how to handle custom parts/products?

Hi our situation is different than most. We have a custom php process that a customer goes through to select raw materials to build a custom product. The materials required and dollar amounts are calculated by this process. Is there a way to send that info to zencart so when they click to order the description and dollar amount is sent to zencart then right on to the credit card gateway without them entering any products etc.. in zencart?
thx!
Steve

I guess you could extend your custom script a bit to insert the customized product (in a hidden category) and then redirect them to the shopping cart with the item already added. They will probably get redirected to the login page and after they do that, fall into the checkout stream at the right place.

kiddo:

I guess you could extend your custom script a bit to insert the customized product (in a hidden category) and then redirect them to the shopping cart with the item already added. They will probably get redirected to the login page and after they do that, fall into the checkout stream at the right place.

Thanks for taking the time to reply...

That's exactly what I was thinking... Do you have any guidance how to accomplish this?? To autoload the shopping cart etc?? also to get shipping calculated etc.. I'm sure there is something I would need to set in order to make zencart away of weight..
Thanks for your help!

Your script I'm guessing has already figured out the weight, cost and other parameters of the purchase, use that info to insert a product record into the products table, products_description table, and an entry in products_to_categories table.

After you write the new record to products, call mysql_insert_id() to get the new zen record id and use that to write the other two tables I mentioned.

Now do a little searching of other threads about how to put your new item in the shopping cart and send the customer there. Better things have been written about that than I can do now on my coffee break.