Ultimate SEO URLs

The fact that "SEO URLs" appears on the admin Configuration menu is evidence that it has added itself to the configuration and configuration_group tables. It's true there is no sql patch to apply, but when you first use the mod (i.e., first link internally within the store after uploading the phps), the mod quietly adds its own entries into these admin-related tables. Otherwise you wouldn't see the configuration entries in admin. If you were to browse your store's MySQL database in the configuration table, you should be able to find 17 records for this mod, starting with one whose configuration_key field has the value 'SEO_ENABLED'. You'll recognize the configuration_title value as the value that shows up on Configuration > SEO URLs as 'Enable SEO URLs?' (in English). This and the next 16 records should belong to this mod. Looking at the title and the key in combination, you should be able to verify that this is true. Likewise in configuration_group, there is a record having 'SEO URLs' in the configuration_group_title field. To remove the Spanish and replace with English, I would recommend backing up your MySQL database, deleting this record from the configuration group, along with all the (17?) records in configuration. Then upload the English mod, link within the store again, and see if that turns the Configuration > SEO URLs titles into English.

signs:

That didn't fix mine. Is there anything in the db that needs to be removed? I've tried installing/reinstalling the entire package time and again and it's STILL showing up spanish in the admin. This is driving me NUTS.

Why on EARTH didn't whoever uploaded the Spanish version make it a completely separate d/l with "Spanish" in the title??? I've been fighting what should have been a straight forward install for 4 hours so far this morning.

:censored:

this happened to me too. I just downloaded the latest version (which I didnt realise was spanish). I had to remove the database entries manually then reupload the ENGLISH version files, then when it installs itself it inserts the english database entries and all was OK again.

This was most helpful, Thank you.

I downloaded the Spanish version. Not quite as hard to fix as learning Spanish though:D.

Replaced all files on server with English version. Using mySQL interface on host (godaddy) I deleted all entries with SEO (including the cache). Browse configuration and configuration_group as mentioned. Once deleted, I just opened a page in the catalog and had English in the Configuration->SEO URL's tab.

URL's are looking good so far as well.

I downloaded and installed (on a test site) the latest, and only, version available in the download area (now renamed to Free Add Ons).
It is in Spanish, where can I get the English version??
Please help.
Thanks.

I suggest uninstalling, then install an English version.

Since this continues to trap people, let me bring all the pieces together. To covert from the Spanish to English version of the mod, you don't have to completely uninstall the mod. Here's what you can do. I wrote this up to post it here before this latest iteration of this recurring question, thus the intro remarks:

Since I had explored the Spanish-to-English problem and offered some scattered hints along the way, I thought I'd bring it all together and lay out the process in one place. PLEASE NOTE: I did not write any version of this mod and I do not offer to support it. I'm only sharing what I have learned about this one aspect that has cost people some time and grief. Hopefully, this will lessen the grief for some of you. If you have not installed the mod at all, but you want to install the latest English-language version (for ZC 1.3.8), use the link in step 1 to download the correct language version of the mod, install the entire mod as instructed in its own documentation, and ignore the remainder of these steps. But if you have already installed the Spanish version of the mod (2.106) and it's working properly except for the admin language, here's how to convert the admin portion from Spanish to English:

1. Download the English language zip file by clicking this link:
   http://www.zen-cart.com/index.php?main_page=download_contrib&contrib_id=231&update_id=6
   This is a direct URL to download the zip file in English. If for some reason it doesn't work from the forum, go to the download page for this mod at http://www.zen-cart.com/index.php?main_page=product_contrib_info&products_id=231 and scroll down to the THIRD "Download Now!" link which has Author: [email protected] and date of Jan 21 2008. That's the latest one in English (as of the date of this post).

2. Unzip the mod and upload these two files under the zen_cart_folder to the corresponding path under your store's root:
   includes/classes/seo.install.php
   includes/classes/seo.url.php
   These are the files that will replace English over Spanish for the admin records, but only in the php files. You still have to delete the old Spanish records from the database and auto-install the English records, as described in the next steps.

3. In the MySQL store database for your site, browse the records in the configuration table and delete the records belonging to this mod. There should be 17 records starting with the one whose key is SEO_ENABLED, and they will probably follow consecutively in the table. If this is the latest mod you've installed, these records should be at the end of the table. Make sure that all 17 records have "SEO" in their key values. The titles will be in Spanish, which is your other clue. Delete those 17 records.

4. Browse the records in the configuration_group table and delete the one record having "SEO URLs" as the title field.

5. Be logged out of admin, and clear your cache. (Actually, I haven't had to go through all this myself, but it's been interesting to figure out. People have said they had to clear cache, and I guess they mean browser cache. You might have to clear the mod's entries from the site's cache folder. I don't know whether you have to log out of admin, but it seems wise.)

6. Go to your store site and click a link to a Zen Cart page within the site (category, product, etc.). Make sure you see a URL that has been translated from its native Zen Cart style to the mod's SEO style, so that you know that mod has been invoked. Because the configuration records are missing from the database, the mod will automatically install its records into the configuration and configuration_group tables.

7. Go to admin > Configuration > SEO URLs. It should now be in English.

8. IF NOT:
   -If "SEO URLs" is entirely missing under the Configuration menu, try linking in the store again. Make sure you link to a URL that translates to the SEO style. If you can't see the SEO style of URL (for a product info page, for example), review the entire installation of the mod. Or, you may need to do more clearing of cache (which cache? I'm not sure), and then more linking in the store to new-style SEO URLs.
   -If the Spanish is still there, you've either skipped the step where you must delete the Spanish records out of the database, or you haven't cleared the Spanish out of cache. (Again, which cache? I'm not sure.) If clearing the browser cache doesn't do it, you could try using the "reset cache" setting in the SEO URLs configuration page in admin, which is the next-to-last setting on the SEO URLs configuration page. In English it reads "Reset SEO URLs Cache". In Spanish, something like "Restablecer la caché para las direcciones SEO". Set it to true, then clear the browser cache, and refresh the page. Maybe log off and back in. (Just some suggestions. Don't know exactly to what lengths you have to go to clear from cache.) You may need to set the "reset cache" setting back to false when you're done.

It would be better if the contribution was updated to clearly indicate the top version is the Spanish version. People will download the top one thinking its the "latest version" not the Spanish version. This is what i did and I wasted hours trying to figure how to change back to english. Thanks.

Exactly. If I find the time, I would like to package both the English and Spanish versions under clearly labeled language folders inside the same zip, and post that to the Downloads page as the new topmost version. Even advance the version number so it is clearly the latest, even though functionally it would be the same as 2.106. If anyone beats me to it, more power to them!

Thank you so much for very clear and detailed answer.
Impressive.
As I said, I installed on a test site, and, since I read this thread previously, was expecting to find some language issues.
So I backed up everything, and upon seeing Spanish in Admin, simply restored from backup, so following step 1 shouldn't be a problem.
What I would do is simply clearly separate Spanish from English, not zip them up both together, and leave the Spanish version for the Colombians to update.
Please don't take my comments as racist, language-biased or whatever buzz word, it is simply for the sake of clarity.
Now, one more question, since I got disgruntled with this mod, I also downloaded Simple SEO URLs, can somebody explain the advantages and/or disadvantages of each?
Thanks.

same here, that's so dumb that they leave the default first download as Spanish, what a unnecessary waste of time x 234902934 posts.
:wacko:

alan_powerbrixx:

Since this continues to trap people, let me bring all the pieces together. To covert from the Spanish to English version of the mod, you don't have to completely uninstall the mod. Here's what you can do. I wrote this up to post it here before this latest iteration of this recurring question, thus the intro remarks:

Woo Hoo! Thanks.

OK, so now that this issue is settled, how about answering my question?
What are the pros and cons of Ultimate SEO vs. Simple SEO?
Thanks.

There are separate threds for the comp of Ultimate vs Magic SEO mods. Just do a search...

And read the Simple SEO thread too. It outputs a bit less clean url but the approach is different....

Ultimate SEO url's are very clean looking... like it better. Just some people have problems in combination with other mods. I don't.

EZ-pages are another issue. USEO will not convert them out of the box. Many people have asked but non have posted a way to include them. It is possible but it seems nobody is willing to give the info.

Magic SEO seems to be great if you are willing to pay for. Some other modules that will work with MSEO will need to be purchased too.

I like free if it makes sense. If you look for a fully supported solution go MSEO.

If you like a new approach, save and simple and the author is back in the forum, then go with SSEO.

If you like very clean looking url as your most important priority, go with USEO.
:wink:

mydanilo:

There are separate threds for the comp of Ultimate vs Magic SEO mods. Just do a search...
Thanks for detailed answer.
I had no idea Magic SEO even existed.
I don't think I'll go that way for a very powerful reason: $$
Not that I'm against it, but, in the present depressed market, sales are very slow and don't justify an investment.
I've been trying to find comparisons but couldn't, if you could point out some threads it would be great, otherwise I'll keep researching.
EZ pages are important in my site, contrary to many commercial sites, there is a lot of content there, which is also an SEO technique.
So that would be a defining issue for me, more so than cleaner URLs.
I appreciate your answer very much, if you have any more suggestions, please keep them coming.

I know what you are talking about with expenses these days. Hard to run any business. BUT I must say this as well: Consider the cost of your lost time and effort too. Sometimes it is cheaper to pay a bit than not to. Do you know what I mean?

If you can get somewhere faster by paying $80 or screwing around with your time, what is better?

I blame myself sometimes too for falling for the cheaper solution and pay with my own time.

I guess this is more of a personal battle....

Simple SEO is not yet there in my opinion. yellow the author is back and Paypal issues seem solved but I feel it is still under development. Ultimate has the remaining issue with EZ pages and who knows what happens when Zen 1.4 is coming out? The original author is long gone...

I have been following the SEO url thing for some time. I still hope the Zen team will tackle the beast at one point soon and make it a standard feature.

Most of my stores run without any SEO url but when I settle for one I want to stick with it. Changing url names over and over again seems like the wrong path.

I think we did have a topic regarding this.

I totally agree with mydanilo point, Magic seo is more mature but it's not free, and it does have its own drawbacks.

Ultimate SEO does NOT do 301 redirection, if you have a site with ultimate seo, and the link looks like this
/car-c-54.html
try
/carsssss-c-54.html
or
index.php?main_page=index&cPath=54

Simple SEO URL does have its own drawbacks too ^_^

Hi Everyone

Question is quite simple, i allready have my zencart running, is there a way to implement this mod without reinstalling the whole website?

Or best option is to erase all data except the sql from the server, re-install zencart with SEO URL , than copy all the files and overwrite...

This looks a little scary for me as do not want to end up messing up the site...

Any comment will be highly appreciated

Thanks

Now that yellow posted here, I have a question:
does Simple SEO work with EZ pages?
mydanilo: I understand your point about spending some money to get somewhere faster.
However, in the present moment, will that expenditure get me anywhere at all, will it increase sales?
If I were sure about it, the answer would obviously be to invest, but I doubt that any SEO URL mod would have an impact nowadays.
So, I'll stick with a free one and optimize my site for search engines via content, site map submissions, etc.
Another point: I am taking my time because once I install a mod I can't take it out easily, search engines would have already indexed those URLs, so to install another one would be counterproductive.

http://demo.rubikintegration.com/zencart/

I totally agree. The most important things are:

Is your site design clean and neat to provide a professional image?
Is the navigation easy to use?
You product quality and customer service?
Do you have well written content on your site?

SEO url can help only a tiny bit, if any. For some store owners they just want the name in the links to make it easier for them to look at the pageview reports.