Google Merchant Center Feeder for ZC v1.5.x [Support Thread]

[danielosko]

I have had the same problems with this mod since I upgraded to 1.5.0. I created the google_merchant_center_feeder.txt and now my error log shows this:

[26-Oct-2012 10:51:35] PHP Warning: fread() [<a href='function.fread'>function.fread</a>]: Length parameter must be greater than 0 in /home/danielos/public_html/includes/classes/google_base.php on line 82

[Dashizna]

I have the same 500 error and it doesn't seem to matter what i have in the execution time i did have 200000 and now it is blank and it still gives me that error and won't create a file. we have a little over 10000 products.

[danielosko]

I have the same 500 error and it doesn't seem to matter what i have in the execution time i did have 200000 and now it is blank and it still gives me that error and won't create a file. we have a little over 10000 products.

In simple terms, this "plugin" does not work with Zen Cart 1.50 or above. I have attempted "everything known to man" and re-read EVERY posting..., and there is no response or solution. (other than to PURCHASE the authors new "plugin" for $175.00).

Even though Zen Cart is a highly technical program to get "up and running"..., I have used Zen Cart for nearly five years. (however, since the update..., I am now, unfortunately, committed to using it)

With that said, I STRONGLY regret updating to 1.50! Most of the "bells and whistles" are no longer available or supported. I am VERY displeased with this new release and the lack of functioning "plugins". Especially, when you take away one of the main functions that every shopping cart program should have, (which I believe is to have the ability to actually download your customer and order information into a format in which your accounting program can actully utilize)!!!! Because, if you can't download this info into a usable format..., YOU HAVE TO COPY EVERYTHING INTO YOUR ACCOUNTING PROGRAM BY HAND!


This is a great program, with a multitude of knowlegable authors. All of whom deserve credit and thanks. But overall, If I had to do this over again..., I would have paid for a FUNCTIONING shopping cart.

Best Regards,
Dan Osko
Owner of:
Bubbas Pools
http://bubbaspools.com
&
USA Spa Parts
http://usaspaparts.com

[torvista]

In simple terms, this "plugin" does not work with Zen Cart 1.50 or above.

Fighting with software is always frustrating....in these situations you need to make a new install of Zen Cart and drop this mod in to ensure your problems are not related to the code in your shop or your upgrade.
Note that many people are using this and very few (relatively) have problems. Still, I have had to do considerable work with it to produce the feeds I need...but it did work first time.

I have attempted "everything known to man"

Well, not quite! Apart from the solution.

and there is no response or solution. (other than to PURCHASE the authors new "plugin" for $175.00).

If no-one has your problem or can't replicate it, how can they answer?
I don't see any new plugin on the Numinix site....and in any case if he wants to sell his work, why not? Why should he upgrade all his code for free and provide free support?

I don't recall making any changes to the code to get it to work for 1.50 onwards, apart from the Admin menus.

There is ALWAYS a solution....and if you don't have the technical expertise or time to do it yes you have to pay for the service...why should everything be for free in the Zen Cart world? This is a complex mod, and while I had to do a LOT of work to get it to do what I needed, I never thought to blame the author who created it/did 99% of the work and offered it FOR FREE.

With that said, I STRONGLY regret updating to 1.50! Most of the "bells and whistles" are no longer available or supported.

You mean the add-ons you require have not been updated for free by the people who wrote them...why should they?
..and you didn't upgrade your shop in a development environment first to ensure those plugins all worked with 1.51?
Who's fault is that?

Especially, when you take away one of the main functions that every shopping cart program should have, (which I believe is to have the ability to actually download your customer and order information into a format in which your accounting program can actully utilize)!!!!

If you are referring to google merchant...no-one took it away..you didn't check you it was working with your upgrade.

If you want customer and order data..use alternatives, Easypopulate, Apsona...even PHPmyadmin can export cvs.

If I had to do this over again..., I would have paid for a FUNCTIONING shopping cart.

I have always found Zen Cart to be fully functioning out of the box. If it doesn't do what you want...or you have broken it..who's problem is that?

Sorry to annoy you more than you already are but your rant irritated me, we are talking about pieces of software here that you run your business on and you are griping about not everything working as you want and for free.
Most businesses have to pay through the nose for software and any changes they want, if even possible. The Zen Cart route is a gift for those people that can do their own stuff but remember there are no promises or "service level agreements".

If you don't want or can't deal with the hassle, then yes pay for a commercial cart...but that's no guarantee of better code nor support and another set of frustrations (in my experience).

[DivaVocals]

**applause**

Well stated..

Fighting with software is always frustrating....in these situations you need to make a new install of Zen Cart and drop this mod in to ensure your problems are not related to the code in your shop or your upgrade.
Note that many people are using this and very few (relatively) have problems. Still, I have had to do considerable work with it to produce the feeds I need...but it did work first time.


Well, not quite! Apart from the solution.


If no-one has your problem or can't replicate it, how can they answer?
I don't see any new plugin on the Numinix site....and in any case if he wants to sell his work, why not? Why should he upgrade all his code for free and provide free support?

I don't recall making any changes to the code to get it to work for 1.50 onwards, apart from the Admin menus.

There is ALWAYS a solution....and if you don't have the technical expertise or time to do it yes you have to pay for the service...why should everything be for free in the Zen Cart world? This is a complex mod, and while I had to do a LOT of work to get it to do what I needed, I never thought to blame the author who created it/did 99% of the work and offered it FOR FREE.


You mean the add-ons you require have not been updated for free by the people who wrote them...why should they?
..and you didn't upgrade your shop in a development environment first to ensure those plugins all worked with 1.51?
Who's fault is that?


If you are referring to google merchant...no-one took it away..you didn't check you it was working with your upgrade.

If you want customer and order data..use alternatives, Easypopulate, Apsona...even PHPmyadmin can export cvs.


I have always found Zen Cart to be fully functioning out of the box. If it doesn't do what you want...or you have broken it..who's problem is that?

Sorry to annoy you more than you already are but your rant irritated me, we are talking about pieces of software here that you run your business on and you are griping about not everything working as you want and for free.
Most businesses have to pay through the nose for software and any changes they want, if even possible. The Zen Cart route is a gift for those people that can do their own stuff but remember there are no promises or "service level agreements".

If you don't want or can't deal with the hassle, then yes pay for a commercial cart...but that's no guarantee of better code nor support and another set of frustrations (in my experience).

[countrycharm]

Fighting with software is always frustrating....in these situations you need to make a new install of Zen Cart and drop this mod in to ensure your problems are not related to the code in your shop or your upgrade.
Note that many people are using this and very few (relatively) have problems. Still, I have had to do considerable work with it to produce the feeds I need...but it did work first time.

Well, not quite! Apart from the solution.


If no-one has your problem or can't replicate it, how can they answer?
I don't see any new plugin on the Numinix site....and in any case if he wants to sell his work, why not? Why should he upgrade all his code for free and provide free support?

I don't recall making any changes to the code to get it to work for 1.50 onwards, apart from the Admin menus.

There is ALWAYS a solution....and if you don't have the technical expertise or time to do it yes you have to pay for the service...why should everything be for free in the Zen Cart world? This is a complex mod, and while I had to do a LOT of work to get it to do what I needed, I never thought to blame the author who created it/did 99% of the work and offered it FOR FREE.


You mean the add-ons you require have not been updated for free by the people who wrote them...why should they?
..and you didn't upgrade your shop in a development environment first to ensure those plugins all worked with 1.51?
Who's fault is that?


If you are referring to google merchant...no-one took it away..you didn't check you it was working with your upgrade.

If you want customer and order data..use alternatives, Easypopulate, Apsona...even PHPmyadmin can export cvs.


I have always found Zen Cart to be fully functioning out of the box. If it doesn't do what you want...or you have broken it..who's problem is that?

Sorry to annoy you more than you already are but your rant irritated me, we are talking about pieces of software here that you run your business on and you are griping about not everything working as you want and for free.
Most businesses have to pay through the nose for software and any changes they want, if even possible. The Zen Cart route is a gift for those people that can do their own stuff but remember there are no promises or "service level agreements".

If you don't want or can't deal with the hassle, then yes pay for a commercial cart...but that's no guarantee of better code nor support and another set of frustrations (in my experience).

-----nods in agreement-----

**applause**

[WWWD]

Alright, the config page for this mod was working and now it has disappeared. I burrowed into the database itself and entered the values that were causing the upload file to error (shipping method, etc.). However, when I generate and upload the file now, it is not seeing my database changes.

Any ideas:
1. How to get the mod's config page to come back to life; and
2. Why the file builder is not pulling the correct values from the config table??

Thanks,

[WWWD]

Why is it crickets don't make for good technical advisers??

[gxjenkins]

Well for anyone interested!
I recently moved my store version 1.50 from Godaddy to Hostgator.

As soon as I had checked to make sure everything had moved over I installed Google Merchant Feeder version 1.13

First thing I noticed was that it did create a feed file. but it was empty. I checked the permissions and changed the googlefroogle.php in the root and in the Admin folder to 755 and now it populating the created file.

At Godaddy I could only create a file with no more than 500 items or it would time out. Now at Hostgator I couldn’t even create a file with that many items.

Starting with just 100 items I’ve found that I can only create a file with no more than 275 items because the MAX TIME OUT in the PHP.INI file is set to 30 seconds and can’t be increased.

Don’t bother trying to get help from the NUMINIX site I think they’ve had an internal meltdown. Earlier this year I paid them to update the “ebay exporter” module to work with version 1.50 and everything worked out well. But, after that I contacted them to update another module and nothing happened. I contacted Support and asked for an update and they didn’t even know they had been paid to do a job. Then they tried to tell me the module had been updated and delivered, but they were talking about the “ebay exporter”. I canceled the job and ask for a refund which they issued. Now on the site there is tons of spam.

Gary

[Mal Bradford]

The problem I'm coming across is when I click on "confirm" to make the file it just pops open a small window with the sites homepage in it. NO file is created.

cjmarley. Did you ever sort this? I have the same problem but the solution posed by mattys didn't resolve it for me. I wonder if we have the same issue?