EasyPopulate 4.0 Support Thread

[lukaswlu]

Where do i find this configuration setting for ep4? I have nothing in my configuration menu.

My version just says "Easy Populate For ZenCart v1.5.x"

I think I need to upgrade?

[mc12345678]

Where do i find this configuration setting for ep4? I have nothing in my configuration menu.

My version just says "Easy Populate For ZenCart v1.5.x"

I think I need to upgrade?

As one who has worked on this version of EP, I am inclined to say yes you do, but... That also is selfish. There are/have been multiple versions of EasyPopulate, each doing something slightly different, or perhaps upgraded for one version of ZC or another. I believe that this one has taken most of the features of other versions and provided a broader product. Could be wrong, certainly have received some suggestions for improved user interface, though this is pretty much a pet project for me. I just happened to see the value and that I could do something to keep it alive and so jumped in.

Anyways, the latest version is available at: https://github.com/mc12345678/EasyPopulate-4.0 or a slightly older version (soon to be replaced by the version referenced left) can be found at the first post of this thread.

EasyPopulate v4 clearly states the version information on the upper left admin screen area when accessed, so I would say that the version obtained is from a different thread/area.

[fwood]

First let me say that this may be my database. I saw a couple of hinky things earlier today, but thought it worth a shot looking for the answer here. If this has been addressed before I apologize. I did search and read, and search and read, and se.. well you get it.

I am using ZC 1.54, EP 4.0. It has worked as expected for everything so this threw me. Adding one attribute to all products in spreadsheet, except 6 that would have been the same with no update.
Uploaded/Imported Attributes Basic, reported "Imported with Issues". I recognized the issues because I had used an old spreadsheet to grab my model numbers and a few of those had been deleted, so no biggie. All others say "updated". None were updated.

[mc12345678]

First let me say that this may be my database. I saw a couple of hinky things earlier today, but thought it worth a shot looking for the answer here. If this has been addressed before I apologize. I did search and read, and search and read, and se.. well you get it.

I am using ZC 1.54, EP 4.0. It has worked as expected for everything so this threw me. Adding one attribute to all products in spreadsheet, except 6 that would have been the same with no update.
Uploaded/Imported Attributes Basic, reported "Imported with Issues". I recognized the issues because I had used an old spreadsheet to grab my model numbers and a few of those had been deleted, so no biggie. All others say "updated". None were updated.

Well, glad to hear that you've been using this for a while. Mind identifying which version of EP4 is/was being used?
Please verify/identify the filename (do not need/nor want the path, just the filename).
Was the "issues" log cleared after addressing the first round of issues/what are the contents of it now (can be scrubbed if necessary, just want to know about the condition of the code).
Perplexed at the same time not being sure if I fully follow the steps taken/verifications made, etc... Hope to resolve quickly though.

[lukaswlu]

Ok I upgraded to the new version and it works perfect, thanks for all the help.

I think my old version was from 2009. 1.2.9???

[mc12345678]

Ok I upgraded to the new version and it works perfect, thanks for all the help.

I think my old version was from 2009. 1.2.9???

Glad it works. Mind identifying which version you are currently using?

Sorry, I haven't kept up with the history of each of the different versions to be able to fill in details of the differences or anything. But am glad it's working. Now to just address fwood's issue...

[waterbender]

Hi,

How do we bulk import a list of manufacturer using easy populate? What specific field names are needed in the file? Thank you.

[mc12345678]

Hi,

How do we bulk import a list of manufacturer using easy populate? What specific field names are needed in the file? Thank you.

From the products table manufacturers_id (auto-generated) which cross references with the manufacturers table on a one-for-one basis, which links to manufacturers_info table on a one-to-many basis primarily because of the different languages available for things like a multilingual manufacturers_url.

There is a little of this already included, but not the whole thing and with 4.0.32 it is easier to add such info into the operation than before. Basically haven't seen the request really before so hasn't been added fully...

[wheat]

Other than starting with Model No -
1. are there other required fields (as in can I leave some out of the spreadsheet)
2. is there a "mandatory" order for the fields with information to be uploaded

Thank you for any help you may be able to offer.

P.S. we have successfully added the filed for UPC code but there are some others unique to most product lines we would like to include and a csv file with fewer columns would be much less cumberson

[mc12345678]

Other than starting with Model No -
1. are there other required fields (as in can I leave some out of the spreadsheet)
2. is there a "mandatory" order for the fields with information to be uploaded

Thank you for any help you may be able to offer.

P.S. we have successfully added the filed for UPC code but there are some others unique to most product lines we would like to include and a csv file with fewer columns would be much less cumberson

So, for the most part, this somewhat depends on which of the two currently supported versions you decide to download. The primary thread in github for this module has not yet been updated with the latest beta because there had been some issues identified with the changes that were made. The version referenced by the first post of this thread which is EP4 4.0.29 does require some additional fields to remain in place for certain items to be updated and it only supports using Model No. Version 4.0.32 (which in supporting another developer to add bookx product type management has required a few additional notifiers is to soon be updated to 4.0.33) is located by reviewing the last few pages of posts on this thread *should* allow updates for only the fields that are provided when imported and also now also supports the use of products_id and/or products_model, this aspect remains in review and if/when found to be otherwise functional please comment.

Another update to 4.0.33 is expected to help the store operator a little when entering the path to the file storage area. In times past, EP4 would accept storing a path from the store's base file location in the database, regardless of whether it was a path to the admin directory or somewhere else. Unfortunately for EP4, even ZC doesn't store information in the database about the admin directory path, so I saw it necessary to follow the same vein and to identify a way to not add the admin path to the database. At present though, the path could still be entered contrary to direction/request. So, I've found a way to "automatically" rework the indicators when EP4 is accessed but am looking to move that action up to the point of initial data entry instead.

There is absolutely no sequence necessary for the fields that are included other than I believe there should not be any missing field headers between columns... Haven't tried it, don't know what would happen. :) If you happen to have Stock By Attributes installed, I can say that there was some consideration into the sequence of the columns generated for upload to minimize the likelihood of an inadvertent change being made to the data that could cause a bad import, but sequence is still not required.

Now, all *that* said, if you have taken some time to read through the documentation or installed the application, you would have seen that there are some filenames that are "triggers" or do specific actions. For example a specials file causes different operation than a full product file. This has to do with the internal tables and ties between data and the tables. One thing that has made EP4 a bit of a powerhouse is that the queries and data are focused on the task rather than having large queries with lots of data. Your extra product table fields can be added and should be processed as discovered in the data file.