Apsona ShopAdmin - a free tool for import/mass update/reporting

SPembleton:

It sounds like you are doing the same thing that I am doing. When you upload the file, and go to the next screen(2. Set up Fields), does Apsona think it is updating the "Enabled" column? In other words, Apsona identify any of the columns listed as Enabled?Which fields are you trying to update?

I'm not sure what you mean by "enabled". I have to match each input field with one that is already in the DB.

I hope the image shows up, never tried this before.
The next page it Validates each field. The next page after that shows how many are ready to be inputted and how many are rejected.

All that is left is to import them into the DB. Today I was able to import 2200 new items without a problem.
This is just too weird.

Originally Posted by harlyman
Again today i was going to do an update to 4 products and i triad to use apsona for this job, but again my site is down, and apsona gives me an error that server not responding, this is second time in a row that i get a problem with my site if i use apsona to do any updateds, since the last time i have only used zen-cart admin, and it all works well, now its all down again just by trying to do anything in apsona.

since my other site still is up and working, tells me that it has to be something with the db tables for this site, since its not able to load anything from them, are you sure there is nothing in apsona that can block or lock down any of the tables? so my webserver and mysql is able to ready from it?
I wondering what was the resolution to this issue. I can't seem to find it. I can update 1000 products and turn around and update just 4 and get this error.

"The server is not responding. Please check your network connection. Status: error"

I've had my host check that the sql server is up and running and they report everything is fine.

How was this fixed?

Thanks,
Gary

I am having the exact same issues! It is very frustrating!!
My host reports everything is fine as well. Has anyone figured this out yet?

I started out by exporting my existing database out from Apsona as a csv file, which I then make into an Excel file. I then make all of my edits for my database from that file, convert it back to csv and upload it via Apsona. That way all of the column headings match the field titles in Apsona and in my database. Most of my updates are prices (I sell items made of silver which have volitle pricing.) Since most of my updates only involve price, I just update the columns that need updating.

When I add a product, I use the same Excel file, fill in the info in all of the columns, export just those new items to a csv file and import them into my database via Apsona.

One of the fields in your database is "enabled?" If this is set to 1, it is enabled. If it is set to 0 is is not enabled. Something has to be changing that parameter. I would look to see if you have a column in the file that Apsona thinks is the enabled field. Your screen shot above does not show all of the field headings, so I am not sure.

In the example you have above, I am not sure why you have so many columns the say "Do Not Import". I think if you do what I suggest above, have your update file only include the fields that you want to update (plus the identified field , such as model or product), and use the same titles in the update file that you have in the file, it will work smoother.

Try this, if you are still having trouble, post again. I will continue to work with you both if needed.

SPembleton:

I started out by exporting my existing database out from Apsona as a csv file, which I then make into an Excel file. I then make all of my edits for my database from that file, convert it back to csv and upload it via Apsona. That way all of the column headings match the field titles in Apsona and in my database. Most of my updates are prices (I sell items made of silver which have volitle pricing.) Since most of my updates only involve price, I just update the columns that need updating.

When I add a product, I use the same Excel file, fill in the info in all of the columns, export just those new items to a csv file and import them into my database via Apsona.

One of the fields in your database is "enabled?" If this is set to 1, it is enabled. If it is set to 0 is is not enabled. Something has to be changing that parameter. I would look to see if you have a column in the file that Apsona thinks is the enabled field. Your screen shot above does not show all of the field headings, so I am not sure.

In the example you have above, I am not sure why you have so many columns the say "Do Not Import". I think if you do what I suggest above, have your update file only include the fields that you want to update (plus the identified field , such as model or product), and use the same titles in the update file that you have in the file, it will work smoother.

Try this, if you are still having trouble, post again. I will continue to work with you both if needed.

One of my issues seems to have cleared itself up.
Yesterday and today I’ve been able to update existing products and it did not produce de-activated products. I don’t know what has changed, only that it has been working the last two days.

That only leaves the problem “Server Not Responding”.
I’ll be adding about 3000 new products to the store this afternoon and I’ll update everyone on how that turns out.

One possible reason for the Server Not Responding error is that Apsona is time sensitive, and if the Server does not respond in a certain amount of time it will throw up an error.

Gary

gxjenkins:

One possible reason for the Server Not Responding error is that Apsona is time sensitive, and if the Server does not respond in a certain amount of time it will throw up an error.

Gary

I have noticed that Apsona seems to stop if I navigate away from it to another tab (I use Firefox).

I also wonder if it has anything to do with the timeout settings for the admin cart in v1.5. Before you start the upload, navigate back to the admin page, do something to reset the timeout clock on the admin page, then navigate back to Apsona and initiate the process. The other way to get around the timeout on the admin page is to go to "Who's online" and set it to refresh every minute. That will reset the clock.

SPembleton:

I have noticed that Apsona seems to stop if I navigate away from it to another tab (I use Firefox).

I also wonder if it has anything to do with the timeout settings for the admin cart in v1.5. Before you start the upload, navigate back to the admin page, do something to reset the timeout clock on the admin page, then navigate back to Apsona and initiate the process. The other way to get around the timeout on the admin page is to go to "Who's online" and set it to refresh every minute. That will reset the clock.
I think you maybe on to something there. At least for most people getting that error. Increasing that time out setting could fix most of the time out error.
For me I think its because my host has setup an Abuse Monitor so we can track down what is taking too long.
I'm sure it is the way Apsona accesses the DB. I opened Apsona and it opened normally. Clicked on Products and it showed all the products on the left hand side of the screen. All normal. Then I searched for a test product and Apsona started its search. The search gave me the Server Not Responding error. At the same time I started the search in the store Admin area I started a search for the same test product. It was stuck on searching until after I closed Apsona. Apsona did not return a results for the search instead I got an error. In Admin the search did return a results, but not until I closed Apsona, and the search took more than 275 seconds.
To get around that I stopped doing searches in Apsona.
I was able to update 2715 products with out an error, or de-activating any products.

But on a test update I updated just 2 products and it was successful, but now they can't be found in the store.
They were showing in the store before the update and now after the update you can't find them. I found the problem by finding them in the DB. They don't have a Category associated with them. The update deleted the Category information.

The updated information was just Model, Name, and Number of items in stock. The two items are:
Melon Shell
Large Murex Shell
They are both in the DB and enabled but have no Category listed.
I have tried to recreate this and so far have not been able to. I updated 2700 products since then and it looks like all are still there. So, maybe it was just a hiccup.

I'll let you know more later. I still plan to add 3000 new products. I just hoping there are no issues with that.

Gary

gxjenkins:

But on a test update I updated just 2 products and it was successful, but now they can't be found in the store.
They were showing in the store before the update and now after the update you can't find them. I found the problem by finding them in the DB. They don't have a Category associated with them. The update deleted the Category information.Gary

You may want to insure that those two are the only 2 that do not have category info. If you create a filter in Apsona to find all of the products where category is empty, you can then use Apsona to add the category info.

One additional thought. Are you running on a linux server? If so, make sure that all of the names have the correct case. Linux is funny that way - lots of things seem to be case sensitive.

Is there any possibility that the file that you are uploading includes a column labeled category or master category and has a blank or a space in that field?

Good luck. It seems that you are getting closer

Just to update everyone on how this is going I’ve found that Apsona is importing the new records and updating existing records. At least until it shows the error message, and then it stops.

The problem is in the Category field. It is not being updated or set with new records. All the other fields are being set or updated.

It appears that Apsona must be waiting for some kind of acknowledgment from the write, or update process and it never comes so it throws an error that the Server Is Not Responding because the process has not completed.

I’ve decided, for now at least to move the store. Although the speed of the site is outstanding, I believe this problem is connected to the Server.
In any event I’ll know once the site is moved.

Ok just installed it.

The first page of Apsona "the dashboard", the reports etc are showing in US date format, is there a way to change that?

gxjenkins:

Just to update everyone on how this is going I’ve found that Apsona is importing the new records and updating existing records. At least until it shows the error message, and then it stops.

The problem is in the Category field. It is not being updated or set with new records. All the other fields are being set or updated.

It appears that Apsona must be waiting for some kind of acknowledgment from the write, or update process and it never comes so it throws an error that the Server Is Not Responding because the process has not completed.

I’ve decided, for now at least to move the store. Although the speed of the site is outstanding, I believe this problem is connected to the Server.
In any event I’ll know once the site is moved.

Tonight M. A. Sridha from Apsona and I did a screen share to check out Apsona to see if we could figure out why the ‘Server Not Responding error keeps popping up when updating or importing new records.

Using Firebug to watch what Apsona was doing while doing an import of 10 records shows Apsona is doing what it should, or at least it did tonight.

The Test file only had 10 products and they were imported as new records. Because I changed the Category in the test file Apsona created the Categories and imported all 10 as normal complete with categories.

After that I went back to the original file which has 251 products and tried to import. The import failed after importing 110 records and all of them were missing the Category field.

I deleted those and changed the Categories just enough that Apsona would see them as new Categories. Using the same file all the Categories were created but none of the products were created, and I got the ‘Server Not Responding error after 100 records.

I'd have to say the SQL Server is not working with Apsona. It has been but now something must have changed.

Gary

gxjenkins:

Tonight M. A. Sridha from Apsona and I did a screen share to check out Apsona to see if we could figure out why the ‘Server Not Responding error keeps popping up when updating or importing new records.

Using Firebug to watch what Apsona was doing while doing an import of 10 records shows Apsona is doing what it should, or at least it did tonight.

The Test file only had 10 products and they were imported as new records. Because I changed the Category in the test file Apsona created the Categories and imported all 10 as normal complete with categories.

After that I went back to the original file which has 251 products and tried to import. The import failed after importing 110 records and all of them were missing the Category field.

I deleted those and changed the Categories just enough that Apsona would see them as new Categories. Using the same file all the Categories were created but none of the products were created, and I got the ‘Server Not Responding error after 100 records.

I'd have to say the SQL Server is not working with Apsona. It has been but now something must have changed.

Gary

The testing I did today and using Firebug shows Apsona is running into a 500 Internal Server error.
I've passed this along to my host and hopefully they'll be able to figure out why.
In the meantime I'm looking for new hosting.

Just an update to let everyone know how this turned out. The store has been moved to a new Hosting account and it and Apsona are working well together.
I have no doubt my old hosting company will work out the kinks in their sql server. They just need more time to tune it to work with high demand applications.
Yesterday I was able to upload 5k new products with any problems.

Gary

I have a ZC139h and Apsona ShopAdmin version v1.07.1-b1103152126

Earlier today I did a product update. The file I uploaded had only 2 columns: Prod ID and META KEYWORDS.

This added all the keywords, just as expected. But for some reason all my meta prod titles got switched off.

So I restored the backup, all my meta titles came back. Then I repeated the same update with the same results (titles disappear).

I am completely stumped. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Mike

The products table requires a 1 in the metatags_title_status and metatags_products_name_status fields.
Perhaps your Apsona import just requires that you supply values for those fields in order for it to import a non-zero value, instead of resetting it to 0.

Please can someone help me with the issue of unresponsive script? I have been trying to upload to my site but keeps on getting that a script on the page may be busy or stopped responding. The reference to the rogue script is: Script:http://shopadmin-svc.apsona.com/ec/z...2126.min.js:12

Your response would be highly appreciated.

Thanks

Perhaps your Apsona import just requires that you supply values for those fields in order for it to import a non-zero value, instead of resetting it to 0.

Wow... great idea! I'm trying it now. I added two column, values set to 1. Current import includes:
Product_ID, Meta_Keywords, Meta_Tags_Title_Status

Though I made a column of 1's for the Product_Name_Status, there is no matching value for it in Apsona!

Grrr.

We'll see if it works. Do you know of a way to add fields to Apsona?

NOPE! All my titles get switched off again! I bet it would work if I could add Product_Name_Status to Apsona.

poola:

Please can someone help me with the issue of unresponsive script? I have been trying to upload to my site but keeps on getting that a script on the page may be busy or stopped responding. The reference to the rogue script is: Script:http://shopadmin-svc.apsona.com/ec/z...2126.min.js:12

Your response would be highly appreciated.

Thanks

You could use a Firefox plugin named Firebug to see what is happening and maybe see why it becomes unresponsive.

Just install Firebug and start it just before you start your import. Hopefully you will see when it stops responding and you'll have more information you can take back to your hosting support or here.

I hope that helps.

Is anyone using Apsona to generate a feed file for Google?

If you are please let me know how you're doing this. I do a Full Export, but there are still things missing like the url, and upc, to the product.

Thanks,

Does Aspona work with ZC 1.5?

Isn't there a link in Apsona admin which takes one back to the ZC interface?

I can't find it...