My issue was that I had to disable emails beeing sent out to the customers, while at the same time leave the normal frontend process. Thus I could not just go under Magento admin System > Congifuration and disable email sending from there.

Here is the sample line code you just need to place above final $order->save() or possibly $checkout->saveOrder():

Mage::app()->getStore()->setConfig(Mage_Sales_Model_Order::XML_PATH_EMAIL_ENABLED, "0");

There are few ways of doing same thing, but in my experience way I’m going to present now causes
less problems even though it is less automatic than some other ways.

Let’s say we want 2 websites and 2 languages for each site.

Here’s procedure:

In admin panel, go to System->Configuration and click on “Manage Stores”
Click on “Main Website” to change it’s name to “Website 1″ or however you want to call it. (I’ll call mine“Website 1″ for the purposes of this article).
In “code” field there, write something like “website_1″.

Do same for “Main Website Store”. Call it “Website store 1″.

And guess what… do same for “Default Store View” that you can find on same interface.
How to call it?
Hm… I’ll call mine “English Store View”
I’ll write “english_store_view_website_1″ in “code” field there.

Ok, let’s go make second one…
Add website named “Website 2″ with code “website_2″.
Add store called “Website store 2″ and assign it to Website 2 that you can chose from dropdown.
Add new store view called “English Store View” with code “english_store_view_website_2″ and
assign it to “Website 2″ that you can find in dropdown.

By now you should have 2 websites with 1 language each.

Add two more store views.
Call first “German Store View” with code “german_store_view_website_1″.
Call second “German Store View” with code “german_store_view_website_2″.
Assign them to corresponding websites.

Let’s see what we have at this moment:

1) a) Website 1 (code: website_1) – Website Store 1 – English Store View (code: english_store_view_website_1)
b) Website 1 (code: website_1) – Website Store 1 – German Store View (code: german_store_view_website_1)

2) a) Website 2 (code: website_2) – Website Store 2 – English Store View (code: english_store_view_website_2)
b) Website 2 (code: website_2) – Website Store 2 – German Store View (code: german_store_view_website_2)

Of course, I didn’t mentioned that you will need to chose root category for your stores, do what ever you like there.

Ok, let’s say we want url to be handled this way:
1) http://www.yourdomain.com/website_1
2) http://www.yourdomain.com/website_2

In your Magento installation directory, make 2 directories called “website_1″ and “website_2″
Copy .htacces and index.php from your root directory in each of those new directories.

In .htaccess search for “RewriteBase /” line and replace it with “RewriteBase /website_1/” in first directory, and
search for “RewriteBase /” line and replace it with “RewriteBase /website_2/” in second directory.

In both directories open index.php and change “$compilerConfig = ‘includes/config.php’;” to
$compilerConfig = ‘../includes/config.php’;

Change $mageFilename = ‘app/Mage.php’; to $mageFilename = ‘../app/Mage.php’;

In same file make sure to edit Mage::run() function for each site:

Mage::run(‘website_1′, ‘website’);
Mage::run(‘website_2′, ‘website’);

Go to System->Configuration and select Current Configuration Scope: Website 1

Set absolute paths to your skin, js and  media directories and set Base URL =http://www.yourdomain.com/website_1  (do that for website_2 too)

Now use this dirty way to switch between websites 
http://inchoo.net/ecommerce/magento-snippet-for-switching-between-websites/

Since there is much to say about this subject, feel free to ask questions and I’ll try to answer them asap.

- From inchoo.net -

These 10 extensions for magento are here for their value and usefulness. Also, almost all of them exist for quite some time so they have been tested and more importantly supported by their authors with the exception of the Easy Lightbox but it works with Magento 1.4.

One of them is our own product by Domagoj Potkoc.

• 1. Direct ResizeGive the possibility to resize images without distorting them. You can specify a Width and a Height value as well as a ratio. Everyone dealing with images in Magento will appreciate this one for sure.http://www.magentocommerce.com/extension/153/direct-resize
• 2. Magento Easy lightboxThis small extension will help to install Lightbox widget. Installation and configuration will take approximately 5 minutes.http://www.magentocommerce.com/extension/1487/magento-easy-lightbox
• 3. Exploded MenuReplaces the standard single column drop down with a multi-column dropdown featuring 2nd and 3rd level menu items.http://www.magentocommerce.com/magento-connect/Raptor+Commerce+%28toby%29/extension/1345/raptor_explodedmenu
• 4. Magento Easy TabsThis small extension will help to add informational tabs on product page. No files are replaced and no codding experience needed to install.http://www.magentocommerce.com/magento-connect/TemplatesMaster/extension/1725/magento-easytabs
• 5. Canonical URLThis extension adds the new canonical links to the head of your Magento pages.http://www.magentocommerce.com/magento-connect/Yoast/extension/906/canonical-url-s-for-magento
• 6. Fooman Google Analytics PlusAdditional features for the default GoogleAnalytics module. Track every individual page – including sections retrieved via AJAX during one-page-checkout
  Enter DomainName to track via the Magento back-end / check here if you should use it. Track the actual typed in keywords for adwords instead of only the term you bid on (this might not yet work due to a bug in Magento itself). Optionally track Adwords conversions for purchases

  http://www.magentocommerce.com/magento-connect/FOOMAN/extension/171/fooman-google-analytics-plus

• 7. Delete ordersAllows you to delete testing orders from the drop-down menu in the Admin panel.http://www.magentocommerce.com/magento-connect/Boutik+Circus/extension/873/delete-orders
• 8. uGiftCertAllow your customers to purchase and use Gift Certificates. http://www.magentocommerce.com/magento-connect/Unirgy/extension/751/unirgy_giftcert
• 9.Featured productsThis extension gives your Magento ability for easy management of featured products. Frontend features include separate interface for listing of all featured products and a block usage for easy placement to the interfaces of your choice.http://www.magentocommerce.com/magento-connect/Inchoo/extension/2513/featured-products
• 10. Enhanced Admin Products GridAdds some exciting customizable features to the products grid like: Full Product Search, Grid Row Highlighter,Catalog Grid Thumbnails/Images,Mass Product Refresh etc.http://www.magentocommerce.com/magento-connect/WDCA/extension/748/enhanced-product-grid
• - From inchoo.net -

Step 1. Go to: Fedex Developer Resource Center and create developer’s account.

Step 2. When you create developer’s account go to Developer Resource Center and click on top navigationFedeEx Web Services -> FedeEx Web Services for Shipping.
Now, you will see the link Develop & Test Your Application (about testing, obtain developer test key) click on it. Then you only have to send request for test environment, you can see the link “Obtain Developer Test Key” click on it and fill the form. After sending form with data, you will receive email message from FedEx with all required data for testing FedEx shipping method.

In this email message you will get: Test Account Number:xxxxxxxxx (for FedEx Web Services for Shipping only) and you have to insert this number in field Account ID in FedEx config section, take a look at below image.

Step 3. When you’re almost ready to launch:

After you’ve successfully tested your application and are ready to go into production, go to the FedEx Developer Resource Center to obtain your Production key.

- From inchoo.net -

1. Option NOT to register online in order to buy the product

Magento’s default setting on the checkout page is to have the “Checkout as guest” option which leaves the customer with the ability to demonstrate their free will if they actually wish to “Register”.

If you ever bought anything on a web shop you’ve probably been confronted with an uneasy decision making when you didn’t have any other option but to register in order to buy the product. According to the way of how we feel when we’re pushed to do something we didn’t even expect we had to do and than to have no other way but to agree to the terms or leave the cart it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to come up to the conclusion that the 30% of us will just leave the shop without buying anything.

Other people that decided to buy in the end, did so with an uneasy feeling and probably won’t be at ease to come again, although they are now registered as a user.

Note: There are many special cases when users need to register in order to buy a certain product or service and if the shop owner recognized this as an essential part of the their online commerce than it is of course encouraged to do so. In all other 90% cases you’ll just loose money.

2. Unobtrusive Adding to cart

What’s this you ask? Well on some web shops after you press the “Add to Cart” or “Buy now” button you’re presented with some additional choices that just pop-out and leave you wondering if you product is even added to the cart not to mention that this “Easter egg” behaved obtrusively and furthermore shocked the buyer.

In Magento your customer is the king and is lead directly to the shopping cart where he/she can make the choice to buy some cross-sell products or just continue with the shopping.

Another great thing is that you can calculate the shipping costs once you are ready to place the order.

3. Displaying the product availability

How many times did you finish looking for the product, added it to the cart and then the cart displayed that the product you entered is not available? Well it happened to me so many times that I’m wondering what is wrong with displaying a simple message on availability of that product. Furthermore, this is a perfect opportunity to establish a relationship with your potential customer, you can get your user the information on when the product will be available. Magento has both options available by default and they provide that great shopping experience of reliability and confidence.

4. Easy checkout process

Entering the details for your purchase can be a tedious task (if you’re not registered wink, wink ) and adding more pages for the user DOES NOT help. Magento’s checkout process is done via an interactive one-page 6 step process with clearly defined steps that need to be done and what is more important the success page with the order number is displayed when your order is placed. Not to mention that there is a “Checkout progress” sidebar displaying the info you’ve provided if you need to correct anything, which is as simple as clicking on any of the steps.  Neat 

5. Transparency and Customer Service

This one is more of a “We thought about that with a reason” feature and although it’s definitely a non-technical one since it’s “just” some CMS page already existing in the default shop, they are the deal breaker for many “first visitors” since they need to be assured and then re-assured as any of us that your shop is reliable and accountable. So having the “About us” , “privacy policy” and Contact pages displayed along with some useful banners on what type of payment you provide and the shopping security is enabled thru SSL or any other means is a definite must for all store owners.

This leaves us with the conclusion that these 5 points are the key facts in establishing the best customer relationship and experience and the best of all is that they are built-in and pre-thought of according to many years of experience in online shopping.

- From inchoo.net -

Most of you know this, but I hope someone will still find this post useful.

There are few ways of doing same thing, but in my experience way I’m going to present now causes
less problems even though it is less automatic than some other ways.

Let’s say we want 2 websites and 2 languages for each site.

Here’s procedure:

In admin panel, go to System->Configuration and click on “Manage Stores”
Click on “Main Website” to change it’s name to “Website 1″ or however you want to call it. (I’ll call mine“Website 1″ for the purposes of this article).
In “code” field there, write something like “website_1″.

Do same for “Main Website Store”. Call it “Website store 1″.

And guess what… do same for “Default Store View” that you can find on same interface.
How to call it?
Hm… I’ll call mine “English Store View”
I’ll write “english_store_view_website_1″ in “code” field there.

Ok, let’s go make second one…
Add website named “Website 2″ with code “website_2″.
Add store called “Website store 2″ and assign it to Website 2 that you can chose from dropdown.
Add new store view called “English Store View” with code “english_store_view_website_2″ and
assign it to “Website 2″ that you can find in dropdown.

By now you should have 2 websites with 1 language each.

Add two more store views.
Call first “German Store View” with code “german_store_view_website_1″.
Call second “German Store View” with code “german_store_view_website_2″.
Assign them to corresponding websites.

Let’s see what we have at this moment:

1) a) Website 1 (code: website_1) – Website Store 1 – English Store View (code: english_store_view_website_1)
b) Website 1 (code: website_1) – Website Store 1 – German Store View (code: german_store_view_website_1)

2) a) Website 2 (code: website_2) – Website Store 2 – English Store View (code: english_store_view_website_2)
b) Website 2 (code: website_2) – Website Store 2 – German Store View (code: german_store_view_website_2)

Of course, I didn’t mentioned that you will need to chose root category for your stores, do what ever you like there.

Ok, let’s say we want url to be handled this way:
1) http://www.yourdomain.com/website_1
2) http://www.yourdomain.com/website_2

In your Magento installation directory, make 2 directories called “website_1″ and “website_2″
Copy .htacces and index.php from your root directory in each of those new directories.

In .htaccess search for “RewriteBase /” line and replace it with “RewriteBase /website_1/” in first directory, and
search for “RewriteBase /” line and replace it with “RewriteBase /website_2/” in second directory.

In both directories open index.php and change “$compilerConfig = ‘includes/config.php’;” to
$compilerConfig = ‘../includes/config.php’;

Change $mageFilename = ‘app/Mage.php’; to $mageFilename = ‘../app/Mage.php’;

In same file make sure to edit Mage::run() function for each site:

Mage::run(‘website_1′, ‘website’);
Mage::run(‘website_2′, ‘website’);

Go to System->Configuration and select Current Configuration Scope: Website 1

Set absolute paths to your skin, js and  media directories and set Base URL =http://www.yourdomain.com/website_1  (do that for website_2 too)

Now use this dirty way to switch between websites 
http://inchoo.net/ecommerce/magento-snippet-for-switching-between-websites/

Since there is much to say about this subject, feel free to ask questions and I’ll try to answer them asap.

- From inchoo.net-

Here is a post of my colleague Ivan Weiler which describes how to enable error information in latest Magento.

This is a screenshot of my browser when I get Magento error:

I don’t need to search for report file and open it in a text editor.
It’s clear and readable.

All you need to do is to little modify error reporting file which is in your:
“/report/skin/default/index.phtml” file.
And you can style it as you wish.

Here is how my “/report/skin/default/index.phtml” file looks like:

That’s it.
Enjoy tracing and handling Magento errors

- from inchoo.net -

Go to front-end and try again. Enjoy!

SimpleXMLElement::addAttribute() [simplexmlelement.addattribute]

Warning: SimpleXMLElement::addAttribute() [simplexmlelement.addattribute]: Attribute already exists  in /domain/public_html/app/code/core/Mage/Core/Model/Layout.php on line 165
Trace:
#0 [internal function]: mageCoreErrorHandler(2, ‘SimpleXMLElemen…’, ‘/home/carste6/p…’, 165, Array)
#1 /home/carste6/public_html/app/code/core/Mage/Core/Model/Layout.php(165): SimpleXMLElement->addAttribute(‘ignore’, ‘1′)
#2 /home/carste6/public_html/app/code/core/Mage/Core/Controller/Varien/Action.php(284): Mage_Core_Model_Layout->generateXml()
#3 /home/carste6/public_html/app/code/core/Mage/Core/Controller/Varien/Action.php(226): Mage_Core_Controller_Varien_Action->generateLayoutXml()
#4 /home/carste6/public_html/app/code/core/Mage/Checkout/controllers/OnepageController.php(148): Mage_Core_Controller_Varien_Action->loadLayout()
#5 /home/carste6/public_html/app/code/core/Mage/Core/Controller/Varien/Action.php(376): Mage_Checkout_OnepageController->indexAction()
#6 /home/carste6/public_html/app/code/core/Mage/Core/Controller/Varien/Router/Standard.php(248): Mage_Core_Controller_Varien_Action->dispatch(‘index’)
#7 /home/carste6/public_html/app/code/core/Mage/Core/Controller/Varien/Front.php(158): Mage_Core_Controller_Varien_Router_Standard->match(Object(Mage_Core_Controller_Request_Http))
#8 /home/carste6/public_html/app/Mage.php(461): Mage_Core_Controller_Varien_Front->dispatch()
#9 /home/carste6/public_html/index.php(66): Mage::run()
#10 {main}

For me, it was a problem with the a .xml file. I found in my aitocsales.xml (aitoc is a extension I have) the code I had put in to take out the ‘last ordered items’

<customer_logged_in>
<reference name=”right”>
<block type=”sales/reorder_sidebar”  after=”centered-onsale_1″ name=”sale.reorder.sidebar” as=”reorder” template=”sales/reorder/sidebar.phtml”/>
<remove name=”sale.reorder.sidebar”/> <————–what I added
</reference>
</customer_logged_in>–>

I changed it to:

<!–<customer_logged_in>
<reference name=”right”>
<block type=”sales/reorder_sidebar”  after=”centered-onsale_1″ name=”sale.reorder.sidebar” as=”reorder” template=”sales/reorder/sidebar.phtml”/>
</reference>
</customer_logged_in>–>

All is better now

source:bryansammon

nubidollz magento shop

Please see initial brief from my sister below. Please note we just need help to get the site functioning properly and we will make changes every few months as budget allows. For some reason when we add products and categories they do not surface on the website and we need this issue investigating.

Details:

a) Colours Scheme:

1) I would like the site colours to reflect the attached flyer…

2) Menus need to be bright and colourful but again in line with the flyer colours (change CSS?)

Additional: I am open to any colours that you want to add as long as they are complimentary to the flyer theme.

b) Categories on Menu

The menus that I will need for the products are as follows:

Homepage - Currently Present

All Dolls - When clicked this will display all dolls.

Black and Ethnic Dolls

Christian Dolls

Oriental Dolls

European Dolls

Multi-Ethnic Books

c) Products

1) Please fix errors and enable zoom function

2) Please populate tab details with demo details

3) Please add shipping to test

4) Please add paypal payment option to test

d) Google Checkout, Twitter, Facebook and Ebay Badges – Natasha to supply the underlying links. Please ensure that they are displayed tastefully on the page.

e) Paypal Email address – Natasha to supply to test with payments module on site. Please ensure that paypal payment enabled.

f) Google Checkout – Natasha to supply account email . Please ensure module is enables and users will have access to two payment methods.

g) Please add About Us , Terms and Conditions, Help, Contact Us , Login and Register as TABBED menu across the top like http://demo.hellothemes.com/hellomini/ (this is the same theme) – Natasha to supply information for the informational pages

h)  Bottom Menu – Same as http://demo.hellothemes.com/hellomini/

i) Footer Links – Once the site has been setup I will send details for anchor text and links to go in the footer near to the Copyright statement

j) Shipping – Natasha to supply shipping rules  / configuration e.g If user spends £50 then shipping is free

http://demo.hellothemes.com/hellomini/

Please respond with quote asap and feel free to recommend any additional modules that may help the site.