using both Easy Populate and Image Handler 2

[mzimmers]

(I looked through the threads for both and couldn't find the answer.)

So, I've installed both of these add-ons, they seem great, and I want to use them. Together.

Can the two somehow be integrated? That is, can I somehow get EP to "feed" the image links to IH2 during a product listing upload? The potential convenience of EP is huge, but it would be somewhat diluted by having to individually add a picture for each product afterward.

Thanks.

[schoolboy]

The modules are fundamentally different and serve different purposes. There is no advantage to trying to "join" them.

EP just writes information to the database. That is all it does.

The reference to the image in EP is simply a string of text, stored in a field in the PRODUCTS table.

It is a particular kind of text string - in that it comprises a few characters, then a dot, then a few more characters which are usually "jpg", "gif" or "png".

... but it is just a text string... nothing more.

Most certainly it is then USED in special ways... For example, the php (in many files) says:

"I need the main image of the product to show up in this page, and I have the following:

<img src="images/##########_"> so I need to delve into the database to find out what bit of TEXT to strip in to the "##########_" part...

Ah... for this product it is abcdefghij.jpg

So I am now able to complete the <img src> to read:

<img src="images/abcdefghij.jpg">

While IH also has the capacity to "write" an image filename to the database (to the self same field), its core functionality is in the management of the actual image FILE.

[mzimmers]

Thanks for the reply. So, if I'm following you, EP uploads a bunch of (textual) information and populates the product DB with this information. The images themselves aren't stored in the database, but are managed outside. I can specify image names in EP, but EP doesn't handle the uploading/importation of images.

Correct so far? If I have this right, I'll form some follow-on questions.

[schoolboy]

Thanks for the reply. So, if I'm following you, EP uploads a bunch of (textual) information and populates the product DB with this information. The images themselves aren't stored in the database, but are managed outside. I can specify image names in EP, but EP doesn't handle the uploading/importation of images.

Correct so far? If I have this right, I'll form some follow-on questions.

Yes... that's it exactly. The database can only contain information - not files.

All the images (the actual JPEG files) are located in the images folder, which has absolutely nothing to do with the database.

[mzimmers]

So, does IH2 accept whatever filename my image file has, or will it change it? (Ignore the possibliity of multiple images for this question.)

And, how do I tell IH2 where I want my images stored? Say, if I want to have a directory tree that follows my product category structure.

Thanks.

[schoolboy]

While it is possible to add images using IH2 (in the IH manager - admin >>> tools >>> Image Handler) these will always be considered as ADDITTIONAL images if a main product image already exists. IH2 will append _01 . _02 (etc) to these as you upload them.

This feature also looks at the current location of the current main image. If you have (earlier) placed the product's main image in a sub-folder in the images folder, it will load all subsequent additional images to that folder.

However, by default, if there is NO main image for a product, it will load what it calls the "default" image into the main image folder.

This sounds a bit Catch-22 -ish I know, but essentially IH2 is NOT used to upload or locate the default image. It can be used as a quick tool to upload ADDITIONAL images - but even these are best loaded via FTP.

You may by all means create sub-folders in the images folder (that can match by name, your categories) - as long as you understand that folders should all be lowercase letters with no spaces or strange characters.

If you have a category called Gold & Silver, you cannot have a folder called Gold & Silver... It will have to be something like gold_silver

Anyway... IH2 will automatically locate the folder where the image is stored AS LONG AS the database reference is correct.

So... if you decide to store an image in folder gold_silver for a particular bracelet, the database must have the following in the images field:

gold_silver/bracelet.jpg

IH2 also uses that reference in its workings, so if you later want to add an additional image via IH manager, then all you do is call upo that product and using the browse/upload feature, put the additional image into play. IH2 will appropriately re-name that image so it is consistent with the additional images formula used by zencart.

Don't use IH for uploading main images. This should be done via FTP.

If you decide to put your images into sub-folders, it is vital that the DATABASE reference is corrected.

Easy Populate is best used for making this kind of change - not IH2.