Apsona ShopAdmin - a free tool for import/mass update/reporting

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Originally Posted by torvista

When you imported the new set of products, your csv included columns for master_category and category with the same data in each?
You only use one language?

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Hi Steve,

I did check the CSV file and the master category was blank.

I populated the master category with the same data that's in the category, this generated no products in admin but if you go to the product description table in the database the products do show.

Do I just have a corrupt CSV file?

Any thoughts are appreciated. Thanks.

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I did check the CSV file and the master category was blank.

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So you have imported=created products with no master category? I didn't think the Apsona import allowed that.
Look at the database, products tables to check this.

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I populated the master category with the same data that's in the category, this generated no products in admin but if you go to the product description table in the database the products do show.

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What do you mean? You restored the database to the state prior to the import and then tried the import again?
Or you manually added the master category into the products table?

Hi Steve,

Quote:

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Originally Posted by torvista

So you have imported=created products with no master category? I didn't think the Apsona import allowed that.
Look at the database, products tables to check this.

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That's correct....that's how the first attempt was completed. The products showed in the admin categories/products list page but when you clicked on the edit icon for the product the oddness started.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by torvista

What do you mean? You restored the database to the state prior to the import and then tried the import again?
Or you manually added the master category into the products table?

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I restored the database to the prior, copied the category titles to the master category in the csv file and then tried again.

Try not using "Master Category" at all. Just build your category structure (At Home: Small Appliances: Cookware) and put that into Category column and it should work just fine.

Hope that helps.

When importing, is Apsona mapping all the field names to the CVS column titles correctly?
Do all the categories pre-exist or are you creating them at the same time?

I've *always* had to do the following after an import from Apsona to get round the "categories showing but product names blank" issue.

Before you do this: BACKUP THE DB! Also, we don't use any custom sort order on attributes etc so if this matters to you

TOOLS > STORE MANAGER (store_manager.php)

Click the following buttons in this order:

Update All Products' Attribute Sort Orders
Update ALL Products Price Sorter
Reset ALL Products Master Categories ID
and finally
Optimize Database

It might be co-incidence, but it also seems to speed up the store a fair bit by doing that.

Let me know if this works!

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I've *always* had to do the following after an import from Apsona to get round the "categories showing but product names blank" issue.

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I don't have this import problem...resetting the master categories on my shop would be a self-destruct button!
I do Update ALL Products Price Sorter but thats just because I can't be bothered to include that column in the CSV.

Since this seems not be be an isolated issue, if you (plural) want to pm me and send a copy of your csv I'll see if I get the same issue.

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Originally Posted by gxjenkins

Try not using "Master Category" at all. Just build your category structure (At Home: Small Appliances: Cookware) and put that into Category column and it should work just fine.

Hope that helps.

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Hi Gary,

I tried this but it didn't work for me....I still get the original issue. When I the view the admin Categories / Product list the product names are there, if I click the "Edit" icon to view the product details the product name is not there it appears blank. If you then click cancel the product name still shows in the Categories / Product list but if you click "Update" without changing a thing the product name disappears. I've checked the database table zen_products_description and the product names are there.

Thank you for the suggestion.

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Originally Posted by kelvyn

I've *always* had to do the following after an import from Apsona to get round the "categories showing but product names blank" issue.

Before you do this: BACKUP THE DB! Also, we don't use any custom sort order on attributes etc so if this matters to you

TOOLS > STORE MANAGER (store_manager.php)

Click the following buttons in this order:

Update All Products' Attribute Sort Orders
Update ALL Products Price Sorter
Reset ALL Products Master Categories ID
and finally
Optimize Database

It might be co-incidence, but it also seems to speed up the store a fair bit by doing that.

Let me know if this works!

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Hi Kelvin,

I'll give this a try.

After you upload do your product names show in the admin categories / product list but disappear when you click edit to view the product details?

Hi Folks,

I just came across Apsona ShopAdmin after struggling with Easy Populate. I have a few questions about it if anybody would care to help enlighten me?

1. Are Apsona still alive and supporting this product?
I emailed them yesterday but have received no replies.

2. Can anyone explain their business model? How do they make money with free service and free support?

3. Can I import/alter product attributes with SA? (ie the tables: products_attributes, products_options_values and products_options)
I price all of my products via Catalog -> Attributes Controller.

4. Can anyone tell me how much of my shop data would be passed through Apsona's server? I see that they effectively control the service but, as my shop is confidential (sales, finances, and especially customer data), I would need to know what data gets sent where and what control I have over that.

Any answers to these questions, or any other info/opinions on the product would be welcome, thankyou.

Gavin