EasyPopulate 4.0 Support Thread

I did not yet look at the file, because there are/were other issues to address first but I'll get to that in a moment.

The htaccess file provided in the download would go into the temp folder used for file upload/download. There are other reasons not to incorporate it into the main htaccess file of the admin. The file is intended to control/limit access and such permissions are best to be applied at the point(s) where they are needed. Because this plugin only needs to access csv files in the temp (or otherwise named) folder, that folder is the only one that needs the extra rules of the file.

Now, back on the import file. It is possible to use EP4 without products_model, but it is not the default functionality. One of the first/early instructions describe that this plugin uses the products_model field as a primary key.

So what's a primary key? Think of it this way. You live at an address, your address is different than everyone else's. In order to find your house you can either provide the address or you can give very detailed directions that only someone while in the "area" can follow like the big tree on the corner, or the red house on the left. Computers don't tend to do well with the second part, but if enough data exists, it can be done. Anyways, the address of one's house is similar to products_model for EP4. It's the one "unique" piece of information that says hey, this line of data belongs with this product. Now, ZC as a database program uses products_id as the primary key. This option has been added to EP4, but, one should also realize/consider the source of data to populate the database. If it is your own entered information (not from some mass import vendor file), then go ahead, use the products_id or blank_new option (I suggest blank_new if you are not going to hard code the products_id), but even so, you don't want to end up with the same exact product listed more than once as a primary product. It can be linked, but you don't want the same product multiple times in the products table it's not good for ranking and would likely cause an inventory tracking issue.

Anyways, that's a lot of information again. The general process is straight forward. Start with one thing at a time, then work your way to many/multiple items and things. The requirements are provided in the instructions, it's how they are applied/uniquely used that makes this tool something to do things faster. There is a learning curve to overcome to gain the most benefit from it and "daily" business.

Robert Cooper:

Okay so now i have the .htt file correct that allows me to download the csv file.

What about the rest of the stuff that is showing NO Supported data files? Is this something i should worry about
Nope. It is/was added to show how files should be named if it was desired to upload a file that is/could be processed by that "filter". If it becomes bothersome, there is a setting in the configuration area so that detail is only provided for files that match the type of filter. Or you can go "old school" and completely turn off the extra information and the table at the bottom will only show the filenames, buttons and whatever other data is applicable to that row of the file...

It was a feature somewhat requested a while back because the instructions were not read or considered on a routine basis. The goal was to improve user understanding of the current status and how to at least name files that were to be used for a purpose. In part it seems to have reduced thee number of questions related to: I uploaded a featured product file and imported it but nothing changed. Can ask: does it appear immediately below the featured file(s) list or below the full products list? If not in the featured list, then won't be processed as a featured file...

Robert Cooper:

Alright as to my other problem with import. I downloaded the file opened with open office got the scrrenshot so after i opened it went to the bottom of the list added 1 item saved it kept format... the clicked on the upload ep file at top browsed for the file and clicked upload file then went to the bottom and clicked import.... it has been 3 mins and nothing shows blank screen

hope this helps....And THANK YOU for helping me

Robert

Okay, so the above image is of the import of the csv file. When you say you "kept the same format" does that mean you did a save as/export operation and applied the above settings as part of the save? Or did you just click save? There's an entire Open Office FAQ at the open office site on creating a csv file with the various delimiters to be applied.

As to the three minute import/blank screen. Well, the screen should not change until processing is complete in a routine successful operation. By it going blank, that means that something hasn't quite worked correctly. Further, it should mean that there has been a ZC error log generated and that log should be in the logs directory. You can post it, but please obscure your admin directory name as the issue is/would be admin related.

Okay i went in configuration> easy populate 4 and changed Import/Export Primary Key blank_new. did the complete products (with metatags) downloaded to my computer opened it up in open office. added a product, hit save closed file and clicked browse under upload ep file at top left. hit upload got a green file successfully uploaded. went to bottom clicked import....and it just sits there loading And finally comes to a blank page. could it be firefox that is the issue i am on a mac BTW also Should I just delete everything in the file except the headers and not keep any of my other products in there?

Robert

Robert Cooper:

Okay i went in configuration> easy populate 4 and changed Import/Export Primary Key blank_new. did the complete products (with metatags) downloaded to my computer opened it up in open office. added a product, hit save closed file and clicked browse under upload ep file at top left. hit upload got a green file successfully uploaded. went to bottom clicked import....and it just sits there loading And finally comes to a blank page. could it be firefox that is the issue i am on a mac BTW also Should I just delete everything in the file except the headers and not keep any of my other products in there?

Robert

If products_id is included in the exported file, then it would not be a problem. As to the computer type? Makes no difference as really once the file is transferred to the server, the work is being performed by the server and not your local computer. Otherwise, Open Office is doing the work on your local computer.

Couple of things, selecting save does not store the file as a proper UTF-8 CSV file. Need to select Save As, then at the bottom of the window that appears (at least on Windows) is an option to edit filter settings. Then presented with options that can be set to values similar to the image(s) above. This is also described in post 8 I think it is/was of this forum.

Again, the blank page should result in a logged error. Mentioned that have 500-600 products to add? How many rows of data are involved? Should the file be split? Certainly reducing the number of rows in the import file will reduce the possibility of something going drastically wrong, but it is not a requirement provided the data meets the expected formatting.

mc12345678:

If products_id is included in the exported file, then it would not be a problem. As to the computer type? Makes no difference as really once the file is transferred to the server, the work is being performed by the server and not your local computer. Otherwise, Open Office is doing the work on your local computer.

Couple of things, selecting save does not store the file as a proper UTF-8 CSV file. Need to select Save As, then at the bottom of the window that appears (at least on Windows) is an option to edit filter settings. Then presented with options that can be set to values similar to the image(s) above. This is also described in post 8 I think it is/was of this forum.

Again, the blank page should result in a logged error. Mentioned that have 500-600 products to add? How many rows of data are involved? Should the file be split? Certainly reducing the number of rows in the import file will reduce the possibility of something going drastically wrong, but it is not a requirement provided the data meets the expected formatting.

Well i have done save as... and same thing i have right now a total of 1327 items in my store. Maybe if you want to we can do this in PM's I would be willing to give you access to my backend just to see whats going on and would be willing to make a small donation to you rescue efforts

Robert

Okay one thing i have done on my local computer is play with zen cart and EP4 i did get it to update the products after putting products model starting at 1001 and all the way down to 2103 something like that. It put in double products with of course the new products model. I fixed that after reloading my DB now my question is (I don't mind having a product number...is there a way i can add the product number(s) with out having to go into every single item and add that under where is say qty?

So a couple of things. Unfortunately my computer's Internet is down so if I were to try to access the computer system it would basically be limited to what I can do through just a browser. Been down for 12 hours now surprisingly. Anyways, there's a few other factors to know, and one that was asked about earlier. Does products_id appear in your exported file after you changed to blank_new as the primary key, what version of EP4 are you using?

To apply a products_model using EP4 requires using some other field as the primary key. You could also use a simple sql query to apply a "calculated" value to the products_model if it is empty for example...

As to your first question I don't se a product_id in any of the downloaded files it has the following hope its not too much

v_products_model v_products_type v_products_image v_products_name_1 v_products_description_1 v_products_url_1 v_specials_price v_specials_date_avail v_specials_expires_date v_products_price v_products_weight v_product_is_call v_products_sort_order v_products_quantity_order_min v_products_quantity_order_units v_products_priced_by_attribute v_product_is_always_free_shipping v_date_avail v_date_added v_products_quantity v_manufacturers_name v_categories_name_1 v_tax_class_title v_status v_metatags_products_name_status v_metatags_title_status v_metatags_model_status v_metatags_price_status v_metatags_title_tagline_status v_metatags_title_1 v_metatags_keywords_1 v_metatags_description_1

the version number is Easy Populate 4.0.35.ZC - 04-29-2016 my products model is empty or blank but if i need to use them i can do a sql to change them to just 1001 to whatever ends up being

Corrected in the version I uploaded Wednesday and available from https://github.com/mc12345678/EasyPopulate-4.0

But if you go to your configuration for Easy Populate and add without quotes "products_id" and then export you'll be able to manage applying a products_model if you wish (primary key of products_id or blank_new), or keep using EP4 in the blank_new/products_id setting...

Or can run a sql query... :)

okay i updated to ver 36 of ep i changed to the product_id and downloaded a new file now it shows v_products_model v_product_id. so what you are saying now i can auto fill my model numbers to 1001 for the first one and it stops at 2401. when i uploaded it up and imported it it added the product models with no dups. now can i change back to product model in import export primary key? and then just add my products from there?

Robert

Robert Cooper:

okay i updated to ver 36 of ep i changed to the product_id and downloaded a new file now it shows v_products_model v_product_id. so what you are saying now i can auto fill my model numbers to 1001 for the first one and it stops at 2401. when i uploaded it up and imported it it added the product models with no dups. now can i change back to product model in import export primary key? and then just add my products from there?

Robert
You can change back to products_model and continue from there. You will need to be sure to always add a products_model as part of the new record(s), and if that products_model is the same as another, the last one "wins" meaning the data from the last occurrence of a products_model will replace the data of any previous one. Only caveat to that is if the categories name is different in a later row, then a linked product will be created for the later one, but all other data will replace the previous. So in effect would create a linked product with all data the same for all "versions" where the products_model is the same.

Otherwise, if you're just entering your own data with "minimal" updating from some source, then you could leave as blank_new and a new product would be identified as a products_id being blank, an existing product (or if you wanted to assign a specific products_id) would have the products_id filled in. Still recommend caution with that, because of the interrelationship of data in the database and it's dependency on the products_id.

Well I have all my products showing a product number now in my test store. So i did change back to product model done 1 item with the product model being 2401 and went from there it seems to have added it okay no dups or linked products. if i am seeing it correct it adds its own product id when the product is added to the store correct?

I will just keep numbering the products as 2401, 2402, 2403 etc....

Hi Can anyone help?

I have imported all of my attributes successfully but the v_products_options_sort_order column doesn't seem to be importing, does anyone have any idea why. I am so close to finishing this big import and this is the only thing delaying it now :huh:.

Below example... Everything else is fine!

v_products_options_sort_order
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
1
0

v1.5.5a
Easy Populate 4.0.35.ZC - 04-29-2016

Thanks

A little delayed in posting this, but...

Version 4.0.36.ZC has been made available for download. Patches "hidden" throughout the recent months are incorporated as well as the issues recently identified. No that doesn't mean that all of the discussion of attributes is incorporated, but there are/were some improvements made.

Download available at: https://www.zen-cart.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=2069

lindsey80:

Hi Can anyone help?

I have imported all of my attributes successfully but the v_products_options_sort_order column doesn't seem to be importing, does anyone have any idea why. I am so close to finishing this big import and this is the only thing delaying it now :huh:.

Below example... Everything else is fine!

v_products_options_sort_order
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
1
0

v1.5.5a
Easy Populate 4.0.35.ZC - 04-29-2016

Thanks
As is the case with addressing any issue, need additional context.

What is the filename (prefix up to and including the first occurrence of ep), what is the primary key? What are the values of the primary key? What is the result of providing the above sequence of sort orders?

The import file for a detailed import appears to support that operation, although in 4.0.35 there remained some bugs that had to be corrected and hence 4.0.36.

lindsey80:

Hi Can anyone help?

I have imported all of my attributes successfully but the v_products_options_sort_order column doesn't seem to be importing, does anyone have any idea why. I am so close to finishing this big import and this is the only thing delaying it now :huh:.

Below example... Everything else is fine!

v_products_options_sort_order
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
1
0

v1.5.5a
Easy Populate 4.0.35.ZC - 04-29-2016

Thanks

BTW, saw this post where the problem appeared to be that the products_model field was missing and to which the above problem appeared to be associated. If you could please clarify what is going on? If you did have the same problem as was experienced by LilleyPadGifts and have since resolved it, could you please add to that thread what was done to resolve that issue? The above message indicates that all is fine which is different than the referenced post.

Hello,

I have a question. In my product feed is it possible to list more than one image in the v_products_image column?

If possible what would the entry look like? xxx.jpg,xx1.jpg or xxx.jpg:xx1.jpg, xxx.jpg;xx1.jpg ?

Thanks
Frank

fjbern1943:

Hello,

I have a question. In my product feed is it possible to list more than one image in the v_products_image column?

If possible what would the entry look like? xxx.jpg,xx1.jpg or xxx.jpg:xx1.jpg, xxx.jpg;xx1.jpg ?

Thanks
Frank
The field can take whatever your store will be able to process provided characters are properly escaped.

For a default ZC store, the field contains the path to the base image that is then used to identify additional images. It is not the image itself, just a "pointer" to the location of the image. That pointer is then used in your store to complete the path to the picture.

mc12345678:

The field can take whatever your store will be able to process provided characters are properly escaped.

For a default ZC store, the field contains the path to the base image that is then used to identify additional images. It is not the image itself, just a "pointer" to the location of the image. That pointer is then used in your store to complete the path to the picture.

v_products_image refers to the main image and assumes the image is located in <website root>/images/ folder

if you organize your images INSIDE the /image folder, then you would add that to your image path

say your image is:

<website root>/images/books/bible.png

then you would put "books/bible.png" in your v_products_image column.

For multiple images, review the instructions here:

https://www.zen-cart.com/content.php?100-how-do-i-add-multiple-images-to-a-product

hope this helps :p