Complete and total newb...

[Serious]

So I I find the text doc's that relate to installing ZC on my computer and I commense ta readin' and decypherin'....

I find this little Gem:

You will then need to run the install script.

To do this you need to open a browser and type in the URL.

If you are running on a your own computer, this will be

http://localhost/{zen-cart-directory}/zc_install/

HA!! Now I'm cookin' with gas!!

So I figure that I need to replace what's inbetween the { } with the ZC location on my computer. I open a browser and enter the following into the URL bar:
http://localhost/C:\ZenCart\zen-cart...10/zc_install/

Nope, browser says I'm 'tarded.


Where did I screw up?
I tried it with the { } in place and without the { }.

I extracted the ZC file into a Directory on my C drive called ZenCart.

The path I pasted inplace of {zen-cart-directory} is correct.

[Serious]

I AM A ZEN MASTER!!Okay...I got lucky...

Seems that I do need XAMMP installed on my win7 pc in order to run ZenCart locally.

Downloading and installing it now. Back soon with new and improved stupid questions.

[Donal]

why try and run it locally?
hosting is cheap and when you get it sorted theres no moving and setting up to do!
I always build on the remote server even if i need to hide in a sub folder or something

[Serious]

From what I've seen on this site the general consensus is to maintain a working copy of your website on your computer as a backup and to try out changes before going live.

For a newb such as myself it makes sense.

So back to my stupid questions...

Download the latest Xampp and followed the installation instructions.

Referred to the following thread as well.
http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?t=173115
Specifically:

The procedure should work as follows:

1. You download the latest Zen Cart and unzip it.

2. Create a folder inside XAMPP's 'htdocs' folder. For this example call it 'zencart'.

3. Take all of the folders and files that you unzipped for the latest Zen Cart version (but not the containing folder) and copy/paste them into the htdocs/zencart folder.

4. Go to http://localhost/phpmyadmin and create a new database.

5. Go to http://localhost/zencart/zc_install and you should be able to start the install proecedure.

Does it work now?

Vger

Huh?

Create a new Database? Okay, I click on the link and enter "Zencart" in the field and then click on the CREATE button.....

BOOM! I now have a new Database called Zencart!!
Back over to my browser and try again.....

I enter https://localhost/xampp/htdocs/Zenca...10/zc_install/ and the result is this:

Object not found!
The requested URL was not found on this server. If you entered the URL manually please check your spelling and try again.

If you think this is a server error, please contact the webmaster.

Error 404
localhost
2/5/2011 8:39:25 AM
Apache/2.2.17 (Win32) mod_ssl/2.2.17 OpenSSL/0.9.8o PHP/5.3.4 mod_perl/2.0.4 Perl/v5.10.1

Not gonna have any hair left at this rate......

[Donal]

as I said why bother?

your hosting company has gone to all the bother of setting all this up for you already!
go live?? it'll take weeks for anybody to realise your stuff is there and anyway you can restrict access to the remote server.
zencart is designed to install via a very handy installer on the remote server, all you need to do is create the database on your hosting account (usually a one button affair) then run the zencart installer through your browser, it will check everthing is as it should be... you enter a few details like the database name, password etc and click,,,, away you go site set up!
upload your template and fiddle away and you can see the results instantly online, why clog up your pc with all that stuff and then have to go through all the installing thing again later anyway?
as for being a newbe... doing it on your own pc is by far the hardest way to do it

[Serious]

Because I want to make sure what I eventually upload meets my needs. I'd rather learn and make mistakes on my PC so that I can correct errors as I find them.

[Serious]

I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaccccccccccccckkkkkkkkkk!!

This thread may become the epic newb thread!!

So I got ZenCart loaded on my PC thanks to you good people.

Now I'm trying to get a handle on EasyPopulate.

Downloaded EP_v1.2.5.4.zip and extracted all the files.
Read the instruction file and renamed the admin file so that it was the same as my renamed Zencart admin file (The file formerly known as admin....;) )so Easypopulate's ADMIN is now NEW-MIN. (insert Seinfeld voice).

Grabbed the TEMP file and stuffed it in the directory it supposed to be in....at least I'm pretty sure it's supposed to be there.

So know I get to this part of the instructions:

1) Change the name of the "admin" directory in this package to suit your zencart installation. DONE!!

2) The temp folder is configured to reside in your store directory. If you store is not in the site root (eg. /mystore/) then the temp directory must also go in this directory. Since I'm running Zencart locally, which directory do I put it in?

3) If you want to re-name the uploads (temp) folder, ensure that you configure Easy Populate to reflect this change after installation seriously?!?! I'm not renaming another file untill I get #2 and $ figured out!!

4) Upload all files in their respective directories. What files? More gibberish if you ask me!

5) Go to Admin -> Tools -> Easy Populate. If prompted to install Easy Populate, click on the link provided. Otherwise, type in your browser address bar ?langer=install after /easypopulate.php
(eg. YOUR_ADMIN/easypopulate.php?langer=install). If you wish to remove and re-install the default
config settings, type ?langer=remove after /easypopulate.php
(eg. YOUR_ADMIN/easypopulate.php?langer=remove) and begin this step again.

6) Go to Admin -> Configuration -> Easy Populate, and configure the upload directory if you have
changed it from default. Also, ensure that the correct date format is set for your upload files.

7) If this mod gives you more time with your family or friends, and/or less customer headaches, please
consider a donation to [email protected] to ensure this module is continually supported and improved :-)]

5,6, and 7 are not relevant until I get 2 ,3 & 4 figured out.

come on, admitt it...you guy's and gals think this is funny as hell.

[Donal]

2: the same directory as your includes folder

3 leave alone.. since you havent renamed anything the default "temp" applies
4 all the EP files (they are assuming you are making the changes before you install EP)
so all the EP files should be put in the same directorys that they are in the package
eg files in a folder named admin(or new min) in your EP package go into the folder named admin in your zencart instillation

[Serious]

Donal,
You are a saint and blessed with an abundance of patience.

Tonight I'll hoist a Pint and sing Oh Danny Boy in your honor...because I don't really know any good Irish drinking songs.

But we aren't done yet.

I've gotten as far as seeing "EasyPopulate" in the Tools pulldown, but when I click on it...

Object not found!
The requested URL was not found on this server. The link on the referring page seems to be wrong or outdated. Please inform the author of that page about the error.

If you think this is a server error, please contact the webmaster.

Error 404
localhost
2/5/2011 5:15:09 PM
Apache/2.2.17 (Win32) mod_ssl/2.2.17 OpenSSL/0.9.8o PHP/5.3.4 mod_perl/2.0.4 Perl/v5.10.1

[Donal]

em..... another prob with doing it locally nobody else can see lol

at a guess (EP can be a bit of a bugger at the best of times) a file must be in the wrong place