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Setting up an osCommerce-MBC Edition online store
osCommerce is a very popular collection of scripts for creating online stores.
The program uploads the following data to osCommerce-MBC Edition:
- Product ID
- Name
- Price
- Brief description
- Detailed description, which may also include information from any fields of the catalog
- Minimum order
- Order increment
- Manufacturer
- Quantity in stock
- Related products
- Attributes (color, size)
- Weight
- Logo
- Delivery and payment module settings
- Built-in templates (~ 180)
- Keywords and meta tags for SEO
- Photos in three sizes (automatically parsed according to your preferences )
To learn how to upload data that the program does not automatically upload to the store, please read this note.
The distributive for this store (powered by osCommerce 2.2) is included in the standard setup kit of the commercial version of this software.
Contents
Upgrading from an old version
Automatic installation of a new store
Manual installation of a new store
How to upload files to server and change file and folder permissions over FTP
Useful links
The installation is fully automatic.
Note to users of version 8 Ultimate. When upgrading to the new version, make sure to have done the following:
1. Copied to the root of your store this file:
"C:\Program Files\<program name>\Tech\Shop-add-ons\ServerSideScripts\oscmbc.php"
2. Renamed the script file in the TARGET window to oscmbc.php
3. Set proper permissions to the folders, see item 2 of this list
Setting up a new store
Preparing server
The very first thing you should do before installing an online store is to prepare your server for running an online store.
The process is completely automated. You only need to specify the required data, and the program will do the rest automatically!
This feature is only available with the Ultimate license. If you are using a different license, just choose one of the servers available for testing on the 'Where' tab.
Before uploading the software to your server, you need to enter some data. This is something you can not do without; otherwise, anyone would be able to make all kinds of mess on your server, not asking your permission for it.
Automatic installation
So, we need:
- FTP connection. Server name, login and password. If you have ever uploaded anything to your server, you surely do have that data. Just enter it in the corresponding boxes on the form. If you do not have that data:
- Look for it in the message from your hosting company that you should have received when setting up the hosting account.
- Contact your hosting provider's system administrator or technical support.
- Open the hosting control panel and simply create an FTP account.
Now, as you have entered that data, click on the 'Open FTP Client' button. That will open the file tree on your server.
Navigate to the folder that contains your Web data (usually that is www or public_html);
i.e. the documents you see when viewing your website with a browser. Leave that folder selected if you want to place your store right at the root of your server, or create an additional subfolder; e.g., 'shop', and then go into it and click 'Copy Path to Field...'
Next, in the 'HTTP path to store' box, enter the path to your store the way it should be typed in a Web browser. If your store is located at the root of the server, simply enter your website address, http://your-website.com/ ; if it is in a subfolder, then, accordingly, http://your-website.com/folder/
- Database settings Your online store uses a MySQL database available on your server.
There's nothing complicated in it, even if you have never done this before.
In the hosting control panel, look up an item like MySQL Databases, Manage Databases, Manage Users or phpMyAdmin.
Create a database, such as 'eshop', and a user for that database.
Enter that information in the corresponding boxes on the form. - Enter the login and password for accessing the administrative panel of your store.
We strongly advise you to change the credentials provided by default.
In the group 'What operations are we to perform...' select all the items and then click 'Upload and Install...'
When an operation is complete, the program automatically clears its checkbox.
If the upload fails - for example, due to incorrect data you have entered - check the data in the boxes and then click on 'Upload and Install...' again. The upload will resume from the item that has not been uploaded.
If you keep losing the connection, first of all, switch the 'Use passive mode' option to the opposite.
When everything is uploaded and set up, you will get a notification.
The data that went through will be copied to the corresponding boxes on the 'Where' tab.
The store is now ready to serve customers!
Manual installation
If the first item of the upload routine fails (the connection drops before all the files are uploaded), you can copy the necessary files to the server manually .
The setup kit for the store is located in the program's installation folder, normally c:\program files\<program edition>\Tech\shop\
Once everything is copied successfully, open the program, go back to the 'Prepare Server' tab, select all the items EXCEPT 'Upload e-store scripts to the website' (we've just done that manually) and then click 'Upload and Install....' again.
If the upload fails at this point too
Set permissions 706 (if 706 doesn't go through, try 777) to files
includes/configure.php
and
admin/includes/configure.php
In your browser's address bar, type http://your-website.com/store-folder/install/
That will launch the online setup wizard
Complete all the steps of the setup wizard (requires the same data as you entered when installing from the program)
When the online setup wizard is finished, do the following:
- 1. Set permissions 644 to files
includes/configure.php
and
admin/includes/configure.php
- 2. Set permissions 777 to folders
/images/
/images/product_images/
/includes/languages/deutsch/images/buttons
/includes/languages/english/images/buttons
/includes/languages/russian/images/buttons
/includes/sts_templates/main/
/includes/sts_templates/main/images/
/includes/sts_templates/main/images/deutsch
/includes/sts_templates/main/images/english
/includes/sts_templates/main/images/russian
- 3. Set permissions 777 to file price.xls
- 4. Delete folder install
- 5. On the 'Where' tab in the program, enter your store's information. The script file name for the store is oscmbc.php
Useful links
If you don't understand or can't go through with something, just contact our technical support service.
Supplying your authentication details for logging in to your hosting control panel would really help.
That data is strictly confidential and is used solely for helping you with the setup.
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