EasyPopulate 4.0 Support Thread

[mrmcastle]

Hi everyone. I'm a happy user with EP4 and am curious if this can be done: convert inventory items that were originally general over to music. So I've updated the "show music" genre in the admin. I've updated my inventory by: changing type from 1 (general) to 2 (music) , added the music fields to my database, and then uploaded the database with no errors. But when I go into the inventory, the music fields are not showing. It's weird: if I create a new music inventory item, all of the music fields are on my screen to enter. My thinking is that once you have created a product under "general" it cannot be converted to "music" If that's wrong, any suggestions would be really appreciated.

[mc12345678]

Hi everyone. I'm a happy user with EP4 and am curious if this can be done: convert inventory items that were originally general over to music. So I've updated the "show music" genre in the admin. I've updated my inventory by: changing type from 1 (general) to 2 (music) , added the music fields to my database, and then uploaded the database with no errors. But when I go into the inventory, the music fields are not showing. It's weird: if I create a new music inventory item, all of the music fields are on my screen to enter. My thinking is that once you have created a product under "general" it cannot be converted to "music" If that's wrong, any suggestions would be really appreciated.

Some more information is needed to help through this situation.
ZC version?
EP4 version?
When saying that have changed the products_type from 1 to 2, please explain how/where.
Does the export of a manually entered music product look the same as an export of one entered using EP4? Is this what you are talking about when looking at "inventory"?
What custom field import filter(s) are applied as found in the configuration screen for EP4?

As to product types, well, the general thought is that product product types should not be changed at least after the product has been created and is part of the store. It doesn't mean that they can not be changed. The issue centers around some of what you are seeing. How to populate the other data related to the product if the product type is now x and what to do with the old/unrelated data when the product type has changed? For example if a music product is converted to a product general product, won't there now be fields associated with the music product type that are populated but not used?

[mrmcastle]

Sorry, that's a lot of info I forgot to mention. I'm using ZC 1.51 and EP 4.0.24 I know these are older versions but the site is working fine and you know what they say... if it ain't broke don't fix it. I don't take credit cards... send my buyers to Paypal which is very secure so I'm not really too worried about all the security issues mentioned in the forum. (Please let me know if I my thinking is wrong on that).

When I enter a new item manually using the Product-Music category, the screen looks like the attached picture A. So after modifying my inventory (using a spreadsheet and then filling in those music fields) I assumed they would show up like that picture, with those fields now displaying the info. Instead, the music data from EP4 goes nowhere. If I go into category and look at the items I've updated using EP4, those 3 fields are not there. I am assuming that after I change product type from 1 to 2 and then fill in all of the music fields (artist, recording company, genre) they should show up, but nothing. I just did an export from EP4 and those fields I updated with the music infor are not there. It's weird because after I import them in, it shows those fields as having been added on the confirmation screen.. but I guess they are not.

[mc12345678]

Let's take a step back to see where the issue really is.

First consider a product that was manually entered in the admin as a music product.

If you export that record, is all of the desired music related information in the export?
If you modify some music related aspect of that one product and upload a file that has just the headers and that one product, then import the file back into the database, does it get updated with the new information?

[mrmcastle]

Yes to all. I exported the file, made a couple of modifications to the music fields in my spreadsheet and then uploaded thru EP4. The file uploaded successfully and the changes I made were updated.

[mc12345678]

Let's take a step back to see where the issue really is.

First consider a product that was manually entered in the admin as a music product.

If you export that record, is all of the desired music related information in the export?
If you modify some music related aspect of that one product and upload a file that has just the headers and that one product, then import the file back into the database, does it get updated with the new information?

Yes to all. I exported the file, made a couple of modifications to the music fields in my spreadsheet and then uploaded thru EP4. The file uploaded successfully and the changes I made were updated.

When you populated your new record for your new "music" product, did you have an artist entered in the v_artists_name field?

[mrmcastle]

Following your logic, I decided to try changing the v_products type to 1 on that item (the music product item you had me create) and then uploaded it back up via EP4. I thought for sure the item would no longer show the recording artist, record company and genre but those fields are still there. It seems like it's one of two things.... either the version ZC I have doesn't want to work with the EP4 version I have or there is no switching over once you've created an item as a general or music product. EP4 is pretty good but it has its quirks... I installed the Ceon URI mapping program and it would not switch my existing inventory over until I went in to each product and saved it. Yeah, I know there was a fix out there but I didn't want to shell out the $60 for it....

Oh sorry just saw your recent post will check it and get back to you

[mrmcastle]

Yes, I had artist, record company and genre fields filled in. Using a new music inventory item I just created, I could change those 3 fields after exporting out and then importing back in.

If I take an existing record, change the v_type to 2 and then add artist, record company and genre fields it shows (see pic) that those fields were imported but when you go edit the item, those 3 fields are not included.