I need help setting up my shopping cart

[toxinfree]

Although I have built a few websites in the past and am therefore reasonably familiar with HTML and Frontpage, etc. I have never done anything with databases, SQL or shopping carts. Neither do I know PHP or ASP.

I would be forever grateful if someone would be kind enough to give me a brief guide as to how to go about setting up my shopping cart, etc? :confused: (or at least get me started) as I have not got a clue where to start.

I have uploaded Zen Cart to my webserver (because it specifically stated that it can do PayPal).

Is there anyone out there willing to oblige me please?

Many thanks

ToxinFree :)
www.toxinfreebodycare.com

[McCoy]

The best advice I can give you is to read the script's own instructions for installing.

This is tipically located in the README or INSTALL files, and most of the times in the help or documentation section of the official webpage.

That should be about all the information you would need for successfully installing almost any script out there, specially if it's a popular one like Zen Cart.

[sdasevne]

As far as setting up any of the 3 leading shopping carts (OSCommerce, Cube Cart or Zen Cart), the easiest way would be to go to cPanel, click on Fantastico, then click on the shopping cart you want to use.

[shadmego]

Just about any shopping cart out there today will support accepting paypal payments.

I've done osCommerce before but I haven't touched Zen Cart. I also suggest spending some time on their support forums.

~regards, and welcome to the Community! ;)
Shadmego

[toxinfree]

I obviously never explained myself properly. I don't need help installing the actual shopping cart onto my server. My problem is that I am not familiar with MySQL or any other web-based database. So I am not sure how to go about setting up the database that contains the details of my products and then linking that to my shopping cart.

If I have the products in a comma-delimited ASCII file can I just use that as my database? Or do I have to import this into a MySQL database? If so, how do I go about doing that?

That's the sort of stuff I need help with.

[McCoy]

The shopping cart systems already come with a section for adding products. You don't need to mess with the database directly (othewise the shopping cart script wouldn't be really useful :P)

[toxinfree]

When tried to install the shopping cart it said that it couldn't find any database and that it does not create one automatically. That would suggest that I need to create one myself. I don't know whether I have to create one in SQL or whether a comma-delimited ASCII will do, it doesn't say. :confused: :confused:

toxinfree

[McCoy]

Fantastico should create the database automatically.

[toxinfree]

I must be doing something wrong, because fantastico did not set up my database automatically. Or at least I am not aware of it doing so. Was there somewhere that I should've clicked for it to do this? :confused: :confused: :confused:

[shadmego]

You may want to try setting up a test subdomain such as shopping.yourdomain.com and installing the shopping cart in that subdomain.

You can always move the installation later.

If you are having problems getting Fantastico to install the DB properly, I would suggest you contact support. I recommend Live Chat.

~regards
Shadmego

[mike07]

As far as setting up any of the 3 leading shopping carts (OSCommerce, Cube Cart or Zen Cart), the easiest way would be to go to cPanel, click on Fantastico, then click on the shopping cart you want to use.

Thanks for the info really helped. I recently signed up for a merchant account (http://www.cardservicesales.com/) and I had problems with the shopping cart. Thanks.

[danny]

You have to create a datab and crate a user add a user to the datab and there will be a run installer.php i have worked with a lots of shopping carts and most are the same if u need any more help pm me

[myfastservices]

toxinfree,

In the hm cpanel there is a database section. Click on the database wizard and it will walk you through the process. Basically you need to pick a name for the database and create a user and password. Once the database is set up the Fantastical scripts will usually fill it in for you.