Can't add Categories

[MattieCo]

Just installed ZenCart (first time user). When I create a category, save it, then go to create another category, the Admin page says "Categories - 0"

I don't get any error messages, but I can't create any categories. What's going on? Using latest version of ZenCart.

[Ajeh]

What version of Zen Cart did you install? If it is not v1.3.9h from our Home page, please install that one ...

Note: if you mean the counts in the bottom left corner, it is referring to the Categories and Product count for the immediate Category you are in ...

[MattieCo]

I installed version 1.3.9g. My web host company is "inmotion." They use a program called fantastico to do the install. It automates a lot of the install process, so I didn't use XAMPP or follow the XAMPP instructions in your ZenCart book (which I purchased) on your website.

When I go to the Catalog, select Categories/Product, there is a counter on the left side of the page, about halfway down. It shows:
Categories - 0
Products - 0

When I create a new (first) category and save it, then come back to this page to create another category, I expect that counter to read:
Categories - 1
but it doesn't. It still says Categories - 0

I tried entering a Product. I uploaded a picture of the product (to the Categories directory. The GUI all worked as if the entry/upload was successful, but when I did a search in my directory for the .JPG file I uploaded, its nowhere to be found.

What gives?

[Ajeh]

Create a Category at the Top level will show the number of Categories at the Top Level ...

Enter a new Category that contains no Categories and no Products you will see:
Categories - 0
Products - 0

Create a Category in that empty Category and you will see:
Categories: 1
Products: 0

enter that new Category you just created and you will see:
Categories: 0
Products: 0

NOTE: it is not a good idea to use Fantastico on a site once it is installed the first time ... from that point on, you should be managing your Upgrades from clean downloads and following the Upgrade procedure ...

If you load an image into the /images/categories and do not see it in your FTP program, you need to refresh the directory ...

If you do not see it on your site, you need to ensure that the directories are writable and have the right permissions ...

NOTE: the current version of Zen Cart is v1.3.9h which is available from our Home page ...

[MattieCo]

Ajeh,

Thanks for working with me on this, but I am either not explaining my problem clearly, or I am not understanding your answers.

I follow the steps on page 158-159 of the e-Start your Web Store with Zen Cart book. These instructions create a Category "at the Top level." Everything works just like the book says, except the Category I created never pops into the window.

If you look at page 158, you can see where the author created three categories: Test, Fruits, Drinks. These three categories are listed in the screen with a selectable check box next to each one.

When I enter categories, this "categories list" never shows up. The page remains blank. But I don't get any errors when going through the process of creating them.

Where - in the Zen Cart file structure - would I go to find these categories if they are in fact being created? I am at wits end here!

Thanks
MattieCo

[Ajeh]

You can look in phpMyAdmin and see what is in the tables:
categories
categories_description

but is sounds more like you have a bad install ...