OsCommerce Installation

From Support Center

Table of contents

1 Installing osCommerce 1.1 Creating a Database 1.2 Creating a Database User 1.3 Running the Installer 1.4 Protecting the Admin Area 1.5 Finishing Up

Installing osCommerce

Installing osCommerce is simple on Globat. However, you will need to manually create a Database before you complete the installation process. This feature allows our customers to transfer an already existing osCommerce database if they are transferring their web site to our servers.

Creating a Database

To create a New Database, log in (https://login.globat.com/) to the Globat Command Console and select the Databases button at the top of the screen. Then, click "Add Database."

You will need to pick a unique name for this database. Our example account is globat-example.com, so we'll be calling ours globatex-osC. You can pick any unique name as long as that database does not exist due to usage by another customer. If the name is already taken, you will receive a message to select another name.

Creating a Database User

We'll need to create a user. In this example, we're calling ours osCuser, and selecting a hard-to-guess password. Select a unique username for your database user.

Click "Add User" to create a user, and "Create" when you have finished entering the information for this user.

Running the Installer

Once your database and database user have been created, you will need to click the Site Content tab within the Globat Command Console.

Next, select the "Software" link.

Then, click the "osCommerce Shopping Cart Install" link.

You will now need to choose the database you just created in the Database drop-down box. If you are using a database you imported in our mySQL servers, select that database instead. For a new database, ensure Reset DB is selected. If you're using an imported database, uncheck Reset DB or your data will be erased.

You'll also wish to select a name for the osCommerce site. We're just calling ours "globat-example.com StoreFront." Path is the folder on your web site... if you choose shop, it will be loaded at:

http://www.example.com/shop/

...replacing example.com with your Globat domain name.

Once you click "Install osCommerce" the install process will begin in the background.

Note: it will look like nothing happened, but the install process will be going on behind-the-scenes. Please only press Install once.

After about twenty minutes, load your web browser to this page:

http://www.example.com/shop/

...replacing example.com with your Globat domain name, and shop with the path you selected.

If you've waited approximately twenty minutes, you should see a functional osCommerce site! If you see a file listing, please wait an additional five to ten minutes while the rest of the package installs.

Protecting the Admin Area

Right now, you can access your admin area here:

http://www.example.com/shop/admin/

...replacing example.com with your Globat domain name, and shop with your pathname, if you customized your path.

You can use your Command Console login username and password to administer the site.

If you wish to override that default setting (for example, if you want someone ELSE to manage your store, but don't want them to know your account password) you'll need to use Web Protect within the Globat Command Console's Site Content area to give them access.

While in the GCC, click the Site Content Tab, then look for the link "Web Protect."

After clicking "Web Protect" Click the "Add Directory" button. You'll need to enter shop/admin as the directory to protect, unless you customized your path. For example, if you gave the path store for your storefront, use store/admin.

We suggest using "Storefront Admin" as the Header text. Once you have entered the directory information, click "Add."

You'll then need to press the "Add User" button and add one or more users. Anyone who knows a username/password combination has FULL ACCESS to edit your storefront, so pick a hard-to-guess password for each user. If you wish, you may create extra users so each has their own password, however, they all have FULL ACCESS to edit the storefront.

That's it! Now any Web Protect user can admin your storefront here:

http://www.example.com/shop/admin/

...replacing example.com with your Globat domain name.

Note: Creating a Web Protect user will remove the default GCC login user from administration access of osCommerce.

Finishing Up

You will want to edit the following file on your server:

/httpdocs/shop/includes/languages/english/index.php

...which contains the front page information. Here is the line to edit:

define('TEXT_MAIN', 'This is a default setup...');

Please see our Flash tutorial section on Customizing osCommerce.