Dear XOOPS online community,

I am a new XOOPS user and I am trying to make a new e-commerce website, with some extra stuff in mind, such as forums, and I am having lots of problems.


Software Information

XOOPS Version: 2.4.5
Module Name/Version: [none, suggestion needed which modules to use.]
PHP Version: PHP 5.3.1
MySQL Version: Server version: 5.0.91-community MySQL Community Edition (GPL)
Web Server Software (Apache/IIS/Other): Apache/2.2.15 (Unix)
Operating System: MS Windows 7 Home Premium (32-bit, x86).
Theme you are using: [XOOPS Default Template Set]
Custom template: No
PHP Debug Messages: [none, suggestion needed which modules to use.]
MySQL Debug Messages: [none, suggestion needed which modules to use.]
Smarty Debug Messages: [none, suggestion needed which modules to use.]
A full description of the issue: [Please view below --->]


What are the problems?

1. I choose about 80 modules from the Modules repository, and tried to install them all, but somehow, only about 10 of them showed up in my Modules block to install. The rest (such as games), either showed up in my control panel, etc., and some, I could not even find to edit settings for those modules...

2. I find using XOOPS very fun, and interesting, but find it nearly impossible to use, due to modules problems.

3. I could choose only a very few modules to use for my XOOPS website, but I have the feeling of: "What if I am missing something? What if I could install all these modules? What if all the extra modules that I am going to install, will either enhance my website visits, make more customers happy, etc.? What if I really need all these modules? What if they are necessary for my XOOPS website? What if one module is better, has more functions, or is newer than the other? What if I can use them together without any problems?"

4. I need major help choosing which main XOOPS modules I really need, so that I can set up my e-commerce website, using Zen-Cart shopping cart system without any problem.


I already know how to:

- Install XOOPS on my website without any problems.
- Install XOOPS modules, by uploading them into my /modules/ directory.
- Use the readme in each modules if they exist...


I am trying to accomplish:

1. Choosing which modules I "really" need to use, and if possibly, the best one's...

2. Making sure that I would be able to use all these modules together as the only one's that do the same thing (i.e. no 2 news type modules), and also making sure that they do not inter-fiere with each other.

3. Making sure that I can use the modules without editing any xoops files (or if really necessary - make sure it's not too hard...).

4. If possible, add some extra stuff, such as games, without any problems, such as compatibility / modules crash / ...

5. I need to be able to sell stuff on my website, using a PHP store script, such as Zen-Cart. I know how to install and use Zen-Cart, but I want to integrade Zen-Cart into my XOOPS installation, without any problems.

6. I need to find a normal good enough template to use for the

I need the following parts for my website to work:

-Home
-Products (Zen-Cart)
-Help Center
-FAQ
-Forum
-Contact Us
-Affiliates
-News
-Mailing List / Newsletter
-Feedback (Forum category / module...)
-Advertise
-Link to Us
-Site Map
-Search

-Be able to add extra pages, such as: Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, etc. (articles / ... module -- I already have these pages typed up..)

Notes:

I tried to make my website by using manual HTML programming, in MS FrontPage, but trying to find a template to fit my website, never worked for lots of reasons. And when I did manual HTML programming, I was only able to make a template that used 2 or so colors, no template type, and not very good at all.. I also found some DHTML menu script to use, but it does not really work with my website theme...

So, I decided that using XOOPS on my website is the only way to go, if I want an easy to use and manage website, with the working nice template, that would match my website.


Please help:

Any help would be greatly appreciated. If any of you have any questions at all, please ask. Or if you have any suggestions or comments, please post them.

Thank you very much everyone for your generous, and kind help. May God Bless You.

"5. I need to be able to sell stuff on my website, using a PHP store script, such as Zen-Cart. I know how to install and use Zen-Cart, but I want to integrade Zen-Cart into my XOOPS installation, without any problems."

I believe a module on this script was released earlier this year so it should be pretty good but you have to buy it. If you plan to have users post their listings then you can use a module like catads mod,

Reply to btesec:

About the e-commerce module: I found a similar script that is: ZenCart On XOOPS module that is in the E-Commerce : Stores modules page, but I don't think you are referring to that one, since you said it was a paid module..

If you are not referring to this module, then what is the module name, where can I find it, and how much does it cost?

Thank you very much.

After doing some searching and figuring out exactly what I wanted in my website, I choose the following modules to work with the latest XOOPS 2.4.5 installation:

- X-Link (for Links)
- AdsLIGHT (Classifieds)
- Even News (Newsletter)
- iSearch (Search)
- myReviews (Reviews)
- newbb (Forum)
- News
- SiteMap
- SmartFAQ (FAQ)
- Survey
- What's New
- XHelp (Support)
- XoopsPoll (Polls)
- Content
- RSS Center (RSS)
- AMContact (Contact Us)

Also, I found a great theme from http://www.insraq.me/en that is called Inspire 10 Premium and I was able to make it work the way I want it to, including using custom selected drop down menu's and slideshow with links.

And about selling online, thanks to the Insraq's website, when I visited their shop, I saw that they were using the OpenCart open source shopping cart system. Then I found their website, which is: http://www.opencart.com/

This shopping cart script is extremely easy to use, and it is designed very well.

Yes, it is a separate installation from XOOPS main installation, so all I had to do, was just include a link to my online store. And then add some store links to my slideshow images.

Thank you very much.