Thread: Live or not when building in Soho?

I am going to build a store in Soho and was wondering if the store can be seen while I build it without redirecting my DNS to the store as I am building. Do I have to point the DNS to the new store to see it as I build?

I have been reading and watching the videos and it does seem pretty easy to build a store in Soho.

Any comments will be appreciated.

Thanks,

Ted

i am not sure if i know what you mean but i think you mean if the store isn't complete if people can view it.

Answer is:
Yes

But the need to be on the page where you insert your store.

For example.

say you have a page named store well you need to edit that page and drag in the store with the drag in drop configuration soho has any question on what i say just ask.

Its my understanding that SOHO needs full access to the DOMAIN, including, I believe the DNS pointing to it.

However, You can keep all pages OFF the navigation menu except for the home page, and that way they wont be displayed to the general public, unless they have a link to them, or GUESS a link which isnt likely.

You can also require pages to have a password to view, with a login, but you will have to create a group, rather you add anyone or not, and then do the page properties, and make it accessible only to that group, until you are ready for an audience.

Hope that helps!

Karen

Hi J0sh710 and Karen,

Thanks for the replies. Looks like the only way is to point the DNS to the new store, which will in turn will deactivate the live store I have and then I have to make the front page a member's only page that does not accept members until the whole store is complete and then take the member's login off the page. I really did not want to not have my current live store not getting traffic while I build a similar store on Soho.

Or I could just leave the front page blank with the explanation that I am building a new store and will open when I get it done, but in the meantime, I will be losing traffic and sales on the new store until completed.

Seems like the only real answer, as I write this, is to open up the store with a few pages and just continue to build, hoping to make sales as I progress with the construction of the store.

Looks like I have to make a decision on what I want to do.

Thanks again,

Ted

it is your decision i know you will make the best choice.

Originally Posted by ace5548

Hi J0sh710 and Karen,

Thanks for the replies. Looks like the only way is to point the DNS to the new store, which will in turn will deactivate the live store I have and then I have to make the front page a member's only page that does not accept members until the whole store is complete and then take the member's login off the page. I really did not want to not have my current live store not getting traffic while I build a similar store on Soho.

Or I could just leave the front page blank with the explanation that I am building a new store and will open when I get it done, but in the meantime, I will be losing traffic and sales on the new store until completed.

Seems like the only real answer, as I write this, is to open up the store with a few pages and just continue to build, hoping to make sales as I progress with the construction of the store.

Looks like I have to make a decision on what I want to do.

Thanks again,

Ted

Why not just go buy a throw away domain you can use to build the new store? You can get a domain name for anywhere from $10 to $20, depending on where you get it.

Point the dns for the "throwaway" to your VH account, build your store at your leisure, and then do the dns pointing and so on with the old store when ready. Once you're ready, add the old store's domain to your account as an addon domain (if it isn't already hosted by VH), then copy all the files from the new store into the directory for the old store's domain.

You could sort of do what Race suggested.

You could download the mysql database as a csv, then move the images folder out so that you could save it. Save any custom template you built, copy the code for your outer pages or do them all as custom html so that all you have to do is reup them. Uninstall soho, do the add on domain, reinstall soho on the domain, redo your categories, then upload your csv file, over write the new images file with the saved one, and copy and paste your pages in.

I dont think you could just copy the files without tweaking the includes and the database connection, i think you have to use the install to do this unless you really KNOW what you are doing in the mysql and php end of it.

Might check the boys at soho for the quid pro qous to be sure, but i think it will be more involved than simply moving it, just from the experience with soho and its quirks. During the installation I think it does some proprietary database coding for the domain name itself, not just in the product end of it, but in writing the includes and relative linking system.

Karen

Hi Karen & Race,

Thank you for your responses. You both have given me some things to think about.

Karen, I am bringing the store over from SOL. I thought you should know this because I have been following what you and Bethers have been doing. I already have a VodaHost account. That's why I have to look at what I am doing and I have an affiliate site already set up as my initial free domain and it is published in BV.

I probably should have told you this in the beginning. I do like what Race said and that may be the simplest way to go. I really might need some close guidence on this as I do it.

Thanks,

Ted

Ted,

If you are moving the store over from SOL It would be easier for you to download your product from there. Save your pages as HTML so we can up them to soho as custom files in the outer pages. It wont take nearly as long if you do it this way, and you might be looking at 2 days DOWN to just do the part and have the domain operational on soho. It really is easy to import the product. You will then just have to tweak minor things in the outer pages and html includes and you will be off and running.

Karen

Ted,

You could also try this, although Im not sure how long it will work, they say temporarily..

http://forum.soholaunch.com/showthread.php?t=159

With that said, I dont know if you can access the database in this manner but we could try, or you could at least set up your outer pages by adding the domain you want it to be, and then accessing it this way temporarily.

Karen

Hi Karen,

Thank you for the replies. I am going to try what you suggest. I did look at the Soho forum and did not find the answers to what I wanted. I guess I will have to look a little closer.

I am also going back to the SOL forum and look around for the best way to download my products as I have never done this before. This is going to be a whole new experience for me.

I will probably work at getting this done sometime within the next two weeks, more likely next week if I can get Soho set up without any problems.

Ted

Ted,

Just go to your product pages tab, then scroll down to the bottom, should see import, export. Just export it as tab delimited and save. Open excel, open a new spread sheet, click in the first box, then mouse to data on the tool bar, import data, and follow along there, and save after it imports.

When you get your categories set up in soho, ill explain to you how to view them, so that when we upadate or excel file how to put your categories in, or if you send it to me, along with a sign in to your store, ill upload it for you.

Karen

Hi Karen,

Your are AMAZING. I just saw you a few seconds ago in the other forum. Thank you so much for your fast responses.

I do know that I am going to have some difficulty, but will give it a best try.

Ted

Ted,

All I ever ask, is that you TRY! Plenty of info to read and learn. I dont mind helping those that TRY! We all learned, we all started out by TRYING! Ive no doubt you will get there too!

Karen

Karen,

I have no doubt I will get there also. I have been learning a lot ever since I started with SOL with so many others. I will be reading and trying different things as I go along.

I have to go to my real "job" now, so I hope to talk to you later.

Ted

Karen,

I have downloaded the products from SOL and have to get rid of all the references to that store builder and the pages.

Does this mean anything since I have a BV site up and running in VodaHost?

[If you already have a website on your main "root" account. Please Click Here
to submit a support ticket and ask for a complete account reset.]

I would like to know if I install Soho if I would wipe out the first domain that I initiated. Otherwise, I think I am ready to try to build the store.

I did look at the SoHo forum posting link you provided, but it looks confusing to me. I am willing to have some down time with my current SOL store in order to get the one in SoHo up and running.

One last quick question: Do I have to store all the images that are on the SOL site in a separate folder and upload them?



Ted

Ted,

Yes to the images.

You could do an ADD ON domain and install soho to the add on, you dont have to install it over your bv site. Thats the beauty here Ted, You can make all the sites you want to. You could also do a subdomain off the main domain, but I dont recommend that if you are going to run a second domain anyway.

Just go to the control panel, click on the add on domain, type in the name and go! Then go install soho, and then you can follow those temporary instructions for starting soho and getting your files set to csv and upload.. Read the instructions in the manual to upload your csv. I recommend putting in ONE product so you can see the layout. Make sure you have all your categories set, put the category number in you csv and you will be good to go. Or you could up them all to one category then edit them one by one.

Karen

Karen,

Thanks for the quick response. Now I'm off to do it.

Ted

Originally Posted by Karen Mac

You could sort of do what Race suggested.

You could download the mysql database as a csv, then move the images folder out so that you could save it. Save any custom template you built, copy the code for your outer pages or do them all as custom html so that all you have to do is reup them. Uninstall soho, do the add on domain, reinstall soho on the domain, redo your categories, then upload your csv file, over write the new images file with the saved one, and copy and paste your pages in.

I dont think you could just copy the files without tweaking the includes and the database connection, i think you have to use the install to do this unless you really KNOW what you are doing in the mysql and php end of it.

Might check the boys at soho for the quid pro qous to be sure, but i think it will be more involved than simply moving it, just from the experience with soho and its quirks. During the installation I think it does some proprietary database coding for the domain name itself, not just in the product end of it, but in writing the includes and relative linking system.

Karen

Sorry, Karen, but I disagree. Files can be moved anywhere you like and directories can be renamed at will. As long as the config file that connects to the database isn't changed, it will all work just fine.

Race,

Sorry, Karen, but I disagree. Files can be moved anywhere you like and directories can be renamed at will. As long as the config file that connects to the database isn't changed, it will all work just fine.

Thats what im trying to say here, is that I think SOHO does depend on the domain name to connect when you install it, and if you rename it or move it and its NOT the same name, you will have to reconnect it. Thats why i said check the boys at soho to insure we dont get into that wreck. On the other hand if it does, you could just download all the tables and reup them to the other domain.. I think.

Karen

Karen,

Well the question is not what can be done in various ways right now. The question is going to be what do I have to do now to get the store up and running.

I have pointed the DNS to VodaHost servers and installed SoHo on the domain name I have with SOL. I am now waiting for it to do whatever it does so that I can enter a product like you suggested and see what happens.

I watched the videos again and I think once the domain name propagates I will be able to build the store okay.

One question I have: Do you need a dedicated IP and an SSL certificate for the store using SoHo? If so, I will be getting that today sometime.

Thanks for the discussion Karen and Race. It does give me some things to think about.

Karen, I did go to the SoHo forum and joined. I looked around and found some very good information there.

Ted

Hello All,

Client number: 9804

Well I did everything I was supposed to do and I cannot log into the Soho Admin.

Anybody know how long it is supposed to take after redirection of the Nameservers before the Soh cPanel can be accessed?

Thanks,

Ted

Ted, Sorry.. should be within 24 hours.

Karen

Hello All,


Client Number: 9804

This is beginning to be ridiculous. I sent in a support ticket and "Hank" said that I needed to install it correctly. I did. Now I tried to uninstall it and don't know if it is uninstalled because I can't re-install the darned thing.

I am getting extremely frustrated because of this and the fact that the addon domain looks like it is a subdomain and that is not what I wanted.

I may have to have the whole darned thing reset so I can start over.

I have just submitted another support ticket to try to get this mess straightened out.

Ted

Ted,

Im sorry you are having issues. If you pm me your number on the other forum, when I get in this evening I will call you and work with you. I probably wont be in til around 8 pm central. Im sure its something simple! Its those SIMPLE things that are MOST frustrating!

Karen

Karen and all who are viewing,

The simple things were what did it. I may have been a little impatient with the system.

The soho admin is working now and will do as we discussed on the phone.

Thanks again for your help.

Ted

Karen and Other Interested Parties,

I am now able to build my store. It is going well and I have asked for the SSL and dedicated IP address to be installed.

Hopefully soon I will ask for a site review.

Ted