EZ populate Install Question - Procedure order

Hi,

Am about to go live with ez but have a procedure question.

Have been working on a duplication issue - mostly solved - if you want to see it for additional information it is here:

http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?t=175392

But to get down to the short of it, one of the steps suggested to build my catalogue then export my ez data so I would have it set up properly on my spreadsheet.

Question:

When I install EZ will it over-write the info there or use the data currently found an incorporate it into the EZ data? This is for those people who already have existing items already.

or in my case since I'm doing a rebuild,

Is it better to install the EZ, then set up via my admin (i.e. 1 product/category, etc) then export it to temp or should I go ahead and build the store slightly? I'm thinking it's this one.

You can just install EP on the existing store, a local test copy I hope!, and download the file to get the correct file and format. Use that downloaded file as your template, you can delete everything below row 1 unless you plan on modifying the existing products. You won't affect any current products by installing EP, but do it on your exact clone test site to make sure there are no bugs/clashes. I see a lot of threads with problems with EP, so in my opinion (but I haven't tried many of these later revisions) it's best to stick with 1.2.5.4.

I have had no problems using EZ 1.2.5.4 to add categories and sub categories, but when attempting to moving cats or sub cats, EZ pop will not delete the old category, Rather, it will add the new cat linked to the old. This can create a mess.
To move products to a different category without duplication, I have downloaded all, used excel to sort and trim off all but the products I want to move. Save a copy of these products in Tab delim form. Then I delete all products I am moving by changing status from 1 (active) to 9 (delete). Upload via EZ. This deletes them out of the old cat first.
Last, I open the file in excel and change the categories to the new locations and upload the same file again with a status 1 (active). Now the products are in the new category.

Yep - did it today - installed - then set up cats - 1 product each exported - then entered in all info after the fact - works great :laugh: