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Installing LiteCommerce

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zenmiu edited this page Jul 6, 2011 · 20 revisions

User's Tutorial - Installing LiteCommerce

If you experience any issues during the installation, please check Troubleshooting guide.

If you can't find an answer in the troubleshooting guide, please report the issue at http://bt.litecommerce.com/ with the screenshots and log files. You can find the log files at:

  • <litecommerce-directory>/var/log (for the stand-alone version)
  • <drupal-directory>/modules/lc_connector/litecommerce/var/log (for the Ecommerce CMS package including LC3 and Drupal 7)

Checking server requirements

Before installing LiteCommerce please make sure that your server meets the environment requirements.

You can try LiteCommerce on your local computer by installing the most recent versions of the ready-made web server packages like XAMPP, WAMP, EasyPHP, MAMP, and so on.

Installing LiteCommerce to work in a bundle with Drupal 7

To install LiteCommerce as a single Ecommerce CMS package:

  1. Download the Ecommerce CMS package and unpack it to your server. If you are installing the package not into the web-directory root, but into a subdirectory, edit .htaccess file in the subdirectory and add a correct RewriteBase rule below "# RewriteBase /" line. For example, if the URL to the subdirectory is "http://www.\<yoursite>.com/subdirectory/", you should add "RewriteBase /subdirectory" rule.

  2. Create a MySQL database.

  3. Open the directory in a browser and run the installation wizard.

  4. After you accept both the LiteCommerce and Drupal license agreements, the wizard will check whether your server meets the requirements and the correct file permissions are set. If not, the installation wizard will provide (when possible) brief instructions on fixing the found problem.

  5. On the next step, specify the the MySQL database details (database name, username and password). Depending on your database server, you may also have to specify your MySQL socket or port.

  6. After you choose whether you need a sample catalog with demo products, the installation process will start. It may take several minutes, so please be patient.

  7. When the installation is complete, the wizard will ask you to create an account for the site administrator and enter the settings specific to your Drupal-based website.

Installing LiteCommerce as a stand-alone web application

To install LiteCommerce as a stand-alone web application:

  1. Download the stand-alone LiteCommerce distributive and unpack it to a directory on your web server.

  2. Create a MySQL database.

  3. Run the LiteCommerce installation wizard in a browser.

  4. After you accept the LiteCommerce license agreement, the installation script will check whether your server meets the requirements and the correct file permissions are set. If not, the installation wizard will provide (when possible) brief instructions on fixing the found problem.

  5. On the next page, specify the domain names and path to your LiteCommerce installation, your MySQL settings and whether you need a catalog with demo products.

  6. Now proceed with the following installation steps and on the 6th step specify the e-mail address and password for the shop administrator.

  7. When the installation is complete the script will advise you to change file permissions in order secure your shop.

Installing LiteCommerce to an existing Drupal 7-driven website

To install LiteCommerce to an existing Drupal-based website:

  1. Download the LC Connector module and LC3 Clean theme and install them to your Drupal 7 site (but don't enable them yet). You can keep your existing Drupal theme and not download the "LC3 Clean" one, but in this case you will likely need to tweak your theme and add extra CSS lines in order to style-up the LiteCommerce widgets properly.

  2. Now, download the stand-alone LiteCommerce distributive, unpack it to a directory on the server with your Drupal-based web site (for example, into <drupal>/shop/ where <drupal> is the path to the Drupal installation directory) and install it as a stand-alone LiteCommerce version (see the instructions above). Note: During the installation, specify the same MySQL database as the one where the Drupal tables are created.

  3. When LiteCommerce is installed, get into the LiteCommerce back-end and navigate to the page listing the installed LiteCommerce modules (top menu -> "Add-ons" tab -> "Manage add-ons"). Find the "Drupal Connector" module, tick the check box next to it and then click the "Save changes" button.

  4. Edit the "lc_connector.info" file (you can find it in the directory where LC Connector module was installed) and in the "lc_dir_default" setting specify the path to the directory where LiteCommerce is installed (for example, "lc_dir_default = ./shop").

  5. Get into the Drupal back-end, open the page listing the Drupal modules and enable the LC Connector module.

  6. In the Drupal back-end, go to the "Blocks" page (top menu -> Structure -> Blocks) and add new blocks with LiteCommerce widgets:

    • For each widget, click on the "Add block" link.
    • In the "Block type" drop-down box, select "LiteCommerce widget".
    • In the "LC Widget Details", select the LiteCommerce widget (categories menu, mini-cart, ...) to be added and then specify its settings.
    • Specify other Drupal block settings.

  7. Now, either alter your Drupal theme to support the LiteCommerce widgets or, switch to the LC3 Clean theme in the Drupal back-end.

Extending LiteCommerce with modules and themes

First of all, you can [develop custom LiteCommerce modules and themes](Module Developer's Tutorial) and install it in your LiteCommerce store as follows:

  1. Put the module package file to a directory on your local computer.
  2. Get into the LiteCommerce back-end and navigate to the page listing all the installed modules (top menu -> "Add-ons" tab -> "Manage add-ons").
  3. Click the "Upload add-on" button, select the module package file from the directory on your computer and start uploading it.
  4. The page will refresh and list the uploaded module among the other installed modules.
  5. When a module is installed, it is not enabled automatically. So, make sure the modules you need have the "Enabled" check box ticked and then click the "Save changes" button at the bottom of the page.
  6. LiteCommerce will rebuild its classes cache, and the changes the module implements will take effect.

Another way to extend LiteCommerce is to install the modules from Module Marketplace. Module Marketplace is a central directory of free and paid modules developed by the LiteCommerce team and third-party developers. To install a module from Module Marketplace:

  1. Get into the LiteCommerce back-end and navigate to the page listing the modules from Module Marketplace (top menu -> "Add-ons" tab -> "Module Marketplace"). Note: This function requires a direct HTTP connection between the server where you installed LiteCommerce and the Module Marketplace server.
  2. Browse the directory and install the modules you need. When installing a module, you must accept the module license agreement.
  3. If there are updates to your version of the LiteCommerce core or installed modules, LiteCommerce will recommend you to install the updates first. We recommend you to always install updates, because that ensures that every module installed from the directory is compatible with the rest of the modules.
  4. A paid module is to be purchased before it can be installed from Module Marketplace. Until you enter the module license key, the "Install" button next to the module will bring up the the payment form. After your payment is submitted, you will receive an e-mail with the module license key. Please keep the bought license keys a secret; otherwise, the keys may be locked by our team.

Also, when LiteCommerce runs in a connection with Drupal 7, you can customize your website by installing Drupal modules and themes.

Add a custom footer
Add a custom sidebar
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