SitemapXML v.2

[Zean]

Just makes your life easier by automating the process.

Hey ckosloff, small world, eh?

It's great to have a sitemap generator uniquely tailored to zencart. I'm trying to evaluate software and/or services that helps with sitemaps for search engines. I imagine some have many thousands of users that have already worked the kinks out. Have you reviewed the others at the google site? I was hoping that because SitemapXML was written specifically for zencart that it would, for example, provide better coverage and/or include more intelligent processing based upon zencart insights and/or allow greater control over the generated sitemap or other features.

Reading the thread, I was surprised to find out, if I understood correctly, that urls from "define pages" are not included in SitemapXML v.2. That would be unfortunate if true, since I have installed the "Editable Sidebox" mod and have significant content in it that is essential for my SEO efforts. I believe that mod (although, frankly I may not know what I'm talking about) is based on an extension of the Define Editor.

Do you or anyone else have additional thoughts or comments based on my muddled thinking at this point?

If so, I'd love to hear it. Thanks to Andrew and the rest of the community.

[RaySpike]

Hi, Nice add on

But I have a question.

When you go to te page_not found url you'll get the 'old' zc sitemap.

How can we retrieve this sitemap with his variabeles

[ckosloff]

When you go to te page_not found url you'll get the 'old' zc sitemap.

You are confused, the xml file is only for the search engines.
The internal workings of Zen Cart will always point to the html sitemap.

[creamcrackers]

Hi

Umm
I followed the install instructions, uploaded the files ran the patch (copy and pasted)

Then under admin, configuration i can see an area called "Sitemap XML" NOT "Google Sitemap Configuration" as stated in the install instructions...

OK there are some settings there, not sure what to do there...

Then in the install instrcutions go to Admin->Tools>Google XML Sitemap well that isnt there at all!!!! There is no label for that.

Also i look at the sitemap files in my ftp and they all have zero filesize. OK now i see that i need to chmod the 6 xml files... done. I then went to my browers mydomain.com/sitemapxml.php and its written the sitemap files

Still nothing under Admin Tools about sitemaps at all.

How do i submit these sitemaps to the search engines? Will the pick them up automatically

any ideas please? the file i downloaded is sitemapxml__formerly_google_sitemap_2-1-0\sitemapXML

[ckosloff]

sitemapxml__formerly_google_sitemap_2-1-0\sitemapXML

That is the correct file.
You will only see Sitemap XML in Admin->Configuration, references to Google Sitemap are obsolete.
If you don't see anything under Tools, chances are that you didn't upload all the files in correct location.
Double-check carefully.
Install.sql you have to paste into Tools->Install SQL patches and click Send, you will get a success message in Zen Cart.
Automation is achieved via a cron job.

[creamcrackers]

Doh!

It didnt work because I had renamed my admin folder. I uploaded the admin files into my newnameadmin folder and it worked.

I created a webhosting tools account at google, verified my site and submitted sitemapindex.xml for the sitemap

I created a robots.txt file and pointed it to sitemapindex.xml

Is that it? Do i need to also submit the OTHER sitemap files to Google or is that enough? Do i need to make a reference to AALL the sitemap files in robots.txt or is sitemapindex.xml enough?

I created an account at Yahoo, verified my site and submitted sitemapindex.xml as a FEED

I hope i understood correctly.

For the benefit of people using Simple SEO URL mod...


I made some changes to my aliases and then refreshed the cache but when i went to the XML sitemap link it didnt work so i went to my browser and typed in

http://your_domain/index.php?main_page=sitemapxml

It told me that theres werent any changes to my categories sitemap.. but there were. I checked the xml file and they were pointing to my old aliases. I couldnt get it to update.

So i opened the zip file i had downloaded to install SitemapXML mod and overwrote the blank xml files up to my webserver overwriting my sitemaps

Then back to my browser http://your_domain/index.php?main_page=sitemapxml and it rebuilt my sitemaps with the proper links

I am having problem with the Admin > Tools > Sitemap XML tool for rebuilding the sitemap (yes i already have chmod 777 for the sitemaps)

So to get it to rebuild i just type http://your_domain/index.php?main_page=sitemapxml into the browser and it works ferfectly

[ckosloff]

Is that it? Do i need to also submit the OTHER sitemap files to Google or is that enough? Do i need to make a reference to AALL the sitemap files in robots.txt or is sitemapindex.xml enough?

sitemapindex.xml is enough, but no harm if you also submit the other sitemaps or reference them.
In the Tools menu, you should click on Step 1 to update sitemaps, you do see the menu, right?

[creamcrackers]

Thanks

Google webmaster tools is now saying it found 200 urls but saying none of them are indexed... is that something i need to wait for (being a bit impatient)

[creamcrackers]

I am also wondering if this is going to be good to get me Sitelinks in google (those category lins you can see by some sites listing) because it has a seperate sitemap for catgeories. That might be good?

[creamcrackers]

Here is a strange thing

<loc>http://www.gogoflorist.com/romance-thailand/timeless-beauty</loc>
<lastmod>2009-05-16</lastmod>
<changefreq>weekly</changefreq>
<priority>0.34</priority>

the last mod date is 16th may, not today 16th august so its 3 month out of date i checked the server date time and is correct.