Google Base Feeder Support Thread [OLD]

I was successfully using this module and most of my products were listed near the top in listings. Now I am finding out that some of my products that were once search-able are no longer there. They show up in the merchant account, but when I do a specific search for them, they do not show up.
Has anyone had this problem before??
I have 2 sites that are having the same problem with different products. Some products are listed on both sites, one site has them search-able on google products and the other does not and VS.
Thanks for any help!

fresh zencart 1.3.7a install. added easy populate. added google base feeder 1.4.7

My feed gets disapproved no matter how i upload it. Can anyone give me some insight? my site is http://eyedealpostcards.com/catalog

here is a sample of the head and a few items in domain_products.xml :

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<rss version="2.0" xmlns:g="http://base.google.com/ns/1.0">
<channel>
<title><![CDATA[eyedealpostcards.com]]></title>
<link>http://www.eyedealpostcards.com/catalog</link>
<description><![CDATA[Quality Vintage Postcards and Collectables]]></description>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[CHINESE CRESTED DOG Figurine stands Resin NEW DF81]]></title>
<g:brand><![CDATA[Conversation Concepts]]></g:brand>
<g:condition>new</g:condition>
<g:product_type><![CDATA[Figurines]]></g:product_type>
<g:expiration_date>2010-10-14</g:expiration_date>
<g:id>7275</g:id>
<g:image_link>http://eyedealpostcards.com/images/figurines/FigChineseCrestedDF81.jpg</g:image_link>
<link>http://eyedealpostcards.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=7275&currency=USD</link>
<g:price>12.00</g:price>
<g:mpn>DF81</g:mpn>
<g:currency>USD</g:currency>
<g:payment_accepted>Visa</g:payment_accepted>
<g:payment_accepted>MasterCard</g:payment_accepted>
<g:payment_accepted>AmericanExpress</g:payment_accepted>
<g:payment_accepted>Discover</g:payment_accepted>
<g:payment_accepted>PayPal</g:payment_accepted>
<g:payment_accepted>Google Checkout</g:payment_accepted>
<description><![CDATA[NEW, In box. Measures approx 4L x 1.25W x 3.75H.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[CHINESE CRESTED Angel Tiny Dog Figurine Resin NEW DTA81]]></title>
<g:brand><![CDATA[Conversation Concepts]]></g:brand>
<g:condition>new</g:condition>
<g:product_type><![CDATA[Figurines]]></g:product_type>
<g:expiration_date>2010-10-14</g:expiration_date>
<g:id>6687</g:id>
<g:image_link>http://eyedealpostcards.com/images/figurines/FigChineseCrestedAngelDTA81.jpg</g:image_link>
<link>http://eyedealpostcards.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=6687&currency=USD</link>
<g:price>9.99</g:price>
<g:mpn>DTA81</g:mpn>
<g:currency>USD</g:currency>
<g:payment_accepted>Visa</g:payment_accepted>
<g:payment_accepted>MasterCard</g:payment_accepted>
<g:payment_accepted>AmericanExpress</g:payment_accepted>
<g:payment_accepted>Discover</g:payment_accepted>
<g:payment_accepted>PayPal</g:payment_accepted>
<g:payment_accepted>Google Checkout</g:payment_accepted>
<description><![CDATA[NEW, In box. 2H x 1.5W.]]></description>
</item>

willieray25:

fresh zencart 1.3.7a install. added easy populate. added google base feeder 1.4.7

My feed gets disapproved no matter how i upload it. Can anyone give me some insight? my site is http://eyedealpostcards.com/catalog

here is a sample of the head and a few items in domain_products.xml :

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?> <rss version="2.0" xmlns:g="http://base.google.com/ns/1.0"> <channel> <title><![CDATA[eyedealpostcards.com]]></title> <link>http://www.eyedealpostcards.com/catalog</link> <description><![CDATA[Quality Vintage Postcards and Collectables]]></description> <item> <title><![CDATA[CHINESE CRESTED DOG Figurine stands Resin NEW DF81]]></title> <g:brand><![CDATA[Conversation Concepts]]></g:brand> <g:condition>new</g:condition> <g:product_type><![CDATA[Figurines]]></g:product_type> <g:expiration_date>2010-10-14</g:expiration_date> <g:id>7275</g:id> <g:image_link>http://eyedealpostcards.com/images/figurines/FigChineseCrestedDF81.jpg</g:image_link> <link>http://eyedealpostcards.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=7275&currency=USD</link> <g:price>12.00</g:price> <g:mpn>DF81</g:mpn> <g:currency>USD</g:currency> <g:payment_accepted>Visa</g:payment_accepted> <g:payment_accepted>MasterCard</g:payment_accepted> <g:payment_accepted>AmericanExpress</g:payment_accepted> <g:payment_accepted>Discover</g:payment_accepted> <g:payment_accepted>PayPal</g:payment_accepted> <g:payment_accepted>Google Checkout</g:payment_accepted> <description><![CDATA[NEW, In box. Measures approx 4L x 1.25W x 3.75H.]]></description> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[CHINESE CRESTED Angel Tiny Dog Figurine Resin NEW DTA81]]></title> <g:brand><![CDATA[Conversation Concepts]]></g:brand> <g:condition>new</g:condition> <g:product_type><![CDATA[Figurines]]></g:product_type> <g:expiration_date>2010-10-14</g:expiration_date> <g:id>6687</g:id> <g:image_link>http://eyedealpostcards.com/images/figurines/FigChineseCrestedAngelDTA81.jpg</g:image_link> <link>http://eyedealpostcards.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=6687&currency=USD</link> <g:price>9.99</g:price> <g:mpn>DTA81</g:mpn> <g:currency>USD</g:currency> <g:payment_accepted>Visa</g:payment_accepted> <g:payment_accepted>MasterCard</g:payment_accepted> <g:payment_accepted>AmericanExpress</g:payment_accepted> <g:payment_accepted>Discover</g:payment_accepted> <g:payment_accepted>PayPal</g:payment_accepted> <g:payment_accepted>Google Checkout</g:payment_accepted> <description><![CDATA[NEW, In box. 2H x 1.5W.]]></description> </item> ``` Please provide the explanation provided by Google

when i click disapproved this is all they tell me.> Your data feed has been disapproved because some or all of your items are not complying with our Program Policies

Well, amazingly I've not had any problems per se, everything seems to be working. My only question is, how do you add fields in Zencart to be sent to Google? For example, I'd like to have a field in my product manager for UPC's that will translate over to the 'upc' field in Google (not MPN). But I don't see anything about adding this. At the same time, google is telling me it's not receiving a 'weight' attribute even though my products have a weight attribute. Strange strange.....

I've searched till I'm sick of it. I don't like how all these different problems are mashed into one thread, it makes it difficult to find anything, especially when my problems' keywords trigger so many irrelevant posts.

Thanks!

Thank you for the information this worked out great.

DivaVocals:

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);

> ```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..

countrycharm:

Thank you for the information this worked out great.Color me shocked!! You mean some of my babblings actually helped someone!!:laugh: You're welcome glad it was of help..

DivaVocals:

Color me shocked.. You mean some of my babblings actually helped someone!!:laugh: You're welcome glad it was of help..

I'll take some of those babblings toward my problem :)

hypercoyote:

I'll take some of those babblings toward my problem :)Wish I could help.. but I am always willing to share my findings with the community (accidental and otherwise..:laugh:)

But have you tried going to Numinix's forum too?? I have found some questions and answers posted there that weren't on this support thread... Perhaps someone has posted your same issue there..

Yeah, I think the problem is I don't know what exactly I'm searching for.

hypercoyote:

Yeah, I think the problem is I don't know what exactly I'm searching for.
I have help in this thread for a while now but you would have to ask Numinix's for what you want to do. sorry I'm not able to help. You can ask over at his form here

lol, yeah I did. They suggested installing Auction Attribute Site. This did add the UPC fields and all that, but it still wasn't putting it in the XML when I generated it. So when I asked about that, they said the feeder didn't support Auction Attribute Site.....WHAT?

hypercoyote:

lol, yeah I did. They suggested installing Auction Attribute Site. This did add the UPC fields and all that, but it still wasn't putting it in the XML when I generated it. So when I asked about that, they said the feeder didn't support Auction Attribute Site.....WHAT?

I see your point. I just went over their and seen what he had to say. Kind of pointless.

Yeah, the thing is, if the documentation was better, I could figure it out myself. But I don't really understand how this module works, so I can't figure out where to fix it. Otherwise I would just add some code to the php that creates the xml file to have it grab those extra attributes.

hypercoyote:

Yeah, the thing is, if the documentation was better, I could figure it out myself. But I don't really understand how this module works, so I can't figure out where to fix it. Otherwise I would just add some code to the php that creates the xml file to have it grab those extra attributes.

Actually... it's not that hard! Look in the add-ons for ubc/isbn mod or click...

This mod "Creates UPC and ISBN input field in products.php and stores the information in the products TABLE in the database." It doesn't display them, just creates what the feeder needs.

Once you install and add all your UPC's, then you can use them as the offer ID or by them self, with a simple click in the admin googlebase feeder settings.

The code looks like it may be looking for the auction mod as will so you may have to install it too.

willieray25:

when i click disapproved this is all they tell me.
Try changing the expiration date to 31. Google doesn't seem to like expirations 365 days into the future.

See if that makes a difference...
JOhn ><>

davewest:

Actually... it's not that hard! Look in the add-ons for ubc/isbn mod or click...

This mod "Creates UPC and ISBN input field in products.php and stores the information in the products TABLE in the database." It doesn't display them, just creates what the feeder needs.

Once you install and add all your UPC's, then you can use them as the offer ID or by them self, with a simple click in the admin googlebase feeder settings.

The code looks like it may be looking for the auction mod as will so you may have to install it too.

I'll check it out and get back to you. Thanks for the info!

davewest:

Actually... it's not that hard! Look in the add-ons for ubc/isbn mod or click...

This mod "Creates UPC and ISBN input field in products.php and stores the information in the products TABLE in the database." It doesn't display them, just creates what the feeder needs.

Once you install and add all your UPC's, then you can use them as the offer ID or by them self, with a simple click in the admin googlebase feeder settings.

The code looks like it may be looking for the auction mod as will so you may have to install it too.

hypercoyote:

I'll check it out and get back to you. Thanks for the info!

Yeah, this doesn't really help. All it does is add the UPC fields to the form where you fill out the product info. I was able to get that once I installed Auction Site Attributes. What I need is for Google Base Feeder to pull in those records from the table to the XML file it outputs.

hypercoyote:

Yeah, this doesn't really help. All it does is add the UPC fields to the form where you fill out the product info. I was able to get that once I installed Auction Site Attributes. What I need is for Google Base Feeder to pull in those records from the table to the XML file it outputs.

If both auction and upc area installed and you turned them on in admin -> Configuration -> Google Base Feeder Configuration -> Activate Auction Site Attributes

Then upc should show up and you could also use it for the offer ID. If not, then something else must be going on.

davewest:

If both auction and upc area installed and you turned them on in admin -> Configuration -> Google Base Feeder Configuration -> Activate Auction Site Attributes

Then upc should show up and you could also use it for the offer ID. If not, then something else must be going on.

Thank you! Yeah, I didn't realize there was even an option to activate ASA on base feeder.

Okay, as far as I can see, it's pulling everything into GB feeder. Of note is the product_type field is only set to 32 characters (at least on my installation it was), which doesn't allow much room for Google's category tree. I increased the size of that field in my products table to 100 characters using PHPMySQL, which I think will be enough for any category. I may bump it up a bit more. It looks like the feeder picks up the extended field without any problem. So that is one major problem solved, thanks a lot!

Now, does anyone know a solution or fix to the no-space problem in the product description? After feeder strips out the HTML, it doesn't replace the line breaks with spaces, so much of the text runs together. If I knew where the code for that was, I'd replace it myself or add an exception for < br > tags to be replaced with spaces.