Auction Lister Pro (ALP) Support

:censored:
no.
Apparently, that wasn't clear to me. I'll reinstall and see what happens then....

You are testing this on a non production website first right?

same error, but referring to my zen cart db :(

:lamo:
help?
this is Zen Cart via a fantastico/cpanel install.... and occasionally the db tables have name differences. I've been able to deal with this on Zen updates (that occasionally fail via Fantastico) because I can look at the sql script and fix the problem manually. Might this be the same sort of issue?

maxrisc:

You are testing this on a non production website first right?
Actually, I tested the installation (which is what I figured would be the problem) on my test site...
Other than the not being able to run, it's been fine, and installed on our production site without problems (other than the not running, as I stated).

sigh

Ahh Fantastico....gotta love it. Can you tell me if your database is using prefixes on the tables?

If it does you will need to change this file "/alp/includes/database_tables.php" to include it. Below I have used the prefix "zc_" as a reference. Your's may be different.

On line 12 you need to put your prefix in between the ''

Original:

// define the database table names used in the project
  define('DB_PREFIX', '');

After change

// define the database table names used in the project
  define('DB_PREFIX', 'zc_');

This should be changed in the installer too. I will make a note to get that done so it can be defined there.

Fantastico must be improving somewhere, as the last Zen patch went without a hitch (it's always the DB patches that they mess up).
Yep, they're using prefixes. Their standard for Zen Cart is 'ZEN_'.

pretty imaginative of them, eh?

ok, off to tweak... back soon

:flex:

SWEET!
The Fantastico prefix should be 'zen_' (lowercase, not upper).

fixed that, and we're in!.
Will run a test auction out, and see what happens from there... and then delete the install directory like a good girl :D

:clap:

OK... new bug(?)
Ebay categories installed, but I'm getting this error:

Warning: fread() [function.fread]: Length parameter must be greater than 0. in /home/moebiuse/public_html/alp/includes/EbatNs/EbatNs_Session.php on line 1080

Fatal error: Call to undefined function: getcategoryversion() in /home/moebiuse/public_html/alp/getCategoriesSQL.php on line **65

**Also, I don't see where details like ebay login information and such are entered/stored. Or SSL info.

So far, no problems on the cart itself from the program....

Thanks!

Nice job!

Your eBay login information is controlled by your eBay developer keys and token string. There is a page that asks you for these during installation. It also asks you for your eBay site ID as well.

Did you put all these in during installation?

:blink:

I'm not a developer, so I didn't have numbers that appeared to be appropriate.
Care to enlighten me?

maxrisc:

Nice job!

Your eBay login information is controlled by your eBay developer keys and token string. There is a page that asks you for these during installation. It also asks you for your eBay site ID as well.

Did you put all these in during installation?
Ok David - Ebay is telling me that ALP is approved in their solutions directory. However, they're not giving me the kind of information that those 'empty fields' in the install appear to want - things that apparently are required for the software to work with eBay.

I really am looking forward to the potential here, but frustration is starting to set in.

I'm not a computer wizard, only an artist trying to make a living.

Thanks in advance!

Moebiusenterprises:

Ok David - Ebay is telling me that ALP is approved in their solutions directory. However, they're not giving me the kind of information that those 'empty fields' in the install appear to want - things that apparently are required for the software to work with eBay.

I really am looking forward to the potential here, but frustration is starting to set in.

I'm not a computer wizard, only an artist trying to make a living.

Thanks in advance!

:ohmy:

Script writing can often take a lot of time. Especially a complicated contribution like this. Please have patience and use this thread for providing constructive feedback so that maxrisc can work to solve current issues.

This is turning out to be one of those "lack of documentation" bugs.

I am going back to my desk and writing up a "How To" for you right now. :smile:

eBay has the best solution. They actually have a page on how to do this now.

http://developer.ebay.com/quickstartguide/

Do steps one and two. You will need your developer keys and auth token. They walk you through it.

When you have gotten those run the ALP installer again. When you get to the eBay part just paste in those things. Your eBay Site ID will be 0 if you want to use eBay.com

maxrisc:

eBay has the best solution. They actually have a page on how to do this now.

http://developer.ebay.com/quickstartguide/

Do steps one and two. You will need your developer keys and auth token. They walk you through it.

When you have gotten those run the ALP installer again. When you get to the eBay part just paste in those things. Your eBay Site ID will be 0 if you want to use eBay.com
Still having trouble grasping the rationale on this, but I've done that.
Still getting an error when attempting to select a category:

Fatal error: Call to undefined function: getcategoryversion() in /home/moebiuse/public_html/alp/getCategoriesSQL.php on line 65

David, after installing the latest release, I'm still getting the following on all pages:

Warning: session_start() [function.session-start]: open(/hsphere/local/home/wtashby/theashbymint.com/cache/sess_95036ecde3280eae654261c4efa99d51, O_RDWR) failed: No such file or directory (2) in /home/theatcom/public_html/alp/includes/functions/sessions.php on line 68

Warning: Unknown(): Your script possibly relies on a session side-effect which existed until PHP 4.2.3. Please be advised that the session extension does not consider global variables as a source of data, unless register_globals is enabled. You can disable this functionality and this warning by setting session.bug_compat_42 or session.bug_compat_warn to off, respectively. in Unknown on line 0

Warning: Unknown(): open(/hsphere/local/home/wtashby/theashbymint.com/cache/sess_95036ecde3280eae654261c4efa99d51, O_RDWR) failed: No such file or directory (2) in Unknown on line 0

Warning: Unknown(): Failed to write session data (files). Please verify that the current setting of session.save_path is correct (/hsphere/local/home/wtashby/theashbymint.com/cache) in Unknown on line 0

Also, when I click on "Select" for the catagories, the only cat that has a "Select" button beside it is Gift Certificates.

Before I start, let me make a couple points clear:

1. I fully understand that most if not all Zen mods are done on a volunteer basis. I truly appreciate the work that folks have done to create these little gems.

2. While I'm not a computer genius or developer, I actually do have some understanding of how a lot of this stuff works. That, plus a good friend who's a DB engineer give me a bit of working knowledge of how these things should be working.

Now that's been said....

I'm getting really frustrated with this mod.... and the nonsensical requirements to implement it. There is no logical reason that an end-user should be required to apply for developer access codes for an API. That is the responsibility of the developer of the software/mod. If that is a requirement to make the mod work and find the appropriate eBay user login, then it is a significant flaw in the module itself. Such information should be entered via a configuration script. The end-user should not be putting their ability to vend on eBay (literally!) at risk by guaranteeing someone else's coding - which is what we're being asked to do here. Neither would I wish to take any credit for the fact that something did work, which by this requirement is entirely possible.

Needless to say, this thing is also buggy as hell. I've posted two specific errors (fatal errors), and while I have had reply from David on other issues, the errors have not been addressed. At all.

Yes David, without documentation you're going to have a lot more (occasionally dumb) questions - sadly, the install is not very self-explanatory.

Ebay already lists Auction Lister Pro on their Solutions Directory of eBay compatible/compliant software, and are eagerly seeking ratings for it. I could not in good conscience give anything close to a positive rating at this point.

I am deeply frustrated, after spending the past 2 days installing, re-installing, and tweaking this thing.

Here you write all these nasty things in this forum and yet, in an email I just answered before I had to a chance to read this post, you seemed somewhat pleasant.

Please don't trash me in a public forum and place nice in private just to get my help.

If you are frustrated because you have to get your own keys from eBay you really should take this up with them. I did abide by their rules and guidelines in order to bring this software to you.

You do have a couple of options available to you however.

A) You can sit here and rant and rave like a lunatic about my software being complete garbage and that I am an idiot.

B) You can chill out and take a breather and think twice before starting up a flame war on a support forum.

C) You can remember that I am doing this for absolutely NO PROFIT and NO REWARD other than a pat on the back and a minuscule donation of 5 or 10 bucks here and there.

D) You can contact Auction Blox or Auction 4 Store and see where they are with supporting Zen Cart and pay a monthly fee of $40+ to list your items.

E) You can work with me to help me make this a better and easier software package to understand and use.

I'll leave the decision up to you.

Moebiusenterprises:

Needless to say, this thing is also buggy as hell. I've posted two specific errors (fatal errors), and while I have had reply from David on other issues, the errors have not been addressed. At all.
.

They were addressed. The fatal errors you were receiving was because you blew right by that page of the installation without stopping for hint or query.

If you fail to put in your keys and token string then there is now way for the program to talk to eBay. How could it possibly? So as a result your get FATAL ERROR.

Your impatience caused those errors. There are also question marks next to each field in the installer. These generally mean "What is this?" If you click on those you will see that the CSS opens up a small bit of text below the entry explaining what goes where.

I have heard your complaint and I am removing this from the installer altogether. It was a first attempt on an installer. People don't get it. I will change it to something else.

maxrisc:

Here you write all these nasty things in this forum and yet, in an email I just answered before I had to a chance to read this post, you seemed somewhat pleasant.

Please don't trash me in a public forum and place nice in private just to get my help.

If you are frustrated because you have to get your own keys from eBay you really should take this up with them. I did abide by their rules and guidelines in order to bring this software to you.

You do have a couple of options available to you however.

A) You can sit here and rant and rave like a lunatic about my software being complete garbage and that I am an idiot.

B) You can chill out and take a breather and think twice before starting up a flame war on a support forum.

C) You can remember that I am doing this for absolutely NO PROFIT and NO REWARD other than a pat on the back and a minuscule donation of 5 or 10 bucks here and there.

D) You can contact Auction Blox or Auction 4 Store and see where they are with supporting Zen Cart and pay a monthly fee of $40+ to list your items.

E) You can work with me to help me make this a better and easier software package to understand and use.

I'll leave the decision up to you.

Ahem.
You've chosen to put a lot of words in my mouth here.
The email you recently answered was written earlier this morning... in an attempt to avoid conflict. I was sincerely trying to understand your point of view/rationale.
And the post you're having such a knee jerk reaction to was written much later... and after PMing one of the Zen Cart 'gods' trying to get a handle on this.
My frustration is not at eBay. It doesn't make a lot of sense for them or you to require the end-user to have developer keys, but that's just illogical... not strictly frustrating.
Frustrating is following the steps and the program still not working. And then being told that it's not the program's fault.