Bulk Upload Upgrades

[dcox]

Hello everyone,

I have a couple of feature requests, or maybe both of these are already possible and I don't know it.

First, I would like to be able to use a CSV file for a bulk upload and NOT have to use HTML for advanced editing in the cells. The reason is, my distributor supplies me with product descriptions in Excel that are formated as they should be seen, like this for instance:

Trophy riflescopes feature rich, distinctive models for every shooting need and are engineered and built for maximum accuracy and reliability in the real world. Multi-coated, high-contrast, amber-bright optics provide increased brightness for low-light hunting.

A fast-focus eyepiece and wide-angle field of view allow almost instant target acquisition. Standard features include finger adjustable and resettable 1/4" fingertip audible Windage and elevation adjustments and an easy-grip oversized power change ring for fast magnification changes. One-piece body tube construction provides waterproof, fogproof and shockproof performance.  

Features:
-Wide Angle with Circle-X Reticle. 
-Ideal low-light reticle 
-Actual Magnification: 3x-9x -Objective Lens: 40mm -Field of View @100 Yards: 42/14@3X- 14/5@9X 
-Weight: 13.2 oz 
-Length: 11.7" 
-Eye Relief: 3" 
-Exit Pupil: 13.3@3X-4.4@9X 
-Click Value @100 Yards: .25mm

However, for 3dcart to format it correctly, it needs to look like this:

<DIV>Trophy riflescopes feature rich, distinctive models for every shooting need and are engineered and built for maximum accuracy and reliability in the real world. Multi-coated, high-contrast, amber-bright optics provide increased brightness for low-light hunting.</DIV>

<DIV> </DIV>

<DIV>A fast-focus eyepiece and wide-angle field of view allow almost instant target acquisition. Standard features include finger adjustable and resettable 1/4" fingertip audible Windage and elevation adjustments and an easy-grip oversized power change ring for fast magnification changes. One-piece body tube construction provides waterproof, fogproof and shockproof performance. </DIV>

<DIV> </DIV>

<DIV>Features:</DIV>

<DIV>-Wide Angle with Circle-X Reticle.</DIV>

<DIV>-Ideal low-light reticle</DIV>

<DIV>-Actual Magnification: 3x-9x -Objective Lens: 40mm -Field of View @100 Yards: 42/14@3X- 14/5@9X</DIV>

<DIV>-Weight: 13.2 oz</DIV>

<DIV>-Length: 11.7"</DIV>

<DIV>-Eye Relief: 3"</DIV>

<DIV>-Exit Pupil: 13.3@3X-4.4@9X</DIV>

<DIV>-Click Value @100 Yards: .25mm</DIV>

I am trying to figure out a crafty way to achieve this in Excel, but due to the complexity, it isn't looking promising. Is there a feature in 3dcart to allow this (other than manually copying and pasting the descriptions of 11,000 products?)

Second thing. I know that a bulk category update feature is coming in the new release due out early next year, but I am having trouble now. I have setup the spreadsheet to automatically create categories based on the data supplied. However, I cannot assign images to them in bulk. While it isn't the greatest looking thing, I would settle for just text on category and sub-category fields until I can go through all of them manually and assign images. As of now, the subcategory will not appear (text or anything) unless an image is assigned. I am sure this can be overridden somehow. If not, there needs to be a feature to do so.

THANKS!

[ScribeTime]

Hi Dcox,

I'm not sure if I completely understand your question. You sound pretty experienced with spreadsheets, so I'm also not sure if I'll be sharing info that you already know. But what I did was I created 10 extra features with specific names for my particular custom features (did this under Settings>>Design>>Store Language>>Product).

Then I tweak the spreadsheet given to me by my manufacturers and assign the extra feature fields to the corresponding column in the spreadsheet or if necessary I create the column. For example, for the size column I label that column with the appropriate 3dcart field name, extra_field_2 which again I assigned under the admin panel for the size feature.

In my product listing template I have a cell for each extra feature, product id, manufacturer, etc.... If a particular product doesn't have say, extra feature #3, then the template of course knows to not even include that cell on my product page.

As far as the images, many of my products' images have the same name as the id number with the ".jpg" at the end. I use the "CONCATENATE" feature in Excel to merge the id number with the filename extension of the images, merge this with the location of the image on my site (i.e. "assets/templates/default/....."), and do the same (or sometimes I use the "find/replace" feature in Excel to replace the ".jpg" with "_thumbnail.jpg") for the thumbnail images.

I'm not sure if your problem lies with the format of the information supplied by your supplier or just not being sure about the bulk upload. If the above is what you are looking to do and you have more questions or need further clarification let me know.

[dcox]

Scribetime,

Thank you for the information. My problem lies within the format provided by my supplier. The data in the excel "product description" cell provided by my supplier is formated as I want it to appear, as if it was copied and pasted from a word processor with paragraphs, line breaks, punctuation, etc. (most of the data does contain those funny boxes that pop up when an unrecognized character is used though... They seem to disapear when I do the bulk upload...) Anyway, funny boxes aside, the data is formated as I want it to be displayed. The problem is, the 3dcart bulk upload requires html to format the information. If no html is included, there are no line breaks, everything runs together as one long string of sentences and phrases. It looks like this:

This Trophy Series scope offers feature-rich, distinctive scopes for every shooting need. The Trophy is engineered and built for maximum accuracy and reliability in the real world. -Fully coated high-contrast Amberbright optics provide increased contrast and image brightness for hunting all day. -Wide angle field of view for fast raget acquisition. -Fast focus eyepiece for maximum clarity. -Finger adjustable and resettable 1/4 MOA or finer windage and elevation controls. -One-piece body tube for durability and reliability. -Waterproof and fogproof. -Easy-to-use power change ring for all-weather use. -Heavy-duty spring clip assembly for enhanced accuracy with all calibers. -Actual Magnification: 1x -Objective Lens Aperture: 28mm -Reticle: 4 Dial-In Electronic -Finish: Black Matte -Field of View @ 100 yards: 68 ft. -Weight: 6 oz. -Length: 5.5" -Eye Relief: Unlimited -Exit Pupil: 28mm -Click Value @ 100 yards: .5 -Adjust Range @ 100 yards: 50 Selection: Green dot for low light, red dot for bright light, image contrast improvement.

When it should looke like this (which is what it looks like in Excel):

This Trophy Series scope offers feature-rich, distinctive scopes for every shooting need. The Trophy is engineered and built for maximum accuracy and reliability in the real world.

-Fully coated high-contrast Amberbright optics provide increased contrast and image brightness for hunting all day.
-Wide angle field of view for fast raget acquisition.
-Fast focus eyepiece for maximum clarity.
-Finger adjustable and resettable 1/4 MOA or finer windage and elevation controls.
-One-piece body tube for durability and reliability.
-Waterproof and fogproof.
-Easy-to-use power change ring for all-weather use.
-Heavy-duty spring clip assembly for enhanced accuracy with all calibers.
-Actual Magnification: 1x -Objective Lens Aperture: 28mm -Reticle: 4 Dial-In Electronic
-Finish: Black Matte -Field of View @ 100 yards: 68 ft.
-Weight: 6 oz.
-Length: 5.5"
-Eye Relief: Unlimited
-Exit Pupil: 28mm
-Click Value @ 100 yards: .5
-Adjust Range @ 100 yards: 50 Selection: Green dot for low light, red dot for bright light, image contrast improvement.

Any ideas?

[ScribeTime]

Dcox,

The only other thing I can think of is perhaps you can do a "Find and Replace" in Excel. Under the Edit menu you can use the "Find What..." field to find each of the dashes "-" in your spreadsheet or column, (that is if that's what separates each line in the supplier spreadsheet as shown in your post) and then for the "Replace" field - replace the dash with the line break tag followed by a dash (something like "
-"). This should keep the dash but automatically add a line break when you do the bulk upload.

The only problem I see with this is that it will of course replace all dashes. So it may be less work to fix dashes that shouldn't have been replaced with the
- than to copy and paste everything as you mentioned.

Before doing this I would probably save a backup of your spreadsheet just in case.

Hope this helps.

[dcox]

ScribeTime,

Thank you for the suggestion. I did look at that and unfortunately this is not possible because there are dashes in the middle of sentances occasionally that need to be there without a new line. I also have the problem with paragraphs not going to a new line.

I am trying to find a feature in excel or some other program that would automatically convert to HTML. Supposedly MS Word can code in html, but I have never tried it. If I get lucky, excel could too. It's a long shot though.

What about a macro? I have little experience with them. Could they help?

[dcox]

I just noticed something interesting. As I mentioned before, there are several blank boxes in the cell. However, I cannot copy and paste them (even to paste within this message). Those boxes are in the proper location for a new line. If I can use the find and replace function to replace the boxes/symbols with html code, I could make it work. But, I cannot duplicate this symbol, not even by C&P.... Any ideas?

[mueller]

Originally Posted by dcox

I just noticed something interesting. As I mentioned before, there are several blank boxes in the cell. However, I cannot copy and paste them (even to paste within this message). Those boxes are in the proper location for a new line. If I can use the find and replace function to replace the boxes/symbols with html code, I could make it work. But, I cannot duplicate this symbol, not even by C&P.... Any ideas?

Have you tried opening the file in a text editor after saving as CSV from excel? This may give you some additional info on the boxes or if you use an advanced text editor you may even be able to accomplish all of the fixes without using excel.

[dcox]

Mueller,

Excellent suggestion, I thought that might do it. Unfortunately, it did not. When I open the CSV file in excel, the boxes are still there. When I open it in Word, they are gone and the data is formated correctly (line breaks where required). The "find and replace" command should do it, but I cannot get the box to go in the "find" field. Any other ideas?

Some from 3dcart maybe?!?!? How hard would it be to make this work without HTML? I guess the program that converts the csv data to database data cannot also function as a WYSIWYG editor...

[mueller]

When I open it in Word, they are gone and the data is formated correctly

I was actually talking about a text editor not a word processor. For example notepad or my preferred text editor UltraEdit. Not sure if this will make it work, but it is worth a try.

[dcox]

Hey guys,

I am still working on this and wanted to give an update. The closest thing I have found to a solution is the find/replace function. I did figure out how to enter a line break into the "find" field of the find/replace window. ALT-010 is equivalent to a linebreak. This allows me to place html tags at each line break. There is still a huge problem though. Most of the cells contain so much data that the find/replace function will now work. It tells me the function is too long...

Any other suggestions? 3dcart people?!?!?