Ultimate SEO v3 (and v2.200) [Support Thread]

Firstly, Thanks to all those who spent the time to write, code, and maintain this plugin over the years. Without your hard work it would have taken me far longer to meet the requests and needs of my clients in terms of generated URLs under Zen Cart.

Updates / Fixes
I've released my previously internal version of the "Ultimate SEO" plugin. Version 2.200 contains a number of changes for compatibility with PHP 5.x, improved (but not perfect) handling of unicode, improved (but not perfect) handling when used with the "Query Cache" plugin, initial support for using the "SQL_CACHE_METHOD" configuration directive in ZC 1.5, and support for ZC 1.5 admin profiles.

New Features
Add category to begining of product URLs?
This setting will add the category name to the beginning of the product URLs (i.e. - category-c-1/product-p-1.html). This will create a nested hierarchy and categories will appear to be directories. Be aware when setting this option to true: the previous option "Add category parent to begining of URLs? (parent-category-c-1.html)" will be ignored and you will need to update the rewrite rules in your .htaccess file.

Enter PCRE filter rules for generated URLs
This setting will allow you to run PCRE filters over the generated URLs before the existing "special character conversions" and "Remove all non-alphanumeric characters" filters are run. This provides a large amount of flexibility to transform the url. For example using "&=>and" will generate a URL with all & symbols in the name of a category or product replaced with the word "and".

Disclaimer
I do not currently have the time to fully support this plugin, and will not guarantee it will not break your site. If in doubt, always test first on a non production site before deploying this (or any other plugin).

That said, I've been using this version without any major issues since the release of ZC 1.5 (with one small update in March to better handle product types and the Query Cache plugin). I am running with both the new features enabled, all URLs being rewritten, and the "remove all non-alphanumeric characters" filter disabled.

Upcoming Changes / Changes in Testing

• Support for generating catalog links from admin pages (for example when generating emails)

Adjusting the .htaccess file
Don't forget after installing Ultimate SEO to adjust the .htaccess file to fit your server environment. This is especially true of the "RewriteBase" directive. This should be the "relative" URL path to your catalog. So if your site is "www.zen-cart.com/shop/" then the RewriteBase should be "/shop/". If your site is at / (website root) then should change the RewriteBase to /.

Additionally if you hosted on a site using a webserver other then apache, you will need to consult the documentation for the webserver for how to setup redirection. For the IIS webserver (commonly used on Windows Platform) most hosting providers have installed a "filter" which understands .htaccess files, but I have run into a few cases on Windows Platform hosting where I've needed to edit rules using the Microsoft URL Rewrite Module instead.

With Ultimate SEO 2.200 there have been some changes to the .htaccess file.

Depending on the setting you use for "Add category to begining of product URLs?" you need to adjust the .htaccess file. There are additional (but basic) comments in the htaccess sample telling you which lines need to be enabled / disabled.

Basically the first block handles the case where categories are NOT directories. The second block handles the case where categories ARE directories. These blocks are mutually exclusive (you should never have both enabled at the same time). While you could just enable the last two lines permanently in the second block - If you are not using the "Add category to beginning of product URLs?" option disabling those two lines will result in two less checks the web server needs to do before displaying a page.

I've also added a line at the end of the file for redirecting requests to non existing pages on the server to the defined 404 page of Zen Cart.

Many thanks for your hard work, I'm sure it is appreciated by a lot of its users!
Updating Ultimate SEO Urls keeps this mod alive and is now a strong alternative for Ceon Uri on zencart 1.5, with the obvious advantage of auto-generating the old urls.

Thanks again!

Could not get this version of Ultimate SEO to show in admin in a fresh 1.5 install.

I just put this test site up specifically to test this updated Ultimate SEO:

http://www.prom-mart.com/demo-4/

Only plugins are:

DrByte's DB Backup (a must have and life saver)
Ultimate SEO URL 2.200

Classic Template as I write this.

Site was re-writing the product urls using the entire category/product path. But nothing showed in admin under Configuration or elsewhere.

I uninstalled this version by deleting all uploaded files AND doing a DB restore from admin (the life-saver).

I then uploaded the prior version Ultimate SEO URL 2.150 which has done well in my prior testings. It is currently working, including appearing in admin. This prior version has never failed me on a fresh 1.5 install.

I was hoping that this newer version Ultimate SEO would solve a pesky problem a few of my prior testings had: the page not found problem when go to a product, then a page like Contact Us, then hit the back button at bottom of Contact Us...some of my sites went to page not found in the Chrome browser. Other's do not have this problem, including my latest demo here.

As time permits I'll add a template and maybe a few of my typical mods to see if and where the back button/page not found problem appears.

Thank you for your help with this plugin and I intend to use whatever Ultimate SEO version works best for me when I return to the dark side and go back to re-writing when I upgrade my main site.

I do know 2.200 version will not install the admin pages if the tables still exist from previous versions of Ultimate SEO (including old configuration tables - upgrading requires a full uninstall of older versions atm), but as your install was "clean" (including a clean database) this should not have impacted you. Also I should note the name which appears in the configuration with 2.200+ is "Ultimate SEO".

Version 2.150 used a hard coded "sort order" when it installed the relevant settings for the configuration, version 2.200 peeks at the current configuration table and uses "sort order" = (max sort value + 1). Other then some minor naming changes the install script was almost identical.

I'll set up a test environment a little later this week w/ a clean database and installation. If all goes well I'll probably throw in the additional new features I've added since I uploaded 2.200 and possibly some configuration option renames (to be more clear on functionality). If not, I'll take a look at the install procedure again.

Yes, I discovered the incompatability when I first tried installing this latest version on another site using the prior version. As I recall, the urls were being re-written, this time with the cpath included in the product url. But my admin for this plugin was just an empty page. So did the uninstall and DB restore on that site.

On my fresh install site I mention earlier, I didn't see this plugin in admin at all, although the urls were being re-written.

Anyway, I also wish to thank you for your help in keeping this plugin alive!

New version (2.205) has been uploaded, look for it in the next couple days.

Release Notes
The admin page not showing up under the store configuration has been corrected. This version uses a different page_key compared to version 2.150 (2.200 was a branch of 2.109). During the uninstall if the page_key used by version 2.150 is present it will be cleaned up.

Corrected a location in the zip file from "new_files_150_English\your_admin_folder\languages" to "new_files_150_English\your_admin_folder\includes\languages". Should make clean installations via drag and drop easier.

The option previously known as "Add category to beginning of product URLs?" has been renamed to the more appropriate "Show categories as directories in the URL?". Enabling this option will display categories as directories in the URL (category-c-1/product-p-1.html). Enabling this option will disable the option "Add category parent to beginning of URLs? (parent-category-c-1.html)" if it was enabled.

Changed the SQL syntax used to install the seo_cache table from "TYPE=MyISAM" to "ENGINE=MyISAM" to provide better compatibility with newer versions of MySQL.

All calls to "zen_catalog_href_link" in the administrative interface will now generate URLs using the settings in "Ultimate SEO". This is particularly useful during the generation of emails.

Todo List
There are a number of changes which should be made to this plugin. Here are a few I'd like to see (might just wait until ZC 2.x).
1) All the language specific files should be changed over to use language defines instead of being duplicated files with translations inline.
2) Converting the installer to use auto_loaders and init_includes under admin to perform installation checks and installation instead of being run each time the seo_url class is loaded.
3) Update verbiage for the configuration options.

SPH:

I was hoping that this newer version Ultimate SEO would solve a pesky problem a few of my prior testings had: the page not found problem when go to a product, then a page like Contact Us, then hit the back button at bottom of Contact Us...some of my sites went to page not found in the Chrome browser. Other's do not have this problem, including my latest demo here.

I've not been able to duplicate this myself yet *crosses fingers*. I'm guessing it may be related to some sort of dynamic or restricted content being loaded by an plugin (and the plugin not removing the call from the history stack). Or maybe the browser making some additional calls. But if you do run into this problem again add the following to the template of the page where the "back" button is displayed. Hopefully we can look at the output to help track down the issue.

<!-- BACK BUTTON GENERATED <?php
if(sizeof($_SESSION['navigation']->path)-2 >= 0) {
    $back = sizeof($_SESSION['navigation']->path)-2; ?>
    SESSION PAGE: <?php echo $_SESSION['navigation']->path[$back]['page']; ?>
    SESSION PARAMS: <?php echo zen_array_to_string($_SESSION['navigation']->path[$back]['get'], array('action'); ?>
    SESSION CONNECTION: <?php echo $_SESSION['navigation']->path[$back]['mode']; ?>
    GENERATED LINK: <?php echo zen_href_link($_SESSION['navigation']->path[$back]['page'],zen_array_to_string($_SESSION['navigation']->path[$back]['get'], array('action')), $_SESSION['navigation']->path[$back]['mode']);
} ?>
-->

Thanks alot for that possible fix! Will test it soon. Hopefully won't have problem on my main site when I upgrade and return to re-writing.

BTW, I just posted on the Simple SEO thread where someone has the same back button/page not found in all of my browsers: IE9, Chrome, Firefox. I've also had this problem on SOME of my sites when using the Simple SEO plugin.

lhungil:

<!-- BACK BUTTON GENERATED <?php
if(sizeof($_SESSION['navigation']->path)-2 >= 0) {
    $back = sizeof($_SESSION['navigation']->path)-2; ?>
    SESSION PAGE: <?php echo $_SESSION['navigation']->path[$back]['page']; ?>
    SESSION PARAMS: <?php echo zen_array_to_string($_SESSION['navigation']->path[$back]['get'], array('action'); ?>
    SESSION CONNECTION: <?php echo $_SESSION['navigation']->path[$back]['mode']; ?>
    GENERATED LINK: <?php echo zen_href_link($_SESSION['navigation']->path[$back]['page'],zen_array_to_string($_SESSION['navigation']->path[$back]['get'], array('action')), $_SESSION['navigation']->path[$back]['mode']);
} ?>
-->

I guess I don't know where to add this code.

I'm trying to test it on my Page 2 on this site here:

http://www.promdressesforless.us/page_2.html

I currently have the code on templates/estorenow/templates/tpl_page_2_default.php but the page went blank and cut off my footer area.

I also tried modules/pages and again under languages but got internal server error on those.

Where exactly do we add this? Thanks.

Back links are NOT actually created by the "Ultimate SEO" plugin and I suspect the same is true for the "Simple SEO" plugin. Back links are actually created by a stock function built into Zen Cart. However these two modules typically hook into the function "zen_href_link" which IS used by the function generating back links.

The built in function simply looks at a session variable storing "navigation history". If there is history, it sends the historical parameters to the function "zen_href_link" which in turn calls the code for URL (re-)writing. If no history exists and there is a referrer the referrer is used.

The templates I have attached to this thread (for page2, page3, page4, and contact_us) will add a comment to the webpage source listing the parameters sent to the "zen_href_link" function. They were created against "template_default" so if you are using a custom template, you may want to copy the relevant section to your custom template.

These templates should give us better insight into what is occurring when people see intermittent 404's on a back link.

For example, if the parameters do not make sense, have garbled characters, or are to invalid pages we know something else is breaking the back button functionality. If the parameters are correct and the generated link is correct, but you are getting the 404, possibly a rewrite rule is not working as expected. If the parameters are correct and the generated link is wrong... then most likely something went wrong in the URL (re-)writer and further debugging will be necessary.

Didn't work, sorry.

Tried the fix on my problem site here:

http://www.promdressesforless.us/

I even tried with the Classic template using page 2 fix. Still didn't work, have back button/page not found problem.

NOTE: that my bug only happens in the Chrome browser. My IE9 and Firefox work okay.

Only mods on site are Easy Populate 4, Image Handler 4, DrByte's DB Backup plugin, Column Layout Grid...and the Estorenow template for this purpose. But Classic and Hampshire Cammie (Picaflor) templates didn't work in Chrome re the back button.

My fresh install on Classic template here does work in Chrome:

http://www.prom-mart.com/demo-4/

Only plugin is Ultimate SEO. (No IH)

Now, this is interesting. I have another 1.5 site here with Ultimate SEO:

http://www.prom-mart.com/demo-2/

Plugins: Dynamic Filter (disabled)

It uses the rather sophisticated Rubik template and is somewhat jacked-up from my messing around. BUT the back button works in Chrome!

And I just noticed that I have not installed Image Handler 4 on this site.

Wonder if IH4 could be the problem in Chrome? The sites that work don't yet have IH; and the sites that don't work do have IH.

Thanks again for your help.

EDIT: My sister's site - 1.5ZC, Ultimate SEO, Cambridge Pro Template (Picaflor) and *IH4* - back button doesn't work in Chrome. Tried fix with just contact us, didn't work.

Nope, probably isn't IH.

I have two more demo sites - more serious so less messing around - that I recently installed Ultimate SEO on.

http://www.webdivision.prommart.com/zencart-demo/?template_switch_id=barebones

http://www.prom-mart.com/demo-3/?template_switch_id=estorenow

Both sites use template switcher and IH4. One has the Dynamic Filter. One of the templates is Estorenow (same template as on my problem site). The back button WORKS on both sites in Chrome and without the fix.

Only a problem for me in Chrome. Can't figure it out. But perhaps the pop-up Terms on page two of checkout that I recently discovered and got working on one of my sites will solve the back button problem during checkout, so customers don't get lost. I think that the main issue.

EDIT: My barebones site in first link with Dynamic Filter even works in Chrome with the backbutton.

Those templates are not a "fix" they just can be used to provide additional debugging information relating to the generation of the back button. With the changes in those templates, the following can be found in the generated website source code right above the generated back button.

<!-- BACK BUTTON GENERATED 
    SESSION PAGE: 'product_info'
    SESSION PARAMS: 'products_id=22'
    SESSION CONNECTION: 'NONSSL'
    GENERATED LINK: 'http://www.earth.local/store/software-c-2/action-c-2_19/unreal-tournament-linked-p-22.html'-->

Please post the results here from the "broken" chrome link.

Can you provide a link to download v2.205? Thanks

neteasy:

Can you provide a link to download v2.205? Thanks

The official download page for "Ultimate SEO" is http://www.zen-cart.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=132. Version 2.205 has been uploaded and is currently pending review by a moderator.

lhungil:

Those templates are not a "fix" they just can be used to provide additional debugging information relating to the generation of the back button. With the changes in those templates, the following can be found in the generated website source code right above the generated back button.

<!-- BACK BUTTON GENERATED 
    SESSION PAGE: 'product_info'
    SESSION PARAMS: 'products_id=22'
    SESSION CONNECTION: 'NONSSL'
    GENERATED LINK: 'http://www.earth.local/store/software-c-2/action-c-2_19/unreal-tournament-linked-p-22.html'-->

Please post the results here from the "broken" chrome link.

Misunderstood, sorry.

I'm posting below the view source for Contact Us and Page 2 - after first going to a product - for Chrome and then IE9:

Contact Us - Chrome

<!-- BACK BUTTON GENERATED 
    SESSION PAGE: 'page_not_found'
    SESSION PARAMS: ''
    SESSION CONNECTION: 'NONSSL'
    GENERATED LINK: 'http://www.promdressesforless.us/index.php?main_page=page_not_found'-->
<div class="buttonRow back"><a href="http://www.promdressesforless.us/index.php?main_page=page_not_found"><img src="includes/templates/estorenow/buttons/english/button_back.gif" alt="Back" title=" Back " width="70" height="21" /></a></div>
</form>
</div>



Page 2 - Chrome

<!-- BACK BUTTON GENERATED 
    SESSION PAGE: 'page_not_found'
    SESSION PARAMS: ''
    SESSION CONNECTION: 'NONSSL'
    GENERATED LINK: 'http://www.promdressesforless.us/index.php?main_page=page_not_found'-->
<div class="buttonRow back"><a href="http://www.promdressesforless.us/index.php?main_page=page_not_found"><img src="includes/templates/estorenow/buttons/english/button_back.gif" alt="Back" title=" Back " width="70" height="21" /></a></div>


Contact Us - IE9

<!-- BACK BUTTON GENERATED 
    SESSION PAGE: 'product_info'
    SESSION PARAMS: 'products_id=31&cPath=1_3'
    SESSION CONNECTION: 'NONSSL'
    GENERATED LINK: 'http://www.promdressesforless.us/alyce-6116-rts2-p-31.html?cPath=1_3'-->
<div class="buttonRow back"><a href="http://www.promdressesforless.us/alyce-6116-rts2-p-31.html?cPath=1_3"><img src="includes/templates/estorenow/buttons/english/button_back.gif" alt="Back" title=" Back " width="70" height="21" /></a></div>


Page 2 IE9

<!-- BACK BUTTON GENERATED 
    SESSION PAGE: 'product_info'
    SESSION PARAMS: 'products_id=15&cPath=1_2'
    SESSION CONNECTION: 'NONSSL'
    GENERATED LINK: 'http://www.promdressesforless.us/paparazzi-8226-rts2-p-15.html?cPath=1_2'-->
<div class="buttonRow back"><a href="http://www.promdressesforless.us/paparazzi-8226-rts2-p-15.html?cPath=1_2"><img src="includes/templates/estorenow/buttons/english/button_back.gif" alt="Back" title=" Back " width="70" height="21" /></a></div>

From what you posted it appears the back link generation code (NOT PART OF ULTIMATE SEO) is telling Ultimate SEO to create a link to "page_not_found". Probably the same think is happening when using other URL (re-)writers.

What does this mean? Some other plugin or code is being accessed by Chrome and thus added to the internal "history" component of Zen Cart. Or.... Something with Chrome is modifying the SESSION.

Next steps? You said this does not occur on a stock installation (and I did not see it on my testing site). Start from scratch, add the templates and Ultimate SEO (or other URL (re-)writer). Then add one plugin / add-on at a time, checking after each installation, until problem shows back up. If it shows up after installing a specific plugin, you can either look at fixing the code in that plugin... or contact the developer. Another thing I would do if you are not already: add a debugger such as Firebug to your Chrome installation (or use a proxy) and watch the page requests. This will let you see what requests are being sent (and might be added to the Zen Cart history).

Affected Environments
This affects users with multiple language sites and sites where the website visitor may be using a language not present in the Zen Cart database. The website visitor can still visit the site without any major issues, just the products url cache is NOT fully populated with their language.

Credits
Thanks to ivanqf for finding this bug in the released code.

Request
Prior to adding this patch to the next release, if anyone running a site with multiple languages or a non-English site could provide some additional testing and feedback it would be appreciated.