How to test in an offline environment?

[Tamuren]

Hello, I am an IT student completing my work term and I am working on a company's web store using an existing Zen Cart configuration. I have received the login info to both manage Zen Cart and the FTP server.

My question is, how do I test Zen Cart in an offline environment? My concentration is not database so I'm not sure how to pick up everything that's been already established and tinker with it in an offline environment.

[Design75]

I use xampp to keep an off-line version of my zen-cart. very handy to test new mod etc.

[Tamuren]

I did go ahead and download XAMPP onto my laptop already, but I don't know how to take the set up they already have and import it to XAMPP for testing purposes. By the way, their website is www.on-grade.ca if anyone wants to see.

[torvista]

I don't know how to take the set up they already have and import it to XAMPP

What I do is
a) files
Get Beyond Compare, set up an ftp profile and download/mirror all the files to your pc.
b) database
export it with phpmyadmin on the server.
On your laptop using phpmyadmin create a database with the same name and import the sql file.
c) set up the two configure.php files as necessary for the files location on your laptop and for db access.

[kobra]

Essentially the reverse of this tutorial
https://www.zen-cart.com/tutorials/index.php?article=99

[Tamuren]

Essentially the reverse of this tutorial
https://www.zen-cart.com/tutorials/index.php?article=99

This guide looks good, however I don't know how to find phpmyadmin on the server. What I have access to is the FTP server (which I'm accessing through windows explorer) and the Zen Cart management page. I don't see phpmyadmin anywhere.

[kobra]

Are you referencing the host server or your local XAMP server?

Don't use FTP via windows explorer it is highly unreliable

Get a dedicated FTP client such as filezilla

[Tamuren]

Are you referencing the host server or your local XAMP server?

Don't use FTP via windows explorer it is highly unreliable

Get a dedicated FTP client such as filezilla

Thanks for the reply, I am referencing the host server when I say I am unable to find phpmyadmin. I have Filezilla installed on my computer (it came with XAMPP) and XAMPP Control Panel Application says it's actually running right now. However, going to start and searching for Filezilla doesn't leave me with anything to launch...

edit: I downloaded the Filezilla client off their website, but when attempt to sign into the FTP server I see the following:

Status: Connection established, waiting for welcome message...
Response: 220---------- Welcome to Pure-FTPd [privsep] [TLS] ----------
Response: 220-You are user number 2 of 50 allowed.
Response: 220-Local time is now 13:34. Server port: 21.
Response: 220-IPv6 connections are also welcome on this server.
Response: 220 You will be disconnected after 15 minutes of inactivity.
Command: USER *****
Response: 331 User ***** OK. Password required
Command: PASS **********
Response: 530 Login authentication failed
Error: Critical error
Error: Could not connect to server

[Vger]

On XAMPP the address is http://localhost/phpmyadmin

Vger

[kobra]

I am referencing the host server when I say I am unable to find phpmyadmin

This will be accessible ONLY from the host provided account manager and one requires the user and pass to access

Login authentication failed

You must not be using the correct user & pass