e-commerce, with a difference

[leowyatt]

We can rope Jasper in as he's a PHP guru now

Apart from those parts you detailed what else do you want the site to do? I firstly we'll need to get the processes for your site i.e. customer accounts, etc.

I think if we involve you along the way you'll get to the stage where you can change stuff yourself Off the shelf packages I'd probably suggest having a look at the Zend Framework, that is good for scalable systems. (Actually I'm not sure if it's being released yet)

I wouldn't be able to help with the ftp stuff but could assist with the customer side of things.

What stuff does your hosting plan offer? PHP (which version), does it have MySQL?

[Desmo]

OK, here's the process I'd like to follow for an order.

Part 1
Customer visits site and places order.
A form takes all the usual details of Name, Address, Tel No, Email, Job size, etc.
Customer can upload their file (txt, doc, jpg, etc) for me to see.
I'm emailed notification of order.

Part 2
I approve job and set price level.
Customer is emailed notification of price and then pays via paypal.
I'd get email from paypal as confirmation and then start work.

Part 3
Work is complete and I upload the pdf of the work to the customers area.
Button is clicked to email customer informing them that their sample is ready.

Part 4
Customer either passes proof and downloads pdf or makes notes on changes to artwork.
Email is sent to me to inform me of above.

Part 5
Once order is complete I can upload a pdf invoice to their area for them to use if they wish.
Email is sent notifying the customer.

Order complete.

This is all off the top of my head right now but thats how I see the overall process.

[Mark]

I've done more than a little PHP/MySQL in my time (actually, bloody loads of the stuff).

If I can fit time in around work, I'll gladly help out.

[leowyatt]

OK, here's the process I'd like to follow for an order.

Part 1
Customer visits site and places order.
Would you want the customer to create an account here or just have a form and create an account when they are happy with you to do the work?
A form takes all the usual details of Name, Address, Tel No, Email, Job size, etc.
Dead simple to do, just have a HTML form save the data to the DB and then have something on yourside to show the details.
Customer can upload their file (txt, doc, jpg, etc) for me to see.
Can be done in HTML & with the php, I've actually done this in our new staff platform recently so no worries there
I'm emailed notification of order.
simple email script when all the stuff has been written to the db, etc it emails you the link to the details page as mentioned above

Part 2
I approve job and set price level.
This can be contained in the details screen for you which you enter your blurb and click save.
Customer is emailed notification of price and then pays via paypal.
Do we get them to create an account here???
We can re-use the email script and provide them a link to pay you via paypal. I think this can be found on the paypal site.
I'd get email from paypal as confirmation and then start work.
You'd just need to check your email to see your paypal confirmation

Part 3
Work is complete and I upload the pdf of the work to the customers area.
the ftp stuff would need to be done here (don't know much about it
Button is clicked to email customer informing them that their sample is ready.
re-use email class

Part 4
Customer either passes proof and downloads pdf or makes notes on changes to artwork.
customer will need to log into account, simple html & php code
Email is sent to me to inform me of above.
re-use email class

Part 5
Once order is complete I can upload a pdf invoice to their area for them to use if they wish.
ftp again, dunno
Email is sent notifying the customer.
simple html form and php code + email class again

Order complete.

This is all off the top of my head right now but thats how I see the overall process.

[Desmo]

Okely dokely.

Originally Posted by Kitchen Meister

Part 1
Customer visits site and places order.
Would you want the customer to create an account here or just have a form and create an account when they are happy with you to do the work?
I'd prefer an account at the start. My prices are going to be at set levels so the customer should 99% know i they're happy to order or not. I just want to confirm the customer has selected the correct level and cost for the work involved before they pay anything.
A form takes all the usual details of Name, Address, Tel No, Email, Job size, etc.
Dead simple to do, just have a HTML form save the data to the DB and then have something on yourside to show the details.
Customer can upload their file (txt, doc, jpg, etc) for me to see.
Can be done in HTML & with the php, I've actually done this in our new staff platform recently so no worries there
I'm emailed notification of order.
simple email script when all the stuff has been written to the db, etc it emails you the link to the details page as mentioned above

Part 2
I approve job and set price level.
This can be contained in the details screen for you which you enter your blurb and click save.
Customer is emailed notification of price and then pays via paypal.
Do we get them to create an account here???
As above, I think I'd prefer account creation earlier on.
We can re-use the email script and provide them a link to pay you via paypal. I think this can be found on the paypal site.
I'd get email from paypal as confirmation and then start work.
You'd just need to check your email to see your paypal confirmation
That's what I meant

Part 3
Work is complete and I upload the pdf of the work to the customers area.
the ftp stuff would need to be done here (don't know much about it
Button is clicked to email customer informing them that their sample is ready.
re-use email class

Part 4
Customer either passes proof and downloads pdf or makes notes on changes to artwork.
customer will need to log into account, simple html & php code
Email is sent to me to inform me of above.
re-use email class

Part 5
Once order is complete I can upload a pdf invoice to their area for them to use if they wish.
ftp again, dunno
Email is sent notifying the customer.
simple html form and php code + email class again

Order complete.

[Desmo]

Looking at this, I think I'm going to change direction and go for a simpler form to be sent by email. It's got to be easier and quicker to sort out.

Are there any decent (and free) online form generators? I've had a play in DW3 and stolen some code from the net but I think it could all be done better and still need to add a couple of things.

I basically need to collect their details, email address, etc. Allow them to add some notes and then attach up to maybe 5 files. This should all then be emailed to me.

[Desmo]

Get in...I'm getting somewhere

Got a form made up that takes details and then emails them on to me. It also uploads the customers files to my webspace for me to grab from wherever I need to and adds a link to the files in the email.

I basically use a proggy to generate the main form and ow I'm manually fighting my way through it trying to modify it to exactly what I need. Only problem I've hit so far is that I want to upload the customer files into their own directory, mainly for neatness for myself. I can get it to generate the new directory using the customer name filed but I can't quite seem to get the files in there for some reason. Something is going amiss but I'll have another play later on

[leowyatt]

Hey mate, just looked at this properly, could it be file permissions to upload the file?

[Desmo]

Nah, they're uploading fine, just can't get them into the newly created directory for some reason. They stay one level up.

[Desmo]

Here's the php code I'm struggling with...

if(is_dir("/home/jmartw00/files/$Name"))
{
}
else { mkdir("/home/jmartw00/files/$Name", 0777);
}
$image_part = " - ".$HTTP_POST_FILES['Attachment1']['name'];
$image_list[7] = $image_part;
copy($HTTP_POST_FILES['Attachment1']['tmp_name'], "/home/jmartw00/files/$Name".$image_part);
$image_part = " - ".$HTTP_POST_FILES['Attachment2']['name'];
$image_list[8] = $image_part;
copy($HTTP_POST_FILES['Attachment2']['tmp_name'], "/home/jmartw00/files/$Name".$image_part);
$image_part = " - ".$HTTP_POST_FILES['Attachment3']['name'];
$image_list[9] = $image_part;
copy($HTTP_POST_FILES['Attachment3']['tmp_name'], "/home/jmartw00/files/$Name".$image_part);

I just can't get it to put the actual file into the new directory.