How scalable is Zen-Cart?

tanya3:

From the tutorial you just brought:

This is useless to me. My entire post was about not using FTP.

Do you know of an add-on that allows me to upload all 3 images sizes via the Admin console?

Thanks!
Tanya

I realize it talks about FTP, but it also explains the naming convention necessary to make multiple images work.

gjh42:

You actually can add all of the product images via admin, though it requires a disciplined approach and can be time-consuming for large numbers of images per product.

Say you want a small thumbnail, a different size for the medium and a different image for the large.
In the product editing page, browse to the large image; in "Upload to directory: []" select large and preview and update.
Edit again and browse to the medium image, select the medium directory, preview and update.
Finally, edit, browse to the small image, select Main Directory, preview and update.

The important thing to remember here is that the last image you upload this way will become the product's base image, and must be the thumbnail.

If you change the large image or add additional images, you will need to reconfirm the base by selecting the thumbnail on the server.
Glenn, you are a genius. This is exactly what I needed (the book simply doesn't explain this topic well enough). You are correct that it requires a disciplined approach but that may be fine for lack of an alternative (or if we are not ready yet to install an add-on). We upload only a single product at a time so this is OK.

I will also examine Rob's suggestion for "Admin interface for Additional Product Images".

Thanks!
Tanya

"Glenn, your approach will not work in conjunction with IH2; since it uses its own 'bmz_cache' dir. for all images. "

True, but you would not likely be using this method if you were using IH2.

The method is distinctly slower than FTP, so is generally not a preferred way to upload images. I use it occasionally if I want to change an image and don't feel like going into Filezilla and changing settings to the site I am working on.

tanya3:

I will also examine Rob's suggestion for "Admin interface for Additional Product Images".
Update: I tried this add-on and aside from the fact that caution must be taken when copying/editing certain files (it you copy admin/includes/modules/category_product_listing.php as is it will ovewrite changes made by the hideCategories add-on), this is one of the MOST HORRIBLE add-ons I have seen:

• There is no documentation of how to USE it.
• When you try to use it, it generates a barrage of warning messages:> Warning: preg_match() [function.preg-match]: Unknown modifier 'G' in /www/yarnshop-bg.eu/www/root/admin/additional_images.php on line 232

See unanswered posting from a few months ago:

http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?t=125462

I'll stick with Glenn's instructions.

Update: Glenn's instructions don't work either.

The reason is that I organize my images in subdirectories of the main, medium and large directories.

It's impossible to use Glenn's instructions unless I flatten the directory structure, as Ajeh and DrByte said:

https://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?p=421680

http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?p=371876#post371876

http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?t=99542

So much for "Zen"...

Did I say HORRIBLE?

I am now truly sorry that I convinced my peers to go with zen-cart.

Tanya

and your store manager is not capable of using ftp? You know you can give them their own ftp access to the images folder only. If you can't teach them how to use ftp to upload the images then maybe they shouldn't to be the store manager because that job is much more complicated than ftp.

So much for "Zen"...

Did I say HORRIBLE?

I am now truly sorry that I convinced my peers to go with zen-cart.

I have to reply to this one....

Zen Cart is NOT Horrible, it dosnt fit your needs, but its not horrible and to say so is unfair to to the rest of this community.....

People have been trying to answer your questions all day,
and you have for the most part sniped, or put down every thing that has been put to you.....

In My Humble Opinion delete zen cart and put your fingers to the keyboard and write your own.....

at least you will know that its NOT Horrible......

Merlinpa1969:

delete zen cart and put your fingers to the keyboard and write your own.....
That's the standard answer whenever someone discovers how amateurish and incomplete this "zen" cart is. In my search for answers I found numerous such "standard answers".

I am not going to write my own. I will buy a commercial package and it will cost me much less than what the "zen" cart "team" is trying to charge people for fixing their bugs while claiming "these are new features".

Bye
Tanya

tanya3:

That's the standard answer whenever someone discovers how amateurish and incomplete this "zen" cart is. In my search for answers I found numerous such "standard answers".

I am not going to write my own. I will buy a commercial package and it will cost me much less than what the "zen" cart "team" is trying to charge people for fixing their bugs while claiming "these are new features".

Bye
Tanya

Who asked you for any money? Where is it stated that all the help we tried to give you today cost you anything? Please, be more rude and ungrateful. Don't let the door hit you in the backside on your way out.

cost me much less than what the "zen" cart "team"

As one of "the team" I'd be very interested in knowing who has been charging you for fixing bugs and exactly what those percieved bags are. Just because something doesn't act the way you think it should doesn't make it a bug.

While Zen Cart doesn't suit everyone, it is still one of the most powerful ecommerce programs available.

tanya3:

That's the standard answer whenever someone discovers how amateurish and incomplete this "zen" cart is. In my search for answers I found numerous such "standard answers".

I am not going to write my own. I will buy a commercial package and it will cost me much less than what the "zen" cart "team" is trying to charge people for fixing their bugs while claiming "these are new features".

Bye
Tanya

No actually my standard answer would be to either go the hell away or get smarter clients...

If you want the REAL merlin stock answer

I stick by my answer of get a smarter store manager and lock them down to the images folder only through ftp. I have reviewed yarnshop-bg.eu.....hmmmm besides sticking the images in subfolders you should learn how to resize them. I'm on business class cable and the pages take forever to load the images.

I realize this might be a moot point since the rude lady has left the building (and her "peers" can have her), but doesn't IH2 do exactly what she wanted?

I only use one image for large/med/sm so I never use them, but in the Image Handler 2 page in admin there are different form boxes for default (small), medium and large pics... Isn't that exactly the functionality she needed?

She wants sub directories in each the large/medium/main images folder which IH2 unfortunately won't address.

Yes IH can be used and have a separate large image, but she never wanted to ask questions, only criticize......

Mike was explaining to me how to do it earlier

What do you mean that you won't bend over backwards to help me use your free product to develop a cart that I will grow and prosper from all while I belittle and insult you. You should develop a better cart that people can customize and learn each and every possible contribution to in just a few hours so that we can get on with our lives. What are you people thinking???:shocking:

touche:clap:

Thanks, tat2nu.

That admin interface for additional product images mod would be pretty cool if it was fixed. :yes:

tanya3:

I will buy a commercial package and it will cost me much less than what the "zen" cart "team" is trying to charge people for fixing their bugs while claiming "these are new features".I suspect that you have accidentally stumbled across a certain company that describes itself as "the Zen Cart Team" and actually advertises itself as such, even though it has nothing whatsoever to do with the team that develops and maintains Zen Cart.

Interestingly (and irritatingly) I was working on a new client's site recently and came across one of my mods rebranded and sold commercially by the same people.

The real Zen Cart team maintains and enhances Zen Cart at no cost to you. And makes the source code available for members of this community to enhance and expand to meet their specific requirements.

If the defining feature that you need in a shopping cart is really the ability to upload a large image via the admin, then by all means go commercial. But I suspect you'll rapidly find different "bugs" in any e-commerce product and the odds of you getting a commercial company to "fix" them for free to your specification, or anywhere near the level of support and help offered here at no cost, are extremely small.