Windows, Linux, PHP ? I need help...

[madpiano]

Hello

I downloaded ZEN cart to make a shopping site. I have my hosting with 123.reg. According to my package I am on Linux Plus. At home I use a windows PC. I have no idea about PHP, SQL or anything like that. So how do I start ?

I already have a website running, which will be replaced by the ZEN cart, once I am happy with it, but I do not want to interfere with it right now. So I assume I am going to do a local install and then upload it to 123 reg somehow ?

I am very confused by this patching of PHP something when installing ZEN cart locally. I have no idea where to look, how to do it etc. I haven't downloaded any server thingie yet, is it better to use WAMP or XAMPP ? Joomla seemed a lot easier, but sadly doesn't do what I want, so I had to give up on it. Can someone please tell me how to do this all ? Or am I going to be better off trying to make Joomla behave the way I want, as 123 reg offers 1-click-install with that one ?

Cheers
Sabine

[libertyguy]

Hello

I downloaded ZEN cart to make a shopping site. I have my hosting with 123.reg. According to my package I am on Linux Plus. At home I use a windows PC. I have no idea about PHP, SQL or anything like that. So how do I start ?

I already have a website running, which will be replaced by the ZEN cart, once I am happy with it, but I do not want to interfere with it right now. So I assume I am going to do a local install and then upload it to 123 reg somehow ?

I am very confused by this patching of PHP something when installing ZEN cart locally. I have no idea where to look, how to do it etc. I haven't downloaded any server thingie yet, is it better to use WAMP or XAMPP ? Joomla seemed a lot easier, but sadly doesn't do what I want, so I had to give up on it. Can someone please tell me how to do this all ? Or am I going to be better off trying to make Joomla behave the way I want, as 123 reg offers 1-click-install with that one ?

Cheers
Sabine

see www.easyphp.org/ It is easy to install and use

Nick

[gjh42]

If your hosting allows you to have more than one database, you can also install Zen Cart in a subfolder of your original site, where it will not interfere with anything, and easily move it to the root to replace the original once it is working and looking as you want.
I like local development because it is easiest to edit and save files, but development on the final host means that the environment is exactly the same as live.

[madpiano]

nope, only one Database allowed, but my other website is not needing it. It's not even hosted there, so if I can install ZEN Cart at my hosting place and get it working it would be great, no fluffing about locally....

[schoolboy]

123-reg is not an ideal host for eCommerce. I have (over the years) had to move several sites OFF 123-reg becuase it was just not up to the required levels of performance or configuration.

You can get far better value elsewhere - I have sites hosted on good servers, with unlimited databases, unlimited disk space and unlimited bandwidth for the SAME PRICE as 123-reg.

Before you start doing eCommerce seriously, move to a decent host. You could consider keeping your 123-reg site for something else, or as a "test site" only.

[madpiano]

Hiya

sorry, but can't afford to - I still have until August on the 123-reg space. I may have a look around after that. I managed to install the site locally with XAMPP and I am playing around with it there, once I know what I am doing, I will upload to 123 and make sure it works before switching it live. (figured out how to do that...I am slowly getting there).

After playing all evening with some free templates and version 1.3.8 I am just installing 1.3.9 now, hoping that it will work on 123-reg's server. I just want to feel I have an idea about what I am doing locally before uploading it to the server. I played with Joomla for about 2 months until I realized it will never do what I want it to and I am glad I didn't upload it...