Webmaster Tools not acknowledging my sitemap, help please...

[strugglingnovice]

I installed the sitemap.XML module into my Zen Cart for my website bigredworkwear.com When I go to the Webmaster Tools and submit it, it just sits there and times out.

I submitted my robots.txt to Webmaster Tools with no problem, but this sitemap submission isn't working for me. This is the url that I'm giving to Webmaster Tools - http://bigredworkwear.com/siteindex

I used the /siteindex extension, because when I went to the Configuration for Sitemap.XML in my administrative panel, it told me to submit /siteindex to search engines. Everything in that sitemap.XML Configuration is set to default, do I need to change some permissions within that area?

When I Google the following - site:bigredworkwear.com - all of my pages show up, does that mean Google is indexing my sitemap?

I'm so confused, can someone offer some advice. This board has been so awesome, I so appreciate all the help you all have given me.

[strugglingnovice]

When I put the following into my URL bar my site shows up, so I'm "guessing" this sitemap works, is that correct? Just can't figure out why the submission won't work in Webmaster Tools

http://bigredworkwear.com/sitemapindex

[RescoCCC]

When I Google the following - site:bigredworkwear.com - all of my pages show up, does that mean Google is indexing my sitemap?

Google indexes pages whether you have a sitemap or not. It's an optional deal that is very minor in its impact.

The correct link for Webmater tools must include the .xml extension, IE sitemapindex.xml.

[RescoCCC]

I'm getting this error when attempting to load your sitemap:

The XML page cannot be displayed
Cannot view XML input using style sheet. Please correct the error and then click the Refresh button, or try again later.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

XML document must have a top level element. Error processing resource 'http://bigredworkwear.com/sitemapindex.xml'.

I have no idea what that means, but maybe somebody who does will come along.

[schoolboy]

I think the module has been installed incorrectly. we've put the mod on scores of sites and never had any issues.

[strugglingnovice]

Thanks for trying to help. After I read your post, I thought that maybe my problem with Webmaster was that I didn't have that .XML
extension when I was trying to submit -

So i resubmitted :http://bigredworkwear.com/siteindex.xml - that didn't work either.

Maybe someone else will jump on this thread and give me an idea of what to do.

[strugglingnovice]

My son installed it for me, I tend to panic with installing .sql files and have him do it. I'll have him check it tonight.

Am I correct in thinking that I upload http://bigredworkwear.com/siteindex to Webmaster? Or do I add that .xml extension?

I don't understand though, if it's installed incorrectly, why does my site come up when I put http://bigredworkwear.com/siteindex in the URL box, or does that not have anything to do with this?

Thanks again for trying to help me. I'm almost ready to go live with my site, but need to get a few issues resolved first.

[schoolboy]

The file is not called "siteindex".

It is autogenerated as sitemapindex.xml, along with a number of others. These "secondary" maps are referenced in sitemapindex.xml.

Who suggested you submit siteindex ?

The file can actually be called anything... we have an ASPX site that generates a pure TXT file called gsm.axd, and that's what we tell google to go fetch, and it does so without any problems.

The point is simply this... If you are telling google the FILENAME, then that file (with the identical filename) MUST reside at the path you tell Google, and it must be chmod readable.

Aside from the configuration settings, there is NO manual intervention with the sitemaps-xml module. Just load it correctly, configure it and run it.

When I put sitemap.xml after your URL I get a strange error, indicating that there is something wrong with the file... hence my suggestion earlier that the mod has not been correctly installed.

[schoolboy]

I tend to panic with installing .sql files and have him do it.

If you intsalled the latest version, then you DON'T RUN THE SQL FILE.

Install:
========
0. Backup all Zen-Cart files to your server or local computer.
Backup your database.
1. Unzip and upload all files to your store directory.
2. For Zen-Cart 1.5.x. Run install-sitemapxml.sql
3. Go to Admin->Tools->Sitemap XML and click "Install SitemapXML SQL".
4. Go to Admin->Configuration->Sitemap XML and setup all parameters.
5. Go to Admin->Tools->Google XML Sitemap (If error messages occur, change permissions on the XML files to 777).
6. To have this update and automatically notify Google, you will need to set up a Cron job via your host's control panel.

What does No.2 say above?

All you do is LOAD the php files, then install it inside admin...

If the SQL was run (on ZC 1.3.9h, you have an incorrect configuration.

A young fellow did this in our offices a few weeks ago and the only way to resolve it (or so we believe) was to manually unpick the configuration table via phpMyAdmin. Not difficult if you know phpMyAdmin. We also suggested he take note of number 0 above...

[strugglingnovice]

I used the siteindex extension because when I went to the Configuration area of my administrative panel and clicked on Sitemap XML, it says that the file name is sitemapindex - and when i click on that and go to edit - it tells me that the sitemap index file should be given to the search engines.

Very obvious that I'm flying blind here, and put in the wrong info for Webmaster, but thanks so much for all your good advice, we'll go through the installation tonight and see if we can figure it out.

Thanks again for taking time to help me.

I've worked on this site for the past year and a half, an absolutely ridiculous amount of time to build a cart, but I'm just not technically oriented and every step of the way has been a challenge. I can see the finish line now, I'll be so glad to just get it to the point that I can go live.