Imported 1.37 customers table not showing details in 1.5 admin

Hi

I have imported the customers from the old 1.37 database . Customer names /zcadmin/customers.php came through but in 1.5 all the fields are empty including customer names in individual customer records.

Other thing is little blue pointer is no longer is pointing the customers when I select.

Any ideas?

How EXACTLY did you import?
WHAT EXACTLY did you import?

You SHOULD NEVER directly import ANY table data from an older version to a newer version without FIRST doing an upgrade on that data, using zc_install.

And I'm guessing you didn't import all the tables related to customer data. Hence the question about WHAT you imported.

First from the old site within phpAdmin I have exported the 'customers', then in the new version I have imported the same table 'customers' . As I have mentioned , customer names came through when they are all listed in the admin under 'customers' but none of them are showing including the customer names in their individual detail customer page.

New version is totally new install on a different domain name.

As to 'you didn't import all the tables related to customer data' how many are there and what are their names?

How did you arrive at the decision to "only import customer data", instead of converting the entire store from the old version to the new version?
A proper upgrade involves upgrading the entire store, not just picking and choosing small bits of data.

I wasn't upgrading the site. This is a new site with the same client. They asked me to import their existing customers from the old site to the new site under a new host/domain account.

One would think/assume (and will never ever assume again) that since the old customers belonged the same client I could import them into the new site using version 1.5. How difficult it needs to be. Customer data record in the old version 1.37 should be the same data in the new version 1.5. Data isn't that old.

Not sure what I should have done reading what you are saying.. enter each customer into the new 1.5 version one by one? ..hope not but at least this should be an easy process or at least some instructions how to do. You are saying 'Never' do this and 'Never' do that and nothing will EVER get done. I need solutions please.

I strongly disagree with most peoples' choice to selectively choose random tables to import into their store. Because data usually gets missed because the process isn't thought out well enough.

And I always disagree with importing from old versions to new versions without FIRST upgrading the old data to the new structure. Because otherwise data gets lost. Especially because the INTERNAL DATABASE STRUCTURE GETS CHANGED BETWEEN VERSIONS, and a direct import of the data WILL NOT WORK correctly without being upgraded first.

You've arrived at this situation because of both of those.

But IF YOU MUST import only old customers (and NOTHING else), then this is what I'd do (from version 137 to 150):

1. install v150 and run zc_install to set up an empty store (choose SAME db-prefix as your old 137 store used)
2. create ANOTHER NEW SEPARATE TEMPORARY DATABASE whose ONLY purpose is to upgrade the data
3. import your old 137 data into that TEMPORARY database
4. again, make sure your DB_PREFIX matches the data you just imported
   ** 5. run zc_install AGAIN and choose database-upgrade, and complete the steps to bring it up to 150**
5. export (backup) the now-upgraded database for safekeeping
6. do another export of ONLY the customers, customers_info, and address_book tables
7. DELETE THE TEMPORARY DATABASE
8. now you can import the data from step 7 into your other 150 store.

CAVEAT: if your customers had used any non-standard (default) country/province/state/region/zone selections, you'll need to also import those tables into your new 150 store. This is one of many possible "exceptions" which can complicate things, and which drives the importance of NOT doing things this way at all ... but instead doing a proper upgrade of the ENTIRE STORE.

Ref:
http://www.zen-cart.com/wiki/index.php/Developers_-_Database_Schema#Customer_Information and related sections

oavs:

This is a new site with the same client. They asked me to import their existing customers from the old site to the new site under a new host/domain account.In the interest of privacy policies and "use of data" practices, I hope you've asked your client whether all their customers have given consent for their information to be copied into a new website.
At least ask the question to be sure they've considered the implications of doing so.

DrByte:

In the interest of privacy policies and "use of data" practices, I hope you've asked your client whether all their customers have given consent for their information to be copied into a new website.
At least ask the question to be sure they've considered the implications of doing so.

Yes I will remind them even though it is not my position to do so. I can not question my client's actions. Responsibility surely lies with them. But then again you have a strong valid point and thank you

Thank you for your detail instructions. I will try to attempt and follow it through. Only one thing, I have installed 1.5 through 'Softaculous' and can't see the 'install' folder on the server. Is it hidden? or I can just unzip the latest version and upload the install folder.

During the installation/upgrade it is looking for admin in the wrong folder. Installation/upgrade process saying -
admin/includes/configure.php = NOT FOUND

That is because it is in the xxadmin/ folder.

it 'assumes' it is named 'admin' . Which file defines 'admin' folder so that I can change it's location?

oavs:

Yes I will remind them even though it is not my position to do so. I can not question my client's actions. Responsibility surely lies with them. But then again you have a strong valid point and thank you

I think it is also your responsibility, because you are the one doing the actual migrating. I do not know the exact laws about this, but it could surprise you how far responsibility reaches.

oavs:

Only one thing, I have installed 1.5 through 'Softaculous' and can't see the 'install' folder on the server. Is it hidden? or I can just unzip the latest version and upload the install folder.You will need to download the official Zen Cart code in order to get the zc_install code.

oavs:

During the installation/upgrade it is looking for admin in the wrong folder. Installation/upgrade process saying -
admin/includes/configure.php = NOT FOUND

That is because it is in the xxadmin/ folder.
The "database-upgrade" step doesn't require access to the admin configure.php file. So you can ignore that warning if you're only doing a database-upgrade.

oavs:

I have installed 1.5 through 'Softaculous' and can't see the 'install' folder on the server.I know it seems like we're all trying to beat you about the head, neck, and shoulders but we've all been there.

Over eight years ago, I migrated to ZC with a pretty good background in several languages except php. I tried every shortcut in the book thinking I knew this stuff and it should follow methods I had used before. Just a little "translation" and it would work.

There really are no shortcuts in methodology or learning. The more knowledgeable the individual in code or database, the more damaging the shortcuts taken.
Unfortunately, your first major mistake was made for you by your host providing a "shortcut" for loading Zen Cart. IMO No reputable Zen Cart host would provide such a product. It's very likely that the automated install will continue to haunt you until the next upgrade or a time when you are willing to regroup.

You do owe A LOT to your customer. Not the least of which is a properly finished product. Since things have gone wrong from several directions, please consider a regroup and do-over. Download a current 1.5.0, open the docs folder, click on index.html, and follow the steps. You will not only be of great help to your client, you'll learn a lot along the way.:yes: