Google Base Feeder Support Thread [OLD]

I have been through this thread, and have not seen a posted solution to this error:

ERROR: fy_un_tp is not a valid feed template

Is there a fix for this.. I am running the latest version of this mod (v1.7.4)..

limelites:

UPDATE I tried uploading my feed as two seperate .xml files, but for some weird reason, both files were missing 20 items. So, I was getting 305 of 325 inserted in each file! It seems that no matter what xml file I upload, Google Base is refusing 20 items every time.

Has anyone experienced anything like this before, or know what could be wrong or where to start searching for a solution?

One of my problems was with image size. Google wouldn't show an error, just not list the products. For some reason, the code would insert my _LRG images and not the thumbnail images. I edited the code so only the smaller images would be used and that solved the problem. My smaller images are 120px X 120px and under range which is what Google wants.

Firstly, I love this contribution. What a great way to increase revenue to a site.

However (isn't that always the case), does anyone else have a problem with the googlefroogle.php page timing out? I have a lot products (13k) but not a lot of them are active (6k). I wouldn't think that's so many as to bog it down.

davewest:

You have to add some code to the xml sanitizer to make a change. I used the sanitizer to change the " to in for google, leaving my web site as is.

I'm at the station fire in CA, when I get back to my PC I can list the change for you.... it's a simple add a line to the code.

Davewest, I am very interested in the line of code. On the other hand I wonder why even sanitize? I see other competitors upload titles with " . Why can't we just leave them there and not sanitize them out at all?

I searched through this thread, so I apologize if this question has been asked before.

I use the feeder and create the file, then upload it to google base. Google base accepts the file.

The problem I am having is the descriptions for each product do not properly show the HTML coding. It bunches it all up with no paragraphs etc. The text is fine, its just the html code seems to not properly take.

Any suggestions?

mydanilo:

Davewest, I am very interested in the line of code.Me too.. I am interested in this code too..:yes:

Hi, We installed Google Base Feeder to a clients ZenCart. To be honest with you, I have no idea what it does. With my busy schedule I haven't even had time to figure this out.

In any case, here is an error I'm getting. Any clues as to what it means?

Google Base Feeder v1.7.4 started 2009/09/25 15:18:28
Feed file - /home/hostingname/hosted/sitename/store/feed/domain_news.xml
Processing: Feed - Yes, Upload - Yes

Error: News and Article Module not Installed!

Thanks

Ok, the issue I had above has seemed to resolved itself. Now do I need to do anything else or do I have to upload a .txt file like the tutorial on googlebase.com says or is it automatically done now?

Thanks

mydanilo:

Davewest, I am very interested in the line of code. On the other hand I wonder why even sanitize? I see other competitors upload titles with " . Why can't we just leave them there and not sanitize them out at all?

I format my descriptions and titles using HTML tags. I also use some tags to keep from having errors in MySQL server such as commas and quotation marks. I'm using the RSS 2.0 format for my Google feed which has problems with some HTML tags within xml. On top of it all, Google has it's own formatting you need to consider if you want your feed to display at all. Thus the need for sanitizing it.

Unfortunately, theirs not an easy one fix for all users solution, lest for my limited coding ability. All my quotations are tag as " and for some reason, the & is removed during sanitizing leaving me with quot; which errors in Google. My fix was with this line in \includes\classes\google_base.php Look for the function 'google_base_xml_sanitizer'

$str = str_replace(array("<", ">"), array("<", ">"), $str);
```with this one

$str = str_replace(array("lt;", "gt;", "quot;"), array("<", " &qt; ", """), $str);

Theirs nothing wrong with the code, just with how my titles and description are coded and my refusal to modify 3000 products just to please google.

Ladybug:

Hi, We installed Google Base Feeder to a clients ZenCart. To be honest with you, I have no idea what it does. With my busy schedule I haven't even had time to figure this out.

In any case, here is an error I'm getting. Any clues as to what it means?

Google Base Feeder v1.7.4 started 2009/09/25 15:18:28
Feed file - /home/hostingname/hosted/sitename/store/feed/domain_news.xml
Processing: Feed - Yes, Upload - Yes

Error: News and Article Module not Installed!

Thanks
If you click the link to create a news feed, you must have the news module installed as per the error message.

wagnerguy:

I have actually verified those things.. the only thing that i noticed was that when i deleted the "wp folders" in the directory, then tried to run the feed. i got an error that basically said that froogle was looking for a wp file to finish running the feed.. I added the folders back but deleted some individual files that were not referenced in the warning.

dgarrett20, how did you fix it?
I've tested the following solution with the Google Base Feeder and found that my implementation guide to integrating Wordpress with Zen Cart will not cause the blank pop-up issue that plagues all users of the WoZ module.

A lot of work is involved, but it works very well. This guide has been implemented on the Numinix Blog.

Hey,
Is it possible for the output to be just a regular .txt file (ie. delimited) instead of XML? I want to modify some of the data in the file for another storefront (make a few changes), but Excel won't open the .xml file ... it says it's not a standard Excel .xml file, adn I open it as text and it basically just shows the XML file, but not in columns/rows.

fmckinnon:

Hey,
Is it possible for the output to be just a regular .txt file (ie. delimited) instead of XML? I want to modify some of the data in the file for another storefront (make a few changes), but Excel won't open the .xml file ... it says it's not a standard Excel .xml file, adn I open it as text and it basically just shows the XML file, but not in columns/rows.
Use Easy Populate if you just want a .txt version. The .xml can be opened using any web browser.

I get a google base configuration in my admin but when i go to tools there is nothing there.what up?

terius:

I get a google base configuration in my admin but when i go to tools there is nothing there.what up?
The files were not properly uploaded

So Im not sure if this has happened to anyone else but Googlebase changed their site. I have it set to alert me if anything does not get completely processed when it grabs my file and this week I didnt get one. So when i went back to their site, they basically deleted my .xml file and made me create everything else again??

And now their directing ppl to use google merchant center? Is this in any way going to affect the feed file that is created? Has anyone else noticed this yet?

OK...i found my product listings and yes, they were all on the new google merchant center pages. Its nice of them to at least inform users that hey, you dont have to redo anything we just moved it.

This is what they have on their site...

Is Google Merchant Center replacing Google Base?

No, Google Merchant Center is not replacing Google Base. We're just moving the Google Base users that upload or manage Product listings to our new service, Google Merchant Center, in order to better serve them going forward. All Google Base users that upload or manage other item types can continue to use Google Base.

Where should I upload real estate, jobs and vehicles from now on? Aren't these products as well?

Please continue to upload or manage these items in Google Base, as nothing changes for you or these verticals. While some of these items might be considered products in a broader sense, because they don't follow the Products Feed Specification, they're not considered Product listings for Google.

I am an existing Google Base user, where should I upload my items from now on?

If you upload or manage Product listings, please visit Google Merchant Center. If you upload or manage other types of items, please visit Google Base. If you have both types of items (Product listings and non-Product listings), you'll need to visit Google Merchant Center to manage your Product listings and Google Base to manage the rest.

Thanks Dave..

This was a HUGE help for me..

This fixed double quotation (") marks in my client's product descriptions, but not the product titles. (ie: 12-14" Widget) I also needed to add a fix for ampersands (&) used instead of the word "and" in product descriptions. So I modified your change slightly as follows:

In \includes\classes\google_base.php around line 202 find this:

$str = str_replace(array("<", ">"), array("<", ">"), $str);
``` Replace that line with:
```php
//      $str = str_replace(array("<", ">"), array("<", ">"), $str);
//        10-01-2009 Updated to correct quotation marks and ampersands in product titles and descriptions
        $str = str_replace(array("lt;", "gt;", "quot;", """, "amp;"), array("<", " &qt; ", """, "\"", "&"), $str);
```When I make these kinds of changes I like to comment out the original code versus simply replacing it and I always include  comments so I know WHY I made the change.. (in case I have a senior moment!:laugh:) so if I need to roll back my change I can easily do this.

Like Dave said.. Nothing wrong with the code.. just with how my clients product titles and descriptions are managed needed a little massaging to make Google happy..







> **davewest:**
>
> I format my descriptions and titles using HTML tags.  I also use some tags to keep from having errors in MySQL server such as commas and quotation marks.  I'm using the RSS 2.0 format for my Google feed which has problems with some HTML tags within xml.  On top of it all, Google has it's own formatting you need to consider if you want your feed to display at all.  Thus the need for sanitizing it.
> 
> Unfortunately, theirs not an easy one fix for all users solution, lest for my limited coding ability.  All my quotations are tag as " and for some reason, the & is removed during sanitizing leaving me with quot; which errors in Google.  My fix was with this line in \includes\classes\google_base.php  Look for the function 'google_base_xml_sanitizer'
> 
> ```
$str = str_replace(array("<", ">"), array("<", ">"), $str);
```with this one
> ```
$str = str_replace(array("lt;", "gt;", "quot;"), array("<", " &qt; ", """), $str);
```My quotation now shows up in titles and description.
> 
> Theirs nothing wrong with the code, just with how my titles and description are coded and my refusal to modify 3000 products just to please google.

I have zencart 1.3.8a that was recently hacked. I had the hack repaired and while I was there, updated the google base feeder mod because of google's changed requirements. Now the mod won't even create a feed (yes, everything was working just fine before). I checked the admin-> configuration and the user name and password had been erased. I re-added those but it still won't 'create' a feed. Simply says "no" with no additional error message.

Now, google has changed everything to that blasted merchant center. I jump through their hoops there and realize under 'ftp' that my user name and password is gone (that did exist under the 'old' google base page, so wtf?). I re-add them, but no it's telling me that MY user name is already in use (yes, by me!) I took the path of least resistence and changed the user name, doing the same on zencart's admin-> config but the mod is still not 'creating' a feed.

Any thoughts at all?

Since the new change to the Merchant interface, has anyone noticed not all their items are being posted? Example, I have 184 products and only 100 are showing on the summary page. Yet, there are no errors reported by google. Any thoughts? It's frustrating.
:frusty:

bhunted:

Since the new change to the Merchant interface, has anyone noticed not all their items are being posted? Example, I have 184 products and only 100 are showing on the summary page. Yet, there are no errors reported by google. Any thoughts? It's frustrating.
:frusty:

Check your raw feed to see if everything is as google wants. I had a problem where my feed wasn't listed and no errors showing. Turned out that my large images were being link to and not my thumbnails. I fixed the problem and all my products are listed even after the switch to the Merchant Interface.