Preserve Image Ratio in osCommerce

By default, if you configure osCommerce to use a particular image size in admin >> Configuration >> Images, it will rescale the image to fit that size.  If the image had a different aspect ratio, it will then appear smushed or distorted.  It’s possible to set up osCommerce such that this does not happen.  You can do so by setting admin >> Configuration >> Images >> Calculate Image Size to true and then change the tep_image function in includes/functions/html_output.php (more…)

I released a new osCommerce contribution yesterday:  Product Listing on Front Page
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A situation that was mentioned on the osCommerce forums recently started me thinking.  Currently, if someone has cookies disabled, then the osCsid (the osCommerce session ID) appears in the URL.  If such a person logs in and then emails a link to someone else, the osCsid will be included in that URL (unless they remove [...]

In response to a request on the osCommerce forums, I wrote up a method for changing automatically among drop downs for the various zones and the text input.  The request was made to get it bundled into a contribution, and since there was unfinished work, I went ahead and did it.  The DHTML State Selection [...]

Recently, someone posted in the osCommerce forums looking for a way to upload product images into folders.  I found a post that I made six years ago:  Setting upload image destination in categories.php, Admin change.  Surprisingly, the post was remarkably accurate with the more modern osCommerce RC2a, even the line numbers were only a couple [...]

For those in the UK, Gary Burton’s osCommerce for the UK provides instructions for how to move the post code after county.  Since the position of the zip code is just as inappropriate in the US as in the UK, I’m posting the equivalent instructions here.  First, make a backup copy of create_account.php.  Since you [...]

For those who haven’t already clicked the link at the left for osC Books, you might want to check it out.  The osC Books site currently offers free downloads for tutorials on installing osCommerce, working with products & categories, and adding informational pages.  All three tutorials are free to download on the osC Books site. [...]

I worked on a site recently where the client’s payment processing was not working.  The order was getting reserved in the database, but no details were appearing.  However, payment completed on the processor’s side. This particular processor operated like PayPal IPN.  First, you add an order to the database.  Then redirect to the processor to [...]

If you look in the osCommerce language files, there is often a line like @setlocale(LC_TIME, ‘en_US.ISO_8859-1′); What this does, when it works, is it sets the PHP time handling functions to use the specified locale’s format.  For many installs, this is unnecessary, as the server default will be correct.  Not infrequently, the locale will be [...]

Now, if you want to read how to Make osCommerce Work for You from The eCartz Biz on your Amazon Kindle, you can. Have an idea about what you’d like to see discussed on The eCartz Biz? Post it here. Also post what kind of Kindle you have if you have one.  I’m curious as [...]