minimum elements required to use zencart

Hello,

I have a site designed and a design for the store section in mind. I'm also using the Google Checkout addon. So, I have two questions: (1) what HTML/PHP elements do I need for the cart to function properly? (and where are they?) (2) How do I set up zencart so that it doesn't ask for a user login? (google checkout doesn't require a login) I realize this is all answered already and there's a specific google checkout questions site, but if anyone knows the answers to these, I would like to know them also. Thanks. :smile:

Zen Cart is not designed to use pieces and parts of for a shop. Those features that are optional have switches in the Admin for you to configure.

Google Checkout is not officially supported by Zen Cart, though there is a mod available. I believe it works around the login requirement.

Zen Cart is not designed to use pieces and parts of for a shop. Those features that are optional have switches in the Admin for you to configure.

:\ I don't want to mix it with anything else, but I just want to use the basic elements like the "buy" button, checkout button, a list of current items, and quantity boxes. Shurely that is doable?

Google Checkout is not officially supported by Zen Cart, though there is a mod available. I believe it works around the login requirement.
I'll look at the google mod again.. it still seems to try to log you in whenever you try to buy something.

I have a site designed and a design for the store section in mind.

:\ I don't want to mix it with anything else, but I just want to use the basic elements like the "buy" button, checkout button, a list of current items, and quantity boxes. Shurely that is doable?
Well what is it exactly, that you want to do??

Zen Cart is designed to become your web site and not the other way around...

Post what your vision is and what you are trying to do

kobra:

Well what is it exactly, that you want to do??

Zen Cart is designed to become your web site and not the other way around...

Post what your vision is and what you are trying to do

Do you have any suggestions for a shopping cart system that is "the other way around"?

Here is a step-through of customer ordering that I want to achieve:

1. customer clicks a button to order a certain product. Internally, the button creates a cart session and the website redirects to a php file that has info for the session id and the id of the product that the customer ordered. The website generates a form for adding the product to the customer's cart consisting of an "add to cart" button and a quantity text box.

2. The customer inputs an item and clicks "add to cart", and is then brought to the screen s/he had before clicking the "order product" button. A google checkout button now appears on this screen to allow the customer to check out at any time. Internally, the item and quantity is added to the session's shopping cart and the session is preserved with a php global session id. The checkout button should send the shopping cart data to google and initiate the google checkout procedure.

3. The customer then clicks through to another product and orders something else in the same way as (1). This time, however, the customer sees a list of previous items ordered. Internally this is the same as (1), except that the current session is useed instead of a new one being created.

I want to use Zencart because of the relative ease that purchases and customers can be tracked and products can be added/modified.

These are all things that Zen Cart already does, although not in exactly the same way as you describe. (The Google checkout is separate code as mentioned by Kim.) To get the precise internal/functional steps you describe, you can write your own shopping cart program; or you can find out how Zen Cart functions and apply your design to it.

gjh42:

These are all things that Zen Cart already does, although not in exactly the same way as you describe. (The Google checkout is separate code as mentioned by Kim.) To get the precise internal/functional steps you describe, you can write your own shopping cart program; or you can find out how Zen Cart functions and apply your design to it.

Exactly what I want to know.... :smile:

What Glenn means by > apply your design to it is that you take your current design (the look) and skin zen cart with it. What you want to do, only using ZC functions where you want is not going to work.

Do you have any suggestions for another php cart program?

I doubt you'll find one that has robust database support and also lets you use bits and pieces in an outside site, but good luck!

Why do you feel you need to use separate functions on the site you have instead of molding your design onto an already working engine?

gjh42:

I doubt you'll find one that has robust database support and also lets you use bits and pieces in an outside site, but good luck!

Why do you feel you need to use separate functions on the site you have instead of molding your design onto an already working engine?

The only difference is semantics, and it seems fairly difficult to find information on how to do either with Zen Cart.

Your second original question is best handled in the Google Checkout thread; there are also mods that eliminate visible accounts or make them optional.

Your first question, "what HTML/PHP elements do I need for the cart to function properly? (and where are they?)", is vague enough that it can't be answered specifically outside the context of "you can't use bits & pieces". If you ask "how can this layout/customer flow be handled in Zen Cart", you will get plenty of information.

We're kind of going round and round with the question. You posted a very specific logic flow in post 5, the customer flow of which is essentially what Zen Cart does. What part of the customer flow you want is different from the way Zen Cart operates by default?

Your second original question is best handled in the Google Checkout thread; there are also mods that eliminate visible accounts or make them optional.

Except, that thread is Fracking HUGE.

gjh42:

We're kind of going round and round with the question. You posted a very specific logic flow in post 5, the customer flow of which is essentially what Zen Cart does. What part of the customer flow you want is different from the way Zen Cart operates by default?

Well, I want to know how to remove the styling in the zencart main page so that what remains is the MINIMAL HTML and PHP elements required for it to function so that I can then copy this into my own pages.

Well, I want to know how to remove the styling in the zencart main page so that what remains is the MINIMAL HTML and PHP elements required for it to function so that I can then copy this into my own pages

We are still going round and round - Zen Cart will not work that way - You HAVE to add your styling to the Zen Cart. Instructions are in the tutorials/ FAQ section.

"What part of the customer flow you want is different from the way Zen Cart operates by default?"

You didn't answer this question... in what way does the standard ZC customer experience not match what you want? Some parts of that can be modified if necessary.
The ZC logic will accomplish the tasks you want done, without being put into your pages.

gjh42:

"What part of the customer flow you want is different from the way Zen Cart operates by default?"

You didn't answer this question... in what way does the standard ZC customer experience not match what you want? Some parts of that can be modified if necessary.
The ZC logic will accomplish the tasks you want done, without being put into your pages.

If I knew the answer, I would not be posting. I would say that there's really no difference in terms of the basic logic flow but rather the entire page structure and layout. If it worked for me, I would use it and if it didn't, I wouldn't. (That's assuming I knew how to modify it properly)

The template/customization FAQ and google thread is too large and I cannot find what I need.

So it's the appearance of the ZC page that you don't like? That can easily be changed in a million ways. Well, ok, a thousand ways are easy if you don't know anything about the ZC file/code structure, and a hundred thousand if you are proficient only with CSS.

Can you post a link or an image of what you want your page to look like?

gjh42:

So it's the appearance of the ZC page that you don't like? That can easily be changed in a million ways. Well, ok, a thousand ways are easy if you don't know anything about the ZC file/code structure, and a hundred thousand if you are proficient only with CSS.

Can you post a link or an image of what you want your page to look like?

Okay. I'm working on a mockup and I'll post again when it's done.