Need help getting started with customizations

[lamarmiller]

Hello,

I just bought AC7 and am having some trouble figuring out where to start with customizations. All the documentation I can find has to do with customizing the store itself. The first round of customizations I need to make have to do with the backend admin site. I need to add some controls and fields to the product admin page. I called AC and was told by a tech support guy that I need to buy the source code. However - the only source code available for sale (and that I supposedly don't have) is the CommerceBuilder API code. From my experience, the catalog shouldn't even be a part of that API. I don't have any source code for the admin pages. I have all the aspx pages of course but no codebehind pages. There are no Visual Studio files like project or solution files. Am I missing something? Do I need to buy source code? Do I have the source code and am just not finding it?

[Shopping Cart Admin]

Hello,

I called AC and was told by a tech support guy that I need to buy the source code.

1 person to date has required the source code to the CommerceBuilder API, that I'm aware of. AbleCommerce 7.0 was designed to be modified without having to re-compile the CommerceBuilder API.

http://www.ablecommerce.com/Do-I-need-t ... 29C20.aspx

We'll work on our internal training so this mis-communications doesn't happen again!

[AbleMods]

Welcome to the community!

Depending on your customization needs, the CommerceBuilder API code may or may not be necessary. I've been coding for nearly a near in AC7 and have yet to require it. Sure there are things I could do if I had it, but I'd also back myself into a nasty corner with future upgrades.

You do have a ton of code included in your purchase. All the front-end class files as well as alot of the Admin-side code. There is no solution file released as you will be opening the site as a "Web Site" and not as a project. You can create your own project if you want to incorporate other classes of your own design but it's not required to make customizations.

Here's some good starting steps to get you going:

1. Get Visual Studio 2008. Far better than 2005 in my opinion but both will work.
2. Setup a local IIS install for your development copy. Do it on the same PC as your VS install. Get a SQL Express install going and go through the usual AC7 installation procedure for installing a new site. Make sure the site loads (i.e. permissions are correct) before proceeding to step 3.
3. Fire up VS and do a File, Open Web Site. Choose Local IIS and select your local web install.
4. There is no need to compile the site unless you have built your own classes and wish to compile them. IIS will automatically do its job when you revise something and refresh the page.
5. You now have your familiar VS development environment complete with Intellisense and Debugger. Hack away!

Some key points to keep in mind:
1. Every modification you make will make it that much more effort to accomodate the next AC7 update. Able is doing a good job of pushing out bug fixes and updates, so keep this in mind as you make changes.

2. Page construction in AC7 is a combination of .aspx placeholder pages, html files (known as Scriptlets) and .Net user controls. HTML Scriptlets contain user control references and HTML code. These HTML Scriptlets are assigned to specific placeholders within the aspx page. There are empty .aspx pages available in the root for you to copy from and set up new pages. Examples of these include product.aspx and webpage.aspx.

3. Scriptlets are managed through the Admin side and stored in ~/App_Data/Scriptlets/Custom/

4. User controls are stored in ~/ConLib/. You reference a user control within a scriptlet with the format of [[ConLib:FeaturedProducts]]. Note there is no .ascx. A complete ConLib reference is available under the help menu on the Admin side. Look at some of the provided scriptlets and you'll quickly see how AC7 expects things to be done.

5. When I customize an existing ~/ConLib/ user control, I make a copy of it in the ~/ConLib/Custom/ folder, change the name to Mod_whatever.ascx and modify the reference to it in the appropriate scriptlets. This ensures I know what control was modified and reduces the likelihood a future Able upgrade will break my site.

6. Be prepared to understand strongly-typed data classes to a whole new level. They are well designed and Able makes extensive use of them.

7. Code-behind is used with most but not all pages and controls. If you don't see a code-behind file, it just means the code is in the .aspx or .ascx file itself.

Overall, expect a learning curve like anything else at this level of complexity. AC7 has its quirks but most of them are there for a reason. Forums are a great place to start with your questions but be detailed and post code snippets or screenshots whenever possible.

[dunuigboje]

Thanks for that post AbleMods