How to Setup and Configure osCommerce

Note: To install the software with Softaculous, follow the instructions of the installation software, using the Fantastico details as reference.

 


To install osCommerce, you must first connect to cPanel. In the "Software" section, click on the "Fantastico" icon. Fantastico is a web application that facilitates the installation of software on your website. It effortlessly installs and configures a database for each installed application, thereby allowing the integration and use of the desired application.

Once Fantastico is open, click on "osCommerce", in the "E-Commerce" section. You will then see the installation menu of osCommerce displayed on the right. To start the installation, simply click on the "New Installation" link. The display will then be updated with the installation options.

Follow these steps to configure osCommerce:

  1. If you own several domains, you must choose the one on which you want to perform the installation in the "Install on domain" drop-down list; otherwise, the default domain will be selected.
  2. In the "Install in directory" text box, you can type the name of the folder in which osCommerce will be installed. This name will be used to access the osCommerce section of your website. For example, if you choose "oscomm" as the target folder, you will be able to access the osCommerce files in the "oscomm" subfolder of "public_html". As well, you will access the osCommerce section of your site by visiting the following address: http://yourdomain.com/oscomm.
  3. In the "Admin access data" section, you can fill in the fields "Administrator-username" and "Password". You are strongly encouraged not to leave these fields blank, otherwise anyone will have access to your osCommerce tools.
  4. In the "Base configuration" section, the following fields are available:
    • "Shop name" allows you to specify the name of your online shop. It will be displayed at the bottom of each page on your site.
    • "Owner's name" allows you to specify the name of the shop owner.
    • "Email sender" allows you to specify the name of the person sending emails. This name will be displayed in the "FROM" field of emails sent by the online shop.
    • "Your email address" allows you to specify the administrator's email. A copy of all orders will be sent to this address for archiving.
    • "Use SSL" allows you to specify whether or not you want to use secure transactions. To enable this option, you must first have an account that supports SSL.
    • "Secure server hostname in case you use SSL. ..." allows you to specify the name of the domain that uses SSL, if you use the option.
    • "Show prices incl. tax" allows you to specify whether or not you want to display the prices with taxes included.
    • "Require client's birthdate" allows you to require that customers specify their date of birth upon creating an account.
    • "Require client's gender" allows you to require that customers specify their gender upon creating an account.
    • "Require company name" allows you to require that customers specify the name of their company upon creating an account.
    • "Require suburb" allows you to require that customers specify the name of their suburb upon creating an account.
    • "Require State" allows you to require that customers specify upon creating an account the name of the State in which they live.
  5. Once all the fields are filled, click on the "Install OS Commerce" button at the bottom of the page.

    Once the software is installed, the display will be updated to give you some details about the previously-chosen parameters. To complete the installation, click on the "Finish installation" button. Once the installation is completed, the display will once again be updated to give you additional information concerning your administrator access.

Once the installation is complete, you can access the osCommerce section of your website by typing:

http://yourdomain.com/oscomm

assuming that "oscomm" is the name you gave to that section of your website.

When you open the webpage, you will see an error message at the top of the page about a security error concerning osCommerce. This is normal, but it must be fixed so as to properly secure osCommerce. To do so, follow these steps:

  1. Open cPanel, go to the "Files" section and click on the second "File Manager" link. It is important to choose the second link, since it offers a better navigation of folders. A window will be displayed in which you will be asked which folder to open. Choose "Web Root".
  2. Once the file manager is open, you will see a tree structure on the left in which "/home/yourUsername" is written, with a "-" to the left. If you do not see this display, it is likely that you are using the wrong file manager.
  3. Open the tree structure to navigate to the following folder: '/home/yourUsername/public_html/oscomm/includes'. In other words, click on the "+" next to public_html, then on that next to oscomm.
  4. Once the tree strucure is open, click on the includes folder to display its contents to the right of the screen.
  5. In the right part of the screen, find the configure.php file and click on it with your right mouse button to open a menu.
  6. Select "Change Permissions". A window will be displayed.
  7. In this dialog, you will see the access rights to the file. Make sure that the file is only available for reading, meaning that only the boxes on the "Read" line are checked. The number 4 will be displayed in each box at the bottom of the window.
  8. Click on "Change Permissions". You can now close the file manager.
  9. Now, go back to the osCommerce section on your website. Once the page is reloaded, the previously visible error message should have disappeared.

 

Article ID: #HC5010

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