one data base - two stores

[bluewatercool]

I know that similar questions have been raised but I am not clear about the answers.

I would like to have a large data base with all my products included.

Then I would like two separate stores. One would show all products... i.e. available for delivery in the US... and the second would show a subset i.e.... available for delivery in Canada.

I feel as if I am missing an easy solution to this because I think it makes sense to have only the one data base. Also, I would think that many people would want to have separate stores based upon "niche" subsets of a main store.

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!

[kobra]

I am not a coder but there are many items that zencart does when interacting with the DB for purchases, tracking, customers, and the like. Having 2 frontends attempting to access & process in the DB is just asking for corruption to happen.

Think about it, you have one DB with all items, how are you intending to limit the 2nd install from listing all these products? I think that it would require a 2nd product table and then all the Zen files would need conversion to see & handle this additional product table in the correct manner.

While this is most likely possible within the DB, ZenCart was not written to do this. One could re-write it to possibly do this, but it will probably not be high on the Dev teams list as there are many other things that deserve attention first.

My suggestions:

1. Look at the EZ populate contribution, that would allow fairly easy upkeep of two or more similar DB's.

2. Have you investigated a commercial cart that might have this functionality?

I have not looked for this, and understand why a select group might like this feature.

[bluewatercool]

Kobra... thank you for your speedy reply.

Unfortunately, the response is the one I expected rather than what I had hoped for.

I am not sure how to respond. I don't get a sense that you interpreted my question in the spirit in which it was asked.

I am not complaining in any way about ZenCart. I truly appreciate that it is available and that it offers all the function that it does. It is an outstanding product and easily the equal of many (most) of the "commercial" carts which you suggest I look at.

What I would prefer is get the best use I can from ZenCart.

You suggest using easypopulate... I do. And it is a big help!

Duplicating complete databases simply doesn't make sense. This is totally contrary to the basic concept of data bases.

It may well turn out that I am forced to accept only one storefront... but there is no intellectual justification for doing so.

I don't see any inherent reason that two ZenCarts cannot operate on the same Data Base.

You ask how I would limit the second ZenCart from installing all the products.

Maybe this could be done through the proper selection of categories or something similar.

Maybe one category with a simple 1,2,3,4,... as content could identify with individual storefront.

Maybe all that is needed is that each Zencart storefront would have it's own config file. There must be a way of setting this up without major changes to ZenCart.

I'll give it more thought.... maybe I can surprise myself and understand what it is I want....lol. I know it isn't trivial but I think it may be easier than first glance may suggest.

In response to your final comment that a select group might like this feature, I suspect that if the feature were available (and understood), many of the existing users would see the benefit.

The motivation behind wanting to do this is certainly business based rather than "feature" based. It makes sense from a business and marketing viewpoint.

Anyway... kobra thanks again for your response. I hope this doesn't sound argumentative, it isn't meant to be. But I would like the concept to be looked at with an open and positive mind because I don't think it is too far off from what already exists and the benefits for the business man would be significant.

If I am wrong, it isn't the first time.

Thanks again!

[Merlinpa1969]

The issue you would run into with all products showing isnt easily over come,
you have a shared DB so all categories that you have set in one will show in the other since these settings are database drivin.

I have setup a store to do exactly what you are talkng about and it had serious issues,

session issues, purchasing issues etc.

while it is possible to have 2 stores on one database its more trouble than its worth.
and ( trust me on this one ) will lead to coruption

[bluewatercool]

Thanks Merlinpa1969

I guess I will give up on this plan until I have won the lottery and can make it a life long search. (or hire one of you people who know what you are doing.)

Conceptually, I just don't understand why the issues you mention need arise. I think I'll have a few sleepless nights over this... lol.

Thanks again... I have learned so much from this forum it is amazing. Unfortunately, I am not in a financial position at this point to make a donation but will when I can.

[Gkrynen]

The issue you would run into with all products showing isnt easily over come,
you have a shared DB so all categories that you have set in one will show in the other since these settings are database drivin.

I have setup a store to do exactly what you are talkng about and it had serious issues,

session issues, purchasing issues etc.

while it is possible to have 2 stores on one database its more trouble than its worth.
and ( trust me on this one ) will lead to coruption

Hi again Merlinpa1969,

I have also been toying with this idea since I have two domains that sell different base products but also share some common products. Say one sells finished jewelry and gifts while the other sells finished jewelry and jewelry components.

I want it to have and use one database with one set of administrations.

My thoughts have lead me to a somewhat complicated but I believe workable solution. What if a new data field was created for each product entered in the database. This field would correspond to one of three possibilities (0=store1, 1=store2, 2=store3). When inputting the items a drop down or radio button would allow for choosing the option for that item.

That is the easy part and where my knowledge drops off quickly. The next part involves recoding the SQL queries contained in each store web file set so that it will only choose only items that are solely its own or cross sold between the two.

Does this make sense? Late night ideas sometimes do not float well in the sunlight.

[Gkrynen]

I just realized I made a mistake in my example it should read 0=store1 1=store2 and 2=store1 and 2

Sorry about that. This properly executed example would allow a store to show only those items and categories that are fit for itself. The others would be read but not displayed. Since it is one database the sessions should not be affected since they are both transacting as one store but with different home directories for the 'look' of the store.

[zentenc]

If you search in the archives for posts from "cbusillo", he layed out how to do this... I think he has several stores using one database.... I don´t remember if they are the same products or diferent ones... but you can start there!

[Vger]

This may be possible - but I can't guarantee it will work. There is a Contribution for osCommerce called Multi Stores. You may be able to port it to work with Zen Cart by changing certain definitions in the code e.g. tep_cfg to zen_cfg etc.

If the porting works then you'd have one main store with one database, and other stores all using the same database. There'd also be one admin panel, with different levels of access for different store owners, and different products for each store.

It's a big contribution but you could speed up changes quite quickly with using the Find and Replace function in a text editor like Text Pad.

Vger

[dcfxking]

I could definitely benefit from this as well as i do sell different items for different regions of the US but most are similar. Wonder how this will move in the future.