mc12345678:
So I can't say that I fully follow the part about the file naming, as perhaps there is some incorrect terminology used there, but if I understand correctly, the issue could maybe be explained like this:
Multiple stores, each store has its own category structure such that the root of store1 has x categories, store2 has y categories, etc...
Some of the categories in store1 may overlap with those of store2, but the goal is to create/have main categories such that all of the product in store1 might show under a main category call it category1, the data of store2 to show up in category2, etc...
So the goal becomes, after export of product from store1, want to import/update the product in "master store" category1.
So, now the part about the category structure (covered in the instructions). The category path in EP4 is built by separating each category name with the carat symbol (^). So if one of the main categories was "first", then in the "group" store if that data was from store1, the category would need to become category1^first.
Because you would be working in a spreadsheet (Open Office recommended), it is easy to concatenate two strings together, copy and paste/etc... so you could prepend that category to all of the categories in the file. (not going to go into the basics of working with spreadsheets here, please seek such assistance via the internet.)
Now the important/tricky part is making sure that the primary key (default is products_model) from one store is different than any other primary key in the other store(s), otherwise data will get overwritten.
As to what I understand about the file naming discussion (or think I do), EP4 does not have a limit of files that can exist on the server. Next, there are a few particular names that the file(s) must have in order to process a particular way. The specialness of the filename(s) exists only in the first part of the filename up to and including ep (upper or lower case), after that, ep4 doesn't pay attention to the rest of the filename so use it as you wish and it is allowed.
In fact, it is suggested that if you download a file, that modifications made to that file are saved with a different name. Afterall, how often do you modify a backup of something instead of creating a new one from the backup?
Not sure if I answered your questions, but seemed like what was being asked.
Thanks for your response MC - maybe if I am more specific this time (was trying not to write a book).
Example:
Take the site https://www.harmonyballpendant.com - the site name indicates its primary product line so in that site the prime product, Harmony Balls, is set up with categories such as Traditional Balinese, Gemstone Harmony Balls, Harmony Ball Bracelets etc etc but not a category 'Harmony Balls' as that would be superfluous. The same applies to the other sites that I am extracting product from into the new 'mega store' - each site has a number of categories that are breakdowns of the types of the prime product which is part of the domain (e.g. TreeOfLifeJewellery.com and SterlingSilverRings.com.au) so no need for a category of that name.
So that the new site (mega store) makes sense to the user I have established 'main categories' that encompass the individual 'prime' product groups out of necessity - then in each category is sub-categories that actually represent the 'categories' of the individual source sites. So using the harmonyballpendant.com example I have created a main category for these products on the new site called 'Harmony Balls' which does not exist on the harmonyballpendant.com site - from this main category I have established sub categories that are duplicates of all the categories on that source site.
If I use the category Traditional Balinese Designs which exists on the source site to which I have just added 20 new products to since the original file generated and uploaded to the new site - so I am updating that subcategory products list, and I generate a 'new' (products complete) export file in EP4 and upload it to the new site I have no control over where it loads - it simply loads into 'categories' for the new site whereas I would like to have it load into category Harmony Balls > subcategory Traditional Balinese Designs and overwrite the existing file ... rather than have to manually add these 20 new products one by one into the new site (or change pricing on 300 items in a category) .
To solve this I can delete the existing sub category Traditional Balinese Designs and then 'move' the just uploaded new file Traditional Balinese Designs which is now a 'category' into the 'main category Harmony Balls' so that it now becomes the updated 'sub category' Traditional Balinese Designs replacing the one I just deleted. My concern, if it is one, is the potential DB issues?? with all the deleting,adding and overwriting.
This above example is multiplied by some 30 categories across 4 sites - all the categories for 3 sites so far have been successfully uploaded into the new mega store and then 'moved' into 3 newly created 'main categories' - a simple process which speaks highly of the EP4 plugin - it is just when modifying the original site 'category' it becomes an issue as described above.
I was kind of hoping there may have been a simpler way. (upload file to 'X destination' rather than just upload).
As stated, it is only an issue when modifying/adding additional products and also when prices or quantities change.
I hope this better explains my query.
cheers, Mike
