Accessing a zen cart install before DNS propagation

Hello,

I'm a web developer and am evaluating Zen Cart vs. other shopping carts, and I like what I see.

My problem is that I've got a new client and I'm building their new web site on my server, which they will access through my domain name until we repoint the DNS records from the old host to mine:

My test site: https://www.flaminglogos.net

Their subdirectory: client

Test URL: https://www.flaminglogos.net/~client/ <- empty at this point

This is a CPanel/Fantastico install and their account name is "client" and the domain name is "clientname.com"

I've installed Zen Cart into a subdomain and subdirectory called "store" on their new site, so I can get to it through this URL:

Zen Cart URL: http://www.flaminglogos.net/~client/store/

So far this works (except for a base href issue that messes up the stylesheets), but I cannot get into the Admin section with this URL:

http://www.flaminglogos.net/~client/store/admin/ <-- fails

When I try to get in, the URL gets redirected to "store.clientname.com" which will be their site address after we're done and we repoint the DNS. For now it fails.

I assume that this is a setting in the Admin section that I can change (if I could get to it!). Is it in the database or a configuration file?

How do other developers get a store set up for a client before their site goes live or the DNS is repointed?

Thank you for any advice,
Alan Page

Probably the path specified in admin/includes/configure.php

This is one of the reasons that I (and others) strongly recommend not using Fantastico, and doing Zencart installations (and other software installs, for that matter) manually. You would have specified the proper path during a manual installation.

Welcome to Zencart :smile:

You seem to have path issues in the store part, too, as your stylesheet isn't loading. That's in includes/configure.php

Thanks, I see the settings for it in the config file.

I will definitely use the real install procedure in the future if it is more precise.

Is there a preferred way of building a store in a development environment, and then deploying it? Do you build stores in a private area with the proper settings in the config file, and then move everything to the production environment (with the needed changes to the config file) when you are ready?

Thanks,
Alan

I don't know about preferred. I usually password protect the domain in CPanel until I'm ready to go live. I don't know much about what effect that has on search engine bots, but I don't worry much about that. Someone else here should have some thoughts about it.

You can also restrict access through Zencart itself.

I also have several Zencart test sites which I use for testing templates, mods, etc. Hosting space is cheap, Zencart is easy to install, and fiddling with a live site makes me nervous.

flaminglogos:

Do you build stores in a private area with the proper settings in the config file, and then move everything to the production environment (with the needed changes to the config file) when you are ready?
That would be the correct way for developing.

Putting everything into a separate 'sub-directory' (which is not a not Sub-domain) makes it easy to transfer all related files to wherever you want. Remember the database used for this should be a separate setup as well, which makes it easy to grab and upload to the new site as well.