EasyPopulate 4.0 Support Thread

lankeeyankee:

I think another configuration option that would be very useful is to limit the export to canonical or master product only, thus eliminating duplicate linked products in the file. Currently I have to manually do this following the tip from the open office forum. Thanks for making this great module even more useful than before, I love where this has been going.

Take a look at my github master branch... Already ahead of ya'.. :) Had a few other things to fix before posting to the ZC forum (want to be able to reduce the columns that are needed when uploading attribute related files and possibly add a little direction about how to prevent changing attribute related columns to zero's instead of +'s or -'s... Something else too, I forget at the moment, but not yet ready to release as a package, but what is there works...)

Very nice, thanks!!

lankeeyankee:

Very nice, thanks!!

Do be sure though to understand that if the category is changed on one of those records before uploading that a linked product will be created whne the file is imported. Also and the obvious thing is that export using that feature will not identify whether the product is or is not linked.

It is still possible to use the status of 7 to assign the current category that is on the row as the master_category_id which will remove the product from the previous master category if it had one or will establish the then current category as the master category if there was one not assigned for some reason.

Is it possible to add the "categories_id" to the export file?
Tony

tonyreynolds:

Is it possible to add the "categories_id" to the export file?
Tony

Would have to ask what is the need for the category_id?

If you obtain the current copy of EP4 from the link above, then the export without linked product will include the master_categories_id for the product which is the same category_id for the category on that line.

I have the most recent release of EP4 installed from GitHub.

I need the categories_id to build custom pages and I use the categories_id as a separator for the differing pages.

As long as the master_categories_id matches the categories_id I am good ,but I do not see that field in my csv export.

Is there a flag or setting ge or special export master_categories_id in the csv only the category description?

Tony

tonyreynolds:

I have the most recent release of EP4 installed from GitHub.

I need the categories_id to build custom pages and I use the categories_id as a separator for the differing pages.

As long as the master_categories_id matches the categories_id I am good ,but I do not see that field in my csv export.

Is there a flag or setting ge or special export master_categories_id in the csv only the category description?

Tony

So, the export to which I was referring was the product export with no linked product. That is where the connection of category and master_categories_id is coded. To better support what you appear to want/need, would require a little more "fiddling" with the code. Specifically the categories export it sounds like. Two places to touch: the file_layout area to include the field in the file, and then in the export section of the categories to include/set the database field to the file layout so that the number (in addition to the name(s)) would be populated.

mc12345678:

So, the export to which I was referring was the product export with no linked product. That is where the connection of category and master_categories_id is coded. To better support what you appear to want/need, would require a little more "fiddling" with the code. Specifically the categories export it sounds like. Two places to touch: the file_layout area to include the field in the file, and then in the export section of the categories to include/set the database field to the file layout so that the number (in addition to the name(s)) would be populated.

Thanks. I will give things a more detailed review.

Tony

mc12345678:

So, the export to which I was referring was the product export with no linked product. That is where the connection of category and master_categories_id is coded. To better support what you appear to want/need, would require a little more "fiddling" with the code. Specifically the categories export it sounds like. Two places to touch: the file_layout area to include the field in the file, and then in the export section of the categories to include/set the database field to the file layout so that the number (in addition to the name(s)) would be populated.

Ok. I was able to edit the easypopulate_4_filelayout.php and the easypopulate_4_export.php to get the categories_id to appear in the cvs and the output propagate from the query to the csv.
I have looked through the easypopulate_4_import.php and am not sure I even need to edit the file since it already acts upon the category using the categories_name. However to be consistent I do want to leave the categories_id in the csv to be imported. Will that cause any problem?

Tony

tonyreynolds:

Ok. I was able to edit the easypopulate_4_filelayout.php and the easypopulate_4_export.php to get the categories_id to appear in the cvs and the output propagate from the query to the csv.
I have looked through the easypopulate_4_import.php and am not sure I even need to edit the file since it already acts upon the category using the categories_name. However to be consistent I do want to leave the categories_id in the csv to be imported. Will that cause any problem?

Tony
First "rule" of trying EP4: test. :)

But, that said, the only thing is if you or whomever is using the software thinks that the categories_id actually identifies to EP4 that it should act on it will it be a problem.

The software, as you have said/seen only acts on the fields/columns that are "anticipated" or needed to update what is programmed. So, I would say you should expect no problem from the software with it, but it may not match up with what one would expect by seeing the number and the name.

My apologies if this is a duplicate but I can no longer import metatags into my website.

ZC version 1.5.1
EP version 4.0.24

So the process is.... I download my csv file from EP 4, update the metatag fields using Open Office Calc, and then import the updated file into EP 4. There are no errors on the screen and it appears that the fields have been modified correctly but when I go into the individual items, the metatag fields are blank.

And this is where I go blank. I honestly can't remember if I have succesfully modified the metatag fields with EP 4 or if this was done when I was using EP CSV. My database has 5300 items and all but 600 have been updated with metatags.

My gut feeling is there is an incompatibility between these two versions but I'm not a programmer so it's difficult to trouble shoot. Any help is GREATLY appreciated.

mrcastle:

My apologies if this is a duplicate but I can no longer import metatags into my website.

ZC version 1.5.1
EP version 4.0.24

So the process is.... I download my csv file from EP 4, update the metatag fields using Open Office Calc, and then import the updated file into EP 4. There are no errors on the screen and it appears that the fields have been modified correctly but when I go into the individual items, the metatag fields are blank.

And this is where I go blank. I honestly can't remember if I have succesfully modified the metatag fields with EP 4 or if this was done when I was using EP CSV. My database has 5300 items and all but 600 have been updated with metatags.

My gut feeling is there is an incompatibility between these two versions but I'm not a programmer so it's difficult to trouble shoot. Any help is GREATLY appreciated.

Even though you're using a very old version of EP4, some of the basics should still apply. 1. Verify that in your configuration for EP4 that meta tags are being handled.
2. Be sure that the file you are downloading to modify was in fact generated by EP4 (described process doesn't specifically indicate what program created the csv), then after uploading (which isn't described), then import the uploaded file. Now. With that many records, you may need to split the file before importing so that the code doesn't timeout from trying to process too many records at one time.

thanks for the input MC. I was tinkering around and realized that row Z (v_metatags_title_status) was set at zero. I changed it to 1 and all of 3 of the metatags (title1, keywords1 & description1) uploaded and now display properly. I'm not exactly sure why that fixed the problem but I'm happy I didn't have to spend a ton of time on this! Thanks again.

mrcastle:

thanks for the input MC. I was tinkering around and realized that row Z (v_metatags_title_status) was set at zero. I changed it to 1 and all of 3 of the metatags (title1, keywords1 & description1) uploaded and now display properly. I'm not exactly sure why that fixed the problem but I'm happy I didn't have to spend a ton of time on this! Thanks again.

Even though much of the data can be transferred from file to database relatively easily, there are some things that were done because they make sense. For example why upload data about a product that isn't going to use the data? There are other ways and places to stash away data if so desired.

Glad you were able to figure it out though, the next suggestion would have been to export the data, manually adjust one item in that list, the export again and see what is different.

We're having trouble updating metatags for products. I'm unclear about the file naming convention required. I tried CategoryMeta- but get "SKIPPED! - Category ID: - Not Found!"

Using "Full-EP" results in the file importing but the metatags do not update.

This is on ZC 1.5.4 and EP 4.0.28.

Any help is appreciated.

jeking:

We're having trouble updating metatags for products. I'm unclear about the file naming convention required. I tried CategoryMeta- but get "SKIPPED! - Category ID: - Not Found!"

Using "Full-EP" results in the file importing but the metatags do not update.

This is on ZC 1.5.4 and EP 4.0.28.

Any help is appreciated.

Apologies for the delay, had to get into a position to review code from 4.0.28...

If updating product metatags, then the following must be established:
In the configuration for EP4, need to have enabled Product Meta Data.
Then, the import file needs to be one that would be processed as a full product file which is basically any filename that has the extension .csv that doesn't meet one of the "special" or unique other filters.
The field v_metatags_title_X must have data.
The value of X in the above v_metatags_title_X field corresponds to the language number (id) that is to be populated. Such number to language is shown on the EP4 screen on the right side and that number must exist in the store.
Then of course there is the ZC side of metatag information.

Beyond that, the table meta_tags_products_description is involved and if there are issues with it then it could be associated, but my guess is the metatags_title part. The latest copy still has that as an expected value to be included in the import file.

mc12345678:

Apologies for the delay, had to get into a position to review code from 4.0.28...

If updating product metatags, then the following must be established:
In the configuration for EP4, need to have enabled Product Meta Data.
Then, the import file needs to be one that would be processed as a full product file which is basically any filename that has the extension .csv that doesn't meet one of the "special" or unique other filters.
The field v_metatags_title_X must have data.
The value of X in the above v_metatags_title_X field corresponds to the language number (id) that is to be populated. Such number to language is shown on the EP4 screen on the right side and that number must exist in the store.
Then of course there is the ZC side of metatag information.

Beyond that, the table meta_tags_products_description is involved and if there are issues with it then it could be associated, but my guess is the metatags_title part. The latest copy still has that as an expected value to be included in the import file.

No apology needed!

With your answer I was able to determine the store owner removed several columns from the csv, specifically:
v_metatags_products_name_status v_metatags_title_status v_metatags_model_status v_metatags_price_status v_metatags_title_tagline_status
With those in the file, all is good now!

Thanks for the help.

Hi, I'm trying to figure out how to remove one of two categories selected for several items using EP4 All of the items were originally placed in the category "miscellaneous" but since then I have created more specific categories like "Bach" "Bartok" "Beethoven" etc. When you do a search on "miscellaneous" all of the "Bach" "Bartok" "Beethoven" items are still listed. So I want to remove them all from the "miscellaneous' category and just have them in their own unique category. I think using EP4 may save me several hours of doing this one by one. Please note: all of those items are using "miscellaneous" as the master category, so I would need to somehow change master category first. Thx

mrcastle:

Hi, I'm trying to figure out how to remove one of two categories selected for several items using EP4 All of the items were originally placed in the category "miscellaneous" but since then I have created more specific categories like "Bach" "Bartok" "Beethoven" etc. When you do a search on "miscellaneous" all of the "Bach" "Bartok" "Beethoven" items are still listed. So I want to remove them all from the "miscellaneous' category and just have them in their own unique category. I think using EP4 may save me several hours of doing this one by one. Please note: all of those items are using "miscellaneous" as the master category, so I would need to somehow change master category first. Thx

Actually, if the master category is currently associated to the product and it is desired to remove them from that category, then it takes a little bit of logic/thought, but it is simple.

Here are two scenario that would work to remove a product from a category AND ensure maintaining a master_category.

If the standard output file that shows linked product is reviewed (sorted at least by the primary key) and there are two or more entries for the product: then either 1) remove the row that includes the row having the category that is the current master_category which is supposedly also the one from which to remove the product or 2) be sure that the category from which it is to be removed is in a row above/before the one in which it is to end up/stay.
Change the products_status to a value of 7 for the row that contains the category to which to change to master_category. This will perform two things. 1) it will change the master_category of the product to the category assigned for that row and will remove the product from the category from that which was identified as the master_category for the product.

If the product is not linked (only one record in the linked product export of a full set of the database, then simply changing the products_status to 7 and the category assignment to that desired will assign the product to the category and update the master_category to be that of the same and will remove the product from the previous master_category.

There are a number of ways to evaluate, discover, etc.. information related to the above, but as said, basically the product status of 7 will assign the current row's category as the master category and remove the product from the previous master_category. So there are a number of swaps that can be made to remove the product from each linked category by assigning the product to a new master category. Any record that follows the last status change to 7 will be added/updated to reflect the data on that row.

My apologies, the answer is within the ZenCart posts but I didn't understand it the first time through. For anyone else trying to do the same thing, you select the category, and then use copy function. At the bottom of the screen you will see a "multiple categories link manager". As a suggestion, perhaps it might be easier to find this feature under the tools menu ? Anyways, it is a very clever app and (once you understand it) and it works without any problems. For myself, I was able to move hundreds of items into new categories just by entering the current category number and then the new category number to replace it with. As always, make SURE you backup your database using the backup wizard.