If you are using Joomla!/Mambo and want e-commerce functionality, you have a number of choices. Among these, the best one is using the VirtueMart component. The VirtueMart component for Joomla!/Mambo is quite similar to Zen Cart or osCommerce. Only a few features of Zen Cart or osCommerce are missing in VirtueMart. However, if you still want to integrate Zen Cart into the existing Joomla!/Mambo website, you have two options-and neither is easier than the other: Use Zen Cart as a wrapper or, develop a component based on Zen Cart.
Using Zen Cart as a wrapper is in its true sense not an integration. It runs separately and Joomla! provides a menu link. Clicking on this link will show Zen Cart in a wrapper window. If you are experienced with Joomla! or Mambo, you can figure out how a menu item can be added to show the application in a wrapper. However, adding a wrapper may appear to be an integration if you modify the Zen Cart template accordingly. As the Zen Cart shop appears in the wrapper, it would be wise not to use headers and sidebars in the Zen Cart template. Links to the categories and other menus can be provided in the headers. A separate login mechanism should also be provided in the Zen Cart template.
Developing a bridge for Zen Cart and Joomla! is a hot topic in the Zen Cart forum. Users of both Joomla! and Zen Cart agree that integration or bridging of these two will be of great value. However, due to the framework of these two systems, developing such a bridge has some complexities and takes some time. Recently, a discussion on this topic has led to the development of such a bridge by the open-source enthusiasts. Please watch the following thread:http://tinyurl.com/65ypyu.
Another possibility is JFusion plug-in for Joomla! (available at www.jfusion.org) which is a framework for integrating several forums to Joomla!. The developer of JFusion has proposed developing such a plug-in for Zen Cart as well. It is hoped that JFusion will be able to integrate Zen Cart to Joomla! soon.
While attempting integration of one CMS with another, some simple principles should be remembered. For all integration attempts, you have to consider the following aspects:
- Master-slave relationship: While integrating one CMS with the other, one of the applications act as the master and the other as the slave. If you integrate application A to application B, then application B will be considered as master. Master applications maintain authentication and sessions for both applications. While integrating Zen Cart with some other CMS, first consider whether Zen Cart will be the master or the slave. If you are integrating Zen Cart with an existing website, Zen Cart is going to be the slave. On the other hand, when you are adding blogging functionality to the Zen Cart shop by integrating WordPress with Zen Cart, Zen Cart is going to be the master.
- User and Group Management: One purpose of integrating two CMSs is to have a common user and group management system. Zen Cart integration may be tight, where both Zen Cart and an other CMS will use the same database for user and group management. On the other hand, loose integration will allow periodic or event-based synchronization of user or group databases. Tight integration becomes easier when both CMSs use the same type of user database. If the user databases are very different from each other, then tight integration may not be possible and some sort of fallback solution such as synchronizing the databases may be used.
- Visual integration: Users see the integration only through the visual integration. In fact, visual integration should be such that users will be unaware of integration attempt. While integrating the two CMSs, the visual template of the master should preferably be used for both CMSs. However, using a master’s template system is difficult and a central template system should be developed which can be used for both applications.
This article has been extracted from: Zen Cart: E-commerce Application Development
A step-by-step developer’s guide
- Install, configure, and customize Zen Cart for your customers
- Enhance and modify Zen Cart
- Walk through the creation of a fully functional book store
- Learn advanced features of Zen Cart with practical examples
For more information, please visit:
http://www.PacktPub.com/zen-cart-ecommerce-application-development/book
This is from the February issue of Success Magazine – Excerpt
A GOOD LEADER…
- Accepts responsibility and takes it seriously.
- Seeks out and listens to others, but makes up his or her own mind.
- Wants to leave the world better than he or she finds it.
- Has a genuine interest in others: their joys, sorrows, hopes, hurts, needs and fears.
- Learns from the past, but focuses on the future.
- Aims to be of service to others.
- Expects the best from others, as from him or herself.
- Learns from role models, but knows who he or she is.
- Knows the power of yes and no and when to say so.
- Knows how to set goals and pursue them.
- Is dedicated to his or her work and achieving goals.
- Is not deterred by detractors or naysayers.
- Admits errors, accepts failures, learns from them and moves on.
- Is not always right, but is right more than wrong.
- Imparts the moral tone to his or her enterprise.
- Is honest and strives to be fair.
- Is enthusiastic and optimistic about succeeding.
- Motivates others with trust and belief in them.
To read more, go to Success Magazine
Tried a new shot last night, of the F430 key, probably would turn out better with a macro – Had to do some photo shop touch up on the key itself, it’s been scratched and beat up a bit after 16,000 miles! What do you think?
By Cyndee Sugra of Studio 7 Media
- TAKE A CHANCE. The riskiest decision you make can be the most rewarding and gratifying.
- THERE’S NO CRYSTAL BALL. Take big leaps to learn about yourself as an entrepreneur and a decision-maker.
- ONCE YOU MAKE A DECISION, be confident with it and move forward. DON’T LOOK BACK.
- STOP WORRYING. You can’t take risks confidently if you’re constantly worrying about the outcome or the future.
- Remember that THERE ARE NO MISTAKES. If you fail after taking a risk, the lessons learned are invaluable.
- Ask yourself, WHAT’S THE WORST THAT CAN HAPPEN?
- KEEP STEPPING OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE. The more success you experience through your risk-taking, the more you’ll allow yourself to branch out.
- DON’T LET PERFECTIONISM GET IN THE WAY OF TAKING RISKS. Accept that as an entrepreneur, learning is never-ending.
- EVALUATE WHAT YOU’RE REALLY RISKING. It might not be as scary as your originally thought.
- DON’T STRESS ABOUT COMING UP WITH THAT “BIG IDEA.” Big ideas don’t come easily – a small idea may actually be the big prize.
