Initial Program Setup

Initial Program Setup

The information presented on this page is also available via the Help buttons as shown in the Dialog Box images below.

The following are instructions on how to use XLEcom's Site Setup features and options.

Table of Contents

  • Set up the Directory Folder Path Locations
  • Select the Ecommerce Shopping Cart Service
    • Paypal's Service
    • Mal's Service
  • Removing the Demonstration Data

Set up the Directory Folder Path Locations
Note: If you installed the program using the default installation path of C:\Program Files\XLEcom, then you do not need to change any of the following folder path locations. If you later decide to move any of the folders locations, use the following utility to tell XLEcom where the new the folders are located.

Switch to Product Design sheet and press the "Setup" button to access the directory folder path locations and to input your Shopping Cart account settings. You will be presented with the Dialog Box shown below.

Entering the Folder (directory) Paths
You can set the folder paths by either clicking on the folder icons to select the folders or by typing in, or copy and pasting the paths from a folder's address bar into the provided edit boxes. All folder paths except the Publish folder must end with a trailing back slash (\). If the trailing back slash is not present, the program will automatically add it to the paths. A valid path must contain a drive letter and folder as in C:\Program Files\XLEcom\Assets\images\ for example.

Images Asset folder
This is the root file location where all images associated with your web site are located. The default location is \Assets\images. If you installed this program at C:\Program Files\XLEcom, then select the Assets Images folder located at C:\Program Files\XLEcom\Assets\images.

Product Images folder
The product images folder is the folder where you should place all you images for your product Ads. The default location is beneath the Assets Images folder (i.e. \Assets\images\products). You can change this location to point to any folder which contains your images. This would be the case if you decided to implement Store Modules.

HTML Asset folder
This program generates all the HTML files you need for a fully functional web site. If you want to include additional HTML, PDF, and other files in the web site, then this is the file location where you should store them. You must select a location even though you do not wish to include other HTML files in the web site. The default location is beneath the XLEcom Assets folder (i.e. \Assets\html). For example, if you installed this program at C:\Program Files\XLEcom, then the default location is the HTML folder located at C:\Program Files\XLEcom\Assets\html. You can change this location to point to any folder which contains your HTML files. This would be the case if you decided to implement Store Modules. You must select a location even though you do not wish to include other HTML files in the web site.

Store Modules folder
This is the location from where you can import either a preconfigured or previously saved Store Module into this program. It is also the location where you save newly created Store Modules. The default location is \Modules. If for example you installed this program at C:\Program Files\XLEcom, then select the Store Modules folder located at C:\Program Files\XLEcom\Modules. See the Instructions sheet for more information about Store Modules.

Preview folder
This is the file location where the Product Ad (preview.html), the Site Theme (theme-preview.html), and Support Pages (support-page-preview.html) HTML Preview files are saved. These documents will show you a preview of your Product's Ad layout and  Web Site design. This can be at any location, but as a suggestion, if you installed this program at C:\Program Files\XLEcom, then select the Preview folder located at C:\Program Files\XLEcom\Preview.

Publish Location
Select the location where you want the web site to be published. If you do not select an existing folder named "Publish", then a folder named "Publish" will be added to your selection and will be created at this location the first time you publish the web site. The default location is \Publish. This can be at any location, but as a suggestion, if you installed this program at C:\Program Files\XLEcom, then select C:\Program Files\XLEcom\Publish as the location if it already exists. If the Publish folder does not exist, then select C:\Program Files\XLEcom as the location. This way the Publish folder will be created underneath this folder as C:\Program Files\XLEcom\Publish.

Remote Product Images Option
If your product images already reside on the internet and you want to utilize these images in your product ads, then check the check box and enter in the full http web address to the remote images folder. Make sure you end the web address with a forward slash "/". For example: http://xlecom.com/images/

With the remote product images option enabled, all the product images in your published website will be served from the remote internet location you specified. There is no need to add the full http web address to any of the product image file names within the XLEcom program. This would include the product image file names on the Product Design, Home Page Design, and Database sheets. Use the program as usual as if you were not using the remote product images option. When the remote product images option is enabled, the full http web address will automatically be added as a prefix to the product image file names during the Publishing routine.

Publishing
When you publish the website with the remote product images option enabled, the product images will not be copied to the Publish\images folder during the Publishing routine. This way your final published website will be smaller in size.

Requirements to utilize the Remote Product Images Option
If you choose to utilize the remote product images option, you must also retain a copy of the same product images on your local computer. The local product images are used in the product image selection dialog boxes, spreadsheet previews, and HTML previews. This is an absolute requirement. If you do not retain a copy of the product images on your local computer, then XLEcom will not function properly and you will get application errors.

Note: After you publish your website, you do not need to re-upload the product images since they already reside on the internet at the remote location you specified in the Setting dialog box. As usual, all other image assets utilized within your website will have to be uploaded to your web server where the website will reside. When using the Remote Product Images Option, only the product images will be served from the remote location you specified.

View a working Demonstration
To view a working Demonstration of the Remote Product Images Option using the XLEcom program, check the check box in the Setting Dialog box (shown above) and then immediately Publish the Demonstration website to you local computer. When you view the locally published website in your web browser, you should see that all the product ad images are served from the remote internet address http://xlecom.com/images/. All the remote product ad images are labeled with a "Remote Image" watermark for easy identification as shown in the image below.


Select the Ecommerce Shopping Cart Service
Select the Ecommerce Shopping Cart Service you want to use from the options presented. Remember that you must first establish and set up your account at these services in order for the Shopping Cart to function.

Note: Paypal.com is a free Shopping Cart service that also processes your credit card transactions. Mal's e-commerce is also a free Shopping Cart service, but only offers the Shopping Cart service. The advantage to Mal's e-commerce service is that it allows you to choose any third party service provider to process your credit card transactions, thus offering more service options. If you already have a merchant account, you may want to choose the  Mal's e-commerce option.

Paypal's Service
If you want to utilize these options, check the boxes and enter in the data. If you choose not to use the options, uncheck the boxes. You can however leave the data in place if you choose not to utilize them.

Paypal Email Address
Enter the Email Address associated with your Paypal.com's account. This Email Address is required and is used for your web site's Ecommerce transactions.

Handling
The cost of handling. This is not quantity-specific. The same handling will be charged regardless of the number of items purchased. If omitted, no handling charges will be assessed.

Tax
Transaction-based tax override variable. Set this to a flat tax amount you would like to apply to the transaction regardless of the buyer's location. If present, this value overrides any tax settings that may be set in your Profile. If omitted, Profile tax settings (if any) will apply.

Currency Code
The currency of the payment. Defines the currency in which the monetary variables (amount, shipping, shipping2, handling, tax) are denoted. Possible values are "USD" (U.S. Dollar), "EUR" (Euro), "GBP" (Pound Sterling), "CAD" (Canadian Dollar), "JPY" (Yen). If omitted, all monetary fields will be interpreted as U.S. Dollars.

Successful Transaction Return Page URL
When the Shopper has completed the final purchase transaction, Paypal will return it's PayPal default "Successful Transaction Return Page". If you want Paypal to return the Shopper back to your site's page, such as a thank you page, then enter the full internet path URL to your "Successful Transaction Return Page". For example: http://www.yourdomain.com/html/successful.html

Canceled Transaction Return Page URL
If the Shopper cancels the purchase transaction, Paypal will return it's default "Canceled Transaction Return Page". If you want Paypal to return the Shopper back to your site's page, then enter the full internet path URL to your "Canceled Transaction Return Page". For example: http://www.yourdomain.com/html/canceled.html

Optional Company Logo Image URL
This Logo will be displayed on Paypal's Shopping Cart page. It should be hosted on a secure web server (https). If not, your Shoppers will be prompted to display nonsecure items on the shopping cart page every time an Add to Cart, View Cart, or Check Out button is selected. If you do not use the Logo, the customer will see your Business name if you have a Business account, or your email address if you have Premier account. The size of the image should be 50 pixels high x 150 pixels wide.

New - Paypal.com's Auto Return URL
Paypal now offers a New Global Auto Return URL feature that returns visitors back to your web site after they have completed the purchase transaction. This Auto Return URL will be applied to all of your payments unless you choose to override it with the Successful Transaction Return Page URL. Keep in mine that the same Auto Return URL will be applied to all of your Paypal  payments regardless if you have multiple Ecommerce shopping sites hosted under different domain names. If you plan to have multiple Ecommerce shopping sites or you want to override the Auto Return URL, then use the Successful Transaction Return Page URL. The Successful Transaction Return Page URL will override the Auto Return URL regardless if you enabled it or not.

If you want to use Paypal's Auto Return URL feature, then you must setup the Auto Return URL at Paypal.com. To setup the Auto Return URL, login to your Paypal account, click the Profile tab, click the Website Payments Preferences link under Selling Preferences, select the Auto Return radio button to enable it, and finally enter the Auto Return URL you wish to use in the provided form edit box.

Mal's Service
If you want to utilize these options, check the boxes and enter in the data. If you choose not to use the options, uncheck the boxes. You can however leave the data in place if you choose not to utilize them.

Mal's e-commerce User Account
Enter both your assigned Username (userid) and Server Name. The Server Name must not include the http:// prefix. It must be similar to www.aitsafe.com, ww7.aitsafe.com, ww8.aitsafe.com, etc..

Optional Shopping Cart Global Settings
These variables are Optional Shopping Cart Global Settings. The default values are already incorporated into the Shopping Cart. If you are satisfied with the default values, then do not check the boxes and enter values into the edit boxes.

These Optional Shopping Cart Settings are global settings. In other words, they are applied to all of your Product Ads when published.

The Optional Shopping Cart Settings are provided as an option for two reasons. First, they are the complete set of parameters offered by Mal's e-commerce. Second, you can use them to override your Mal's e-commerce account settings. It is highly recommended that you set up these optional setting for your account at Mal's e-commerce web site. (http://www.mals-e.com).


Removing the Demonstration Data
It is highly recommended that you first experiment with the demonstration sample data provided within the program before you begin creating your own Ecommerce web site. By experimenting with this sample data you will quickly learn the program's capabilities and how to use it efficiently. You should also review the published demonstration website so that you will understand how it functions and how you can customize it for your needs. After you are familiar with the program you can remove the demonstration sample data using the Utilities function on the Product Design sheet.

To remove the demonstration data, choose the Create a New Website Project option, then check the appropriate check boxes.

Sam Raheb
XLEcom Program Developer