MultiSite Module Support Thread

[keenskin]

keenskin - I have not installed this yet, but here is my understanding from reading through this thread.

You install one Zen Cart, but multiple templates for each store. You need to go into the template selector in the choose each site's template in order for it to work properly. If you want the same look on each site, you create duplicate templates.

This post was particularly helpful for me (although it is dated Aug 2007, so I'm not sure how much of the mod has changed)
:
http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showpo...&postcount=178

Anyone want to correct me on this?

ReeFlippee, thank you!

[superprg]

Hi
I installed this module and on both the sites the categories are disappeared..
Please see here
click here


I am not sure what I should set this as
define('CATEGORIES_ROOT','21'); //root categories is 21 for this
site

I tried setting CATEGORIES_ROOT as 1 and 0 too but still the same
How do I find out the right value for my site?

Also,
when I go to tools and then to template selection and change it nothing happens or when I try to add any thing in the layout box controler it does nothing.

[ReeFlippee]

superprg - If you're Totally Zenned and having problems, it makes me very concerned to install this mod.

This was released in beta April 2007. Is there a reason it's still in beta?

I think this is exactly what I need but concerned that there isn't enough people using this mod to offer support.

[cablesimple]

superprg. Your categories are gone because you need to reset the categories each time you create a store. Go to the admin, select the template for each store, and set the tools->layout boxes controllers for each store.

Actually because this, and the other setup requirements for each store I've created an additional admin tool to quickly generate each of my subdomain (multisite module) stores. One of the steps it takes is to populate the "layout_boxes" table with all the boxes I want enabled. Using the template below I just do a find-replace on $$STORE_NAME%% with your store name then import it: "mysql -u root -p <database> < layout_boxes.sql"

Of course this only makes sense if your going to be creating quite a few stores with your MultiSite install. I have around 30, and it works very well.

Here's the sql I use. I would suggest getting one of your stores boxes exactly the way you want them and dump out layout_boxes so you can do this with your own settings:
INSERT INTO `layout_boxes` VALUES
(NULL,'%%STORE_NAME%%','banner_box.php',0,0,300,1,1),
(NULL,'%%STORE_NAME%%','banner_box2.php',0,1,15,1,1),
(NULL,'%%STORE_NAME%%','banner_box_all.php',0,1,5,0,0),
(NULL,'%%STORE_NAME%%','best_sellers.php',0,1,30,70,1),
(NULL,'%%STORE_NAME%%','categories.php',1,0,10,10,1),
(NULL,'%%STORE_NAME%%','currencies.php',0,1,80,60,0),
(NULL,'%%STORE_NAME%%','document_categories.php',0,0,0,0,0),
(NULL,'%%STORE_NAME%%','ezpages.php',0,1,-1,2,1),
(NULL,'%%STORE_NAME%%','featured.php',0,0,45,0,0),
(NULL,'%%STORE_NAME%%','information.php',0,0,50,40,1),
(NULL,'%%STORE_NAME%%','information_footer.php',0,0,0,0,0),
(NULL,'%%STORE_NAME%%','languages.php',0,1,70,50,0),
(NULL,'%%STORE_NAME%%','manufacturers.php',0,0,30,20,1),
(NULL,'%%STORE_NAME%%','manufacturer_info.php',0,1,35,95,0),
(NULL,'%%STORE_NAME%%','more_information.php',0,0,200,200,1),
(NULL,'%%STORE_NAME%%','music_genres.php',0,1,0,0,0),
(NULL,'%%STORE_NAME%%','order_history.php',0,1,0,0,0),
(NULL,'%%STORE_NAME%%','part_finder.php',1,0,0,0,0),
(NULL,'%%STORE_NAME%%','product_notifications.php',0,1,55,85,0),
(NULL,'%%STORE_NAME%%','record_companies.php',0,1,0,0,0),
(NULL,'%%STORE_NAME%%','reviews.php',0,0,40,0,0),
(NULL,'%%STORE_NAME%%','search.php',0,1,10,0,0),
(NULL,'%%STORE_NAME%%','search_header.php',0,0,0,0,0),
(NULL,'%%STORE_NAME%%','shopping_cart.php',0,1,20,30,1),
(NULL,'%%STORE_NAME%%','site_links.php',0,0,0,0,0),
(NULL,'%%STORE_NAME%%','specials.php',0,1,45,0,0),
(NULL,'%%STORE_NAME%%','tell_a_friend.php',0,1,65,0,0),
(NULL,'%%STORE_NAME%%','whats_new.php',0,0,20,0,0),
(NULL,'%%STORE_NAME%%','whos_online.php',0,1,200,200,0)

Hope this helps.

[cablesimple]

I just noticed you mentioned trying to add adding layout_boxes in your previous post.

Make sure you select the appropriate template first. You said "when I go to tools and then to template selection and change it nothing happens". Nothing should happen at that point, your template selection system is now a store selector. So before you do anything to layout_boxes you must first use the store selector to select the store you want to make changes to.

[cablesimple]

ReeFlippee,

I read through your question on the previous page. This mod would work very well for you. As I mentioned I have about 30 stores currently running on MultiSite with absolutely no problem at all.

[superprg]

I just noticed you mentioned trying to add adding layout_boxes in your previous post.

Make sure you select the appropriate template first. You said "when I go to tools and then to template selection and change it nothing happens". Nothing should happen at that point, your template selection system is now a store selector. So before you do anything to layout_boxes you must first use the store selector to select the store you want to make changes to.

May I ask where is the store selector?

[Hammerhead]

Sorry to ask a silly question, but I don't know if this module will do what I need (there's no description of how it works, really) and I just can't read 62 pages to catch up on something that may not do what I want.

I need to configure Zen to support a drop-ship business with multiple suppliers that ship from different locations in the USA. Because of the different warehouses, I need separate origin zones to calculate freight. In other words:

Store 1 is sporting goods shipping from TX via UPS
Store 2 is consumer electronics shipping from IL via FedEx
Store 3 is clothing shipping from CA via US Postal Service...

And so on.

I don't care if the items are comingled in one cart or there are three separate carts.

I need to either set up specific stores (by supplier) that will "wall off" one vendor (store) from the other and support the correct pricing based on shipping methods and zones, so that my customer doesn't think that he can comingle items from different vendors in one cart and one shipping fee.

Or, even if the mod puts everything in one cart, that's alright as long as I'm charging the right rates for freight if the mod tacks the appropriate shipping fees on to the items by vendor (or store), so that if my customer buys:

1 sleeping bag: $80 + $22 UPS from TX
1 radio: $100 + $28 FedEx from IL
1 rain poncho: $20 + $4 USPS Priority Mail from CA
Total: $254

Hope I'm making sense, here.

Thanks!

[cablesimple]

superprg,
The template selector *becomes* the store selector after installing this mod. A bit awkward.

It would be nicer, and make a lot more sense, if the admin login screen actually had a store selector pulldown.

[superprg]

I just noticed you mentioned trying to add adding layout_boxes in your previous post.

Make sure you select the appropriate template first. You said "when I go to tools and then to template selection and change it nothing happens". Nothing should happen at that point, your template selection system is now a store selector. So before you do anything to layout_boxes you must first use the store selector to select the store you want to make changes to.

May I ask where is the store selector?

Well none of that works when I go to the template selector it just show the templets nothing about the sites