NEW install - OLD-Timer, what are the common plugins for 1.5.4

[Stuff4Toys]

It's been awhile since I've built a new Zen-Cart site. Actually a year or longer last install was 1.5.0 and it's time to refresh some of the old sites.

My normal add-ins are Image Handler, CKE editor, a Light Box, Recover Cart, and a Google Analytics plugin.

What are the most current stable versions of these plug-ins?
What is the preferred Lightbox plug-in these days?
What is the preferred GA plug-in?

Also looking for an EZ Populate, what one works best? Is there a way to Pre-Configure to adapt to my data text file?

Are there any new feature filled plug-ins that you cannot live without?

TIA JOhn ><>

[mc12345678]

It's been awhile since I've built a new Zen-Cart site. Actually a year or longer last install was 1.5.0 and it's time to refresh some of the old sites.

My normal add-ins are Image Handler, CKE editor, a Light Box, Recover Cart, and a Google Analytics plugin.

What are the most current stable versions of these plug-ins?
What is the preferred Lightbox plug-in these days?
What is the preferred GA plug-in?

Also looking for an EZ Populate, what one works best? Is there a way to Pre-Configure to adapt to my data text file?

Are there any new feature filled plug-ins that you cannot live without?

TIA JOhn ><>

Image handler (version 4 for zc 1.5.x): can't remember if it is still in beta on github for zc 1.5.4 or has been released as a ZC downloadable plugin, but it is overall still a good functional program.
CKE editor, or something very similar still kicking.
Light Box related: Zen Colorbox is the currently supported/recommended version.
Recover Cart: haven't seen anything that indicates that it won't work or hasn't been upgraded.
Google analytics, well thought I had heard it hadn't really changed much, but would suggest downloading the latest.

All of these programs and more are to be maintained up-to-date by referring to the download section of the plugins and typically the forum for the plugin(s).

The concept of what EZ Populate "works best" is a rather subjective issue. The only version of code that still has the name EasyPopulate that I know of that works with ZC 1.5.4 is EasyPopulate v4 (http://www.zen-cart.com/showthread.p...Support-Thread), there is another product called apsona that supposedly is "easier" to work with, but I find that subjective. If the code does what I expect it to do and I understand what it does and how to do what I want, I don't see how it can be "easier". Anyways, from a majority of what I've seen the other versions of EZ Populate do not seem to yet be coded to support the latest PHP recommended for the latest ZC 1.5.4.

As to the "other" plugins? Well, I tend to tinker a lot with my site including coding, so I have a slew of feature rich tools to help with that (mostly thanks to lat9), then it really depends on what you want to get out of your site/how you want to present your content.

Have a lot of attributes? Have images for each attribute? Have a lot of different prices based on the selected attribute? Track stock of attributable products? Need multiple templates? Want tabbed products? Want the ability for a customer to checkout without creating an account??? Kind of would suggest looking throught the plugins that have been modified in the last 8 months from now and maybe see what they do... The time period is chosen as a result of many plugins that needed to be modified to support the latest php/ZC. There are plugins that continue to work without said changes, so I don't discourage looking at them as well...

Really all depends on what your needs are.

[Stuff4Toys]

thanks for your input, describes pretty much what I was thinking. Saw Colorbox but didn't know if it was useable or stable.

Need to find a way to import my datafile on a regular basis. a few years ago a guy in UK coded a routine to ftp the datafile and auto update, but my favorite vendor changed the location of the data file so it's not working.

Thought about EZ populate to manually process the file, but don't want to manicure the file every time I do it to conform to the EZ way of doing it.

Thanks again
JOhn ><>

[DivaVocals]

I'd say the best way to get answers is to go check out the support threads for the target modules as the LATEST information is likely to be there..

[mc12345678]

thanks for your input, describes pretty much what I was thinking. Saw Colorbox but didn't know if it was useable or stable.

Need to find a way to import my datafile on a regular basis. a few years ago a guy in UK coded a routine to ftp the datafile and auto update, but my favorite vendor changed the location of the data file so it's not working.

Thought about EZ populate to manually process the file, but don't want to manicure the file every time I do it to conform to the EZ way of doing it.

Thanks again
JOhn ><>

Well at some point there is going to need to be some level of customization. If the feed file is always setup the same way, then EP can be modified to use the file(s). If not then yeah may need to customize the file each time. But someone at some point has to make things "compatible".

In otherwards, nothing comes for free. Ideally the code could analyze the input, and based on database anaylsis determine what updates could and should be performed and then take action on that information. Sort of an update as much as possible based on the available information type thing.... Haven't seen it yet, would like to develop it. :)