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WebXess Support: Shopping Cart Program

Script Install & Server Customization
Company Customization & Tax Setup
Catalog Page Creation
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Script Install & Customization

Installing a shopping cart for your website is easy!

Follow the instructions below to add the script to your site.

1. Create a directory in your cgi-local called shop (or whatever you prefer).

2. Within that directory (shop), create directories called:

• customers
  
• orders
  
• catalog
  
• tokens
  
• temp_customers
  
• temp_orders
  
• log
  

3. Make sure you CHMOD all directories (including shop) 755.

4. Download the shopping cart files to your computer.

• perlshop.cgi
• index.html
• page1.htm
• page2.htm
• country.htm
• perllogo.gif

These are the script, a demo entry page, and two demo catalog pages, plus the country code page and two graphics. More on what to do with each of these as we move along.

6. Open the perlshop.cgi file in a text editor (like notepad), and make modifications to the following lines (ensure to change only the lines listed below, as the rest are already preset for your WebXess virtual server):

For most settings the possible choices are listed to the right in the commemts area. There are many features and variables available for customization in this script, as it is very flexible and very powerful. The following modifications cover the basics, and will enable you to setup a simple, working shopping cart. Feel free to experiment with the other settings, to try and create a more advanced cart, and for more information you may wish to review the author's notes.

Under the Initial Configuration Settings area (scroll down through the script until you see the header):

• Set $use_cookies to yes if you would like shoppers to be able to leave the store and come back and have the script remember their previous carts.
  
• The $cookie_expire_days setting is related to the above, and is defaulted at 30 days.
  
• The $allow_fractional_qty setting defines whether your products must be purchased in integer values.
  

Under the Server Customization Variables area:

• Change $server_address to your domain name
  
• Change $cgiwrap_directory to the directory you created in your cgi-local, i.e. '/cgi-local/shop'
  
• Change $cgi_directory
  to the same value as $cgiwrap_directory
• Change $smtp_addr to your IP#'s (included in your activation e-mail)
  
• Change $catalog_home to the directory of the entry page (i.e. '/shopdemo')
  
• Change $home_page to the name of the entry page (i.e. 'index.html')
  
• Change $image_directory to the directory where you will store your images in the catalog pages, (i.e. '/shopdemo')
  
• Change $image_location to the URL of the images, (i.e. "http://yourdomain.com/shopdemo")
  
• Change $home_icon to a graphic of your choice (appears on the catalog pages as a link back to the start)