Build an admin-driven PayPal store

1. A dynamic site set up within Dreamweaver
   
2. Dreamweaver CS4 or later
   
3. Free Tools installed and activated in Dreamweaver
   
4. Data Bridge installed and activated in Dreamweaver
   
5. A blank database with a proper connection set up in Dreamweaver
   
6. The Tutorial Product Presets, which can be downloaded here
   tutorial_presets.zip

Well, here we are again at the first step in the tutorial. My personal favorite step, because it sets the tone for the rest of everything ever. in this step we're going to be importing our awesome presets into Data Bridge, so we need to open the Preset Manager. From there we can import the heck out of these presets, and we're onto the next step

1. Open the tutorial_presets.zip you downloaded in the previous section of this tutorial
   
2. Save the files inside of it somewhere easily accessible
   
3. In Dreamweaver, click WebAssist > Preset Manager
   
4. From the Product drop down, select Data Bridge - Preset
   
5. Click the Import button
   
6. Browse to the tutorial_admin_preset.zip preset file from the tutorial_presets.zip
   
7. Click Open
   
8. Repeat the steps for the tutorial_catalog_preset.zip preset

Good. Great. Awesome. You imported the files. I'm impressed.

This step is going to have us creating Product Administration pages through Data Bridge using our newly imported funky fresh presets. Let's do that now, shall we.

1. Create a blank PHP page in the root of your site
   
2. Open the blank PHP page
   This is to make sure DataAssist creates the pages in the correct directory level
   
3. Click WebAssist > Database > DataAssist Pages
   
4. Change the Application Type to Tutorial Product Administration
   
5. Make sure the Create the database table for me is checked
   This is going to let Data Bridge create the correct database setup for this specific tutorial. It'll be awesome
   
6. Change the connection to the one pointing to your blank database
   
7. Edit the Page Design to exactly how you wish it to be
   For this tutorial, this step isn't needed, so we're keeping the Page Design as Basic, but edit away
   
   
   
   
8. Click the Manage Pages tab
   
9. Ensure the pages are named using the following naming conventions:
   

   1. Search > admin/admin_search.php
      
   2. Results > admin/admin_results.php
      
   3. Detail > admin/admin_detail.php
      
   4. Insert > admin/admin_insert.php
      
   5. Update > admin/admin_update.php

   
   

   

   
   

   
   
10. This is done by following these steps:
    

    1. Click on the pages under the Define Features section
       
    2. Change the names under the Page Name & Location field

    
    
11. Click Finish
    
12. Uncheck the Save as preset checkbox
    
13. Click OK

After Data Bridge works its voodoo and makes your pages, we're ready to move on to the next step! At this point you can test your pages to make sure they work right, and maybe add a few test items that you'll be selling in your fake store.

Now we're going to be creating the Product Catalog pages. These will be the pages the store patrons will see, if this was going to be a real store. If it IS going to be a real store, then there you go.

1. Return to the blank PHP page that we created in the root of your site
   This is to make sure DataAssist creates the pages in the correct directory level
   
2. Click WebAssist > Database > DataAssist Pages
   
3. Change the Application Type to Tutorial Product Catalog
   
4. Make sure the Create the database table for me is unchecked
   
5. Edit the Page Design to exactly how you wish it to be
   For this tutorial, this step isn't needed, so we're keeping the Page Design as Basic, but edit away
   
   
   
   
6. Click the Manage Pages tab
   
7. Ensure the pages are named using the following naming conventions:
   

   1. Search > products_search.php
      
   2. Results > products_results.php
      
   3. Detail > products_detail.php
      
      

   
   
8. This is done by following these steps:
   

   1. Click on the pages under the Define Features section
      
   2. Change the names under the Page Name & Location field

   
   
9. Click Finish
   
10. Uncheck the Save as preset checkbox
    
11. Click OK

Once more into the breach of making pages within Data Bridge, dear friends, once more. As soon as these pages are made, you can view the product pages for the products you may have added from the first step, and see how the pages will look to your customers. These are the pages we're going to be adding our PayPal buttons to, once we get to that step far in the future. Next up: Adding PayPal buttons to your Product Catalog pages.

This is the end. This is it. No turning back now. You're all clear kid, so let's blow this thing and go home.

The last step of this magical journey is adding the PayPal Add to Cart buttons onto the pages with Add to Cart buttons in lieu of the existing ones. This is done with Free Tools, and is totally awesome possum.

You are a genius and have impressed even me. The next step would be to make it more advanced. Maybe add a highly customized button, or add some shipping and handling chargers. Maybe create a whole product catalog and actually start selling.

Whatever you choose to do next, you have the important fundamentals you need to create a nice, simple shopping cart that uses PayPal buttons that pull their info from a Data Bridge database.

Comments will be sent to the author of this tutorial and may not be answered immediately. For general help from WebAssist, please visit technical support.

Sign in to add comments