Updating Catalogue

[Stardust]

Is there a process by which a catalogue can be updated from a excel file or other data file.

I am certain there is but I just need to be pointed in the right direction.

Thanks

[RedWolf]

It depends on what you are using for your website. I do this all the time, but I use a little BASIC program I wrote that builds static HTML pages from my Excel inventory file. If you have some kind of dynamic database driven cart, you will need to find a program that can do a database load from the file. That shouldn't be a problem to find or make, but you need to match the file up with your database.

[Easy_Coder]

If you're using SQL Server then yep. A DTS Package will do the trick.

[sun818]

In osCommerce, there is a contribution called Easy Populate that takes a CSV file and imports the information in osCommerce. It depends on what shopping cart/catalogue program you are using and whether that program provides import/update capabilities.

[Easy_Coder]

Stardust, what kind of database are you looking to import this data into?

[Stardust]

I just want a way to updata data into the HMTL, i.e. prices, from a excel file and place them in a table.
the owner of the site wants to be able to update info without having to go into the code. I am looking into XML right now. The site isn't complicated at the moment in that there isn't a shopping cart.

I have been looking at this page:

[xmlfiles.com...]

and thinking that I could use CSS to format the catalogue.

[sun818]

There are also desktop based programs like DBtoWEB or WebMerge that will take a data file and publish it as HTML. The software replaces variables in a template file to publish separate HTML files.

[Easy_Coder]

You might want to consider a database. You'll need it for commerce anyhow.

[Red_Eye]

I think that there are 2 ways you could do it one would be to use xml and format it with xslt. Or write an excel macro that takes the data and exports it to an html file. the only problem with both these options is that they are only semi dynamic. But it is a good method if your customer is happy with excel it means that all they have to do is email you the data in excel format you then run a macro and upload the results.

I have used both of the methods and I would recommend the xml route. But this does mean getting your head round xslt