Simple SEO URL (OLD version) [support thread]

Regarding the 1.5 upgrade question, if it is merely a matter of upgrading the admin access it shouldn't be very hard. Any way, you can access it using the direct link (admin/configuration.php?gID=32 in my case) to disable it.
I just wonder if it works on the catalog folder, since I want to test it in another folder before going live and having broken links all over the place.

Regarding the other question, about switching folder, this is unrelated to upgrading. I'm just asking, does anyone copied the catalog folder to a new one, and had SSU working? How? Because if I enable SSU in my development folder no link will work. :(

Did you not read this in full??

DrByte:

The addon needs to be upgraded to work with the new admin menu system in v1.5. There are several discussion threads which address those matters.
There are several more things, security-related, that are also required when upgrading modules for compatibility with v1.5. If you don't also do those things then your addons will not work either. They'll be redirecting you to your admin home page every time you click on a link in the addon.
So, merely adding menu options isn't sufficient for all addons.

What you say IS NOT true AT ALL..:no: especially for this module which touches MANY core files. Upgrading most mods and especially this one is MORE than merely as you say "upgrading the admin access".

tesefoti:

Regarding the 1.5 upgrade question, if it is merely a matter of upgrading the admin access it shouldn't be very hard. Any way, you can access it using the direct link (admin/configuration.php?gID=32 in my case) to disable it.
I just wonder if it works on the catalog folder, since I want to test it in another folder before going live and having broken links all over the place.

They'll be redirecting you to your admin home page every time you click on a link in the addon.
What does this mean? If you click on a link in the catalog it redirects you to the admin home page? That doesn't make sense and it's not true. It just stays in the catalog homepage.

**if **it is merely a matter of upgrading the admin access it shouldn't be very hard

I'm not saying it is just upgrading the admin, I'm saying IF it is then it shouldn't be that hard. Right or wrong, that was what I understood from the quote from DrByte, since it only mentions the admin folder and never the catalog folder.

But my big question is unrelated to upgrading to 1.5: How to make SSU work on another catalog folder?

Really????? Arrrrrrrrrrrrrghhhhhhhhhh :frusty:

Let me make it PLAIN then..

SSU has controls in the admin that will likely NOT work correctly in Zen Cart v1.5. Dr Byte's post in a nutshell says that there is MORE to upgrading mods for v1.5 readiness than simply adding an item to the admin menu (as you you seem to indicate is what you thing is the solution). He gave ONE example of what could happen if a module is not properly updated. This is only ONE of MANY things that could go wrong/not work if a module is not properly updated to work with Zen Cart v1.5.

You keep using the phrase "it shouldn't be that hard" while posing the question of whether or not SSU is v1.5 ready.. If you think this is true, then it should be a very simple matter for you or anyone to upgrade this module right??? This would sorta answer your question with regards to SSU's readiness with Zen Cart v1.5 to begin with.

I am trying to get across the point that a module like SSU is not a SIMPLE UPGRADE. SSU touches MANY core files and because there are a LOT of new security related changes in Zen Cart v1.5, it will require more than just some simple easy button clicks to make sure that not only does SSU WORK, that it works correctly and does create a breach in the new security code that is part of Zen Cart v1.5. This requires MUCH more than simply makign the menu appear in the admin.. (going back to DrByte's post, THAT was the point he was making)

I hope that is MUCH clearer. You are looking for a FAST solution.. I am trying to get across the point that there is not going to be a fast solution for updating SSU. This is a module for which the following issues exist in making it v1.5 ready:

1. It involves a number of core file changes
2. The original author is no longer maintaining the module
3. There doesn't seem to be anyone stepping in to take over and update/maintain this module.

tesefoti:

What does this mean? If you click on a link in the catalog it redirects you to the admin home page? That doesn't make sense and it's not true. It just stays in the catalog homepage.

I'm not saying it is just upgrading the admin, I'm saying IF it is then it shouldn't be that hard. Right or wrong, that was what I understood from the quote from DrByte, since it only mentions the admin folder and never the catalog folder.

But my big question is unrelated to upgrading to 1.5: How to make SSU work on another catalog folder?

I believe the confusion is failure to understand the difference between admin and catalog.

As I said, IF it is merely a question of upgrading the admin (which was what I understood from the post), THEN it wouldn't be so hard. Since it touches many core files related to the catalog then fair enough, it is not simple.

Still I repeat my main question which is 1.5 unrelated:

How to make SSU work, in the same version (1.3.9h) if I change the name of the catalog folder?

I've tried reinstalling it by uploading the files and it still doesn't work, all the links keep returning to the homepage. Do I need to change something to reflect the new folder name?

If anyone uses SSU and works in a development folder instead of reflecting the changes immediatly in the live site you will be able to help me. I am working in a dev folder and if SSU is enabled every link keeps returning to the homepage. Thanks in advance!

tesefoti:

I believe the confusion is failure to understand the difference between admin and catalog.I understood the difference, but I'm glad that's all cleared up now..:smile:

Hello,

I have been using Simple SEO urls on my website https://www.krishwellness.com for about say 3 years now with no problems.
Somehow, the links are not showing 404 errors.

The ones not affected by SEO url module are working good.

I am not able to understand what happened all of a sudden.

There is no change I made at all !

Please suggest.

Thanks,
Chetan

Hello I installed 3.8.5 simple seo url, and everything works fine,
the only thing the ultimate seo url url to be generated before and after Magic seo url, can not be reached, since the simple seo does not recognize and does not automatically redirect the old links, there is a command from htaccess add url to redirect them. Thanks
https://www.erboristeriabio.com

Mark_88:

I'm having a problem getting SSU to work with a mobile website theme.. are there any .htaccess wizards around?

Currently SSU rewrites "index.php?main_page=" to a pretty URL. Everything is working fine with this.

The mobile theme I'm using sends all URLS to "mobile.php?main_page=". The problem is, SSU sends all mobile.php requests straight back to index.php, thus breaking the mobile theme.

I've changed SSU's configuration in the admin section of zen-cart with no results. I'm fairly sure the best option is to stop SSU from rewriting mobile.php requests altogether, does anyone know how I can configure this using .htaccess?

Unfortunately I'm "not allowed" to turn off SSU altogether, so any help would be greatly appreciated.
I figured out a solution, in case anyone is having this same problem.

In includes/functions/html_output.php change the SSU code to the following:

//bof simple seo url
    global $ssu;
if($_SERVER["PHP_SELF"] == '/index.php') {
  if(is_object($ssu) && ($link = $ssu->ssu_link($page, $parameters, $connection, $add_session_id, $search_engine_safe, $static, $use_dir_ws_catalog))!= false) return $link;
}
    //eof simple seo url  

If you have Zen Cart installed in a subdirectory, edit the /index.php to read /YOUR_SUBDIRECTORY/index.php

This makes SSU work only on index.php pages. Your mobile template will use native Zen Cart urls.

Hi, I have just intalled ssu on my site but it isn't working for some reason. When I go to admin-extras-simple seo manager, the page is blank....
Also when i upload the htacces files to my host (hostway) they just dissapear from the directory, very strange.
you can see the test page here:

https://www.curvesandcorsets.com/ssu_check.php

I would appreciate any help,
john

I use SEO URL (SSU) on a secondary site and default dynamic urls on my main site, both 1.3.9h carts. SSU has worked flawlessly (but have to keep on top of it). Both sites have same products and I must say: more often than not the ssu site comes up higher in google, product for product, even though my main dynamic url site has better "content" for google. So even though google does pick up dynamic urls no problem, I am no longer convinced that seo vs dynamic urls have no difference for google ranking.

I am playing with a new 1.5 zencart on a test site (along with the latest prestashop cart). I have not yet installed ssu to see if it works with 1.5, but I just went through the ssu files and the only core file I saw thus far that was overwritten was the html_output. Perhaps that's enough to cause serious problems. But I'll take Dr. Byte's word that the ssu url mod does not work with 1.5 (if that's what he said.)

Even though my experience is that ssu urls more often than not rank better than dynamic urls, I don't know if I'd try installing this mod on a production 1.5 cart. These mods can get tricky to install (I'm discouraged from test installing on 1.5 test site) and I'll take other's word that they may cause other problems (haven't come across those yet that I know of.)

We have had an older prestashop cart on a very minor site this past year and I'm now seriously playing with the latest prestashop, as I want to become conversant in zencart and another cart. SEO urls come with prestashop by default as an option you can enable from it's admin, and they do rank on google. If I needed seo urls, I'd very possibly go with prestashop...which also has other nice features out of the box.

I've read enough to forget re-written urls with zencart until it becomes part of the default install, for my eventual 1.5 cart upgrade and on. And unwritten urls may very well be fine.

sph
https://www.prommart.com (dynamic urls)
https://www.fashion-mart.biz (SEO URL)

Here's an example of how a zencart dynamic unwritten url can rank top google.

Search Term: flaunt 91101

http://www.google.com/search?q=flaunt+91101&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-Address&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7GWYE_en

I understand google results can vary by locality, but my result is that my site prommart.com comes no. 1 on dynamic url. Sometimes no. 2.

I specifically tried good optimized content, to compete with the blog that uses the serch term in it's domain name. Got it done. But I'm certain the ssu could have done same, and if I had this product on my ssu site, I wouldn't be surprised if it ranked above prommart.

sph
https://www.prommart.com

SPH:

I am playing with a new 1.5 zencart on a test site (along with the latest prestashop cart). I have not yet installed ssu to see if it works with 1.5, but I just went through the ssu files and the only core file I saw thus far that was overwritten was the html_output. Perhaps that's enough to cause serious problems. But I'll take Dr. Byte's word that the ssu url mod does not work with 1.5 (if that's what he said.)If you are referring to my posts where I quote one of DrBytes posts I NEVER SAID that DrByte said SSU is not v1.5 ready.. I said that this mod like MANY OTHERS is probably NOT v1.5 ready. Zen Cart is different, and this mod afffects core behavior that has been modified, and this add-on will need to be examined and modified in order to work with v1.5..

SPH:

We have had an older prestashop cart on a very minor site this past year and I'm now seriously playing with the latest prestashop, as I want to become conversant in zencart and another cart. SEO urls come with prestashop by default as an option you can enable from it's admin, and they do rank on google. If I needed seo urls, I'd very possibly go with prestashop...which also has other nice features out of the box.

I've read enough to forget re-written urls with zencart until it becomes part of the default install, for my eventual 1.5 cart upgrade and on. And unwritten urls may very well be fine.You do know that there is ONE SEO mod that has ALWAYS worked trouble-free (requires NONE of the constant tending to that SSU apparently requires), is WELL supported by it's author, AND is v1.5 compatible.. Ceon URI..

Yes, I tested CEON url about a year or so ago, I believe I "met" you on that thread.

I was highly impressed with CEON url. On a test site with just a couple of dresses/products for testing, it jumped higher in google ranking than my dynamic main site or my SSU site (the one I had at that time), and it did so rapidly. I recall posting about this. This was when I began to doubt the talk about seo urls not mattering for google ranking. I also began to think that the seo mod one uses also makes a google difference.

In fact, I have CEON installed on my main site (now using dynamic urls). I had just done a fresh re-install of zencart 1.3.9h. I knew CEON didn't rewrite products/cats already on the site. So I uploaded all my new products via Easy Populate, expecting to see rewritten urls. Nope. Apparently one has to do this in the admin, product by product. Or buy the special mod that changes prior products.

I just looked at your posts on the 1.5 thread with the guy who turned off his SEO mod on his car site and now has numerous broken links. I think this a good example of not using any seo rewriter until if and when it becomes a part of the default zencart install. Otherwise, your shop is always dependendent on mod writers to avert disaster.

I'm thinking that in the future, if I really need seo urls...if seo urls are a deal breaker...it makes sense to look at a shopping cart that comes with seo urls by default.

sph
https://www.prommart.com (dynamic urls although CEON has been installed)
https://www.fashion-mart.biz (Simple SEO URL)

https://www.zencart.prom-mart.com (zencart 1.5 test site)
https://www.prom-mart.com (PrestaShop test site)

SPH:

I knew CEON didn't rewrite products/cats already on the site. So I uploaded all my new products via Easy Populate, expecting to see rewritten urls. Nope. Apparently one has to do this in the admin, product by product. Or buy the special mod that changes prior products.The mod you have to purchase is WELL WORTH the money as it works like a CHAMP!!! (has lots of other neat features too..) The other method is to write a DB script to upload the URIs, or create a CSV and upload the URI's to the table.

SPH:

I just looked at your posts on the 1.5 thread with the guy who turned off his SEO mod on his car site and now has numerous broken links.Sadly he has STILL not fixed the issue :no:. I can only assume it's because he REALLY doesn't GET the disaster he has created (or he doesn't care, thinks it's no big deal, whatever).. However, all he had to to was take a little time to do some proper planning and make sure her setup his redirects BEFORE turning off the SEO.. then it woulda been NO issue..

SPH:

I think this a good example of not using any seo rewriter until if and when it becomes a part of the default zencart install. Otherwise, your shop is always dependendent on mod writers to avert disaster.

I'm thinking that in the future, if I really need seo urls...if seo urls are a deal breaker...it makes sense to look at a shopping cart that comes with seo urls by default.Are you trying to avoid having to deal with creating redirects if a client turns off friendly URLs?? What if your client says no to friendly URLs today (so you implement Zen Cart for them), then they decide later they want friendly URLs and then they change their mind later and wants to turn friendly URLs off.. Are you gonna move them from one shopping cart to the next?? Think you can do that without having to create re-directs?? Hmmmmmm..

The shopping cart that supports friendly URLS out the box (PrestaShop I presume) allows you to turn on and off friendly URLs.. and this is fine if PrestaShop's feature for turning friendly URLS handles creating those redirects for you.. (doesn't look like PrestaShop does this)

You can't control all situations or clients needs/wants.. I don't encourage clients to use URL re-writers, but if they INSIST on friendly URLs I will implement Ceon URI, and if they decided they change their mind, I'll just plan to create the proper re-directs.. I think Zen Cart is a stronger product than other competing Open Source cart frameworks.. So having to do a little extra work (like creating re-directs) is no big deal to me..

I don't have clients, but am seriously thinking of maybe getting in to that.

I agree: zencart seems to me to still be the best. I'm testing prestashop in case I want to do two carts, but am way more familiar with zencart. And despite Presta's built-in functions, I think zencart ultimately more powerful and useful. But I would not begin to look for clients without the new PCI compliant 1.5 zencart, or without IH and an EP that does attributes way I'm familiar with (studying EP4 some more, which I already use in conjunction with an older EP). So looking for clients is on hold, although I guess I can start a business plan.

I agree CEON URL has become the best seo mod for zencart. Just hope that one day he doesn't disappear, like Yellow on SSU. :)

IMO, seo mods are potentially the most dangerous mods for a zencart. If zencart team and CEON could only get together to make his default mod part of the zencart build, it would be much safer from update to update, imo. And CEON could still sell his updated manager.

Never looked at how do do re-directs, and never felt the need. Guess I'll have to.

Thanks!

sph
https://www.prommart.com
https://www.fashion-mart.biz

Are you gonna move them from one shopping cart to the next?? Think you can do that without having to create re-directs?? Hmmmmmm

From what I've read, it is theoretically possible to carry your urls from one cart or platform to another. That's if you strip out all parameters in the url, like CEON (and the apparently outdated SSU) can. Remove all category/product id's. Remove any ending file extension such as .html. Like on my seo url site here:

http://www.fashion-mart.biz/allure/evenings-by-allure/evenings-by-allure-a538

So long as the other cart/platform can also do it, it might work.

I think this is the theory of having url's that can last forever, as platforms develop the url can always remain the same.

sph
https://www.prommart.com
https://www.fashion-mart.biz

I do know this, but my point is that there is work to do to make this happen too.. If you transfer from one SEF add-on to another (SSU to Ceon, or Ultimate to SSU), you need to recreate your URLs, if you switch from one shopping cart framework to another, you need to re-create your URLs, if you disable your SEF add-on altogether, you need to create redirects from your pretty URLs back to their dynamic counterparts.. (what I was advising that kid to do in that other thread, and it would appear that he's not taking seriously the impact of not following this advice:no:) Shopping cart frameworks that support pretty links are fine so long as they ALSO support creating redirects when you decide NOT to use those pretty links anymore..

SPH:

From what I've read, it is theoretically possible to carry your urls from one cart or platform to another. That's if you strip out all parameters in the url, like CEON (and the apparently outdated SSU) can. Remove all category/product id's. Remove any ending file extension such as .html. Like on my seo url site here:

http://www.fashion-mart.biz/allure/evenings-by-allure/evenings-by-allure-a538

So long as the other cart/platform can also do it, it might work.

I think this is the theory of having url's that can last forever, as platforms develop the url can always remain the same.

sph
www.prommart.com
www.fashion-mart.biz

Has anyone verified this module works for Zencart v1.5.0?

I recently migrated from Zencart v1.3.9h to v1.5.0. It seems everything still working except the control menu in the admin area has gone. So I'm trying to re-install the latest SSU module ssu_v3.8.3 again in my cart. Anyone knows if there is available for a newer than this?

icemint:

Has anyone verified this module works for Zencart v1.5.0?

I recently migrated from Zencart v1.3.9h to v1.5.0. It seems everything still working except the control menu in the admin area has gone. So I'm trying to re-install the latest SSU module ssu_v3.8.3 again in my cart. Anyone knows if there is available for a newer than this?As has already been posted in this thread a few times, NO there is no v1.5 compatible version of SSU available..