Resolved category_id and product images import

Hello Marios,

I don't have for this csv the category_path field and I want to upload the csvs as they are the same categories as I have on my csv to show up in my website. How can I do this? Do I need to import the Joomla categories and then for Virtuemart product categories for them to show up with the same id?

You don't need Joomla categories as you are importing categories to VirtueMart. You need to import your categories first using VirtueMart categories operation in CSVI and then use the category id in VirtueMart product import.

My second question is about the images. I have my images in a zip file as well as a direct link, what field can I add for this in my template and how can I add multiple images for a single product? I've uploaded them using FileZilla but I am not sure how to make it link multiple images to a single product.

To import images into VirtueMart you need to use file_url field for main image and file_url_thumb for thumb image. You can use direct link or unzip the zip file you have for images and upload your images to /images/stories/virtuemart/ location which is VirtueMart default image location and use your image name in file_url field in your import file. If incase you are using direct link then set Save images on your server option to Yes in your import template settings and on Images tab. This setting will download the images to your local server. If you want CSVI to create thumbnails then set Automatic thumbnail creation to Yes in the same images tab. Also to import multiple images you need to separate them by | symbol like image1.jpg|image2.jpg|image3.jpg. You can get more information on VirtueMart Image import document.

Hello tharuna

Thank you for your reply, I'll try what you suggested with the images.

I've attached a screenshot for you to see what I have. The sample category csv with the category names and they are around 600 in total. The product csv rather than the category path have the category id. But when I make my template for category import I can't add the ID or parent that I have in my CSV file. How can I make this work for my website?

Thank you!

Hello Marios,

I've attached a screenshot for you to see what I have. The sample category csv with the category names and they are around 600 in total. The product csv rather than the category path have the category id. But when I make my template for category import I can't add the ID or parent that I have in my CSV file. How can I make this work for my website?

The name of the field to be used for category id is virtuemart_category_id, if you are using quick add button and don't see this field, click Show ID fields option to see all fields ending with _id.

For importing parent id, you cannot do it with VirtueMart category import because CSVI populates parent id using category_path field. Since that is possible with your import file, what you can do is first create a template and import virtemart_category_id and category name using VirtueMart category import and then create another template and using CSVI custom table operation import parent id and child id into virtuemart_category_categories table.

Hi tharuna

I give up.
I've uploaded the two logs

I created a new template: category import with these fields:
virtuemart_category_id, category_name, published

I then followed the link you sent me and made the custom CSVI custom table operation with the following fields:
category_child_id, category_parent_id, published

I also added screen shots of my csv files. Could it be a problem that I already have categories in my shop? when I uploaded the product csv the products were in the complete wrong categories- in the product import template I don't have the choice to chose virtuemart_category_id or anyother _id field except for category_id, so I did and the products went into the corresponding categories that I already have in Virtuemart. The categories that don't exist for example category_id 20 the products didn't go anywhere while the category_id 50 which was already created had products inside but the wrong products. Just that no new categories were created.

Thank you

Hello,

I then followed the link you sent me and made the custom CSVI custom table operation with the following fields:
category_child_id, category_parent_id, published

Lets address one issue at a time so it is easy for us to track, the debug log shows that this import did not go well as there were duplicate data entry error. Do you have categories already in virtuemart_category_categories table?

Hello Tharuna

I don't know, I can't find the virtuemart_category_categories table. I checked the template fields and templates I can't find virtuemart_category_categories table

Hello,
I meant to check #__virtuemart_category_categories (#_ is your table prefix) table from PHPMyAdmin and not in CSVI templates or template fields. To do that Open your site database using PhpMyAdmin >> Go to the table ##__virtuemart_category_categories >> Check if the categories you have in your import file are already there.

Also, can you send me your custom table import template XML file to check? To get template XML file go to CSVI maintenance page, Select CSVI Pro on first option and Backup template on second option. Select your custom table import templates and click continue. Download the XML file and post it.

Hi Tharuna,

I am not a website developer/tech so I don't know how to access PHP and so on, my website developer checked for the #__virtuemart_category_categories.. We already had categories created so when I imported the new categories, everything got veeeery messed up. So long story short we deleted every category and menus so I just have to start making everything again.

Can you please explain to me, a little bit more simply how to import the categories and also the child and parent category?

Thank you

Hello,

I am not a website developer/tech so I don't know how to access PHP and so on, my website developer checked for the #__virtuemart_category_categories.. We already had categories created so when I imported the new categories, everything got veeeery messed up. So long story short we deleted every category and menus so I just have to start making everything again.

I understood this would be the problem by looking at your debug logs.

Can you please explain to me, a little bit more simply how to import the categories and also the child and parent category?

Let us first do the VirtueMart categories import, you have category Id, category_name, parent id fields in your import file as per your previous screenshots. Now that you are saying you are going to do fresh category import, Having category id in import file says that the category row already exists in database table and has to be updated. You need to remove category id field from import file to get new categories created. Also for running VirtueMart categories import category_path is a required field and since you have only category_name field you will get missing category_path field error while doing category import. So i suggest you to change this category_name to category_path in your import file and run the import. By running this import file, new categories with new category ids will be created.

Next will be creating parent id for these new categories. now that the categories are having new ids, you need to export virtuemart_category_id and category name field using VirtueMart categories export and in the exported file add new column category_parent_id. Enter the parent id as per the newly created virtuemart_category_id. Using CSVI custom table import, import category_parent_id and category_child_id(which is virtuemart_category_id in your export file) into #__virtuemart_category_categories table by setting this as Custom table in Options tab in your custom import template settings. Please note that you need to empty virtuemart_category_categories table before running custom table import as there will be entries in this table because of above VirtueMart category import. Hope it is clear.