Table of contents
Q: Which servers can this application run on?
A: Our application is Microsoft specific and so the servers you can use are any version of Windows 2000 or Windows 2003. You can also run the application on Windows XP but you have limited connections that can come in from the Internet. To run the MS SQL version, you will also need MS SQL Server 2000 or better.
Q: Why do I need to preset the permissions on certain folders?
A: Read/Write/Delete permissions are required so that you can upload images, save changes into the Access database (if you are using the Free MS Access version), and write/copy files during setup. The Microsoft File SYstem Object (FSO) is used throughout the setup and during other importing processes to make it easier for the application to maintain its own data integrity.
Q: What is a Parent Path?
A: Include files are used extensively throughout the application. The files are requested into the .asp pages using ../ to tell the page to look back up the folders but not past the root of your website. If IIS has Parent Path turned off, then you have to edit every single page in the application to read include virtual = "/XXXXX instead of the include file = "../XXXXX
If you are the administrator, or have access to the IIS console, modify the Parent Path setting for your virtual web. This setting is located under the "Home Directory" tab, under "Configuration" on the "App Options" tab.
Q: Can I host this application across a server farm?
A: A single license allows you to run the application on a single domain. If you feel the size of the cart and the amount of visitors warrants the spreading of the application and/or the database across redundant servers, then you can do so.
Q: Do I require any special 3rd party components?
A: To upload images for products, categories, or even your logo, you will need a 3rd party component to make it easier than trying to upload the 4 different sizes required. The components will auto resize and optimize the images for you. The imaging components are:
GflAx Free
Persits AspJpeg
ServerObjects ASPImage
ImageMagick Free
To send email notifications or have people contact you through forms on the website, you will need to use either one of the 2 components built into Windows 2000 (CDONTS) or Windows 2003 (CDOSYS) or one of the more secure components:
JMail
Persits ASPemail
ServerObjects ASPmail
Bamboo SMTP
OCXMail
Dundas Mailer
ASPSmartMail
Q: Why won't my cart send email?
A: If you use one of the optional email components, you need to make sure that the mail server you are sending through allows relaying from the IP address of your web server. Both CDONTS (Windows 2000) and CDOSYS (Windows 2003/XP) handle as a localhost and will always talk to themselves (just make sure to set them up to only relay from it's own IP address or you will have a relaying problem and attract hackers)
Q: My install said everything was going fine so why at the end does it say I missed something?
A: This is usually a problem only on the installation of the Free MS Access version. What this means is even though the setup said you had enough permissions on the database for read/write, it actually may require Full permissions
Q: How do I install zip/postal codes for countries other than the default US?
A: In the Admin area, click on the Payment Manager left menu, then on Countries & Taxes. At the top of the new window on the right, click on the Import tab. In the new window will be the country information you can import (CA - Canada, AU - Australia, GB - Great Britain, etc.)
Q: How do I setup a Dealer ?
A: In the Admin area, click on the User Manager left menu, then on the Users & Customers link, then on Dealer Levels - you need to have at least one Dealer Level so create one by giving it a name and clicking on the Create New Level button.
To add a Dealer, click on the Add Customer tab in the right/top window. Fill out the information for the new Customer and in the text box marked as Type, choose Dealer. Now in the Additional Type(s) text box choose Reseller (you can hold down the ctrl key and click as many choices as you need). Save your changes.
If you wish to change a current Customer, use List Customers to find them and then click on their name to change them to a Dealer the same way as above. Now when this Customer logins into your cart site, they will see the regular price for products unless you have added a Dealer price in the Product Manager in which case they will see the discounted Dealer price.
Q: How do I setup an Affiliate?
A: In the Admin area, click on the User Manager left menu, then on the Add Customer tab in the right/top window. Fill out the information for the Customer (if the Customer already exists, you can change them to an Affiliate this same way) and in the text box marked as Additional Type(s) choose Affiliate (you can hold down the ctrl key and click as many choices as you need). Save your changes. At the top of the information window, you will see the Affiliate ID # as well as the link you can send to the Affiliate that they place in their site to direct people to your website. Now when someone comes from their website to yours via the link, the ID is stored and you can see how many sales (and how much) have come in. Simple click on the View Accounts of Type drop down box at the top of the window and choose Affiliate. You can view the Affiliates details or at the end of the row you will see a View link, click it so see the balance of their sales account. If you pay Affiliates on a percentage basis, you can use the tally in your calculations.