Setting up Downloads

Forum Angels,

I am revisiting ZenCart-land with a new installation after a two-year hiatus and cannot get a product to be downloadable.

This is a plain vanilla installation on a UnixLinux server, with Simple Scripts, default template and no customizations. Everything is current.

So far, I have set up a test category, with several dummy products (without special characters or spaces, and zipped). The product is uploaded to the download folder on the server. I have enabled downloads and set the php "download by redirect" to true.

When I make a test purchase, I click on the test download product I am directed to "product_info&products."

I click on "add this to my cart" and am directed to "shopping cart."

When I click on "go to checkout" I am sent to "checkout_payment."

I click on "continue checkout" and directed to "checkout_payment."

Here, I click on "confirm the order" and sent to "checkout success" without receiving a link to download.

I have added attribute names (color, size, shape) and attribute values (red, green, blue) but don't see how this changes the products' download capability. In Admin->Catalog->Attributes Controller, I do not have a download product or list, nor a green dot. When I try to add the download product again, I get this error message: ##Duplicate Attribute - Attribute was not added - : TEXT

I looked through this forum, and have read through the ZC Manual (written for v1.3.7.1) and the current update, and the FAQ's https://www.zen-cart.com/tutorials/index.php?article=71, and https://www.zen-cart.com/tutorials/index.php?article=292.

Also, instructions differ on whether " /pub" permissions should be "755" or "777."

Thanks in advance.

Check that the order status is not "Pending" for the downloadable product or the download link will not appear.

See the following FAQs for more information.

• https://www.zen-cart.com/tutorials/index.php?article=40
• https://www.zen-cart.com/tutorials/index.php?article=121

caciquer:

I have added attribute names (color, size, shape) and attribute values (red, green, blue) but don't see how this changes the products' download capability. In Admin->Catalog->Attributes Controller, I do not have a download product or list, nor a green dot.
As per https://www.zen-cart.com/tutorials/index.php?article=71, you need to actually specify the download filename when setting up the attribute you're assigning to the product. It's not enough to merely choose a combination of name+value pairs: you need to also set the filename.
Then, you'll see those filenames listed in the Admin->Catalog->Downloads Manager along with appropriate green dots.

Only then will the files actually be attached to new orders when those attributes are selected and added to the cart before purchasing.

canopy:

Check that the order status is not "Pending" for the downloadable product or the download link will not appear.

Thanks for the reminder. I forgot to mention this in my post. I used the Zen Cart FREE CHARGE CARD. Free download products should not even get to the shipping options.

Gentlemen,
Thanks for your feedback, which is much appreciated. I have checked both the "pending" status and revisited Article 71.

Here is what I have done and screen shots of the results:
Admin > Catalog > Option Name Manager
http://www.astrodates.com/photos/name.png
Admin > Catalog > Option Value Manager
http://www.astrodates.com/photos/option.png
Admin > Catalog > Options Controller
http://www.astrodates.com/photos/controller.png
Store > Checkout_Success
http://www.astrodates.com/photos/result.png

Happy to have your feedback.
Thanks again.

You're not setting it up correctly.
It doesn't matter what words you put into the Option Name or Option Value.
The filename is specified inside the Attribute where you match up the names and values:
In the Attributes Controller, you need to scroll all the way to the bottom of the page where it lets you enter the filename of the downloadable file.

After you do that, you'll see the files listed in the Downloads Manager, and then they'll show up in checkout. Until you do that, you're skipping steps and not going to get the desired results.

(Ladies and) Gentlemen,

Thanks for your help. Here is my progress report. I am understanding this better and am closer to connecting, but not there yet. I hope you may be able to see what I'm doing wrong from these screen shots.

Admin > Catalog > Attributes Controller
http://www.astrodates.com/photos/controller_bottom.png
http://www.astrodates.com/photos/controller_middle.png
Note the error message at the top of the Attributes Controller page.
http://www.astrodates.com/photos/controller_top.png

Store > Checkout process
http://www.astrodates.com/photos/store_product.png
http://www.astrodates.com/photos/store_product2.png
http://www.astrodates.com/photos/store_product3.png

Again, thanks for your help.

1. Your "Download" --- "zip file" attribute is the one to which you need to be attaching the zip file, not the other one.
2. TEXT attributes are for display only. They are not purchaseable. Use radio or checkbox or pulldown types instead.

Thanks again,

Now I am thoroughly confused. I don't know which one you are referring to or which one I need to change. If I make changes to this I will not remember what I did or why.

I know this is so obvious to you that it's hard to know what I am missing.

I think it would help if you could site a specific page (i.e. Admin > Catalog > Option Name Manager), and be more specific. Perhaps you could notate my photos (put "this" "there") and circle "there." I did not make any TEXT attributes. I did use a download drop-down.

This is from Article 71:

"To add a Download Attribute to a product
1. Go to Option Names ... and create an Option Name that is either Radio-button or Drop-down ...
Call it something like:## Download"

I went to the Option Names Manager and made a product called covers.zip with the Attribute of "download."

2.	Go to Option Values Manager and add what you want to call it ... 
example: Zip File
If you have multiple choices you could have these as the Option Names you create:
- MS Word Zip
- Note Pad Zip
- etc."

Then I went to the Option Values Manager and gave it a Value of zip.

3.	Go to Attributes Controller and find the Product ...
Add the Attribute as:
1.	Option Name: Download
Option Value: MS Word Zip
Sort Order: 10
Filename: (enter name of file you uploaded to the## /download folder)
2.	Option Name: Download
Option Value: Note Pad Zip
Sort Order: 20
Filename: (enter name of file you uploaded to the## /download folder)"

Then I went to Attributes Controller and linked the product to the name and value. Well, that's what I think I have done, but obviously I don't understand what is required. I really appreciate your time with this and I'm sure this must be as frustrating for you as it is for me.

Here are screen shots:
Admin: http://www.astrodates.com/photos/controller.png
Store: http://www.astrodates.com/photos/store.png

Is there any progress? Sure wish you could look over my shoulder or me look over yours.

Progress! Report

I noticed that I had two downloads in the Download Manager page, so I went to the store and "purchased" the item again and then noticed it said that downloads weren't available until the purchase was confirmed. So I went into Admin and updated the order. When I went back to the store, and refreshed the page, I did have a download link!

However, I'm not sure what I did to make it work yet, and I have another problem.

I received an Internal Server Error message.

Here is what is happening today:

I am continuing to work with download files. I have re-read article 71, added more test products, then experimented with different ways to make them downloadable. (I also somehow managed to delete the only file that did work. Sigh...)
Here is a screen shot of the download manager:
http://www.astrodates.com/photos/attributes.png

Can anyone help me change the TEXT to Download, or better yet, help me add that to begin with?

Thanks again.

Here's the video version of the Tutorial "article 71" you were talking about:
http://www.zen-cart.com/videotutorials/tutorial-download-attribs-139.mov
https://www.zen-cart.com/tutorials/index.php?article=71
Does this help clarify things?

Yes!

(Ha. Forum says that was too short. Replies need to be at least seven characters.)

What step were you missing?

Thanks again.
Not sure. Maybe this additional problem will shed some light on my learning curve.
Sorry to be such an overachiever in the help category. I will work on this, but help is always greatly appreciated:
http://www.astrodates.com/photos/store.png
http://www.astrodates.com/photos/backend.png
Best,
Rand

I'm not sure I understand what problem the pictures are trying to say.

I have several different downloads connected to the same name/photo. I'm not sure what I did wrong yet.

I have watched the video again several times. I make one download fine. Then I go to make another of the next file. Every time I make another download for another file, it gets attached to the first file. I tried making the ON Downloadable File1, 2, etc and the OV Zip Format1, 2, etc. But when I view them in the store, I have several separate downloads attached to one file. Sheesh!

To apply the same kind of download to another product, you do not need to create new option names again. And maybe not even any additional option values either.

If product A has "mariah.zip", then use the Attributes Controller to add the Option Name "Download" along with Option Value "Zipped File" to that product, and specify the "mariah.zip" filename.

Then to assign "bronco.zip" to product B , use the Attributes Controller to add the Option Name "Download" along with Option Value "Zipped File" to that product, and specify the "bronco.zip" filename.

That's what I thought I was doing....

I would highlight the NEXT photo, assign the appropriate ON and OV to it, enter the NEXT corresponding download file and click insert. Then I go to the store and they are all attached to the FIRST photo.