Live stock data

[GaryDownes]

Hi all,
It's been a while since I dabbled with Actinic [V8] so don't know much about version 10! Just need a quick answer if possible...

We have a backend business management system [that we write] that we want to integrate in a 'live' ecommerce solution for our clients. Is there anyway Actinic can link to the data directly [ODBC, etc] or is it only possible to do frequent imports/refreshes of stock data via CSV and constant republishing?
Thanks,
Gary

[feemish]

Hi Gary,

I've just set up a v10 site to use data from an excel spreadsheet via ODBC, but its not 'live' as such.
Changes made in the spreadsheet are passed to actinic on opening and then to the website with an upload... Changes from the website are passed to actinic, on download, and then to the spreadsheet.

However, If you use an access database for your external data then this process can be automated to run every 60 seconds.

[leehack]

The main difference between v8 and v10 in this area Gary is the introduction of live stock control. The technical documentation seems to say you cannot externally link data and do real time stock control at the same time, so if stock control was not needed (i'm figuring it is from you needing to update regularly), external linking is possible, you'd want to the SQL/Access route instead of the spreadsheet route in my experience.

[GaryDownes]

Thanks for that. We can certainly provide an Access table ful lof stock info, so perhaps this is the way forward. I may still talk to Actinic support though to clarify...

[GaryDownes]

Thanks for the reply - very helpful.

[feemish]

The technical documentation seems to say you cannot externally link data and do real time stock control at the same time,

I know I'm not supposed to comment on Lees posts... but.. what he says here is wrong.

You can link to external data on a spreadsheet and run real time stock control.... I'm doing it.


You just cant use the 'automatic synchronisation' with linked data in a spreadsheet.. if you want to use 'automatic synchronisation' you would need to use an access database.

[GaryDownes]

Thanks, that sounds good!

[GaryDownes]

Does it have to be an Access database - we use DBF files with our solution? We could populate an access db at the same time, but better if we could link to our original files?

[feemish]

No I dont believe it has to be an access database.
But I'm afraid I'm not very familiar with dbf.
But I believe dbf files can be converted to SQL script.
In which case they could be linked via ODBC.
Actinic will link SQL databases via ODBC

I dont know which would be the bigger faff... converting your dbf to an access database or converting to SQL script... Hey it might just plug straight in... give it a try.

Have a look at;
Advanced Details About External Linking
in the actinic help files.

[GaryDownes]

Thanks Feemish. Very helpful.

[leehack]

The technical documentation seems to say you cannot externally link data and do real time stock control at the same time.

The above refers to this in the help, (actinic's words, not mine):

Note: Automatic Stock Synchronisation cannot be used if your catalogue is linked to an external database or spreadsheet. If you wish to use Online Stock Control with External Linking, you should disable Automatic Stock Synchronisation, and Publish to Web on a regular basis to synchronise stock between the web site and the desktop.

That is lifted (unchanged) directly from the help.

I read that as if you are externally linking, you cannot auto synchronise, therefore if you are not synchronising, you are not running real time stock control. You have to manually publish to synchronise and thus get real time stock control. Automatic real time stock control, is not something anyone should have to do anything on to get it to synchronise, the help seems to suggest that you will have to, therefore you cannot run real time stock control when externally linking.

Like i said though, it's the documentation i am quoting, they're not my words.

[feemish]

I read that as if you are externally linking, you cannot auto synchronise, therefore if you are not synchronising, you are not running real time stock control. You have to manually publish to synchronise.

We might just being pedantic here, but Real Time Stock control, from what I gather, means that the stock is counted down in real time.. on the website... which it is.. regardless of whether you are auto synching to the desktop.

[leehack]

The synchronising as i understand, auto downloads orders and synchronises stock with the desktop (and vice versa), if you can operate without that (happy to download orders yourself manually and you do not offer MOTO orders), then yes you can externally link still. The synchronising facility is part of the newly introduced real time stock control though and for me if stock control is on, it has to sync with the desktop. Perhaps that is a view from someone who cannot understand why anyone would not offer MOTO purchases and i'm also talking about sites with large numbers of orders per day where syncing is key.

In fact MOTO seems the crux of the matter to me, if you do that you need to sync, if not you can switch it off. Downloading orders is not really a hardship - that's the best bit.