EasyPopulate 4.0 Support Thread

chadderuski:

Kevin,

Attached is a replacement easypopulate_4_attrib.php file. Give this a try.

Note that you should set Configuration -> Easy Populate 4 :: Convert Curly Quotes to 1 - Replace with Basic Characters

I tested your file and it imported correctly. I have not tested the advanced attribute import yet, but this should get you on track.

-chadd

Hello Chadd - I used easypopulate_4_attrib.php, you had supplied and imported with out any errors also. I also added prices for the size attribute through Attrib-Detailed-EP_ and it imported correctly as well.

Thank you.

chadderuski:

Kevin,

The detailed attribute import should be fine since it does not modify the options_name or options_values_name

That file MAY not work for you. I've been making a lot of changes to EP of late and you may have to wait for me to update github...

-chadd

When ever you get a chance would you please explain what is new and updated for EP4 at github. Thanks.

I originally posted this message in the "General" and someone suggested that I post it here instead.

I use Excel 2003 for configuring my wholesalers inventory file and then upload them via Easy Populate. I had my file completed and went back this morning to refine some things and my model numbers are not in Text format anymore. I have tried to use the CSV walkthrough and selected TEXT for the model number and it will only stay in General Format. Does anyone know how I can fix this, very frustrating.

Thanks
Mark

firstcapitalfirearms,

Get Open Office - it is free

Scrap MS Excel

Hi Guys,

I'm a bit confused about Easy Populate; I already use a easy populate version for ZC 1.3.8 for about 3 years. Now i'm going to set up a new shop for a new niche product.

What is the difference between Easy Populate CSV (http://www.zen-cart.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=868) and this one?

Thanks already!

Best regards,

Maarten

Kevin205:

This is how it's saved:
Field delimiter: '
Text delimiter: ""

Kevin, you're encoding should be UTF 8 which should match the encoding of your databases.

If you EXPORT your CSV file from OO with the wrong encoding, then import it into a database of some OTHER encoding, you risk getting a lot of "garbage" character in your descriptions, names, etc.

If you are on Zencart 1.5x, you are using UTF 8 unless you did something custom.

-chadd

MaartenJ:

Hi Guys,

I'm a bit confused about Easy Populate; I already use a easy populate version for ZC 1.3.8 for about 3 years. Now i'm going to set up a new shop for a new niche product.

What is the difference between Easy Populate CSV (http://www.zen-cart.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=868) and this one?

Thanks already!

Best regards,

Maarten

I cannot speak for that version. You CAN installed EP 4.0 and that other one and not have a conflict (other than possibly confusing yourself). Just note that the FILE FORMATS are NOT compatible.

A lot of custom stuff in EP 4.0, working attributes import, custom products fields, vast performance improvements to name just a few.

-chadd

chadderuski:

Kevin, you're encoding should be UTF 8 which should match the encoding of your databases.

If you EXPORT your CSV file from OO with the wrong encoding, then import it into a database of some OTHER encoding, you risk getting a lot of "garbage" character in your descriptions, names, etc.

If you are on Zencart 1.5x, you are using UTF 8 unless you did something custom.

-chadd

Hello Chad - I am using UTF-8.

Hi All!

I am new to EasyPopulate 4.0, I'm super excited! I have two questions.

FIRST:
How can I be sure I'm using the latest version? I have a ZC 151 with Easy Populate 4.0.22 - Beta 6-10-2012 that I installed a few months ago (just getting around to using it!). I checked the GitHub link supplied on the first page, but I have no clue what to look for.

SECOND:
Today I want to upload a couple hundred categories. It has about 12 top categories, the rest spread out under it. My site is currently populated with Sample Data, so I went into EP4 admin area and exported both category file types [Model/Category & Categories Only (with Metatags)].

The Category Only file is the one I want to use, but I see no way to specify path during the creation of new cats. I can see that path can be specified in the Model/Cat file (ex, Top Category^Sub1^Sub2)... but how do you do that when creating new categories?

Thanks,
Mike

That is the latest of github. I'm trying to get an update and also submit to the zencart team but time has not been cooperating.

Categories: Categories are automatically created when you import a products and specify it's category. This is the only way to automatically create categories.

Currently, the Categories Only (with meta-tags) is NOT used to create categories, but ONLY to update meta information. Use it carefully, and don't make changes to your store (like add/removed categories) between updates. This import is 1-to-1, working of the categories database ID, not the name, so be careful.

As ALWAYS! use Dr. Byte's MySQL Database Backup Tool before running an import. It will be a life saver should you mess something up :p

-chadd

Feznizzle:

Hi All!

I am new to EasyPopulate 4.0, I'm super excited! I have two questions.

FIRST:
How can I be sure I'm using the latest version? I have a ZC 151 with Easy Populate 4.0.22 - Beta 6-10-2012 that I installed a few months ago (just getting around to using it!). I checked the GitHub link supplied on the first page, but I have no clue what to look for.

SECOND:
Today I want to upload a couple hundred categories. It has about 12 top categories, the rest spread out under it. My site is currently populated with Sample Data, so I went into EP4 admin area and exported both category file types [Model/Category & Categories Only (with Metatags)].

The Category Only file is the one I want to use, but I see no way to specify path during the creation of new cats. I can see that path can be specified in the Model/Cat file (ex, Top Category^Sub1^Sub2)... but how do you do that when creating new categories?

Thanks,
Mike

Hello Chad - I don't know whether you have noticed or read this thread.

I am trying to fix the error message mentioned in the above thread by trying to place " with > & # 3 4 ;. No matter what i do i can not get > & # 3 4 ; to show up in the SQL table. (Note: i removed the space in between so it shows up here.)

As a reference, I replaced the easypopulate_4_attrib.php, as per your suggestion to eliminate the errors I was getting.

chadderuski:

Kevin,

Attached is a replacement easypopulate_4_attrib.php file. Give this a try.

Note that you should set Configuration -> Easy Populate 4 :: Convert Curly Quotes to 1 - Replace with Basic Characters

I tested your file and it imported correctly. I have not tested the advanced attribute import yet, but this should get you on track.

-chadd

Now I need to go back and place html chatracter > & # 3 4 ; for quotation marks back in. What a mess:yuck:

The error message in this thread does not tell me whether the error is getting generated from single quote or double quotes?

Any ideas?

Hi Chadd,

Thanks for the help! I was able to use the info to create a ton of categories. I love your mod! I'm really digging in today, expect to have more questions soon.

And you're right, Dr. Bytes backup mod is a lifesaver!

Thanks,
Mike

chadderuski:

That is the latest of github. I'm trying to get an update and also submit to the zencart team but time has not been cooperating.

Categories: Categories are automatically created when you import a products and specify it's category. This is the only way to automatically create categories.

Currently, the Categories Only (with meta-tags) is NOT used to create categories, but ONLY to update meta information. Use it carefully, and don't make changes to your store (like add/removed categories) between updates. This import is 1-to-1, working of the categories database ID, not the name, so be careful.

As ALWAYS! use Dr. Byte's MySQL Database Backup Tool before running an import. It will be a life saver should you mess something up :p

-chadd

Can I use Attrib-Detailed-Ep_ to to import and revise the products_options_values_name values in the zen_products_options_values SQL table ?

I know I can add to new value to products_options_values_name through Attrib-Basic-EP_.

As I try Attrib-Detailed-Ep_ it will not change the value of products_options_values_name. How can I achieve this?

When I use Easy Populate to update product discriptions I find that if the product description is in plain text that I can see the product description in the on-line store....

... but I can not see the product description in the 'product description' field when I use the admin panel to view that product.

Worse if I hit the update button I loose the description on the on-line store.

Help what am I doing wrong?

Liamv:

When I use Easy Populate to update product discriptions I find that if the product description is in plain text that I can see the product description in the on-line store....

... but I can not see the product description in the 'product description' field when I use the admin panel to view that product.

Worse if I hit the update button I loose the description on the on-line store.

Help what am I doing wrong?

OK I have solved the problem their were some characters "�'¯Â¾Â£" in the product description field that were causing the problem.

Hi,

i am trying to add this to my site, i have unzipped the files and uploaded the admin file to my root directory as well as the extra files for 1.5. when i log into admin easy populate isnt there, what am i doing wrong?

thanks

suzi

Hi,

i am trying to add this to my site, i have unzipped the files and uploaded the admin file to my root directory as well as the extra files for 1.5. when i log into admin easy populate isnt there, what am i doing wrong?

thanks

suzi

Hey, i'm sorry if this was already covered somewhere in this massive thread, but i was wondering if theres a way i could add fields from new product type that i created. its a format very similar to music, just slightly modded for DVDs, and i wanted to be able to add the equivalent to "record_companies" through easy populate. is this possible? or has anyone else done this? i don't mind modding the php a bit, i'd just need to know which files to tinker with. Thanks for your awesome work on this plugin!

sinfully:

Hi,

i am trying to add this to my site, i have unzipped the files and uploaded the admin file to my root directory as well as the extra files for 1.5. when i log into admin easy populate isnt there, what am i doing wrong?

thanks

suzi

Hi Suzi,

You are most likely not putting the admin files into YOUR admin directory. So if your admin is called "myZenAdmin" then
you have to upload the files to that directory, not the root.

-chadd

Liamv:

OK I have solved the problem their were some characters "�'¯Â¾Â£" in the product description field that were causing the problem.

These "funky" characters usually occur when you are converting text between character encodings. Open Office does a pretty good job of handling this, but you have to tell it the character encoding of the file you are opening (say ISO8859-1) and again when you export your CSV which should be UTF8 .... now that zencart is UTF8 by default.

Your databases must also have the correct encoding, which you can check via phpMyAdmin. If you did a full instally manually (not using some script from your web host), zencart will use the correct UTF8 encodings.