EasyPopulate 4.0 Support Thread

Kevin205,

1- To revert back, can I just re-install the database files, or do I have to re-install the entire site?
The database is not truly "files"
Just use phpmyadmin and select the database and drop all tables
Then import your database backup sql
2- Also I am not getting "Easy Populate" under "Configuration", It is under the "Tools". How can get that to show?
If you are not seeing ep under config and tools - you have not installed it correctly

BTW: How did you upload the csv if not through the admin??

kobra:

The database is not truly "files"
Sorry tables.

kobra:

BTW: How did you upload the csv if not through the admin??

As I mentioned, I do have and see **"/Admin/Tools/Easy Populate" **, but do not see **"/Admin/Configure/Easy Populate" **. I uploaded through "tools/Easy Populate".

Please ignore my prior 2 posts as I messed up.

I had installed "easy_populate_csv_for_zencart_v1.5.x_v1.2.5.7c" instead of "EasyPopulate-4.0-master" plugin.

I am really sorry for that!

Hi All, I have largely succeeded with one minor problem. Some of my product descriptions have been cut short (I think by Excel, not by EP). So, my question is, can I use an EP full product import to update these fields, or does it only insert new entries?

Hey Gurus,

I am using:
EP 4.0.22 - Beta 6-10-2012
ZC 1.5.1
Open Office

1. After install, EP4 shows under dropdown "configuration", but not within tools... I have to manually type in the full URL to get to easypopulate_4.php

2. Once I downloaded the "Complete Products" CSV file, I opened it, added in my test products and categories and such, then uploaded again ... I used FTP to bring it in, refreshed my cache, and received "File Import Completed!" But all I have are categories, but no products.

I attached a screen shot that shows both points, as well as my CSV file.

Thanks to all you... impressive support within this thread.
Chad

http://www.chadaustin.com/garagebooktesting/csv/Full-EP2013Jan21-115952.csv

ChadAustin:

Hey Gurus,

I am using:
EP 4.0.22 - Beta 6-10-2012
ZC 1.5.1
Open Office

1. After install, EP4 shows under dropdown "configuration", but not within tools... I have to manually type in the full URL to get to easypopulate_4.php

2. Once I downloaded the "Complete Products" CSV file, I opened it, added in my test products and categories and such, then uploaded again ... I used FTP to bring it in, refreshed my cache, and received "File Import Completed!" But all I have are categories, but no products.

I attached a screen shot that shows both points, as well as my CSV file.

Thanks to all you... impressive support within this thread.
Chad

The most likely scenario is that you did not install EP 4 properly.

For ZC1.5.x, you need to make sure that you FIRST load the " admin " elements, into your "admin" folder (which is named differently).

SECONDLY, you need to load the elements in the folder called: zencart 1.5 extra files You DO NOT just load this folder... ! Open it, and see what directory PATH is involved.

Then, read the README file for activation instructions.

EP will not function properly simply by appending** easypopulate_4.php** to your admin URL

WebweaverD:

Hi All, I have largely succeeded with one minor problem. Some of my product descriptions have been cut short (I think by Excel, not by EP). So, my question is, can I use an EP full product import to update these fields, or does it only insert new entries?

Yes, you can re-run the import and it will update the entries. If you have more than 256 characters in your description, Excel will cut this off. Use Open Office to retrain your long descriptions.

I don't know if any of the newer versions of Excel ever fixed this.

Thanks Chad,

I will do that, I am still having trouble with open office though, it's better now I've update Java but still crashes a lot - must have some issue with my setup. Hopefully is will stay open long enough for another product import. Thanks again for all your help in this thread... and of course for the plugin.

When importing categories, is there an option to specify a specific sort order?

Just started a thread related to this mod, thought I would put it out there..

http://www.zen-cart.com/showthread.php?205158-Idea-for-Easy-Populate-any-takers

Hey Chadderuski

Been using EP4 to export data very successfully and this weekend I started a script to convert data into CSV's . Now I have some questions about the upload process . I am trying to upload a Attrib-Detailed-EP.csv and reading the thread I notice that I need to upload a Attrib-Basic-EP.csv first .

So I am just guessing that EP4 uses the v_products_model field as a unique identifier to update the fields of the product. Also that all three CSV files need to be uploaded Attrib-Detailed-EP.csv , Attrib-Basic-EP.csv and Full-EP.csv to get all product details and attributes.

Also looking at a the Admin/Tools/Easy populate 4 . There is a report to download : "Complete Products (with Metatags)" . But on opening it there is no metaTags included in it . Is there a way of uploading metatags with the CSV files and if so what are the column header names ?

Also with v_products_attributes_id and v_products_id in the Attrib-Detailed-EP.csv file . Are these auto number generated in ZC and I leave out those columns . Or do I need to provide some input ? I noticed on my site that there is a split in numbers between each column.

Thanks for a great product and hope you can help with the questions above :smile:

Paul

Hasher:

Hey Chadderuski

Been using EP4 to export data very successfully and this weekend I started a script to convert data into CSV's . Now I have some questions about the upload process . I am trying to upload a Attrib-Detailed-EP.csv and reading the thread I notice that I need to upload a Attrib-Basic-EP.csv first .

So I am just guessing that EP4 uses the v_products_model field as a unique identifier to update the fields of the product. Also that all three CSV files need to be uploaded Attrib-Detailed-EP.csv , Attrib-Basic-EP.csv and Full-EP.csv to get all product details and attributes.

Also looking at a the Admin/Tools/Easy populate 4 . There is a report to download : "Complete Products (with Metatags)" . But on opening it there is no metaTags included in it . Is there a way of uploading metatags with the CSV files and if so what are the column header names ?

Also with v_products_attributes_id and v_products_id in the Attrib-Detailed-EP.csv file . Are these auto number generated in ZC and I leave out those columns . Or do I need to provide some input ? I noticed on my site that there is a split in numbers between each column.

Thanks for a great product and hope you can help with the questions above :smile:

Paul

Hey Paul,

Carefully read through the docs, I think it will answer some of these questions. Also, if you read back a few pages, I covered this again. Please read these and I'll clear up any questions. But real quick, the BASIC import is for CREATING your attribute names/values and assigning to a product id, the DETAILED is a 1-to-1 UPDATE for EXISTING attributes. You first upload the BASIC, then download the DETAILED (edit to your liking, but do not modify the first several columns), and then upload the DETAILED to set values on existing.

Start with only 1 product with 1 attribute option name/values. Import the basic, download the detailed and this should make sense.

Note that you cannot use the DETAILED attribute file to CREATE attributes. This is only done at the BASIC stage. Oh, yes, you first need to import your FULL csv to create the actual products.

If you are not getting the Meta-tags, go to Configuration -> Easy Populate 4 and there should be an option to enable them. Not everyone needs them and it simplifies the file.

I am trying to modify the Categories MetaTags using ZC 1.50 and EP4.0.19 - Beta 1-28-2012. I downloaded the file, CategoryMeta-EP2013Jan28-114334.csv, sorted it, and then added in MetaTags and uploaded and imported back in and got all my categories and subcategories recreated at a top level. No tags were entered. So if I had originally:

Category A
---->Brand A
--------->Model A
--------->Model C
---->Brand B
--------->Model B

I ended up with the following structure:

Brand A
Brand B
Category A
---->Brand A
--------->Model A
--------->Model C
---->Brand B
--------->Model B
Model A
Model B
Model C

I ended up having to go in a deleting these new "extra" categories (which were empty). Any idea what I might have done wrong? I uploaded the same file name as I downloaded, as I know this is important to getting it to work properly. I recall getting this to work at one point and the regular product upload function works flawlessly.

Thanks!
Brian

Brian Anderson:

I am trying to modify the Categories MetaTags using ZC 1.50 and EP4.0.19 - Beta 1-28-2012. I downloaded the file, CategoryMeta-EP2013Jan28-114334.csv, sorted it, and then added in MetaTags and uploaded and imported back in and got all my categories and subcategories recreated at a top level. No tags were entered. So if I had originally:

I ended up having to go in a deleting these new "extra" categories (which were empty). Any idea what I might have done wrong? I uploaded the same file name as I downloaded, as I know this is important to getting it to work properly. I recall getting this to work at one point and the regular product upload function works flawlessly.

Thanks!
Brian

Brian,

Did you modify any categories after you download the catetories meta file? This should have only worked on the v_categories_id and sort order should not have mattered, but I'll have to look at the code (it's been ages since I've looked at this section).

I recommend that you install Dr. Byte's MySQL backup tool ... ALWAYS do a backup before running imports. It makes fixing these issues easy.

Also, under Store Manager you should optimize your data bases. Just deleting a category doesn't remove it from the database.

-chadd

I installed EasyPopulate 4.0 Beta to Zen Cart 1.5.0. When I try to download a file I exported, a "Authentication Required" box comes up. I assume this has something to do with permissions of the temp folder I created (which, as suggested in the readme, I renamed "merges")? Or, is that supposed to happen? If so, what user name and password should I use? The cPanel ones? or, the site admin ones?

Here is what the module shows on the Configuration Settings on the right:

Configuration Settings
Upload Directory: merges/
Verbose Feedback: TRUE
Split Records: 2000
Execution Time: 60
Convert Curly Quotes: No Change
Convert Char 0x92: Basic
Enable Products Metatags: 1
Enable Products Music: 0

seattleannie:

I installed EasyPopulate 4.0 Beta to Zen Cart 1.5.0. When I try to download a file I exported, a "Authentication Required" box comes up. I assume this has something to do with permissions of the temp folder I created (which, as suggested in the readme, I renamed "merges")? Or, is that supposed to happen? If so, what user name and password should I use? The cPanel ones? or, the site admin ones?

Here is what the module shows on the Configuration Settings on the right:

Configuration Settings
Upload Directory: merges/
Verbose Feedback: TRUE
Split Records: 2000
Execution Time: 60
Convert Curly Quotes: No Change
Convert Char 0x92: Basic
Enable Products Metatags: 1
Enable Products Music: 0

Hi Annie,

Well, are you sure you have my version? I don't think I ever said to rename the temp folder to merges...

What is the title of the page when you go to Tools -> Easy Populate 4? My version is only on github.com at this time:

https://github.com/chaddro/EasyPopulate-4.0

Brian,
Do you think you could zip and then attach your csv? I was looking at the code for the categories meta-tags and it SHOULD NOT be importing anything new. The code IS in there with the note that it should never get called. What this make me think is that your categories_id is somehow getting misinterpreted.

Here is one test for your. Export your categories csv, then (without downloading/editing/modifying) import it. There should be no changes...

-chadd

chadderuski:

Hi Annie,

Well, are you sure you have my version? I don't think I ever said to rename the temp folder to merges...

What is the title of the page when you go to Tools -> Easy Populate 4? My version is only on github.com at this time:

https://github.com/chaddro/EasyPopulate-4.0

Sorry if I wasn't clear. I thought the readme recommended renaming the temp folder. Not to "merges" specifically - that was my idea. Anyway, yes. I am, using your version, Chadderuski. But would naming the folder cause this authorization verification issue?

~anne

chadderuski:

Brian,
Do you think you could zip and then attach your csv? I was looking at the code for the categories meta-tags and it SHOULD NOT be importing anything new. The code IS in there with the note that it should never get called. What this make me think is that your categories_id is somehow getting misinterpreted.

Here is one test for your. Export your categories csv, then (without downloading/editing/modifying) import it. There should be no changes...

-chadd

Nope. On further investigation, there is no provision for adding a new category_id... specifically, it displays an error if it doesn't find that particular category_id...

Now i'm really puzzled!

It is in your install.txt file:

Now go to Configuration -> Easy Populate 4 and edit the Uploads Directory. The default directory is "temp/"
This assumes you have a directory "temp" in the root of your website. I highly recommend that you
move your temp directory into your admin, or change the name to something that is obscure for security reasons.