EasyPopulate 4.0 Support Thread

[mc12345678]

Yes, it seems to be converting the prefix to "0" on export. Some items are blank, while others have zeros. I can't tell why though.

If the zero is appearing on export (to the csv file from ZC) then the zero was already in the database. Overall, Zc is basically supposed to ignore any different character if it is not a minus basically. Anything other than a minus in a default install I thought it was supposed to display as a +. Maybe it is process as a plus but display whatever is entered. Anyways, to fix, from within your editor (ideally Open Office) simply change and save that column with either blank if nothing is to prefix the display or the appropriate symbol to display (+, -, etc...)


Should fix your issue, then could export again to see if it remains as input.

[Jenovee]

If the zero is appearing on export (to the csv file from ZC) then the zero was already in the database. Overall, Zc is basically supposed to ignore any different character if it is not a minus basically. Anything other than a minus in a default install I thought it was supposed to display as a +. Maybe it is process as a plus but display whatever is entered. Anyways, to fix, from within your editor (ideally Open Office) simply change and save that column with either blank if nothing is to prefix the display or the appropriate symbol to display (+, -, etc...)


Should fix your issue, then could export again to see if it remains as input.

Well, I just restored my database to how it was before I decided to mess with attribute pricing. Comparing the exported file to what was in my catalog, I can see that it's changing values. I have products with size/color attributes, but no prices attached to them. I can see a blank field for attrib price when in admin panel, and it has the "+" prefix. On export, that plus gets changed to zero. I manually changed one of the changed zeros back to "+" and exported again. It changed back to zero on export. It's changing values rather than ignoring.

[mc12345678]

Well, I just restored my database to how it was before I decided to mess with attribute pricing. Comparing the exported file to what was in my catalog, I can see that it's changing values. I have products with size/color attributes, but no prices attached to them. I can see a blank field for attrib price when in admin panel, and it has the "+" prefix. On export, that plus gets changed to zero. I manually changed one of the changed zeros back to "+" and exported again. It changed back to zero on export. It's changing values rather than ignoring.

Are you using the detailed products attributes to export your data? I get plusses exported from a ZC 1.5.3 site. Or a blank entry (if no symbol is entered). And then where I have a sample product that uses multiplication I have my x there. If not using the detailed attributes, please clarify which method so that one can be fixed...

[Jenovee]

Are you using the detailed products attributes to export your data? I get plusses exported from a ZC 1.5.3 site. Or a blank entry (if no symbol is entered). And then where I have a sample product that uses multiplication I have my x there. If not using the detailed attributes, please clarify which method so that one can be fixed...

Yes, I am using the detailed products attributes to export.

I am comparing more in depth now. This may sound strange, but this is what is happening on one specific item in the catalog:

From attributes controller, I can see all the attributes. I have eight total attributes on this one product. Four have no prefix. Four have "+" prefix. The four with no prefix show as blank on export. The four with "+" prefix all get converted to zero on export.

I don't have a single "+" prefix on my exported file at all.

[mc12345678]

Yes, I am using the detailed products attributes to export.

I am comparing more in depth now. This may sound strange, but this is what is happening on one specific item in the catalog:

From attributes controller, I can see all the attributes. I have eight total attributes on this one product. Four have no prefix. Four have "+" prefix. The four with no prefix show as blank on export. The four with "+" prefix all get converted to zero on export.

I don't have a single "+" prefix on my exported file at all.

Yeah does sound strange seeing as not able to reproduce the issue.
What is being used to view the result? Does a zero show up when looking at the csv file with a plain text editor?

[Jenovee]

Yeah does sound strange seeing as not able to reproduce the issue.
What is being used to view the result? Does a zero show up when looking at the csv file with a plain text editor?

Everything is being done with Open Office. I no longer use Excel since coming to this forum.

I opened it in Note Pad ++. What a mess to look at. But it shows the same basic result. The blanks are "" and the zeros are "0".

[Jenovee]

Anyways, to fix, from within your editor (ideally Open Office) simply change and save that column with either blank if nothing is to prefix the display or the appropriate symbol to display (+, -, etc...)


Should fix your issue, then could export again to see if it remains as input.

Sorry it took a while. I just tried your suggestion. Changing the values back to "+" can't be done. Are you able to edit that field with whatever you like and save???

I entered "+" into one field. I am now stuck in that field. I cannot get out! When I click on another box, the original box that I am stuck inside will change to "+xx", with the "xx being the new cell/box I am in.

So with this new info, could my issue be with Open Office, rather than EP? Then again, my NotePad++ view shows it seperate from Open Office. ..........

[mc12345678]

Try pressing the enter key after changing the "value" to a plus. By clicking outside of the cell after entering a plus, OO is trying to add the cell that is next clicked. :)

As for the output, EP4 is pulling the information from the database and storing it.. There are no inline conversions performed (ie, no assignment to a string or an integer.). The only other things I wonder about is 1) what's stored in the database when a plus is used within ZC (for your site), what data type it is, and what charset is involved...

As for putting "anything" in the cell, default ZC behavior at least for adding and subtracting of attribute prices is: if a negative, subtract the price, anything else add it...

The product thing I was talking about above is some extra code that I have written where - subtracts; x, X, or * multiplies; and everything else adds... But yes can put "whatever" desired.

[Jenovee]

Oh brother. LOL! You can tell I don't use the "+" key much in spreadsheets.

Anyways, I looked at the actual database. The prefix value is stored properly with the "+" before export. The type is "char(1)".

I didn't pay attention before this because I had no need. But the products_attributes_weight_prefix is also changing to zero along with the price prefix. It may not be connected at all, but these are the only two things using the "char(1)" type in the database.

[Clayo84]

Okay, I'm brand new to Zen Cart, and wanted to post a thank you to everyone that has contributed to this plugin because it worked perfectly for me!!

I installed Zen Cart(1.5.1) on Host Gator shared hosting using the script that they provided, so it's the only site on my server at this point.

I had tried a different version of EP that claimed to offer csv support, as well as another one that claimed to work with native Excel files. Neither worked out for me.

I found that with this plugin, I did end up using Open Office (and was surprised to find it's not Apache Open Office) to edit the files as suggested.

Again, thank you, and good luck to anyone else struggling with this plugin - it's worth it!