Software/file delivery questions

[Northernmichigansolar]

I need some suggestions regarding adding an ecommerce method to one of my Bluehost domains.

I need to do something I have no experience with; delivery of files to customers via a shopping cart, specifically photographs.

Briefly, I want to allow the purchase of a photograph and have an email with a one time link sent to the purchaser. I'd prefer to stay away from services like eBay but I do use PayPal's shopping carts for some of our current ecommerce for physical deliveries.

The flow I'd like to see:

Browse images > Add to cart > purchase > receive unique link via email

Using a method that Bluehost supports would be okay, but I'd prefer an automated or managed process where all I have to do is add the items for purchase.

[bobdog]

Zen Cart will do this. Using the virtual products module, it allows browse by category, purchase, give a link for download, and set how many times the customer can download.

[Northernmichigansolar]

Thanks for the reply!

I installed Zen cart today in a sandbox in one of my domains. I got as far as the SQL setup. While I have SQL installed with a username and database in place, Zen gives continual errors accessing the database, timeouts, access errors and such. Gave up after 3 hours.

Which is what I didn't want to screw with in the first place. Automated or managed is my first choice into this itemized shopping cart foray without the continual database/SQL maintenance issues.

[aceofspades]

Thanks for the reply!

I installed Zen cart today in a sandbox in one of my domains. I got as far as the SQL setup. While I have SQL installed with a username and database in place, Zen gives continual errors accessing the database, timeouts, access errors and such. Gave up after 3 hours.

Which is what I didn't want to screw with in the first place. Automated or managed is my first choice into this itemized shopping cart foray without the continual database/SQL maintenance issues.

dont forget to prefix your username and database with your username (the first 8 letters of your domain). So if you make a database called cheesypoofs and a user called deedee it would actually be username_cheesypoofs and username_deedee. If you know what i mean. That is probobly your problem.

[Northernmichigansolar]

You mean as in username_database? Did that through my first trip through SQL hell. The Bluehost SQL system installed without any reported errors as well as checking correctly. However, no network paths are reported and the paths are returning errors on box 128 as well.

I created two databases; one with username_ and no password and username_photo with a password. Both return errors when Zen attempts setup. Yes, I picked up the username_database.database bug in the Bluehost SQL. PHPinfo and file/folder permissions all check okay. My problem with using an internal Bluehost SQL database is that it requires self determination in the setup as well as cloudy (i.e. unclear) network paths, which is why I posed the original question: automated or managed carts, who and where. I want to spend my time on the art and site design not debugging SQL. I spent too many years at Sharp debugging hospital SQL issues and have no desire to do that now. I'll repeat; automated or managed services. I do not want to keep track of the management of the database other than through a web portal system. The Bluehost system won't do that unless there's a portal that isn't in the user panel.

[aceofspades]

ok do you know what your username is. It really is quite simple sir. It is just confusing at first. Look everything is set up fine. And you have to attach a user to the database. Just use the cpanel mysql manager and you will be fine. It even tells you what you should put in. Trust me your just confused.

Dont worry about the paths they are already set
Your host will always be localhost
Make a database and a user at the panel (go to the mysql manager in cpanelX)
Go to the dropdown menu and then select the database and select the user in the other box
Then put your username and database (look at the manager if your not sure) where zend cart tells you to.
Then your done and it is smooth sailing.

[Northernmichigansolar]

1. Don't worry about the paths they are already set.

I suspected as much and didn't change the paths the first 20-30 attempts.

2. Your host will always be localhost.

Again, normal under most SQL installs.

3. Make a database and a user at the panel (go to the mysql manager in cpanelX).

Did that first thing.

4. Go to the dropdown menu and then select the database and select the user in the other box.

Did that second.

5. Then put your username and database (look at the manager if your not sure) where Zen cart tells you to.

Did that.

6. Then your done and it is smooth sailing.

Ship sank.

Four errors at once:

"Connection timed out."
"Connection refused by server."
"Path does not exist."
"Access denied."

If I use a false username/password combo, I do indeed get "username does not exist" so we know there is a connection attempt to the database.

[aceofspades]

contact support. I dont know what more to tell you.

[Northernmichigansolar]

Yeah. I'm still looking for a managed cart service that'll work. Let someone else do the work so I can concentrate on the important aspects.

Thanks for the help, though! :D

[aceofspades]

zen cart works fine it has been around for quite some time. You can also use a CMS with an integrated store like e107 or PHP-Nuke. Hve you look ed into those. I hear it has a good store. I am not sure if PHP-Nuke is better. Just look into it. Then you can have everything you need.