Easy Populate 1.2.5.4 support

[Peekay]

I have set up an MS Access database for my client to batch-add products under controlled conditions. I then export the table as a delimited file and use Easy Populate to add the products.

It all works very well, but I do wish that 'display Qty box' was available as an option. I need a big list of several hundred products with 'Buy Now' buttons, not Qty boxes.

I'm running a SQL patch for now after the upload, but having that extra switch would be a welcome addition in future versions (IMHO).

[mboley370]

Hi, I was wondering if the easy populate standard will work with the new 1.3.7 version of zen cart? What is the diffrence in the standard and the advanced? I looked at the site and many forums and can't find what the standard actually does so I can't compare it to the advanced.

[click]

We need to upload a few thousand items over time. We can upload them in small increments. Is there a template available that has all of the attribute fields?

[kobra]

I have set up an MS Access database for my client to batch-add products under controlled conditions. I then export the table as a delimited file and use Easy Populate to add the products.

From this comment I am assuming that you are somewhat DB savvy....

I use navicat, that is a general DB tool and can be scripted and these can be saved for repeat function....can connect to several DB types etc.. Powerful if you can ferret out the DB yourself.....EP is all Zen Cart and limited to only certian tables but they do provide Zen Cart support where NaviCat does not and you are on your own

http://www.navicat.com/ and they offer a 30 day trial so you can determine if this works for you before making the plunge

[Peekay]

Thx for the Navicat link Cobra. I'll take a look at that.

I'm not a DB expert, but I figure it's worth climbing a learning curve to avoid my client mis-spelling a category name and spoiling my whole day!

I am currently setting up 'dependent' combo boxes so if a client selects 'Homewares' for category 1, they have the choice of 'Kitchen' or 'Bathroom' for category 2. If they then select 'Bathroom' they get 'Towels' or 'Mirrors' for category 3.

I knew that 'Learn Access' book would come in handy one day!

@mboley370
Works for me in 1.3.7. Not certain of the specific advantages of the pro version.

[Peekay]

I have hit a small problem.

If I set up 10 products for import via Easy Populate and enter a manufacturer's name for product 5, all the records following that record (6,7,8,9 and 10) all adopt the same manufacturer even if the delimited container in the text file is empty. The column headers in the file and the delimiter marks in the EP screen all seem to add up.

Is this a known/reproducable problem, or is it just me?

[kobra]

Double check that each line has the end of record as the last entry - this is all that I can think of with EP

[Peekay]

Hi Kobra.

The text file seems in order. I opened it in 'Context' text editor to check the tabs. I have since discovered that if there is a value in every row for manufacturer (even a '-') then it works fine. Just doesn't handle a mix of values and blank entries. I can work around it by setting a default value.

Bigger issue I have is with the exported date format. Access won't (by default) import it as text and I get a type conversion error. Excel converts it to it's own long date format based on locale, so:

2007-03-21 17:01:17 becomes 21/03/2007 17:01

In advance of me trying it, do you know if EP will re-import successfully in that date format, or do you have to retain the format somehow?

[kobra]

Yes the date format must match the set format for the cart as it expects it to be as such

Don't you just Love MS??

Added: re you opening in excel as a csv or a xls? - think that this can be done as csv

[Peekay]

It seems that Excel exports '21/03/2007 17:01' as '21/03/2007 17:01:00' (the last two 0s are normally hidden in the spreadsheet). EP seems happy enough importing this, as long as the 'Upload File Date Format' setting in 'Configuration/Easy Populate' is set to d-m-y.

Just need to find out why Access doesn't do the date conversion the same as Excel does when importing the data.