how do I "test drive" addons?

I am getting my store and data in order to move to 1.5. I have only used templates to this point with some minor core edits of my own. However, I am very interested in several Plugins and I am wondering if there is anywhere I could "test drive" things like Super Orders, Edit Orders and the like.

Thanks!
Chris

Why don't you install a copy of v1.5 with the template you use etc to your PC using WAMP? Then simply copy the files and database as a fallback each time you try a new mod in your wamp version, that way you aren't messing with a live store.

Well frankly that is a HECK OF A LOT WORK given that there are HOW MANY? plugins.

I was sort of hoping that someone had an example that I could look at. The descriptions work for a first pass review...but I want to see these in action and I literally do not have the time to install and test each one! lol Especially if i see that they won't work for what I am looking for.

g2ktcf:

things like Super Orders, Edit Orders and the like.

So you want to 'test drive' EVERY mod? You only mentioned two in your original post...and the like.

g2ktcf:

Especially if i see that they won't work for what I am looking for.

What is it that you are looking for?

That's just it....I am looking for any and all tools that can help me manage my business.

Even if its just small subsets of plugins we are talking dozens! If any developers are seeing this...would a test store for each mod be out of the question? Maybe not small mods but the larger ones? Or at lease examples of them being used. For me, I am sure I am more interested in Back Office type stuff today..but cross sell type stuff will be coming. Right now all you get is a text description of the mod.

Understand I am not being critical of anyone's effort...just exploring the options.

g2ktcf:

I am sure I am more interested in Back Office type stuff today.

http://www.zen-cart.com/downloads.php?do=cat&id=1
I'm quite sure you would have already read through this list, but some of the contain links to working examples or even simply screen shots to give you a better idea.
What is it that you wish to acheive that isnt already in the 'out the box' ZC?

@g2

The addons for Zen are all provided by the 'community' . There is, in most cases, not a showcase site that demonstrates them.

However, I would strongly recommend that if you are in any way serious about your business building a development version of your site. Basically this will be a mirror image of your real site. My favourite way of doing this is to build it in a sub-domain and protect the sub-domain with a password so that no-one else can see it. But a LAMP version of it is a good idea too because it does make certain aspects of testing and possibly reverting to an earlier configuration a lot easier.

It may sound like a lot of work but it is a heck of a lot less work than messing up your site and loosing business and then having to rebuild from a back-up that you did at some point in the past. You did make a back up, right?

The more closely you can keep the development site and the real site synchronised the better. That is a bit of a chore sometimes. That way it behaves both as a testing ground and as a backup. As I say, it does sound like a lot of work but isn't that bad and it is just a good professional approach to your business and may save you a ton of heart-ache and grief. The thing is that when you use Zen, and any plugins, you are getting, for free, thousands and thousands of hours of development by skilled developers. Taking the time to build yourself a development site doesn't feel like too much commitment on your side of the bargain. If your not that serious about your business then there is no need ...

Oh, and the other thing that is worth mentioning is that a whole lot of information can be gathered from the read me files in the mods. I know that for both super orders and edit orders a lot of effort has gone into those. So it is worth reading them.

We have a dedicated hosting account for all our trial stuff - on a non-public IP - so it requires adding the IP to your local machine's Host Accounts File in order to access that IP.

We have 40 to 50 installations of ZC on that server - all being used to test stuff.... templates, add-ons, bits of our own script...

We NEVER test on live sites.

We also do what niccol does... host a COPY of the site in a sub-domain (if the client requests it) password protected by a htaccess login. Here, the client can play about as much as they want to withour risking the live site. If they foul up, then we just restore a backup (our hosting service backs up servers every 6 hours and once can selectively restore folders/files).

Because every ZC site ends up being BESPOKE in its own right, it would be impractical to have a public "testing zone" for addons.

If you want to test addons, then you need your own test area.

Guys I have a duplicate of my site on my laptop and I use it for development whether that means modules or just testing possible template changes.

The question was not about TESTING A MODULE. It was about...."how do I know if this module helps my business or not". I was hoping for something like picaflor-azul's site where you can see what her templates look like. Heck, even a pdf file with "here is what this module does and how it works" would be great. Then, after I know it can help me...I can spend the effort to integrate that into both my changes and other Modules that have been added.

I know how the community works...its just the text description of some of the major add-ons leaves a lot to be desired. From what I have seen I am really on my own which is okay. I just means that I will have to have a specific need to justify the time to explore the add ons by installing them. That is something I was hoping to avoid.

Well, I am sure that that information could be improved in many ways. Why not pick a module that you like and improve the support documentation yourself? After all, it sounds easy, and that way you would be contributing to the community and making it easier for others.

g2ktcf:

The question was not about TESTING A MODULE. It was about...."how do I know if this module helps my business or not". I was hoping for something like picaflor-azul's site where you can see what her templates look like. Heck, even a pdf file with "here is what this module does and how it works" would be great. Then, after I know it can help me...I can spend the effort to integrate that into both my changes and other Modules that have been added.

In general, the principle is to keep addons TO A MINIMUM. As a rule, we don't install add-ons unless there is a compelling business reason to do so. But there are a few we install as standard:-

Image Handler
Numinix's FEC (though some clients don't want it)
Column Grid Products Listing

... which are modules that make the visit faster, easier and more efficient.... perhaps the MOST IMPORTANT consideration in an eComm site.

g2ktcf:

I know how the community works...its just the text description of some of the major add-ons leaves a lot to be desired. From what I have seen I am really on my own which is okay. I just means that I will have to have a specific need to justify the time to explore the add ons by installing them. That is something I was hoping to avoid.

For the most part, add-ons are written by "computer geeks" who are unlikely to have a Doctorate in English Grammar (or in whatever their principal language is). I agree that a LOT of the "README" information is as clear as mud in some cases, but this does not diminish the value of the contribution, nor the integrity of the person who has gone to the trouble of making it available to everyone. Many of the plugins are written by people whose first language is not even English...

Between 2005 and 2006 we had a site where we listed the then popular ZC modules (for version 1.2.7 and early version 1.3.x), and we did indeed provide more lucid explanations of how to install the module(s) and what their benefits were. Unfortunately, with the rise of 1.3, we had to abandon the site because it was taking up too much time to manage and (ironically) it was not getting much support or visits.

niccol:

Well, I am sure that that information could be improved in many ways. Why not pick a module that you like and improve the support documentation yourself? After all, it sounds easy, and that way you would be contributing to the community and making it easier for others.

Agreed. Submissions of updated plugin descriptions and/or plugin documentation files are welcome. You might even ping the contributor to help refine any submissions to ensure the best accuracy before submitting your update (or supplying them with the update to submit themselves).

Now that is the kind of info I am looking for! I know I need an order editing package of some sort...for splitting shipments as I have some items that are very long lead. However, I am not sure to use Edit Orders or Superorders for this. I will just test both of these and see how they work.

Thanks!
Chris

And I know that the person who has taken on some of the responsibility for maintaining those two particular add-ons is very open to help/advice/constructive criticism. The two read me files on those modules are worth reading but the only way that you will really come to terms with them is testing them yourself and seeing if they meet your business needs. If you do that and discover that you have things that you would like to add to the documentation then I am sure that that would be very much appreciated. The support threads for the particular mod are usually the first point of contact.

Various attempts have been made at times to create mods to split orders up. Edit orders will get you some of the way, I believe, but not all of the way. There are also mods, the name of which escape me at the moment, for creating orders for customers from admin. ( But personally I have found these a bit flaky ) . But as I say, once you have investigated Edit Orders and seen what it can do, a sensible question or feature request on the support thread is the way to go. Particularly, if it is accompanied by a serious offer of help with documentation.