Exporting Products from V8 into V8

[Bun]

My site consists of a V7 theme (smart theme) that was imported into V8. Since upgrading I am now finding that there are a number of functions and layouts that are available in V8 that just don't work in my upgraded V7 to V8 site.

To cut the story short I'm after exporting all the products, selecting a new V8 theme (probably the smart theme again as this is the one I'm used too) and importing the products back in.....or is there a way to reset the smart theme I'm using now back to default and import the products back in this way.

I've read a few posts on the board that offer suggestions......but was wondering if anyone has recently gone through this that could direct me to a definitive answer.

Thank you for your time

[Bun]

Jeepers creepers!! It's a mine field in this here forum There's so much information I don't know where to start!!

I have a laptop so I installed version 8 on there just to give it a go before I tried it on my main computer.....and thought it would be a simple case of me selecting a new theme and then importing the snapshot....and running through the upgrade procedure like I did when going from V7 to V8. As you probably know, its not, as the snapshot I'm dealing with now is a V8 snapshot so it just imports as normal.....not clean and with the messed up templates/themes I have at the moment.

Is there a way of exporting a snapshot and re-importing into a clean layout, getting rid of all the messed up themes etc and retaining all my product descriptions, url, options.....etc?

[leehack]

Use the revert to factory settings on any layouts that are messed up.

[pinbrook]

Go back.....

uninstall v8 and re-install it

create a new snapshot in v7, import this snapshot into v8, as part of the upgrade proceedure you will be asked if you would like to use a default v8 theme, say YES.

Thus you allow v8 to set itself up with its own default theme and ditch all the v7 stuff'n'baggage. Once it has finished the proceedure, go to the design menu and change to smart theme.

[Bun]

Use the revert to factory settings on any layouts that are messed up.

Most if not all of the layouts on my site are old Act_Primary type templates from V7. These have been imported into V8 and are now Act_Primary((Upgraded)) layouts.....I'm not sure but would I be right in thinking that there wouldn't be factory settings for these imported layouts?

[leehack]

Thats correct as they are added to the available layouts, however if you deselect these layouts from the master layouts in design view, you will action a site-wide change, for every instance of this amended layout (as long as parent settings are cascaded down your sections).

If for example you use a modified product template, this will have been added as you have mentioned, however there will also be umpteen unchanged layouts that you can select which will remove the amended layout from being used once selected.

You have to make a choice on what exactly has been changed, if many and widespread, then do as Jo says or if just a few like the product displaying layouts etc. (this is the usual one) then just select a different layout.

[Bun]

Thats correct as they are added to the available layouts, however if you deselect these layouts from the master layouts in design view, you will action a site-wide change, for every instance of this amended layout (as long as parent settings are cascaded down your sections).

If for example you use a modified product template, this will have been added as you have mentioned, however there will also be umpteen unchanged layouts that you can select which will remove the amended layout from being used once selected.

You have to make a choice on what exactly has been changed, if many and widespread, then do as Jo says or if just a few like the product displaying layouts etc. (this is the usual one) then just select a different layout.

Yep, I'm afraid its many and widespread......think it would be best to wipe the slate clean and start again

[Bun]

Go back.....

uninstall v8 and re-install it

create a new snapshot in v7, import this snapshot into v8, as part of the upgrade proceedure you will be asked if you would like to use a default v8 theme, say YES.

Thus you allow v8 to set itself up with its own default theme and ditch all the v7 stuff'n'baggage. Once it has finished the proceedure, go to the design menu and change to smart theme.

The only V7 snapshot I have is from October when I upgraded to V8, so I'm 3 months down the line of site updates. I uninstalled V7 when I thought V8 was up and running okay.....I suppose I could install V7 again but I would still be in a position were I'd need to update 3 months worth of work so I might as well do as you suggested Jo, reinstall V8 and import the V7 snapshot from October

Yikes!! Not much sleep over the next few weeks then

[leehack]

If i had done 3 months of updates, there isn't a chance that i would entertain such an idea. Work through the problems systematically, it often looks a right load of crap, but gets to a state of looking something reasonable quite quickly, then you are just tweaking etc.

If your 3 months of updates runs into hours and hours of work, then you must be crazy to take that angle on things.

[pinbrook]

Whilst I would be reluctant to wipe 3 months of work it might be worth considering as you may currently have a real tin of spaghetti with your current V8.

Yep, I'm afraid its many and widespread......think it would be best to wipe the slate clean and start again

Several of us have posted here to say we have lost count of the sites we have tried to develope in v8 only to ditch it and start again, to get that elusive clean slate.

Everything i did with v8 during July-November has been ditched. I now have 4 live sites, all built in December from scratching using what I had learnt during those months.

My approach was to use the design snapshot - this might help you not to loose the 3 months of updates assuming we are talking product info and orders.

Assuming you have 1 licence key -

1,take a snapshot of current v8, save it.

2,Start with a clean copy of v8 software with default data. Develop your new design.

When ready

3,export new design as design snapshot.

4,import snapshot taken in point 1

5,import design snapshot taken in point 3.

dah dah.

[Bun]

Fortunately I have both a desktop and a laptop. I've uninstalled then installed V8 on them both.....one with my V7 snapshot from October and one with my V8 snapshot up-to-date. Both starting with clean slates I'll work on them both and see which gives the best results At the moment the V7 snapshot into V8 seems to be producing better results as V8 functions are actually working this time around.

Like Lee has mentioned, it does seem tedious to try to catch up on three months worth of work.....but it seems to be taking longer wading through the V7-V8 hybrid I have at the moment. It is a right mess in there and too be honest I feel it will only cause more problems further down the line.

[NormanRouxel]

You could try this.

On the V7/V8 Hybrid, do File / Export and export the Catalog details. This produces a hierarchical import textfile.

Now on the clean V8 system do File / Import / Hierarchical Import / Replace and import the textfile created earlier.

That should get all the up to date products into your clean system.

You may get error messages if some product/sections refer to images that you don't have on the new system If so, copy these images over and try the import again.

Make Snaphots of everything and backup all the Site folders before tring this just in case...

[Bun]

You could try this.

On the V7/V8 Hybrid, do File / Export and export the Catalog details. This produces a hierarchical import textfile.

Now on the clean V8 system do File / Import / Hierarchical Import / Replace and import the textfile created earlier.

That should get all the up to date products into your clean system.

You may get error messages if some product/sections refer to images that you don't have on the new system If so, copy these images over and try the import again.

Make Snaphots of everything and backup all the Site folders before tring this just in case...

Hi Norman,

Will this type of export also include URL's, Page Titles, Shipping.....etc?

[NormanRouxel]

No. Just Products, Sections and Fragments. Nothing from the design side.

[pinbrook]

no order info either....