EasyPopulate 4.0 Support Thread

[Robert Cooper]

okay guys/gals, I have been working on this for a long time with no luck maybe someone can simplify it. I have attached screen shots i have download my full shop list etc... it never inports. I am using a mac with open office and zen cart 1.5.5a

Not sure what the heck is wrong but have no clue

[mc12345678]

Well, there doesn't appear to be any properly named files in the folder used by EP4.

Please step through the process you are using, or follow this and report results.
In the upper left area, click the blue link that reads: Complete Products (with Metatags).

After a period of time, the screen should update and a file should appear towards the bottom of the list on that screen and associated with full product.

There should be buttons/a link next to that file, the link is download, the buttons to perform other action such as import, delete, split the file, etc...

If the store is properly setup to be fully compatible (each products_model is unique) then you could/should be able to import that file and technically nothing would change about the store.

The other thing is when you say it never imports, to what part of the process are you referring? As used for EP4: export: take data from database and create a file on the server that contains that data.
Download: copy the contents of the file that contains the exported data and place the copy on the local computer.
Upload: transfer the contents of the file on the local computer to the server so that the server can eventually access the file.
Import: process the contents of a server file with consideration of the filename's "prefix" to update/modify the database.

[Robert Cooper]

Well, there doesn't appear to be any properly named files in the folder used by EP4.

Please step through the process you are using, or follow this and report results.
In the upper left area, click the blue link that reads: Complete Products (with Metatags).

Okay got file wont let me download error 403. but was able to download it from server through filezilla attachment included.



After a period of time, the screen should update and a file should appear towards the bottom of the list on that screen and associated with full product.

There should be buttons/a link next to that file, the link is download, the buttons to perform other action such as import, delete, split the file, etc...

If the store is properly setup to be fully compatible (each products_model is unique) then you could/should be able to import that file and technically nothing would change about the store.

The other thing is when you say it never imports, to what part of the process are you referring? As used for EP4: export: take data from database and create a file on the server that contains that data.
I upload file back in and it shows at the bottom of the list the one with all the missing files.....after i add a product as the others are setup in the file save it.

Download: copy the contents of the file that contains the exported data and place the copy on the local computer.
Upload: transfer the contents of the file on the local computer to the server so that the server can eventually access the file.
Import: process the contents of a server file with consideration of the filename's "prefix" to update/modify the database.

this is where iam at this moment just frustrated would love to get this working as i put 200 to 500 items in my store at a time maybe its just something i am not sure of

[mc12345678]

Okay, so from that it sounds like you have setup your download/upload folder as a folder in your admin directory. Because the admin directory has default permissions on it to prevent "random" file types from being accessed, a little additional file is needed to be added to the folder to prevent the error that you are seeing. It is located in the download zip file in the folder htaccess4AdminTempFolder... now care should be taken in applying that file as it should not just replace another .htaccess file if it exists.

As to the file handling described above, I do not understand what is not understood. I believe what has been said is that the file has been uploaded, but the import button not pressed. The previously provided images don't support that part of the discussion though. The previous images show no files on the server.

Be glad to help, just need to understand the current settings, the current setup, and what is or is not understood. If you can continue to communicate on these issues, then can get through.

[Robert Cooper]

Okay, so from that it sounds like you have setup your download/upload folder as a folder in your admin directory. Because the admin directory has default permissions on it to prevent "random" file types from being accessed, a little additional file is needed to be added to the folder to prevent the error that you are seeing. It is located in the download zip file in the folder htaccess4AdminTempFolder... now care should be taken in applying that file as it should not just replace another .htaccess file if it exists.

As to the file handling described above, I do not understand what is not understood. I believe what has been said is that the file has been uploaded, but the import button not pressed. The previously provided images don't support that part of the discussion though. The previous images show no files on the server.

Be glad to help, just need to understand the current settings, the current setup, and what is or is not understood. If you can continue to communicate on these issues, then can get through.

Okay lets start with the .httaccess file i do have one in my admin folder is that where I need to copy the one from the zip folder? or does the one in the zip folder go into the temp folder where ep uses (sorry i am stupid when it comes to this)

then we can go on to fix the files not found.

Did you look at the cvs file i uploaded i dont use product model when i add a new product i just do name cost description how many file upload of picture then set product weight

MY SITE IS www.patchesrus.net

[Robert Cooper]

Okay so now i have the .htt file correct that allows me to download the csv file.

What about the rest of the stuff that is showing NO Supported data files? Is this something i should worry about

[Robert Cooper]

Alright as to my other problem with import. I downloaded the file opened with open office got the scrrenshot so after i opened it went to the bottom of the list added 1 item saved it kept format... the clicked on the upload ep file at top browsed for the file and clicked upload file then went to the bottom and clicked import.... it has been 3 mins and nothing shows blank screen

hope this helps....And THANK YOU for helping me

Robert

[mc12345678]

Okay so now i have the .htt file correct that allows me to download the csv file.

What about the rest of the stuff that is showing NO Supported data files? Is this something i should worry about

Nope. It is/was added to show how files should be named if it was desired to upload a file that is/could be processed by that "filter". If it becomes bothersome, there is a setting in the configuration area so that detail is only provided for files that match the type of filter. Or you can go "old school" and completely turn off the extra information and the table at the bottom will only show the filenames, buttons and whatever other data is applicable to that row of the file...

It was a feature somewhat requested a while back because the instructions were not read or considered on a routine basis. The goal was to improve user understanding of the current status and how to at least name files that were to be used for a purpose. In part it seems to have reduced thee number of questions related to: I uploaded a featured product file and imported it but nothing changed. Can ask: does it appear immediately below the featured file(s) list or below the full products list? If not in the featured list, then won't be processed as a featured file...

[mc12345678]

I did not yet look at the file, because there are/were other issues to address first but I'll get to that in a moment.

The htaccess file provided in the download would go into the temp folder used for file upload/download. There are other reasons not to incorporate it into the main htaccess file of the admin. The file is intended to control/limit access and such permissions are best to be applied at the point(s) where they are needed. Because this plugin only needs to access csv files in the temp (or otherwise named) folder, that folder is the only one that needs the extra rules of the file.

Now, back on the import file. It is possible to use EP4 without products_model, but it is not the default functionality. One of the first/early instructions describe that this plugin uses the products_model field as a primary key.

So what's a primary key? Think of it this way. You live at an address, your address is different than everyone else's. In order to find your house you can either provide the address or you can give very detailed directions that only someone while in the "area" can follow like the big tree on the corner, or the red house on the left. Computers don't tend to do well with the second part, but if enough data exists, it can be done. Anyways, the address of one's house is similar to products_model for EP4. It's the one "unique" piece of information that says hey, this line of data belongs with this product. Now, ZC as a database program uses products_id as the primary key. This option has been added to EP4, but, one should also realize/consider the source of data to populate the database. If it is your own entered information (not from some mass import vendor file), then go ahead, use the products_id or blank_new option (I suggest blank_new if you are not going to hard code the products_id), but even so, you don't want to end up with the same exact product listed more than once as a primary product. It can be linked, but you don't want the same product multiple times in the products table it's not good for ranking and would likely cause an inventory tracking issue.

Anyways, that's a lot of information again. The general process is straight forward. Start with one thing at a time, then work your way to many/multiple items and things. The requirements are provided in the instructions, it's how they are applied/uniquely used that makes this tool something to do things faster. There *is* a learning curve to overcome to gain the most benefit from it and "daily" business.