Setting up a local domain

[clothmania]

I am new to having a website and all and am going through the book "e-start your web store with zen cart" and have no idea what I am doing. I have done the first step, which is to edit the file C: \WINDOWS\system32\dr ivers\etc\hosts with a text editor. I did just that but now I cant access http://127.0.0.1 or my website http://www.clothmania.com.au.

Prior to this I could access both. What have I done wrong?

Rachael

[fairestcape]

Is there a specific reason why you want to host a zenstore on your own computer?

If you already have a website (or domain) and this is being hosted remotely. (In your case, I believe this to be true), then there is no reason why you should not just set up zencart on that remote server.

The first section of the book deals with setting up a store on your local drive (home computer), but if you set it up on your current domain (host), then you'll make your life easier - especially if you are a "newbie".

[clothmania]

Is there a specific reason why you want to host a zenstore on your own computer?

I have no idea what I am doing so thought that the book was telling me the right stuff

If you already have a website (or domain) and this is being hosted remotely. (In your case, I believe this to be true), then there is no reason why you should not just set up zencart on that remote server.

I have no diea how to do it and when I try to transfer the files from zen-cart folder to my webhost the ftp program wont connect.

Rachael

[canopy]

Hi Rachael,

Forgive me if I'm mistaken but I think there's some confusion here.

The local Zen Cart install is only for testing purposes as mentioned in the book. You need to follow all the instructions in the book to have a running Zen Cart store on your local PC.

To have Zen Cart running on your remote host so you can start selling online, you will need to have Zen Cart installed there first. That would mean either going through Fantastico (not recommended) or through a manual installation (as mentioned here).

For installation on your remote host, you will need to look at whether the server's specs meet Zen Cart's specifications. Alternatively, you might like to take a look at the Zen Cart certified hosts via the hosting link at the top of this page.

[KRahall]

I like the original poster am following the instructions in the book. I have a website up and running already and am trying to add a shopping cart. My host provider uses fantastico for installation but I have struggled trying to get it to work so I decided to do as the book says and start from scratch. My provider has a link to set up a database. My question is the book should say if you have website proceed to... my question is where do I go next? Do I also bypass configuring apache, and mercury? I also cannot the example.com/phpmyadmin to show up. From page 39 in the book where do we go?

thanks I have been at this task for months!!!

[the_ancient]

I like the original poster am following the instructions in the book. I have a website up and running already and am trying to add a shopping cart. My host provider uses fantastico for installation but I have struggled trying to get it to work so I decided to do as the book says and start from scratch. My provider has a link to set up a database. My question is the book should say if you have website proceed to... my question is where do I go next? Do I also bypass configuring apache, and mercury? I also cannot the example.com/phpmyadmin to show up. From page 39 in the book where do we go?

thanks I have been at this task for months!!!

Stop following the book, that is my first advice....


As far as Setting up Zen Cart on a Web host, that is a simple process...


1> Log in to your Web Hosts Control Panel, Most hosts use YOURDOMAIN>COM/cpanel

2> Find the link for setting up mysql databases, if they have the new CPanel there is even a wizard now that makes it painless, if not no worries

if no wizard
3> Find the link to "add a mysql user"

Fill out the form and return to the mysql database page

4> find the link to "create a new database"

Fill out the forum and return to the mysql database page

5> Find the section where you assign users to databases, this should be 2 dropdown menus in a default Cpanel installation. Select the user you just created, and the Database you just created. It should ask you for which privileges you want to enable, security wise you should select only what you need, but for this example hit all privileges

6> Upload the Zen Cart Files to your Host

7> go to YOUDOMAIN.COM/YOURCATALOGDIR/zc_install/


Follow the instructions


You should not, nor do you have access to apache configs on a normal web host, nor do you need to install Mercury, or anything else....

[clothmania]

To have Zen Cart running on your remote host so you can start selling online, you will need to have Zen Cart installed there first. That would mean either going through Fantastico (not recommended) or through a manual installation (as mentioned here).

Why is Fantastico not recommended? My web host offers it.

Rachael

[the_ancient]

Why is Fantastico not recommended? My web host offers it.

Rachael

Couple of reasons, the main one being Fantastico does not always have the current version you you may be installing one with known bugs or security issues

[KRahall]

Thanks for the help. My biggest issue was that the first time Zen Cart got installed it took over my website. I want to add it because there are no directions and/or book for modifing the templates. I could not edit my home page etc and when I contacted someone is this forum they said there are no help pages. I am not computer illerate but this has really been challenge. Bluehost is my provider and they say they help but they will not. I can usually follow instructions in the manual help pages but the zen cart book has nothing on setting up the "looks" of your site. The database pages are excellent.

My second issue is that I have two websites connected together. I cannot get any advice on where to install zencart specially. I have a shopping cart on the first site but this one is considered a subhost of the first.

I was given a link to wiki with some good instructions but since I had put this task to rest a couple of months ago out of frustration and now am ready to try to tackle again I cannot find the wiki instructions. Do you know where they might be?

[KRahall]

The Ancient,

Ok, I did the first 5 steps. I know how to do a ftp upload but when I open filezilla and look at the remote site I cannot find the shopping cart database I just created. where do I do the install in #6? When I type in #7 nothing shows.
I substituted "yourcatalogdir" with the words shoppingcart as that is the database I created. That is the page where I want to upload the zencart to