Hello Everyone....

I'm new to the forums but I've been using Coffee Cup products since 2002. I am considering using the Cart Creator and Designer but I am curious to know if there is any kind of detailed list of what you can do with the software. For example, can I link my products to an XML document? Can I incorporate any kind of scripting language? I want to provide an available quantity count but I don't want to have to change the quantity every time something is purchased. I've downloaded the trial to see how the software works and it doesn't appear this functionality is built into the software. So, that's made me wonder if I can use PHP or ASP(doubtful) to do my own scripting to lookup in a file how many remain of each product. If I can do a script to keep track of my current inventory, then subtract when a order is placed, and then update the quantity on hand, this might just be perfect for me.

So, have I confused the heck out of everybody? lol I hope not.

Thanks,
Mike

hehe yep and nope and yep and and... LOL
The Pro version which is due out by the end of the year (am crossing my fingers it's sooner than the end of the year) will have the inventory functions you are needing as well as many more additional features. If you decide to purchase the Regular version that is available at this time, you can then purchase the Pro version when it's released for the difference of the cost of the 2 products. The regular version is quite nice, and if you add the Shopping Cart Designer Pro software you've got a very very powerful cart package going.

I've seen a person talking about what they are planning to do or are doing already for adding some scripts to things on inventory, but I don't recall where I saw it now Maybe try a search on the forms for a few different key words and you may find it. I'm pretty sure it was in either 1 of the 2 different Shopping Cart software forums, or in the announcements or Webdesign areas so it shouldn't be too hard to find.

I'm also planning a new shop later this year and awaiting the inventory management feature of the Pro version, but I've been playing around with the Regular version and I just purchased the Shopping Cart Designer Pro and I must say I'm quite impressed. I'm not the fastest learner on these things sometimes, but so far I'm doing pretty good so we'll see Good luck on your decision, but I don't think you'll be disappointed if you decide to go for it

To be honest, having been a programmer in a previous life, I'm more used to using Notepad to build HTML pages than an WYSIWIG editor. But Coffee Cup has created some tools that do make some of he more mundane activities easier and quicker. But now that I want to put together a real e-commerce solution opposed to a purely informational site, I want to make sure I can do some of the more script-like activities. I guess I will go ahead and buy both, play with them for a while and see if I can't get SOMETHING decent up and running.

The only fear I have is the flexibility of the Designer. I don't care for some of the basics and I am hoping once I download the designer, I will quickly see I can change them...we'll see. Unfortunately, I have a tendency to come up with ideas that I am never able to implement...

Thanks for the idea on searching for the inventory...at least I know someone else is thinking it too.

Ciao

Mike

Much of the operating code is a mixture of php and javascript, so most things can be altered around to suit your needs Mike. Just a question of printing out the output pages, studying the code and finding the highlighter pens that we coders always seem to misplace.