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Where is the admin log in??? I just installed zen cart. Toward the end of the process, I clicked on an option to log into the admin section. The screen went blank, I have not been able to get back to that page. I have no idea where I am supposed to log in or what the page looks like, or how to access it.
Zen cart is installed and I can't see, use, configure or do anything else with it because I can't find anything that tells me how to access it. What do I do now?!
If you have made no other changes to your site your "admin" is:Quote:
Originally Posted by zanzabar
Code:http://www.<your-site-name>.com/admin
Thanks. It did not work. I tried adding (after my site name) the name of the folder where all the zen cart stuff is saved and that worked.
Is there some place I haven't found yet that explains how to do the most basic things? For example, I don't need a "store" I just need the shopping cart part - "add to cart" and " view cart" buttons with the functionality to add to my pages. Right now I can't even see a cart (final page before check out) I have found the gifs for the buttons (though I will be designing my own) but I don't know where the code is. I have installed the demo store but don't know how to access it.
I understand zen cart is free but it also claims to be for beginners. Nothing I have been able to find and read starts at the beginning. Is there a so-you've-never-done-this-before-but-here's-what-you-do-next section?
First, Zencart isn't designed as a back-end shopping cart script as you've described. It's intended to be a complete shopping cart, and you can style it to match your existing site. Trying to call Zencart functions from a non-Zencart site will cause sessions problems for your customers.
I've considered writing a step-by-step, do-this-then-do-this Zencart guide, but have decided not to, because:
The stock cart works fine the way it installs, so any changes other than what's available through admin and mods are about appearance rather than function, so everybody's needs are different.
Frankly, you don't learn anything if I tell you how to do every little step in detail. If you approach it right, part of the fun of using Zencart (or any open source software) is figuring it out and making it do what you want it to.
Any problems you encounter, posting a link to your site will let us take a look and help you figure it out.
OK, let's pretend for a moment that I know absolutely NOTHING about Zen Cart except that it is supposed to be for beginners (People who have NEVER installed, designed, tweaked, or done anything to or with a shopping cart other than buy something.)
Where am I in this whole process of installing a shopping cart that is supposed to be for beginners? I have installed it and had to ask in this forum how to get to the administration page because there is NO explanation anywhere on how to get there. Getting to the Admin page = BASIC yet there is no explanation for beginners who have NEVER done this before.
1. I have installed Zen Cart
2. I have logged into the admin pages
3. I have changed some tax and shipping info
"It's intended to be a complete shopping cart, and you can style it to match your existing site." HOW???? How do I access it so I can style it to match my existing site? Again HOW do I access the shopping cart?!
"Frankly, you don't learn anything if I tell you how to do every little step in detail. If you approach it right, part of the fun of using Zencart (or any open source software) is figuring it out and making it do what you want it to." Any little step would have been nice. There is nothing fun about having a cart and not knowing the first step in using it. To make it do something I have to be able to access it, right? HOW??
"Any problems you encounter, posting a link to your site will let us take a look and help you figure it out." I have done NOTHING with the shopping cart because I don't know what to do now that it is installed. A link to my site will take you to a site that has no functioning cart because I DON'T KNOW HOW TO ACCESS THE CART OR DO ANYTHING WITH IT. How could you possibly see the cart on my site if I DON'T KNOW HOW TO ACCESS IT, USE IT, OR ADD IT (a visual representation of it) TO MY SITE?
Though I can appreciate stevesh not wanting to tell me how to do every little step in detail, here's a thought:
If someone it trying to learn how to drive a car do you start by telling them how to pop the clutch on a stick shift if the battery is dead? Maybe it would be a good idea to tell them where to put the key and how to turn the car on first.
I have installed the demo - don't know how to access it, run it, or use it so I can learn from it.
I have a cart installed - I have absolutely no idea how to start using it, how to add any bit of it to my existing site so I have a cart that people can see, and use and one that will actually works.
If you are reading this and are planning to answer, please do this first: Think about how you got started. When you turned on your computer and decided to look at the zen cart demo, what did you do? The computer is on, your fingers are hovering over the keyboard, STOP! The next step is what I am missing. How do I get to the demo? You have the cart installed and you want to do something, anything with it, STOP! What do you do next? The VERY next step? I really don't know how else to explain that I need the BASICS to get started. After that I can figure it out on my own.
Nothing in this forum or in the very well hidden tutorials tells me what to do to get started. I don't need to know details of how to design the cart for my site. I need to know how to ACCESS ANYTHING that will allow me to USE this cart. I don't know how to do ANYTHING with it. Where do I put the key?!! I'll figure out how to pop the clutch on my own. Right now I can't even open the door, get in and start the car!!!!
No car analogies, please. :smile:
The first step, i guess, would be to point your browser to your site's address and see what's there. It sounds like you installed Zencart by your host's installer (Fanrtastico, or similar). Those usually install it to the 'zencart' subdirectory, so navigate to www.yoursite/zencart and see what's there. It should be your Zencart installation with the demo products installed. If not, something has been done wrong.
If that's OK, go to www.yoursite.com/zencart/admin to see if you get the admin login page. (As I mentioned, this would be easier if you would share the URL of your site.) I see you've accessed admin, but someone else might be reading this.
If you have the site, and you can log in to admin, you're good to go.
You keep saying you want to 'do something'. The advice about how to do something will depend on what that something is.
If you want to create your custom template, that would be a good start. There are instructions on how to do that (and a lot of other stuff) in the Tutorials/FAQ at the top of this page.
Other than the stuff you can do through Admin, all the changes you make to your store will be made by editing files. For that, you'll need a good FTP program. Many here use Filezilla, I like the FTP plugin for Firefox.
If you still aren't getting it, keep posting. We all were where you are at one point.
There is a link for the e-start book. That will help you TONS with the functionality of your cart and how to set it up. The book won't help too much with designing (the look of) the cart though.
Tina
I am having the same problem... I have successfully installed ZenCart. I have also changed my admin folder name and changed it to "read only". When I access www.mywebsite.com/catalog/MYADMINFOLDER, I get the basic installation screen saying I have a couple of errors, etc... How can I bypass this to get to the Admin Tools section? Below is what I'm seeing upon loading my admin page.
:unsure:Quote:
Hello. Thank you for loading Zen Cart™.
You are seeing this page for one or more reasons:
1. This is your first time using Zen Cart™ and you haven't yet completed the normal Installation procedure.
If this is the case for you, you will need to upload the "zc_install" folder using your FTP program, and then run zc_install/index.php via your browser (or reload this page to see a link to it).
2. Your /includes/configure.php and/or /admin/includes/configure.php file contains invalid path information and/or invalid database-connection information.
If you recently edited your configure.php files for any reason, or maybe moved your site to a different folder or different server, then you'll need to review and update all your settings to the correct values for your server.
See the Online FAQ and Tutorials area on the Zen Cart™ website for assistance.
To begin installation ...
1. The Installation Documentation can be read by clicking here: Documentation
2. You will need to upload the "zc_install" folder using your FTP program, and then run zc_install/index.php via your browser (or reload this page to see a link to it).
3. The Online FAQ and Tutorials area on the Zen Cart™ website will also be of value if you run into difficulties.
Issue resolved...thx :)
What was the secret to your success ... :smile: