Archive for October, 2005
How can I change the shipping price on individual items?
This was the problem I was posed with the other day. I knew right off the bat that it was going to be a doozy, even though very practical and necessary to know when working with an online store.
A customer wanted to change the shipping prices for his store in the following fashion;
First item = $Example Price 1
Every item after first item = $Example Price 2
Now, you may or may not know (because let’s not forget, this is interchange and barely anything makes sense) where to change the base shipping price. I am going to tell you how to do that first, so at least you know where that is in your admin
interface.
Let’s Start
Step 1: Log In to your control panel. You can’t do much without knowing how to do this (type in your site address and add /admin/login. I always think of the order of “login - admin” in the address line as, where do I want to go? = Admin, what do I want to do in the admin = Login.)
Step 2: Once logged in, click on the “Administration” tab, the second to the last on the upper right.
Step 3: At this screen, you will see “Edit Preferences” with a whole list of items in four columns. In the far right column you will see an item called “Shipping“.
Step 4: You will see a list here of variables, you are looking for the one entitled “SHIP_FLAT_DOM_RATE“. Click
this link.
Step 5: Change “Preference Value” to whatever you want your shipping amount to be. I am going to change mine to $3.50.
Step 6: Like always, Apply changes to update the configuration and database.
So, to recap. In this case, $3.50 = Example Price 1. For every other item beyond the first one, I want to charge $1.95, or Example Price 2.
This is where things get a little more interesting and even less intuitive.
In your filing structure for your website you should have a folder called products and a file called “shipping.asc“. This is the file you need to edit. If you are using Dreamweaver to publish your files, you will have some issues with this. An Administrator who knows command line access for the server will have to access the file for you. The shop has permissions set on this file that will more than likely prevent you from downloading it to your local machine and edit it in Notepad or another text editor.
Explaining editing a file in “vi” or something else at command line is beyond the scope of this entry. I hope that you can figure that out on your own. But, in this tab delimited file you will see a number of columns with entries. Some of the data kind of looks like this;
- FLATD Flat rate quantity 0 0 e Nothing to ship!
- FLATD Flat rate quantity 1 100 f [var SHIP_FLAT_DOM_RATE]
- FLATD Flat rate quantity 100 9999 e Contact factory to ship that many.
You recognize the variable here, don’t you? I bolded it for those of you who can’t see it. This is where you have to tell those items ordered more than one to be charged differently. Now, I will admit, I did not figure this out for myself. I understand it, but I am in the end, more of the pretty guy that the technical, and my coworker Chris figured it out, he’s the programming wiz.
This is what you would have instead.
- FLATD Flat rate quantity 0 0 e Nothing to ship!
- FLATD Flat rate quantity 1 1 f [var SHIP_FLAT_DOM_RATE]
- FLATD Flat rate quantity 2 9999 f [var SHIP_FLAT_DOM_RATE] + ((@@TOTAL@@-1) * 1.95)
So, what is going on here? You are changing the ranges for the values. Notice in the first example there were ranges from 0 -0, 1-100, & 100-9999. In the second example we have 0-0 still, but we have change the second value to 1-1 with the SHIP_FLAT_DOM_RATE variable. So, whatever price you have set for that variable, will be the price for the first item.
Then, for all items after 1, or 2-9999, the shipping will be calculated like this;
SHIP_FLAT_DOM_RATE + ((@@TOTAL@@-1) * 1.95. What this says is add the base shipping rate once, for the first item, to the total of items minus one (the first item which has shipping of $3.50) multiplied by $1.95. Pretty easy huh?
Well, this was made too look easy once it was figured out. That is kind of how things go in Interchange. They can be easy to figure out, but only after you find what and where you need to edit.
31st October 2005
It way a mega busy weekend, and maybe I will write about it. But seriously, if it gone, you know me now that I don’t tend to go back.
But, happy halloween. Sarah had like 25 trick or treaters. I got sucked into some of the last episodes of Justice League Unlimited that I am borrowing. They started out a little jumbled, kind of hackneyed, but after you get about 8 episodes in you really get into the stories and the characters. The different episodes build on one another and so do the relationships, and then it all climaxes with a battle against Lex Luthor and Brainiac.
So I am hooked now, checking out to see when new episodes are released on Cartoon Network. Such an amazing team of animators too, to have lasted this long from their start on the Batman Animated Series back in ‘92, to now, through three networks (Fox, WB, Cartoon Network) and about 5 different shows.
I also entered a very useful Interchange tip. I seem to be getting a decent amount of bookmarks and traffic for that section, for how small it is. But there is so little written on Interchange in readable format that I can see why. I always struggle to find stuff.
Sections Updated: Interchange
26th October 2005
I finally got my new 300GB drive yesterday. I say finally in a relative sense. I had to cancel my first order, because I messed it up. But the second order I made took three days to get to me, that’s pretty fast.
I spent Monday putting that in after I got home, as well as doing some other work in between.
Yesterday was another quick day, we taught class in the morning, and after work I went right to Walmart when I got home for some windshield wipers. Then Chris Casey and I proceeded to hit up Long’s Donuts and Arby’s on our way to the movie. I ended the night doing freelance and watching some of the game, as the Astros failed again to capitalize and lost in 14th to the White Sox.
Today was a long day, Chris and I had to take time off work to meet with someone related to AOIT, so that pushed our day back. Tonight is Sarah’s second of three nights of conferences, so she is getting home late too and is tired. That seems to be our lives.
Posted my review on the movie tonight. Can’t believe tomorrow is Thursday and October is almost over, and this weekend is going to be super busy.
Sections Updated: E-F Movies
24th October 2005
Yesterday was a pretty typical Sunday.
Between working, we were on the phone for about four and a half hours yesterday. Actually, a lot of that was me, catching up with a college friend, and then talking to the usual’s, the Varners and to our parents.
The Colts toyed with Houston yesterday, letting them tie it 14 all before destroying them later on. Then, the Astros made it a good game with a comeback in the top of the ninth, but a homer from the Sox in the bottom put them up 2-0 in the series. Doesn’t look good for the Astros, they just aren’t playing World Series caliber ball
23rd October 2005
Yesterday was a nice Saturday. We slept in and did some relaxing. Sarah watched most of the Michigan Iowa game which Michigan ended up winning in the end. I worked on a whole bunch of miscellaneous things including some business setup stuff for Rothecreations.
She’s been bugging me about going to this restaurant in Wannamaker (10 miles East), supposedly they had great pizza. So, we went on a little date and the pizza was something else. The toppings were so thick you have to use two hands to support the slices. We talked about all sorts of stuff, even ranging down to kids and how that would change our lives.
I only watched the last two innings of the baseball game last night. The Astros better pick it up, but Clemens was hurting so that doesn’t help. Maybe tonight will be better with Pettite. Sarah and I started to watch a movie last night, “Being Human” with Robin Williams. Another great pick from Sarah, we turned that one completely off after 45 minutes, and I have sat through some doozies, but this was a new level of stupid.
22nd October 2005
Last night was a ton of fun.
The day wasn’t the best, it rain hard all day, and was freezing outside. Before I get to why yesterday was cool, let me tell you why Quizno’s sucks.
Anticipating the new Batman comic that came out this week, Jason Todd is alive and things are soooo good, I walked in the terrible weather 10 blocks to get down to the comic store. One of the gentlemen at Downtown Comics on Market street doesn’t have his head in the right place, he isn’t helpful, he’s on the phone when you are trying to buy something, and he leaves when he claims he’s open to go to the bank.
So, I am stuck down there, waiting. So, I figure, kill two birds and all that, I’ll eat lunch out today and therefore, no prolonging an already extended lunch hour. Quizno’s in down in the circle, and the last time I had been to this location and the first time I ever ate there, I had a pretty good experience. Hot toasted sub, different toppings and combos, a little pricey, but that is ok once in awhile.
The market street Quizno’s in downtown Indianapolis during the Friday lunch hour shift was abysmal. The place was dirty with food on the tables and the employees all looked dirty and distraught and their clothes looked extra dirty. Not like they would just normally get on one shift, but like they were lax in washing them every once in awhile. When I got up to the line, the girl that “helped” me was short with me, like I should have their menu memorized, and then the woman that comes out from the back to make my sub was dirty all over except for her hands, he forearms, her face and especially her shirt.
At the end of the line the cashier was nice and friendly, but she wasn’t helpful. Didn’t tell me where my order was, and then gave it to the woman behind me in line as she called her up to pay right after me. The whole thing felt like an assembly line. I understand a lunch rush, but I think there should have been a middle ground, and when I got there, it wasn’t that rushed. Only three people in line.
After me the line lets up, and the two helpers “dirty” and “snippy” were talking about something that involved side head movements, hands on hips, and you could tell wasn’t conversation about the global trade market. I could make any type of guessing about that conversation based on how they looked, but I am not throwing out stereotypes here, only facts. It came off badly, and whoever was in charge certainly didn’t care.
Then, the sub that I got was not good. I have been known to make some bad choices trying new things, but this just didn’t taste fresh. The bun was good toasted but when the sub was placed in the basket, it did that trademark Hardee’s commercial “bounce” where it makes that wet grease slop noise. This sub slopped out oozing amounts of cold bacon alfredo sauce. During my order “dirty” looked like she put my chicken in flavored water, and put it back on the sub, and that is what it tasted like. The sandwich was hot, but the chicken and dressing was “setting out on the counter” cold. I was pissed, it may have “tasted” fine if the ingredients weren’t half prepared by an under caring staff. The sub is the Chicken Carbonara, so stay away from that unless you like cold chicken that feels like rubber in your mouth.
If you hate Quizno’s, or have had a bad experience, share it with a comment at the link above.
Enough Quizno’s bashing.
New set of friends!
Last night we got out and had dinner cooked for us, hosted at a friend’s house that we met at church. We talked about doing dinner when we saw them, Eric and Jessica, at the October-fest type thing at the Raskeller downtown three weeks back. The great thing was that we made plans so quick.
Eric made two pastas, white and red sauce, we had wine, and just got to know each other some. Then afterwards we went to the club, “Have a Nice Day Cafe” downtown. We haven’t been to the club area of downtown for that purpose before, so that was a ton of fun. Dancing, cheap beer, and because Eric was a VIP for that night, (don’t ask me how) no cover, it was a great change of pace. I love .25 cent beers, tiny, but so cheap and easy to stockpile and double fist.
I hope we can do it again sometime soon. They’re funny and a ton of fun.
20th October 2005
Pretty dismal day, but I still decided to ride in. I have a goal in mileage for my first “year” of riding before quitting for the old automobile, and if I don’t take days like today, I’ll still be going in the snow.
Picked up Chris from the airport tonight, inhaled dinner. Sarah was bummed, I just got home and had to leave again.
Not much else going on. The new “Nobles” are in the Bahamas today, and are probably getting pelted with rain and nothing more.
On a notably less of a lighter note, my parents dog Bowen died last Sunday night. He had some very recent problems that escalated quickly, and we are glad that he is at rest now and isn’t suffering. We’ll miss that hyper little booger
Sections Updated: H-J Movies
19th October 2005
The mornings are starting to be beautiful to ride into work. I hope it lasts longer than I think it will.
The back needed mowing tonight, and hopefully it will be the second to last time this season. Tonight is the last night that we have Lady, which is sad, but continues to be our dog fix for the time being.
Other than that, Sarah I know has a lot of school work to do, and says she wants to do some cleaning up around the house. Tonight is another do or die situation for St. Louis, so let’s hope with their third baseman back in the lineup they can get to Roy Oswalt and force a game seven.
Sections Updated: U-W Movies
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