How scalable is Zen-Cart?

[tanya3]

You actually can add all of the product images via admin, though it requires a disciplined approach and can be time-consuming for large numbers of images per product.

Say you want a small thumbnail, a different size for the medium and a different image for the large.
In the product editing page, browse to the large image; in "Upload to directory: []" select large and preview and update.
Edit again and browse to the medium image, select the medium directory, preview and update.
Finally, edit, browse to the small image, select Main Directory, preview and update.

The important thing to remember here is that the *last* image you upload this way will become the product's base image, and must be the thumbnail.

If you change the large image or add additional images, you will need to reconfirm the base by selecting the thumbnail on the server.

Glenn, you are a genius. This is exactly what I needed (the book simply doesn't explain this topic well enough). You are correct that it requires a disciplined approach but that may be fine for lack of an alternative (or if we are not ready yet to install an add-on). We upload only a single product at a time so this is OK.

I will also examine Rob's suggestion for "Admin interface for Additional Product Images".

Thanks!
Tanya

[gjh42]

"Glenn, your approach will not work in conjunction with IH2; since it uses its own 'bmz_cache' dir. for all images. "

True, but you would not likely be using this method if you were using IH2.

The method is distinctly slower than FTP, so is generally not a preferred way to upload images. I use it occasionally if I want to change an image and don't feel like going into Filezilla and changing settings to the site I am working on.

[tanya3]

I will also examine Rob's suggestion for "Admin interface for Additional Product Images".

Update: I tried this add-on and aside from the fact that caution must be taken when copying/editing certain files (it you copy admin/includes/modules/category_product_listing.php as is it will ovewrite changes made by the hideCategories add-on), this is one of the MOST HORRIBLE add-ons I have seen:

• There is no documentation of how to USE it.
• When you try to use it, it generates a barrage of warning messages:

  Warning: preg_match() [function.preg-match]: Unknown modifier 'G' in /www/yarnshop-bg.eu/www/root/admin/additional_images.php on line 232

See unanswered posting from a few months ago:

http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?t=125462

I'll stick with Glenn's instructions.

[tanya3]

Update: Glenn's instructions don't work either.

The reason is that I organize my images in subdirectories of the main, medium and large directories.

It's impossible to use Glenn's instructions unless I flatten the directory structure, as Ajeh and DrByte said:

https://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?p=421680

http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showth...876#post371876

http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?t=99542

So much for "Zen"...

Did I say HORRIBLE?

I am now truly sorry that I convinced my peers to go with zen-cart.


Tanya

[barco57]

and your store manager is not capable of using ftp? You know you can give them their own ftp access to the images folder only. If you can't teach them how to use ftp to upload the images then maybe they shouldn't to be the store manager because that job is much more complicated than ftp.

[Merlinpa1969]

So much for "Zen"...

Did I say HORRIBLE?

I am now truly sorry that I convinced my peers to go with zen-cart.

I have to reply to this one....

Zen Cart is NOT Horrible, it dosnt fit your needs, but its not horrible and to say so is unfair to to the rest of this community.....

People have been trying to answer your questions all day,
and you have for the most part sniped, or put down every thing that has been put to you.....

In My Humble Opinion delete zen cart and put your fingers to the keyboard and write your own.....

at least you will know that its NOT Horrible......

[tanya3]

delete zen cart and put your fingers to the keyboard and write your own.....

That's the standard answer whenever someone discovers how amateurish and incomplete this "zen" cart is. In my search for answers I found numerous such "standard answers".

I am not going to write my own. I will buy a commercial package and it will cost me much less than what the "zen" cart "team" is trying to charge people for fixing their bugs while claiming "these are new features".

Bye
Tanya

[afo]

That's the standard answer whenever someone discovers how amateurish and incomplete this "zen" cart is. In my search for answers I found numerous such "standard answers".

I am not going to write my own. I will buy a commercial package and it will cost me much less than what the "zen" cart "team" is trying to charge people for fixing their bugs while claiming "these are new features".

Bye
Tanya

Who asked you for any money? Where is it stated that all the help we tried to give you today cost you anything? Please, be more rude and ungrateful. Don't let the door hit you in the backside on your way out.

[Merlinpa1969]

That's the standard answer whenever someone discovers how amateurish and incomplete this "zen" cart is. In my search for answers I found numerous such "standard answers".

I am not going to write my own. I will buy a commercial package and it will cost me much less than what the "zen" cart "team" is trying to charge people for fixing their bugs while claiming "these are new features".

Bye
Tanya

No actually my standard answer would be to either go the hell away or get smarter clients...


If you want the REAL merlin stock answer

[kuroi]

I will buy a commercial package and it will cost me much less than what the "zen" cart "team" is trying to charge people for fixing their bugs while claiming "these are new features".

I suspect that you have accidentally stumbled across a certain company that describes itself as "the Zen Cart Team" and actually advertises itself as such, even though it has nothing whatsoever to do with the team that develops and maintains Zen Cart.

Interestingly (and irritatingly) I was working on a new client's site recently and came across one of my mods rebranded and sold commercially by the same people.

The real Zen Cart team maintains and enhances Zen Cart at no cost to you. And makes the source code available for members of this community to enhance and expand to meet their specific requirements.

If the defining feature that you need in a shopping cart is really the ability to upload a large image via the admin, then by all means go commercial. But I suspect you'll rapidly find different "bugs" in any e-commerce product and the odds of you getting a commercial company to "fix" them for free to your specification, or anywhere near the level of support and help offered here at no cost, are extremely small.