how long it will take to be ranked....
You can add text that you are in development and not open for business but to check back often and might also tempoarily set the cart to require authorization to purchase to avoid premature activity as some will not read your information.

[query]

You can develop locally on a PC or a MAC by installing XAMPP, WAMPP, or MAMPP which are an implementation for APACHE, mysql and php for each platform....available free by googling...

But, I suggest that you load to your hosting account NOW
Google will see it and as you develop/add/change it they will also return frequently
Remember that the SE's only see content and not design/images
So do not concern yourself about looks
Keep adding content and products as you design to keep your site active/changing to illicit activity - - they will see this and continue to rank relevance
In this way you avoid the pitfall of developing over weeks/months until you are ready and then wonder how long it will take to be ranked....
You can add text that you are in development and not open for business but to check back often and might also tempoarily set the cart to require authorization to purchase to avoid premature activity as some will not read your information.

Okay- I will upload directly to my hosting account. But, will I be able to develop my site with zen cart without making the developments live- like most CMS's?

Thanks!

[kobra]

But, will I be able to develop my site with zen cart without making the developments live- like most CMS's?

Was I not clear enough??

You want it live on the web as early as possible - just not open for business

That is my suggested approach BUT if you insist on not making it available to be crawled - there are options such as setting password access only through your hosting management etc

[DrByte]

You can set the site as down-for-maintenance if you wish to have visitors and search engines turned away.


BTW, I strongly advise against using any MS software applications like ExpressionWeb or Frontpage when developing a PHP-driven site.

[query]

You can set the site as down-for-maintenance if you wish to have visitors and search engines turned away.


BTW, I strongly advise against using any MS software applications like ExpressionWeb or Frontpage when developing a PHP-driven site.

Right. Just to let you know that I only use Expression Web for the HTMl and CSS.

That is okay, right?

Thanks!

[DrByte]

MS has a long-standing reputation of generating bloated HTML with all kinds of bad proprietary markup injected in it. Not sure if the latest EW still does that or not.
Naturally, you can use what you like ... just be aware that it may contribute to incorrect page validation or larger pages than needed, etc.

And beware of using its FTP or Publish features. They may be fine for HTML-only sites, but when you introduce template-driven functionality like Zen Cart, those features should be avoided. A regular dedicated FTP program is far more reliable anyway.

[query]

Was I not clear enough??

You want it live on the web as early as possible - just not open for business

That is my suggested approach BUT if you insist on not making it available to be crawled - there are options such as setting password access only through your hosting management etc

That is exactly what I mean. Thank you so much!