MultiSite Module Support Thread

[fotofx]

It is only cross cart if you include the sidebox..

From The Existing Docs.....

If you want to allow the shoppers to have a cross-sites cart (orders products from different websites in the same cart),
You have to display the sidebox called "site_links.php" and you have to add the sites that you want to be link by editing the file
"includes\modules\sideboxes\site_links.php".

In this file, you have to add as many add_site_link(...); as you want of site links.

[fotofx]

I went ahead and turned the sidebox on. I also included an outside link so you can see how it functions.

As long as the sidebox is off your customer can be kept isolated and it is possible to have multiple carts with the customer not having any idea it is the same company. With the sidebox on they can see the other site(s) exists.

[ideasgirl]

IMO this is one of the best features of the module. I "suggest" to have it enabled so people can see that's available.

***Lovely***

[fotofx]

Many of the modules users (and most of my customers) use the module to give the "illusion" of seperate stores.

I have one customer who has a wholesale store setup and only sells to retailers and is also running a retail store.

It is important for them to have completely seperate stores and designs but have the unified catalog for stock purposes.

There are also many dropshippers out there who have a variety of items. You may want to list their entire catalog but break it down into seperate shops. (Electronics, Housewares, Etc.)

[ideasgirl]

Question: If the sidebox is not on, and 1 person signup in one store, will they have an account on the other site?

[fotofx]

Yes.. There is still only 1 backend. But anything added to the cart in one site will not be in the other sites cart if they do not cross over using the sidebox.

The sidebox adds the zenid to the link.

[TheGuest]

Hello fotofx,

Thanks for posting this up. It surely helps.

Can you please tell me. If I have zencart installed let's say on asdf.com and I would like to add two more shops. If I follow what you provided, after successful installation I'll have total of three shops:
1. asdf.com
2. anotherone.com
3. anotheranotherone.com
The main question is - if I add two more shops do I need to add any configuration or do anything in order to keep my original asdf.com site unchanged?

Thanks,
TheGuest

I have setup a real basic multisite demo..

Default Zen Cart install.

Store 1 is using the default "classic" template.
http://multi1.zen-carts.com

Store 2 is using the "silverfish" template from the contributions.
http://multi2.zen-carts.com

Products are the sample ones provided with Zen Cart. Notice the first site has hardware and software categories. The second site has the DVD categories. Both sites share the other categories.

Here are the config_sites files http://multi1.zen-carts.com/config_sites.zip

You will find the multi2 config file has most of the defines commented out.
Uncommenting that line and making a change will allow multi2 to override multi1's default settings.

Hope this helps until I can rewrite some of the doc's.

[fotofx]

Just add a config file for each new domain and insert the site tag into each catagory you want in that shop.

[TheGuest]

Just add a config file for each new domain and insert the site tag into each catagory you want in that shop.

Hi fotofx,

I just sent you a PM. I'd appreciate if you can have a look at it.

Thanks,
TheGuest

[TheGuest]

So as I am trying to bring the main site up I have this issue:

main site asdf.com
second shop asdf.asdf.com

for now I just need to bring main site up - asdf.com
I did not modify any files but added new files to admin area and to includes. I also created a config file - www.asdf.com_config.php which has the following:

<?php
$template_dir = "cold_steel";
define('SITE_NAME','asdf');
define('HTTP_SERVER', 'http://www.asdf.com');
?>

So what happens now is that when I go to my site http://asdf.com or http://www.asdf.com it loads (on URL change) the site with products and so forth but it does not select right template. It looks like it picked up default one. Side boxes are missing as well.

I spent some time already but can't figure out why it's not picking up cold_steel template. Folder under templates is called 'cold_steel'.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,
TheGuest

Hi fotofx,

I just sent you a PM. I'd appreciate if you can have a look at it.

Thanks,
TheGuest