Update a BANS search query sitewide with phpMyAdmin
September 18, 2007 | 6 Comments
Hi All -
Let me preface this tip with a warning that you should be comfortable moving around in your hosting package as well as the phpMyAdmin tool for modifying your database. I am also listing the directions for Hostgator only, as that is the most common hosting being used for BANS. If you are on a different host, I am sure they have phpMyAdmin somewhere, you will just need to check with them on the location of your database management tool.If you are not comfortable in either of these areas this may end up confusing you more than helping. Which is actually where all of us started at one point in time! Read more
Build a Niche Store Sitemap MOD - Complete version!
September 13, 2007 | 13 Comments
Hi All -
Before I get too involved in explaining this BANS sitemap MOD, I want to state that you should ALWAYS make a backup of your original files before attempting any modifications. I will generally rename my files with a BAK extension to have a working copy in case of emergency (ex: FrontControlBAK.php.)
The reason I created this MOD is to give website visitors and search spiders a single place to go and find all information about the store categories in one location. The sitemap will create a single page that lists all of your categories and the meta description you have completed within your store administration. At this point, I have not included the custom content pages and may not even do so. In addition, the product listings from the ebay feed are not included due to the frequency of change. The sitemap is intended to be a basic contents section, very similar to a table of contents in a book.
That being said - lets get to the BANS sitemap MOD!
Change the Default eBay listing logo to Promote Sign-Ups!
August 29, 2007 | 14 Comments
Promote eBay Signups with your BANS Store! (Skill - 2)
In the setup process of your Build a Niche Store, you have the option of displaying the eBay logo on all your page listings. In general, it is the standard eBay logo and you can see it by turning the feature on.
I decided to upload a different eBay logo as you see above, and go into the code that controls the display section and add the referral tracking code to the FrontControl.php file
Disclaimer - ALWAYS make a backup of any of your BANS pages before making changes. If something goes wrong, you can just save it back in one minute and have your store running while you correct the issue!
How Can you do This?
First, right-click on the above ebay image and choose “Save Picture As” and save into your /themes/yourtheme/images/ folder. (Change the “yourtheme” portion with the name of the theme you are using) After you have it saved, upload it to your server with the ftp program.
Now that the image is on your server, open your /cont/FrontControl.php file and scroll to about line: 345, you will see function logodisplay() code. Find the section that has:
- $f = ”
<img src=”.URL_PATH.” mce_src=”.URL_PATH.”/themes/”.$temp.”/images/ebay.gif>
“;
Replace with: (Replace the PID to your CJ PID number)
Download this text file
- $f = “<a href=’http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-1751-2978-71/1?AID=5463217&PID=000000&mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fscgi.ebay.com%2Fws%2FeBayISAPI.dll%3FRegisterEnterInfo%26_trksid%3Dm37′ target=_blank>
<img src=”.URL_PATH.” mce_src=”.URL_PATH.”/themes/”.$temp.”/images/ebay.jpg border=0></a>
”;
Save the file, upload it to your server… turn on your new eBay referral link!
Add a Trackback link to each Page of your BANS Site
August 28, 2007 | 7 Comments
Add a Link-Back to the Bottom of your Store (Skill : 4)
The whole reason behind the link back is for search engine spiders. One of the methods I have used for years is to try and get the FIRST and LAST bit of text a spider reads, in line with the meta and content of the page itself. When the opportunity presents itself to have the LAST bit of text in the form of a perma-link, or link back to the same page… why not invite the spider to that info as well?
Change the Default Build a Niche Store Link
August 28, 2007 | 1 Comment
Change the Default Store Link (Skill : 2)
As you navigate you live BANS site and click on one of your main categories - you will notice the main link to return to the parent category is listed as “Catalog Home“. This link really tells nothing about the site, so you may want to change it to something more descriptive, that represents what you parent menu is about! For instance… if your site is about “Blue Widgets” why not change the default “catalog home” to “Blue Widgets Home”.
How to do it!
In the cont/ folder of the BANS site, open the “FrontControl.php” file and look around line number 1057 or search for the string: “function getMainParent” Within the getmainparent function, you will see a line that calls the parent url path: “$f .= “<strong><a href=”.URL_PATH.” mce_href=”.URL_PATH.” class=navlink>Catalog Home</a></strong><br>”;”
Change the “Catalog Home” portion to something more fitting!
Save your file, upload it to your server - Done!