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Product Description Character Limit

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10 Jun 2013, 3:21 PM
#1
snowbird32 avatar

snowbird32

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Product Description Character Limit

Is there a place to increase the character limit on Product Description? When I try to add my product description in text format not WYSIWYG I am only allowed to put a short description otherwise the description just disappears! I see it when I hit update then when I view online there is no description?? Then I go back in to view and the description is blank! I can put just a few sentences... I appreciate any help!!

10 Jun 2013, 4:03 PM
#2
kobra avatar

kobra

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Re: Product Description Character Limit

This is not how a default install acts

Please provide the additional about your install - scroll up when replying and read - then provide the additional information

10 Jun 2013, 5:11 PM
#3
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snowbird32

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Re: Product Description Character Limit

Sorry for not including enough information I tend to say too much so I tried to keep it brief. I hope the following helps:

Version :
Zen Cart 1.3.9f
Patch: 1::
Database Patch Level: 1.3.9a
v1.3.9a [2010-04-28 12:57:15] (Version Update 1.3.8->1.3.9a)
v1.3.8 [2009-10-19 06:55:01] (Fresh Installation)
Server : Host Monster
My cart has a lot of custom revisions by me (extreme amateur) but it has been working fine for me for years! I recently installed Easy populate (the only new element /change to my cart design in years) so I thought that may be causing this new problem. So I attempted to remove those files and this did not fix my problem. For some reason I can only get a few sentences to ‘stick’. When I exceed a certain limit I do not know it because it does show up when I am hitting the update in my front end But, when I view my site there is nothing in the description field.
Here is the page/product . That’s all I can get ….I usually include a description but now I am no longer able to without it removing all the text..
http://www.wholebodystore.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=17&products_id=184

Thanks so much for offering to help!!

10 Jun 2013, 6:57 PM
#4
kobra avatar

kobra

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Re: Product Description Character Limit

Check your cache file for debug log files

10 Jun 2013, 7:40 PM
#5
snowbird32 avatar

snowbird32

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Re: Product Description Character Limit

kobra:

Check your cache file for debug log files

My cache file does not show any files for this year? Do I have to turn this feature on?

10 Jun 2013, 9:59 PM
#6
kobra avatar

kobra

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Re: Product Description Character Limit

It has been a while since I used the version you are using so I do not know if you need this or not

http://www.zen-cart.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=606

11 Jun 2013, 4:20 PM
#7
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lhungil

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Re: Product Description Character Limit

Zen Cart by default uses the "TEXT" type for storing descriptions... And the limit is usually around 65,536 bytes... Even with a character encoding of UTF-8 (typically 1-3 bytes per character), this is a large amount of text. If you need more space, you can change the field to type "MEDIUMTEXT" (up to 16,777,215 bytes), but your database size will grow considerably.

Some additional items which may impact the ability to store long descriptions:

  • Various MySQL settings (such as memory and max_allowed_packet)
  • PHP settings for post data (post_max_size)
  • PHP settings for maximum execution time (max_execution_time)
  • Security limits / filters imposed by the hosting provider

MySQL typically will throw a warning if it needs to truncate the data... The Zen Cart debug files and any server logs (Apache/IIS, PHP, MySQL, etc) will usually help track down potential issues... You can also look for any modifications to your site which differ from stock Zen Cart.

11 Jun 2013, 5:45 PM
#8
snowbird32 avatar

snowbird32

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Re: Product Description Character Limit

WOW! Thanks for the great information!! Hopefully I will be able to run the debug and see exactly what is going on!