PHP MySQL Database Reset Script Cron

This script is made specifically to reset your mysql database at specific intervals via a cron job so that you can run demos of your software. Say you have a demo of an E-commerce shopping cart and you want the data reset every few hours. All you have to do is set a few settings on the first line of the script to use your MySQL database you have stored on your server. You can download our php mysql database reset script here: Download php mysql database reset cron

San Luis Obispo Area Web Design Referrals

From time to time we are running at full capacity and are in need of a reputable web development company to refer clients to. We prefer a company that is located near the San Luis Obispo, California area and is competent at Oscommerce development, Flash design, SEO, CSS, and can cleanly code html web sites. If you are such a company, please contact kjavitz@itwebexperts.com (please no emails from overseas web development shops).

Making Paypal Not Lose Order Data In Oscommerce (auto-return)

Getting annoyed by Paypal losing some of your orders in Oscommerce? There are 2 possible solutions. One is quick and easy, the other requires installation of the Paypal IPN module.

Here is the quick and easy solution (but not perfect one). First install this fix from troyjoy listed in the Oscommerce contributions section. I have this hosted on my web site: www.itwebexperts.com/MakePayPalPostOrderInfo.zip This is easy and only involves modifying about 2 lines of code.

After that is done you need to go to your paypal account at paypal.com:
1. click on profile
2. go to website payment preferences
3. select "yes" for Auto-Return (you do not need to set a url below this).

The second method if you don't want to do the first one is installing Paypal IPN. To do this install the contribution listed here: Oscommerce Paypal IPN Contribution
There are other Paypal IPN contributions on Oscommerce, but the one linked to above is by far the easiest and best one to use.

Setting Up USPS Shipping Quotes in Oscommerce

Here is how to setup USPS shipping in Oscommerce.

1. Go here: http://www.usps.com/webtools/welcome.htm and click "Sign Up" under USPS Web Tools
2. After you sign up you will get a confirmation email in the next 24 hours or so. When you get this email, send an email to icustomercare@usps.com with your username they assign you. Copy and paste this into your email also: "Hi, I am using a third party shopping cart Oscommerce that has already been tested with the USPS shipping quotes API. Please switch my account to the production server"
3. They should email you back saying you have been switched to the production server.
4. Now in your Oscommerce admin go to modules > shipping > USPS and install it. Then put in your USPS username. The password field can be left blank. Make sure your server is set to the production server.
5. You will need to make sure in your Oscommmerce admin > configuration > shipping/packaging ship from country and zip code is set up. Also you can set your Package tare weight. Say if you want .5lbs added to the shipping quote to account for your boxing, then you would set .5lbs. here.

Making A Web Site Use A Different IP Address in Windows XP and Vista

here is a quick tech tip for making your web browser use a different server to pull up a web site. Say you updated the DNS for your web site and you want to make sure the new server is setup correctly. Do the following:

Go to: c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts

Edit the hosts file with a text editor, add the following to the end of the file:

IP Addresss You Want Web Site To Use somesite.com

for example it might look like this:

69.16.198.200 itwebexperts.com

you will need one for www.itwebexperts.com too, or the www version of the url, so also put:

69.16.198.200 www.itwebexperts.com

Yep, it's that easy. Save the host file, reload your web browser and that's it.

Google Checkout for Oscommerce

Google Checkout was released earlier this month and already there is the first Oscommerce Google Checkout payment module. Should you install it? Well the verdict is not yet. We would hate to see you waste your time installing it and then see that it doesn't have the features you need. The current payment module available here as of 7/27/06 does not have the following features:

• It doesn't record the order to the Oscommerce admin
• It doesn't handle taxes or shipping charges

We will update this blog soon to announce when the next Google Checkout is releases that handles these version 2.0 features.

Great Firefox Extensions

I was really impressed by these Firefox extensions. Check them out.

Web Development Toolbar: The first one adds an amazing variety of testing tools to the Firefox toolbar for web development. These include CSS/HTML/XHTML validation, tools for enabling/disabling CSS, Cookies, Javascript, Images, Java, Frames, Flash, and resizing the window to standard monitor resolutions. Another great feature is outlining tables and table cells to help you align pages. Check it out: https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/60/


IE In Firefox: The next extension is very handy for those of us who love Firefox tabbed browsing and don't want to open up the IE browser for testing, or for incompatible web sites like MSN Shopping or Quickbooks. This extension allows you to render a web page IN Firefox using the IE rendering engine. This is also handy for web sites that are still only viewable in IE :( such as Quickbooks online and a few other online applications. Check it out here: https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/1419/

Snapper Screenshots: We all need to take screenshots from time to time of a web site, whether it be for testing, or to do mockups. Snapper helps you select only the area you want of your screen rather than taking the whole thing, and it saves it right to where you want it rather than having to open up Photoshop and then paste it and save it, thus saving you time. Check it out here: https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/2703/

Tech Support LOL

Ever had the fun of trying to call tech in support in India and actually resolve your problem?

Great funny video clip from Conan O'Brien