Installation - Database Setup

[pixelberrypie]

This is my first time using Zen cart, and I have some questions about the installation. Would love it if anyone could help me!

I have a website hosted with Hostica.com. I originally did a simple "click and install" method via Hostica's special offers. After Zen cart loaded, and I logged in to the admin area, I saw that there was an upgrade available and decided that since I'm just now starting out with Zen cart, I better upgrade now so that I don't have to later. Right?! Then I decided to do a clean install from the beginning, so I deleted the new directory in which I created my Zen cart (completely deleted the whole folder, and then re-created it to install version 1.5.3).

Thus, to my knowledge, this means I completely got rid of the old version of Zen cart, as if it didn't exist at all, and then installed 1.5.3 as completely new (not an upgrade). Not sure if all this info is needed, but... anyways... I ran into trouble with the installation.

Next, I uploaded (via FTP) the unzipped Zen version of 1.5.3 to a directory in my domain, which I called .com/shop/. My Zen cart files are now found there (cache, docs, email, includes, etc). After starting the installation (via the zc_install file), I've now run into problems on the Database Setup screen! I cannot get passed this screen, as it keeps telling me that the connection to the database failed.

Here are the main questions I am asked on this page, and my answers:

Database Host: I've tried 'localhost' (which is what Zen cart prefilled for me), and then I tried the host address I use when logging it to FTP, which is similar to XXXXX.hostica.com (not sharing actual address for privacy reasons, of course).

Database Username: The only username I know of is the one I log into FTP with, so that's what I've tried here. In addition, I've tried random basic usernames like 'admin' & 'root'.

Database Password: Again, the only password I know is the same one I use for FTP, so that's what I'm using.

Database Name: I'm assuming this means the directory where I uploaded Zen cart? Thus, I typed in 'shop', which is my Zen cart folder.


Does anyone know if I'm filling out these installation options wrong? I just cannot get passed the Database Setup screen, and I don't know what else to try! HELP!?!?

[stevesh]

You understand that you have to manually create the database before installing Zencart?

I haven't used Hostica, but most shared server hosts require that you prepend your control panel (also FTP) user name to the database name, so if you named the database 'zencart', and your control panel user name is 'berrypie' Zencart will want berrypie_zencart as the database name.

[pixelberrypie]

Stevesh, thanks for your reply. Yes, I did create the database of where I wanted my Zen files, before uploading the cart system there. That is, if all you mean by 'database' is that I created a folder underneath my domain name called 'shop'.
XXXXXXXXXX.com/shop/
Should I rename it something else, such as 'zencart'?

On the installation page which I cannot get through, I tried what you said by doing 'myusername_shop', but the option page still failed to continue to the next step.

[pixelberrypie]

Hallelujah! I located the problem, and I truly appreciate what you wrote, Stevesh, because it helped me a lot. I didn't realize that the database it was asking me about was a MySQL database. I've never done anything with that part of my website before, so it didn't make sense to me. What you told me about the username helped me to identify where I needed to get the info from. THANK YOU!!!!!

[lhungil]

Database Instructions for Hostica:
http://www.hostica.com/_docs/mysql_support.html

Should help get you started.

The database is where data such as products, customers, order, etc are stored (for Zen Cart typically served by a MySQL server).

The files you uploaded contain code (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, etc) controlling the display and functionality of the website (served by a HTTP daemon such as Apache, nGinx, IIS, etc).

Once your site is up and running (and open for the public) make sure to create backups of both the database and files.

[pixelberrypie]

Thank you, lhungil! I'm just starting out with Zen cart and this is VERY HELPFUL!