Thread: Add to Cart button that would call a script

Trying to figure how to do this:

An Add to Cart button that would call a script that would:
(1) Upload a file to your server
(2) Post the other data from the form to the cart

Depends on many things: which cart you have, how you have created the Add to Cart. Is there a "upload" field ? where is the file supposed to be uploaded from ?

I'm using Mal's. My customers will make several selections during the order process, one of them will be to upload a photo to me. I would like for them to not have to click one button to upload their photo then another one to checkout. Would like to have 1 button to accomplish both tasks.

I've received assistance from Mal's forum but not on this issue.

Hope I have supplied you with enough information. I have not published the page but can send you the html code.

Thanks!

I don't think you can achieve this. I believe that Mal's cart uses sessions, so it is necessary to redirect the user to Mal's in order for the Add to Cart button to be effective. You CAN upload the file, and then POST the data to the cart using the CURL library, but i am not sure if Mal's uses sessions to distinguish users and their orders from each other. I think so, in which case it will not be possible. You would need to have a two step checkout (but this solution requires some scripting as well): The user selects the product, Browses to upload the file, and clicks on "Add to cart". The form submits (uploads the file) and recieves a confirmation page, with another button to proceed to checkout.

In your scenario "The user selects the product, Browses to upload the file, and clicks on "Add to cart". The form submits (uploads the file) and recieves a confirmation page, with another button to proceed to checkout." can these be accomplished in a pop-up type window?

So maybe have a flash script showing the upload progress and when completed, show a continue button to checkout.

I'm trying to make the order process a simple as possible for the customer. Do you have any other recommendations for cart options other than Mal's. I've been using them for their discount options which I could not get from PayPals cart.

In your scenario "The user selects the product, Browses to upload the file, and clicks on "Add to cart". The form submits (uploads the file) and recieves a confirmation page, with another button to proceed to checkout." can these be accomplished in a pop-up type window?

Yes


So maybe have a flash script showing the upload progress and when completed, show a continue button to checkout.

This is more complicated. Actually, it requires Ajax combined with Flash

I'm trying to make the order process a simple as possible for the customer. Do you have any other recommendations for cart options other than Mal's. I've been using them for their discount options which I could not get from PayPals cart.
Sorry, i can't help here. My own cart supports discounts etc but that's a different story as it is a in-site, paid for cart. I believe Bethers or Karen will be able to provide more help about this.

In your scenario "The user selects the product, Browses to upload the file, and clicks on "Add to cart". The form submits (uploads the file) and recieves a confirmation page, with another button to proceed to checkout." can these be accomplished in a pop-up type window?

Yes

Suggestions on how to accomplish this? I've used your file upload php script in the past and can set it up again but not sure how to show in a pop-up something like "your photo has uploaded, please click continue to check out"

Also, I received a post from Mal's forum with the following link.

"You can do it (get the file and post to the cart) in one script. Here is a link that tells you how to post without a form. You would just add this type of logic to your upload file script."

http://www.faqts.com/knowledge_base/view.phtml/aid/12039/fid/51

Could you take a look at it and see what it means?

It is the same that i suggested, but with another method (which, some VH servers, depending on the php.ini settings, do not support).
The CURL llibrary will do the same.

In BOTH cases, the problem is with the sessions. You see, both methods will perform a "silent" POST. The data IS submitted, but the user is not redirected to Mal's, so no session or cookie can be set . If no session or cookie is set, the cart can't know who the posted data belongs to. In other words, the order can not be associated to the user.

I see. That makes sense. So, I'm just thinking here, could I have the user browse for a file, click an upload button, and keep them on the same page?

Once the file upload is completed, have it show some text that says your upload is complete. Then they can click add to cart and process through Mals.

Yes, you can do that with an Iframe in the same page. The script can upload thefile in the i frame. Once the upload is finished, it will display the upload complete message. At that point he can click on checkout.
Make sure that there are TWO forms (one for the upload, one the Add to Cart)

Thanks, I had not thought of that. I'll give it a try and let you know how it works.

Thanks again for your assistance!!!

One more question if I may, When I set up the file upload in an Iframe, will information, such as the file name carry over to the cart? If not, how will I be able to tell who the photo goes with?

You need a bit of Javascript for that. By itself it will not associate the user with the file. I mean, when the user is filling in his name etc., a piece of javascript code can populate a hidden field of the upload form, to assocuate the user name with the file.
However, if you have no experience at all with Javascript, that could result a bit hard to do.

True. I took your advice and added am Iframe with the browse and upload button. I also added a required text field for the customer to enter their name to certify that they own the copyrights to the photo. Once they upload the photo it also now sends me their name which I can match up with their order.

I also added a return page telling them that their file upload has completed. I've tested and it's working perfectly.

Thanks again for your help. I'm sure I will be back.