Sample Products for Testing?

[pamela631]

Is there a way to get sample products/prices, etc., for testing a site? Thanks for any help..
Pamela

[lat9]

When you installed, there was a checkbox that asked if you wanted to install the demo products. You can install those products after-the-fact by using your admin's Tools->Install SQL Patches and choosing the file from the Zen Cart distribution: /zc_install/demo/mysql_demo.sql

Be sure to backup your database first!

[pamela631]

Wonderful.. Thanks so much!

[pamela631]

I just thought of something.. if I installed the mysql_demo.sql and then am ready to get rid of those sample products.. how do I uninstall them?

[lat9]

Great question! Better to thought of that now rather than later.

I'm sure that there's a magic SQL incantation out there somewhere. Just so that I understand totally before I go do some concocting ... you'll want to remove all the demo products and their reviews, any customers and orders, all featured and special products. Essentially, you want to keep the configuration, shipping, payment, template-related settings only?

[DrByte]

I just thought of something.. if I installed the mysql_demo.sql and then am ready to get rid of those sample products.. how do I uninstall them?

1. If you've already added products or customers to your current store, you will get errors if you try to load the demo SQL file.
2. There is no magical "remove just the demo products and related stuff". There are numerous dependencies created when those items are installed, making it very difficult to differentiate between demo-only content vs content you've added for yourself.

What's really most efficient is to set up a second ZC store in another folder (and another database) on your server, with the sole purpose of being a demo with which you can see how certain kinds of products are set up in the demo data as well as see how the various screens work on both the storefront and the admin, without touching your live store.
You can then later either delete the entire temporary demo site, or repurpose it for use only for testing new changes you're considering making to your site, kind of a "staging area" of sorts, where you can test things without hurting your live site.


Or ... if your only goal with regard to "sample products" was to have a product or two so you can test checkout on your new store, then just create a couple products yourself, and delete them when you're done.
It really depends on what your goals are with regard to "sample products for testing". What were you wanting to test specifically?

[pamela631]

Hi DrByte,

Ok, that makes sense.. and that's what I'll do, I'll create another demo site for testing how categories/subcategories will look.. I'm doing a test for a new design and learning about Zen Cart as I go along to decide if I want to include Zen Cart as a eCommerce option. Also, I really wanted to test out the Categories Dressing Mod, so this will work good for that as well.. the instructions seem a bit complicated so maybe doing it on a fresh demo would be best..

Thanks for your help! Pamela

[pamela631]

Thanks for your reply Lat9, but I think what I'll do is create another demo site as DrByte suggested just for the purpose of the demo products..

Pamela