Is a DataAssist catalog necessary?

I have created a custom catalog for a client's inventory, of which only one segment is for sale. I did not use DataAssist but a repeating looper call to the database. I'm reading in the eCart tutorial that it is linked to a DataAssist catalog....
I'm wondering if that is a requirement of eCart or can I add ADD to cart buttons to my own catalog?

Jeff

I have tried to ADD To Cart button, but the problem is that the cart page shows no image and no price for the item. I look in the code and I see the default CART WIZARD created names like ID and Name, Description, etc, but no way to link these names to the dynamic database of the actual items' columns I have like ItemName for ID and ItemDescription for Description. As such, the cart looks for eCart defaults rather than database names.

I have ItemThumb for the image, e.g., instead of:
img class="eC_ProductThumb"

I don't see a way to tie in the Add to Cart submit button on the detail page, which has the correct values, to the cart page:
<form name="Cart_1_ATC_<?php echo $row_Rings["ItemName"]; ?>" method="POST" action="<?php echo $_SERVER["PHP_SELF"]; ?><?php echo (isset($_SERVER["QUERY_STRING"]) && $_SERVER["QUERY_STRING"] != "")?"?".$_SERVER["QUERY_STRING"]:""; ?>">
<input type="hidden" name="Cart_1_ID_Add" value="<?php echo $row_Rings["ItemName"]; ?>" >
<input type="text" name="Cart_1_Quantity_Add" value="1" size="4" >
<input type="submit" value="Add to Cart" name="Cart_1_ATC">
</form>

This is posting to self rather than the cart page. The cart page does see the number of items added (like I pressed the button 2 times and it shows 2 items) but does not transmit the values of price or item names...

We could really use an interactive tutorial on adding carts to non-WAsolutions type catalogs...

You can add cart buttons to your own catalog.

You can add direct references to your database in the server side code. There is no way to do it entirely in the html. You should be able to open up the add to cart server behavior and set the values to come from an existing database using the lightning bolts.

The cart doesn't look for defaults, it just creates form elements using a particular syntax if you use it to create the form elements. It can be integrated with a custom form or database, but that is done in the php code and not in the html alone. That is why you should be using the server behavior to make these edits.

Originally Said By: Ray Borduin

  You can add direct references to your database in the server side code. There is no way to do it entirely in the html. You should be able to open up the add to cart server behavior and set the values to come from an existing database using the lightning bolts.

The cart doesn't look for defaults, it just creates form elements using a particular syntax if you use it to create the form elements. It can be integrated with a custom form or database, but that is done in the php code and not in the html alone. That is why you should be using the server behavior to make these edits.  

HI Ray, I found that I can link the cart to specific items in the database in the Add to Cart button interface instead of in the eCart itself... That was the problem... I was looking in the wrong place. Thanks.

However, while the eCart set up for me the OrdersID record, it did not ask to set up an order details recordset. Is there something wrong ? I'm using the latest eCart...

There is something wrong if it didn't ask you because it should. But it might be possible that you clicked through that page by accident. Please try again and if there is a bug please post a support incident, but that problem has not been reported as far as I know.

In a worst case scenario you can go the the confirm page and apply the store cart details in database server behavior after running the wizard for the same effect.

Originally Said By: Ray Borduin

  There is something wrong if it didn't ask you because it should. But it might be possible that you clicked through that page by accident. Please try again and if there is a bug please post a support incident, but that problem has not been reported as far as I know.

In a worst case scenario you can go the the confirm page and apply the store cart details in database server behavior after running the wizard for the same effect.  

Can I do that by Editing the Cart? I have all my shipping rules created in the current one...

Open up your confirm page and see if the store cart details in database server behavior is applied or just the store cart summary. If it is missing, apply it and it can work with your existing cart.

Originally Said By: Ray Borduin

  Open up your confirm page and see if the store cart details in database server behavior is applied or just the store cart summary. If it is missing, apply it and it can work with your existing cart.  

I see the problem... The cart details are there, but the wizard had picked my administrators Database as the default, and I thought it was building the admin review area... so I set up admin access instead of the details... Thanks...

Jeff