EasyPopulate 4.0 Support Thread

[wheat]

Other than starting with Model No -
1. are there other required fields (as in can I leave some out of the spreadsheet)
2. is there a "mandatory" order for the fields with information to be uploaded

Thank you for any help you may be able to offer.

P.S. we have successfully added the filed for UPC code but there are some others unique to most product lines we would like to include and a csv file with fewer columns would be much less cumberson

[mc12345678]

Other than starting with Model No -
1. are there other required fields (as in can I leave some out of the spreadsheet)
2. is there a "mandatory" order for the fields with information to be uploaded

Thank you for any help you may be able to offer.

P.S. we have successfully added the filed for UPC code but there are some others unique to most product lines we would like to include and a csv file with fewer columns would be much less cumberson

So, for the most part, this somewhat depends on which of the two currently supported versions you decide to download. The primary thread in github for this module has not yet been updated with the latest beta because there had been some issues identified with the changes that were made. The version referenced by the first post of this thread which is EP4 4.0.29 does require some additional fields to remain in place for certain items to be updated and it only supports using Model No. Version 4.0.32 (which in supporting another developer to add bookx product type management has required a few additional notifiers is to soon be updated to 4.0.33) is located by reviewing the last few pages of posts on this thread *should* allow updates for only the fields that are provided when imported and also now also supports the use of products_id and/or products_model, this aspect remains in review and if/when found to be otherwise functional please comment.

Another update to 4.0.33 is expected to help the store operator a little when entering the path to the file storage area. In times past, EP4 would accept storing a path from the store's base file location in the database, regardless of whether it was a path to the admin directory or somewhere else. Unfortunately for EP4, even ZC doesn't store information in the database about the admin directory path, so I saw it necessary to follow the same vein and to identify a way to not add the admin path to the database. At present though, the path could still be entered contrary to direction/request. So, I've found a way to "automatically" rework the indicators when EP4 is accessed but am looking to move that action up to the point of initial data entry instead.

There is absolutely no sequence necessary for the fields that are included other than I believe there should not be any missing field headers between columns... Haven't tried it, don't know what would happen. :) If you happen to have Stock By Attributes installed, I can say that there was some consideration into the sequence of the columns generated for upload to minimize the likelihood of an inadvertent change being made to the data that could cause a bad import, but sequence is still not required.

Now, all *that* said, if you have taken some time to read through the documentation or installed the application, you would have seen that there are some filenames that are "triggers" or do specific actions. For example a specials file causes different operation than a full product file. This has to do with the internal tables and ties between data and the tables. One thing that has made EP4 a bit of a powerhouse is that the queries and data are focused on the task rather than having large queries with lots of data. Your extra product table fields can be added and should be processed as discovered in the data file.

[wheat]

Now, all *that* said, if you have taken some time to read through the documentation or installed the application, you would have seen that there are some filenames that are "triggers" or do specific actions. For example a specials file causes different operation than a full product file. This has to do with the internal tables and ties between data and the tables. One thing that has made EP4 a bit of a powerhouse is that the queries and data are focused on the task rather than having large queries with lots of data. Your extra product table fields can be added and should be processed as discovered in the data file.

Pretty much the second I hit Post - i realized I had not included version details - my apology - circumstances did not allow me to "fix that"

Thank you for your response, it will be helpful.

Wheat

[mc12345678]

Pretty much the second I hit Post - i realized I had not included version details - my apology - circumstances did not allow me to "fix that"

Thank you for your response, it will be helpful.

Wheat

That's no problem, I realize you're shopping around to find the application that works for your situation.

I really look forward to posting this as a plugin although chadder and I have spoken about and begun a more html related documentation. It's been several years now in the making of that and to be honest, with the other questions that still arise routinely, it doesn't seem like it would make much difference as in most cases (I wouldn't necessarily say that those you have asked directly apply) the answer is in the existing documentation.

I have a few things that would help tie the process together like posted in the last couple of pages, but I think that 4.0.33 will be a good kick off point for that. Then the bookx addon will be able to follow suit. It's incorporation is nearly complete, there's just some other things that are being worked on to make it a better middle step between manual entry and bulk upload...

[outeredge2]

Recommendations on how to get a sample file?

[mc12345678]

Recommendations on how to get a sample file?

I always love this question.

Export something from your database. :) no better sample than what comes out. :)

[henry3]

I am using version Easy Populate 4.0.32 - Beta 12-30-2015. Where does CURRENT_TIMESTAMP get it's value from ? When I leave the v_date_added field blank the product shows "This product was added to our catalog on Tuesday 30 November, 1999." If I export the products in Easy Pop I see 0000-00-00 00:00:00 in v_date_added
Henry

[mc12345678]

I am using version Easy Populate 4.0.32 - Beta 12-30-2015. Where does CURRENT_TIMESTAMP get it's value from ? When I leave the v_date_added field blank the product shows "This product was added to our catalog on Tuesday 30 November, 1999." If I export the products in Easy Pop I see 0000-00-00 00:00:00 in v_date_added
Henry

Well, blank is 0, if wanted. Now. As the value that would/should be supported though it may not now be supported because of the rewrite to use bindVars, I'll have to take a look. The other factor to consider though is in fact how to handle having the date field in the file with a blank entry. Btw, what php version is being used in this situation?

Also, although both need to be addressed, was this an insert or an update?

[henry3]

It was on importing a new product. PHP ver 5.5. I would assume if the date is blank in the import file it should default to current date, which is what the code appears to be doing. I assume CURRENT_TIMESTAMP was a Zen Cart global at one time ?
Henry