How to set up downloadable products?

[scannerman]

Hi all... newbie here.

Spent the last 4 days trawling through these forums without success on this question....(although a 1000 other problems have been resolved thanks to you chap and chapess)

I scan old books, convert them to pdf files.
Normally i sell the CD's at family history shows etc.
I'm setting the shop now and I am struggling with setting up a product so that once the customer buys it they can automatically download the pdf file of the book.

I know it it can be done because it says so on the zen home page.

Is there an idiots guide somewhere... please help



Steve


www.wetherby-scanning.co.uk

[misty]

Would suggest adding pdf's into zip file/s. then you must set up download attributes
for each product.. guidelines to attributes can be found at
http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/faq.ph...l&titlesonly=0
i.e. How do I add attributes to my products at above url

[scannerman]

Thanks for reply... however

I must be a tad dim because I still don't get it !!

zipping the pdf is not a problem.. but where does it go then ?

../myshop/downloads ??

And I have read your missive, the link and the attributes configuration page several times now and still I don't get it.

I'm missing something obvious - I'm sure I am.



Arrgghhh


Steve

[misty]

but where does it go then ?
../myshop/downloads ??

Yes, zip file goes in your store download folder

[misty]

Brainwave..if you install a test zencart, and on install, include the all ready made
categories/products etc option, there is a download zip file already configured in attributes for software/action/unreal tournament.
It is possible to copy that download attribute to other products.
See Ajeh's post re similar request at
http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?t=35781
HTH

[dbrewster]

I'm trying to set up a free downloadable product, too. Previously, I just made a link to a PDF file in a document-information page, but I would like to collect statistics on downloads and handle it a bit more elegantly.

Right now, this is what I've got, but it looks like an upload, not a download:

(this is a test site)
http://www.coreknowledge.org/registe...roducts_id=131

I had the document-info product already created. (you can see my link hack at the top of the page, but it's not elegant.)

Procedure I used:

admin > catalog > option name manager

inserted:
option name: free download
option type: file

admin > catalog > attributes controller

selected my product, hit display.

Selected option name (Free download) and option value.
The only option value that made sense was TEXT (RESERVED FOR TEXT/FILES ONLY ATTRIBUTES).

Set up the download in admin > catalog > downloads manager.

I did not see any place in admin > catalog > options values to define the text value, but I could add text in option name text attributes. I put the filename in there for now, hoping it would show in the file download browse window, but it does not, it seems to be for description purposes.

I've been reading the thread in the archive subject Attributes HOW-TO but I'm still befuddled. Any clarification is welcome.

---Diana
---signature missing-in-action

[hwdigitalelements]

Yes, zip file goes in your store download folder

Does that mean that if someone types in the URL, for example
www.store.com/download/file.zip

that they won't be able to download the product?

[Ajeh]

If your site is properly setup, the .htaccess file forces a login first ...

This stops access to that directory to the files ...

Try it for yourself to make sure your site is secure ...

[pimptress]

Ok, i have sell digita scrapbooking items in my store. So the customers need to receive a download after they purchase. I have read everything in here regarding attributes and download manger and option value manager. And I am lost. i have folowed it step by step, I think. And the download manager says it's a invalid file name. Now, I created a "DOWNLOAD" older insode the "zencart". As I thought I was suppose to. I don't understand any of this, and if you can hep, I will need a step by step directions. I will not know right where to go. Thanks a bunch!

[dbrewster]

I created a "DOWNLOAD" older insode the "zencart".

I thought the default Zen Cart installs with a download folder in that location, and has sample download files, too. So you would not have to create a download folder. If you set up the "demo" store, I think that file download is configured in it. That would give you something to copy. You could set up a completely separate store with the Demo defaults, if you web hosting service allows it.

Are you using the current version of Zen Cart?

There could be a lot of reasons why the file name is invalid, starting with unacceptable characters. Be sure to remove spaces, hyphens, underscores, all non-alphanumeric characters from the file name.

Be sure that you have set the correct permissions on the folder and file.

Try setting up a download with a different file type, such as .zip.

If something doesn't work:

1) Retrace all your steps one by one, and retrace again
2) Try making minor modifications to get a clearer idea of what is and is not working.