User Guide

AShop V User Guide190

· Hide product codes in descriptions using HTML comment tags.

Concerned about customers seeing the product codes? Put the product codes in the descriptions

and enclose the keywords or product codes within HTML comment tags. The comment tags will

keep the code from appearing in the catalog pages, but the search tool will still find the keywords

and product codes even when they are between comment tags.

3.8 Import Products

Products may be imported into each category from a pipe separate list. This bulk import tool is limited to

the product name, description, retail price, and a thumbnail image. It will reduce the initial shopping cart

setup time if your product list is very long, but you must still set individual attributes, preview files,

multiple product files, shipping methods, etc.

Create a Pipe Separated List

The products are imported from a pipe separated list. Here is an example. This example is also included

in a file named productimportsample.txt, which is provided with the AShop V new installation package.

Tax|Product File1|Image File.gif

Category Name|SKU1|10|Product Name 1|Product Description 1|10.00|2|3.00|1|

productfile1.pdf|thumbnailfile1.gif

To skip one of the fields just put the next pipe character directly after the last one, with no other text in

between, for example: "Category Name||" (skips the SKU code).

If you leave the category name field blank, the product will be added to the category that you initiated the

import from, otherwise it will be added to any category with the name you specify. If there are multiple

categories with the same name, the product will be added to all of them.

Excel spreadsheets can be saved as a pipe separated list using Excel 2003 and newer.

Upload Images by FTP

All thumbnail images must be preuploaded to the prodimg directory and all product files to products

directory. They will be copied to the filenames described in the product list file. They aren't renamed or

removed in order to allow the same thumbnail or product file to be used for multiple products.

Import the Pipe Separated List

To import a product list, navigate to Edit Catalog. Click the "edit" link below the category where the

products will be imported to. Browse to the pipe separated list text file.