Printable, numbered gift certificates

I have searched and read several threads on Gift Certificates, but what I need is the ability to allow someone to purchase a gift certificate in Zen Cart - BUT print it out or download so it can be given to someone to use in a brick & mortar store, NOT online.

I have seen that OsCommerce has a addon to do that, but I'd like to avoid having to re-create a new shopping cart just for that feature. The OsCommerce version uses ImageMagick to create the downloadable certificate with a unique number after being purchased. I can provide more details if someone needs them, but I'd really be grateful if someone has already made this happen.

'tis the season, please help.

I would be interested in this feature as well. Usually you can port the oscommerce addon to zencart with only few modifications.

Do you have a link to the specific OSCommerce addon?

Sounds like a great addition for Zen Cart.

Here is the link to the OsCommerce add-on

LINK: addons.oscommerce.com/info/5698

I have been emailing with the developer - Ken Owens, but he has not worked with Zen Cart....yet.

If someone figures this out, please let me now.

If someone wants to do dome coding, here are the instructions for Porting the OCSCommerce module to Zencart. I had a look but strangely, the module has a lot of files. And I dont have a lot of time at the moment to look through them.

Hope someone with time is motivated.

I have little experience in PHP, but I had a look too. To me it looks like it uses a different method that Zen Cart. I looked at the address_book.php file, it looks like an actual page where the Zen Cart address_book.php is all basic "define".

Any have suggestions?

Any one have any suggestions on how I might be able to make this happen. It seems like something that many would benefit from.

Learning1:

Any one have any suggestions on how I might be able to make this happen. It seems like something that many would benefit from.

Well, depending on how important it is for you to have this feature you might want to consider hiring someone to port it over to Zen Cart for you.

I have found another Addon for OsCommerce similar to the one I posted previously and will be looking at it for possible conversion into Zen Cart. I would have thought someone else might have resolved this issue before my client asked for it. They are on a tight budget. But at least it seems they can't get it from someone else - so I'll keep digging.

in case anybody is still interested in printable gift certificates, i made my own quick & dirty solution to produce pdf - gift certificates 'on the fly'. i can include orders_id, orders_products_id, number of purchased certificates, and price (we have 5 different certificates with different prices) printed on the pdf (once you know how it's done, you can include whatever dynamic information you want). the way i solved it was to call a php file as downloadable item (instead of an actual pdf). when customer clicks download button, this php file gets passed the required arguments (orders_id, etc.) and in return calls dompdf (an easy-to-install php-based html to pdf converter - just google it) to produce the actual pdf with the required info printed on it from a template php/html file.
Let me know if interested in code, i'm happy to give away (for free of course).

You might consider putting that together and adding it to the Free Software Add Ons ... I would think this would be most helpful to people ... :smile:

started putting it together. i am just a bit worried about potential problems that my hacks could cause for a zen cart install:

1. i had to include php as allowed file extension in /pub/.htaccess => would this be a security issue?
2. i use the standard 'download by redirect' procedure, but i slightly modified the way, the name of the temporary download folder (in /pub) is generated: zen cart generates the name of the temporary download-folder as a random number, however i modified it to a shorter random number extended by the information i want to pass (orders_id, price, etc.). my 'downloadable php' file can then read this information from its own directory name and pass it on to the pdf generator. this could lead to problems if there would be another zen cart function that relies on the default 'naming convention' of the temporary download folder...

also, am i allowed to include a download of dompdf (license GNU LGPL) in my contribution?

any opinion on these points?

thanks
georgfly
p.s. i am not a webdeveloper, rather a php newbie; i'm using zen cart 1.3.9h

BUMP!!

This sounds like a really good solution!

thanks. it works and i havent had any problems with it yet. however, i havent had time make it a nice, installable package for other users. anyway, the next interesting thing to do would be to print a unique barcode on the voucher, that identifies the voucher, and then create a simple page for the administrator to scan and verify that it hasnt been used before. should be easy...

georgfly:

thanks. it works and i havent had any problems with it yet. however, i havent had time make it a nice, installable package for other users. anyway, the next interesting thing to do would be to print a unique barcode on the voucher, that identifies the voucher, and then create a simple page for the administrator to scan and verify that it hasnt been used before. should be easy...

Even if you posted the files and step by step of what you did, that would be extremely helpful. I would LOVE to have this functionality and I am sure I am not alone!

i will write up a short tutorial and include the necessary software over the weekend.

i added a new contribution 'printable vouchers' to zen cart website. it will take some time (being reviewed) before it goes online. please READ readme FIRST! i didnt take time to make installation idiot proof, so you really want to check what changes my files make to your system. and of course BACKUP FIRST!!!

looks like it takes a while for being reviewed by the zencart folks. anyway, i put it up on my ftp server for download. and just to remind people: my solution DOES NOT us zencarts online gift certificate that you can email to your friends. all it does is to let customer purchase a printable pdf that contains order id and the voucher's value in dollars or euros. you should be able to easily modify my code in order to print any other dynamic info on your voucher.
here's the link:

https://www.zen-cart.com/index.php?main_page=product_contrib_info&products_id=1977

Hi Georgfly

I like your idea of a downloadable voucher - i have installed this add on as per the read me file - but can't get it to work. If i have a regular zip file as the download it works fine if i use the gutsc431nForw.php as the download file i get the following error:-

403 Permission Denied
You do not have permission for this request /pub/.jwzymzqhnx_9_9_1_10/gutsc431nForw.php

What am i doing wrong - obviously it is permissions but i can't figure which folder:no:

Hi
sorry that you're having problems getting it to work.
anyway, start out checking if

1. your dompdf installation works and can be called from a php script via a url (just write a small test-php)
   gutsc431nForw.php should show you how to do this in principle

2. check out if you can call a test-php file inside
   /pub
   /download/gutsc431n/
   from a browser
   also, check basic read/write settings that zen cart requires for these two directories...

good luck