Zen Cart Easy Install

People reading this post should be:

1. New to zen cart
2. Do not know how to install zen cart
3. Frustrated because there are no instructions can be found

Before you read on, please note:

People who come to zen cart are here for 1 reason. They want to integrate a shopping cart in their desired website. The reason why they don't make a shopping cart of their own is because they don't know how, so they seek zen cart for a quick and easy set up.

DO NOT BOTHER LOOKING FOR HELP ON ZEN CART FORUM.

Lets just say that you are a newbie, you just downloaded zen cart, and you want to know what to do next. You go to their forums, and go to a title called support, or installation. Then you go to install in mac. Inside you find nothing that can aid you, rather, its just people with comments about problems you don't care about. You just want to install the zen cart and see how it is, but you can't! You get frustrated Don't worry.

You try to register to ask questions in the forum, but guess what, you can't. There are not register link or button anywhere. There is only a log in area but guess what? you haven't registered so logging in is useless. The only way you can find the place to register is going to log in, put in some radom username and password, and eventually a small register link will end up at the bottom somewhere.

ABOUT ME:

I was using oscommerce, and it was confusing because i'm a newbie. So i use zen cart because some site said zencart is simple. So far, i've uploaded zen cart, but don't know what the next step is. I am tired, frustrated, and have spent more than 5 hours trying to figure this out. There are no contact information, I don't want to wait for responses in forums, and I am dissapointed again. Another website with poor navigation and user friendly usability.

Here is my situation:

I use a mac, i have cable internet, i use dreamweaver, and i have a static html site up. I used dreamweaver to upload zencart via ftp. And i can't find any info as to what i'm suppose to do next.

i downloaded xammp. I don't understand php, or databases. I want to follow step by step detailed instructions.

Most of all, i am very confused as to why zen-cart.com doesn't put up a instruction as to what to do. They want people to use their software, but they don't want to go through the steps for newbies. Maybe this site isn't for newbies?

With so many people going to this site, wouldn't one step by step instruction with pictures take away all the frustrations?

Thankyou, I love the idea, but i need help. I've been trying to learn how to build a simple business website that don't need payment, i just want a shopping cart function. Any help at all will be great. Thank You!

Hello Calliente,
I apologize for the issues you seem to be having,

Did you look in the DOCS folder that came in the zen cart distro,
There is also a link for frequently asked questions,
there is a link to the wiki,
thre is this link
http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?t=37835&highlight=things+zenners

and there is the instructions on screen when you go to
https://www.yoursite.com

the installer will popup,

follow the on screen instructions along with the instructions in the docs folder,
combine that with asking a few questions and viola you have a cart,

this isnt OSC, Johnson wont come and get you here for asking a question and the egomaniac isnt here either.

Try reading the WIKI Docs and FAQs, you do have to do some reading and you can't expect everything to just happen without putting some effort into learing how it all works. What do you expect for Free software!!

http://www.zen-cart.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

https://www.zen-cart.com/tutorials/index.php

You know what? We know it's really hard when you're beginning and you don't know where to look for things and nothing works first time. Loads of people on this forum start out not knowing anything. :wacko:

There's a few things you need to know:

• You can't install an entire shopping cart in a day, get it looking your way and populate it before going to bed. :sleepy:
• You can't expect someone to sit over your shoulder while you learn to muddle through (at least not for free :wink2: )
• Get some rest - 5 hours solid staring at a computer screen isn't the best way to learn anything! (I'm English - have a cup of tea)
• Post your questions (nicely) then when you come back (well rested) you may find someone has had the time to answer and your problem will be solved.
• Expect to be at this for weeks - and go easy on yourself (and us) - you are learning something new and you'll be very proud of it when you've finished!

Good luck.

Nicely said, Bryony

If you can read and follow instructions then you can install and use ZenCart. I don't know any PHP and only have very limited basic html knowledge and I have managed to install and somewhat customize a few zencart stores all by myself.

The easiest way to install ZenCart is via an auto-installer such as Fantastico. If your host offers this, then you can literally install and have ZenCart up and running in less than 30 seconds.

At first I also installed OSCommerce before finding ZenCart, but when I tried to understand OSCommerce and thought this is too difficult for me, screw it, I'm looking for something easier to use.

If you can't use an auto-installer, simply download ZenCart, unzip it on your computer and read and follow the instructions in the DOCS folder.

Whilst fantastico is a quick way of installing, you won't necessaily get the latest version of Zen Cart. Even web hosts offering this service aren't all as good at keeping up as the guy above. So an easy and accurate way of getting a good installation is to go to a Zen Cart certified host who will do the installation for you.

this may be a really_really_basic question.

does zen cart work on osX servers?

it is just as simple as installing on linux?

aeonmedia:

this may be a really_really_basic question.

does zen cart work on osX servers?

it is just as simple as installing on linux?
Pretty much, yes.

Originally Posted by caliente
*People reading this post should be:

1. New to zen cart
2. Do not know how to install zen cart
3. Frustrated because there are no instructions can be found*

is it because he uses a mac? :smartass:

One of the most important things that is NOT mentioned in the install is really simple, unless you do not know better - if you are trying to install on a Windows server, "nuke" the .htaccess files.

Someone MUST please put that into the documentation somewhere - it just about drove this old geek nuts (I am a 66 year young die-hard professional geek and sometimes my fried old brain just groans!).

Having said all that nonesense - this beats OsCommerce against the wall, and I am NOT making fun of OsCommerce... there's probably more blood, sweat, and tears in that sweet little ole ap than are in the words of the songs Blood Sweat and Tears sang "back in my day."

Keep on keepin' on!

John Underwood

Referring back to the first post of the thread...has anybody else noticed how, time and time again, someone makes their first post a blistering attack, yet never responds to all those whose patience must be sorely tried yet have still offered the same old help and guidance again?

You nailed that one! And, thanks for using my post as an example... and I am not being sarcastic. I guess it is their way of getting noticed (smile).
Respectfully,
John Underwood

I wasn't...that's why I opened my post with "Referring back to the first post" :wink2:

lol.. time for a new thread!

:lamo:

Ryk.. i was a 'newb' at one point.. im not sure if u recall some of my first threads but they are more than worthy of being deleted!!! i guess it just takes patience.. we are all 'newbs' at one point and if that guy just refuses to cooperate then i guess HE is the one missing out.

;)

-chris

I've always been in 2 minds whether that sort of thing should be deleted, but the more I've thought about it, the more I believe it right to leave them be because newcomers will gain a much better understanding of the genuine nature of these forums if they take the trouble to read past the opening moan.

On the other hand, if they can't be bothered to go beyond that then they're probably no loss to the community anyway! :D

Ryk,

Your kind-heartedness is grand. You have taken the time to respond to my needs while at the same time provided guidance for others without being rude, arrogant, and unkind. My personal salute to you and your attitude and support.

Sincerely,

John Underwood

jund:

Ryk,

Your kind-heartedness is grand. You have taken the time to respond to my needs while at the same time provided guidance for others without being rude, arrogant, and unkind. My personal salute to you and your attitude and support.

Sincerely,

John Underwood

Damn - must be having an off day then! :D

Guys & gals

I'm in the same boat as the OP was and am having difficulty getting this installed locally on my machine.

I'm using MAMP as my test local server & I guess it's the ports that are the problem?
Under Apache I set the document root to the local file location
"/Applications/MAMP/htdocs/thatsbeadiful/catalog"
I changed all of the files access levels to read/write which I assume means setting the permissions to 777 by **right clicking ==> read/write **

Anyway, I got through all of that but when I went to Starting the Installer in the browser
"http://localhost:8888/MAMP/htdocs/thatsbeadiful/catalog/zc_install
The requested URL /MAMP/htdocs/thatsbeadiful/catalog/zc_install was not found on this server."

If any of this makes sense I question whether or not my ports are set up correctly:
**apache: 80
mysql: 3306

also:
php 5**

I really don't understand but that's as far as I can get so far. Not exciting. This was done in safari & firefox

3rd try... after resetting ports to default

**Not Found

The requested URL /MAMP/htdocs/thatsbeadiful/catalog was not found on this server.
Apache/2.0.59 (Unix) PHP/5.1.6 DAV/2 Server at localhost Port 80**

I'm very familiar with using php once it's up and running but this is my first clean slate attempt in an install.

< was going to use OS Commerce, but was referred here instead. Look forward to any help offered. I'll just take a day's break from this and come back for hopefull replies

-Andy

Andy-

Happy Holidays and welcome to Zen Cart. Did you see this post? http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?t=51102

Hope it helps.