Multiple stores with one checkout ?

[DrByte]

As I said earlier, the ZC PayPal Express Checkout module passes a specific return URL (call it a "callback" or "return" or "cancel" or "whatever", including URLs to ipn_main_handler.php or your index.php or checkout page, or shopping cart page, etc) specific to your store, and this overrides whatever you've specified inside your PayPal account itself. This allows you to have 5000 stores connected to one PayPal account if you wish, and it will notify each one about only the orders that originated from individual stores.
You do have to give your PayPal account "one" URL (to ipn_main_handler.php) just in order to activate the feature in your PayPal account (and that one URL will get notices from all PayPal transactions that don't have a specific IPN URL specified, such as eBay or emailed payments or other stores that haven't implemented the store-specific URL feature that Zen Cart uses). After that Zen Cart takes care of telling it which stores to inform about any updates.

As far as "multiple stores running from one database", which is the real subject of this discussion thread, I'll let others speak to those concerns.

[Nick1973]

As I said earlier, the ZC PayPal Express Checkout module passes a specific return URL (call it a "callback" or "return" or "cancel" or "whatever", including URLs to ipn_main_handler.php or your index.php or checkout page, or shopping cart page, etc) specific to your store, and this overrides whatever you've specified inside your PayPal account itself. This allows you to have 5000 stores connected to one PayPal account if you wish, and it will notify each one about only the orders that originated from individual stores.
You do have to give your PayPal account "one" URL (to ipn_main_handler.php) just in order to activate the feature in your PayPal account (and that one URL will get notices from all PayPal transactions that don't have a specific IPN URL specified, such as eBay or emailed payments or other stores that haven't implemented the store-specific URL feature that Zen Cart uses). After that Zen Cart takes care of telling it which stores to inform about any updates.

As far as "multiple stores running from one database", which is the real subject of this discussion thread, I'll let others speak to those concerns.

Sorry for going off discussion but hopefully last one Dr Byte...so are you saying I need to enter ipn_main_handler.php on its own or https://www.myurl.com/mystore1/ipn_main_handler.php into paypal?...and then it express checkout will override this?

[Design75]

Sorry for going off discussion but hopefully last one Dr Byte...so are you saying I need to enter ipn_main_handler.php on its own or https://www.myurl.com/mystore1/ipn_main_handler.php into paypal?...and then it express checkout will override this?

You need to enter the "mainstore" url in the settings on te paypal site. No need to edit any Zen Cart file. After that Paypal, and Zen Cart will automatically take care of the correct url's.

For using multiple stores wit one database, I would recommend the multi site module. This way you will need only one Zen Cart file set, with multiple templates (1 for each store). You can configure each store separately, which in your current setup is not possible.

[Nick1973]

You need to enter the "mainstore" url in the settings on te paypal site. No need to edit any Zen Cart file. After that Paypal, and Zen Cart will automatically take care of the correct url's.

For using multiple stores wit one database, I would recommend the multi site module. This way you will need only one Zen Cart file set, with multiple templates (1 for each store). You can configure each store separately, which in your current setup is not possible.

Thanks for confirming that. I did look at the Multisite module, and it would work for other scenarios, however the directory names that each store sits in has a reference in the name to what it is selling, so I'm not sure it would work for my scenario if you understand me?

[Design75]

Thanks for confirming that. I did look at the Multisite module, and it would work for other scenarios, however the directory names that each store sits in has a reference in the name to what it is selling, so I'm not sure it would work for my scenario if you understand me?

Actually I do not understand . The directory normally has nothing to do with the shop, as a visitor only sees an url, but maybe you can elaborate on this?

[Nick1973]

Sorry I didn't mean to say that in a patronising way lol....The directory names are named that way for SEO purposes, unless there's another way of doing that?

e.g. One store is selling print so the directory name is buy-print-online, the others are named in a similar way but where it states print, they are named differently.

[Design75]

Sorry I didn't mean to say that in a patronising way lol....The directory names are named that way for SEO purposes, unless there's another way of doing that?

e.g. One store is selling print so the directory name is buy-print-online, the others are named in a similar way but where it states print, they are named differently.

I always try to read, and answer the forum without emotion or guessing what someone might intent. So no worries, no offense taken.
You could use a rewrite in your .htaccess file for those directories. Do the stores share the same domain? If they do you could also make use of the Ultimate Seo module, or something similar.

[Nick1973]

I always try to read, and answer the forum without emotion or guessing what someone might intent. So no worries, no offense taken.
You could use a rewrite in your .htaccess file for those directories. Do the stores share the same domain? If they do you could also make use of the Ultimate Seo module, or something similar.

Cool :-) They do share the same domain name. I can't put Zen Cart in the root as that contains a Wordpress install, so zen cart has to be in a sub directory. I could rename the directory it resides in to something generic, and basically have all three stores in that sub directory. Then as you say use a rewrite in htaccess. How would you do the rewrite?

[Nick1973]

Is it this module? https://www.zen-cart.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=378

[Design75]

Is it this module? https://www.zen-cart.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=378

Ideed,that's the one. Although it states it is suitable for Zen Cart 1.5.1, I tested on a Zen Cart 1.5.5b without any problems.
Putting Zen Cart in a generic foldersounds good. Then you can make a new root category for each store, and put the applicable the products and categories in there. Next use a rewrite rule in for each store using the unique category path (cpath) .
"http://yourDomain.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1" becomes "http://yourDomain.com/uniqueName/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1"