Google Base Feeder Support Thread [OLD]

flatlanderoutfitters:

Just installed the latest version (downloaded today) 1.10.2 exactly as instructed. Go to my admin -> tools - Google Merchant Center Feeder , select feed type products, leave both fields blank (fewer than 700 products currently) click Confirm button, and everything SEEMS to work just fine.. BUT

My XML file is BLANK :censored: nothing in it - completely emty, zero-byte file.

Turned on Debug in configuration, deleted xml, tried again, and still no joy - generating the feed appears to work for all intents and purposes, but the resulting xml file is blank .. WHY!!??

:(
NOT happy!

Have you tried saving both the feed from zencart and the one that is the feed folder on your ftp program? As this happened to me and one was fine the other wasn't.

RescoCCC:

xcergy,

Enter Animals > Pet Supplies > Dog Supplies in default product category. Enter nothing in default product type.

Animals > Pet Supplies > Dog Supplies

Done!

It didn't help.

flatlanderoutfitters:

Just installed the latest version (downloaded today) 1.10.2 exactly as instructed. Go to my admin -> tools - Google Merchant Center Feeder , select feed type products, leave both fields blank (fewer than 700 products currently) click Confirm button, and everything SEEMS to work just fine.. BUT

My XML file is BLANK :censored: nothing in it - completely emty, zero-byte file.

Turned on Debug in configuration, deleted xml, tried again, and still no joy - generating the feed appears to work for all intents and purposes, but the resulting xml file is blank .. WHY!!??

:(
NOT happy!

Verify that the feed folder path is correct and that the folder permissions is set to 777.

I'm happy to report that I just installed the update on my other live site, and it worked perfectly. I'd also like to say how impressed I am with the solution Jeff came up with for the Google Product Category requirement. Simple and elegant.

xcergy:

Animals > Pet Supplies > Dog Supplies

Done!

It didn't help.

Copy and paste from the google site - so you are pasting in the > instead of the >

delia:

Copy and paste from the google site - so you are pasting in the > instead of the >

The > is correct. The > is for text feeds.

Interceptor:

A little tip for those that cant get the AVAILABILITY tag to show.

Make sure that
Show Quantity
Include Zero Quantity
are set to TRUE, then the availability tag will show in your feed.

Might save you a few hours like I just wasted :yes:

Only show quantity needs to be set to true.

I just installed the latest version from numinix on my site. works great. I still have the errors for brand. I have no brand assigned to my products. I have about 300 is there a way to set them all at once? I am an artist, so technically I am the brand.

Also The update was supposed to add the additional images. I have additional images with most of my products and still aren't seeing them in the product. Feed uploads great though. Very nice update.

bloomingvine:

I just installed the latest version from numinix on my site. works great. I still have the errors for brand. I have no brand assigned to my products. I have about 300 is there a way to set them all at once? I am an artist, so technically I am the brand.

Also The update was supposed to add the additional images. I have additional images with most of my products and still aren't seeing them in the product. Feed uploads great though. Very nice update.

Custom made items, (and your own art certainly qualifies as such), are exempt from the unique product identifiers requirement. Brand is one of those identifiers. To be on the safe side, you might want to send Google an exemption request. I did that for my site that sells collectible, and they granted it.

Have you opened the xml file to see if it has the additional image attribute in there? Mine do.

RescoCCC:

Custom made items, (and your own art certainly qualifies as such), are exempt from the unique product identifiers requirement. Brand is one of those identifiers. To be on the safe side, you might want to send Google an exemption request. I did that for my site that sells collectible, and they granted it.

Have you opened the xml file to see if it has the additional image attribute in there? Mine do.

Yes, I do have the additional image attribute. Looks good! Do I have to wait untill the product becomes searchable to see it? Only one image shows up if I look at my merchant feed products through google's manage feeds section

bloomingvine:

Yes, I do have the additional image attribute. Looks good! Do I have to wait untill the product becomes searchable to see it? Only one image shows up if I look at my merchant feed products through google's manage feeds section

I'm not seeing the additional image in either one of my feeds. Mine are searchable, but these were updates to existing feeds, and since it's basically the same products they become searchable very quickly. Perhaps it takes a little longer for the addiitional image attribute to process.

PS: Under some of them it shows the little icons that indicate images are linked, but are't showing.

flatlanderoutfitters:

Just installed the latest version (downloaded today) 1.10.2 exactly as instructed. Go to my admin -> tools - Google Merchant Center Feeder , select feed type products, leave both fields blank (fewer than 700 products currently) click Confirm button, and everything SEEMS to work just fine.. BUT

My XML file is BLANK :censored: nothing in it - completely emty, zero-byte file.

Turned on Debug in configuration, deleted xml, tried again, and still no joy - generating the feed appears to work for all intents and purposes, but the resulting xml file is blank .. WHY!!??

:(
NOT happy!

Solution: if having had google base feeder in already, double check and make sure you actually uploaded the NEW googlefroogle.php to catalog directory and overwrite the old one.. :blush::oops: Looked and saw the file in place, did not realize it didnt overwrite! so I renamed the file and re-uploaded.. now I have a populated feed accepted by google (except they warn that I don't have a brand included... now just to figure that one out.. LOL! I guess I have to set up manufacturers for all products to get the brand.. more work.. bleh. :yuck:)

I think the changes for additional images will be available on the 22nd. My attribute is is there, but my products are not yet searchable. I can not actually see any additional images but they are in the feed. just got done reading the new requirements: heres a link if anyone wants to know: http://www.google.com/support/merchants/bin/answer.py?answer=1346661 Numinix's fix and updates worked very easy. Here is the link to there as well: http://www.numinix.com/google-merchant-center-feeder

I'd just like to thank everybody who works on this mod. It is so crucial to traffic.

flatlanderoutfitters:

Solution: if having had google base feeder in already, double check and make sure you actually uploaded the NEW googlefroogle.php to catalog directory and overwrite the old one.. :blush::oops: Looked and saw the file in place, did not realize it didnt overwrite! so I renamed the file and re-uploaded.. now I have a populated feed accepted by google (except they warn that I don't have a brand included... now just to figure that one out.. LOL! I guess I have to set up manufacturers for all products to get the brand.. more work.. bleh. :yuck:)

Correct. The feed populates the brand attribute field with the manufacturer selected for the item. Of the 520 items in my feed, 197 were made by "Unknown Maker". :D

delia:

Copy and paste from the google site - so you are pasting in the > instead of the >

Yes, I tired it both ways. The results are the same.

Yes, the feed directory is correct and 777, but I am uploading directly to google via the merchant center. The xml file feed is missing the product category tag.

If there is anything I have not done was to convert Zen to UFT-8, bit I do not see that as the cause of my errors in the feed.

Looks like I need to have a Manufacturer name for each product listing for the new google feed change requirements too. Does anyone know if there is a quicker way to add a manufacturer name to all the products? Or do i need to enter every single product , select the manufacturer names and update? Is there an easier way to do this editing in My PHP

I created a test feed and the only error I received was "Missing recommended attribute: mpn". Where can i fix this?
thanks everyone for help

1. if what you output does not have the new google product category in it, something has gone wrong with your installation. I recommend removing and reinstalling.
2. Required vs recommended - refer to this table for a capsule of what is what: http://www.google.com/support/merchants/bin/answer.py?answer=1344057.
3. Mass changes - use apsona store manager at apsona.com

spawnie69:

Looks like I need to have a Manufacturer name for each product listing for the new google feed change requirements too. Does anyone know if there is a quicker way to add a manufacturer name to all the products? Or do i need to enter every single product , select the manufacturer names and update? Is there an easier way to do this editing in My PHP

I created a test feed and the only error I received was "Missing recommended attribute: mpn". Where can i fix this?
thanks everyone for help

mpn is the Products Model. That box is located under Products Quantity on the item edit page.

xcergy:

Yes, I tired it both ways. The results are the same.

Yes, the feed directory is correct and 777, but I am uploading directly to google via the merchant center. The xml file feed is missing the product category tag.

If there is anything I have not done was to convert Zen to UFT-8, bit I do not see that as the cause of my errors in the feed.

I didn't convert Zen to UFT-8 either, so I agree with you that isn't the issue. I know it's unlikely to be the cause since you've tried several times, but are you sure you didn't accidentally have a space at the beginning or the end when you pasted in the Google taxonomy?

xcergy:

mpn is the Products Model. That box is located under Products Quantity on the item edit page.

Thanks for letting me know, I overlooked it. Another one of theose blanks I have to fill out on all my products. First it was "Products Manufacturer" now it's "Products Model". Is there a place where I can edit thsses fields in the datadase directly using phpmyadmin in cpanel?

This seems to be the only issue that i have to a feed uploaded with no errors. Thanks for the quick codes fixes! You guys rock!

By the way I too did NOT “convert Zen to UFT-8, bit”. Does anyone feel that this is a must, or is it best used for dong business with foreign countries? I only sell in USA so I felt it was ok.