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Learning Reflection Journal Post #8

This is the minimum requirement for each weekly entry for the first half of class:

A quick summary of the topics learned for the week.

write a PHP script that will connect to a MySQL database
create a SQL query to retrieve information from a table
create a SQL query to insert data into a table
write PHP code that outputs query results to a web page

Links to your lab and homework assignments with a reflection on the process.

https://devjamie.com/COSW30/webproject4/

This was challenging working with the database. Still having issues with adding from my site. The rest of it is functioning. Listing Departments as easy as it was the same as listing users but accessing another table. Things are starting to make some sense but not as I would like them to be and not keeping up with the class. Looking at the other student’s pages I see I can improve on a lot of things for my website.

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Learning Reflection Journal Post #7

Panoramic view of multiple database is placed on Relational database tables. Concept of database server, SQL, data storage, database diagram design, Data center, Webhosting. 3D illustration.

Setting up an SQL database seems to be pretty straightforward with my classwork assignment besides the few quirks in my provider Hostinger. I did notice something that I had issues with on my sight and that was I could only seem to have only one user per database. Only admin accounts that wouldn’t work if I wanted a proper database. I looked up why this was so.

https://support.hostinger.com/en/articles/1583542-how-to-create-a-new-mysql-database

What it comes down to is that I need to have an additional service with my web hosting account. “Each database can only have one user. If you need multiple users, you can consider a VPS plan” is what I found on the page. So I guess I need to spend more per month for the ability to have a proper database.

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Learning Journal for week of 2/10/2023 – 2/17/2023

The learnings week 1 was one the was not new to me. The topics where very similar to the things I have done over the years with other languages but a different syntax. Here is the list of the learnings for the week.

  • Understand the basics of static versus dynamic web pages 
  • Setup a REPL.it account  to use as a beginning PHP language code editor.
  • Practice writing some basic PHP statements embedded into HTML code using php, echo, and print.
  • Write comments in PHP code.
  • Create a variable in PHP and assign a value to it.
  • Output a PHP variable to a webpage. 
  • Work with string data types in PHP.
  • Work with numeric data types in PHP.
  • Work with CONSTANTS.
  • Understand the difference between single and double quotation marks.
  • Identify how to use escape sequences.

Dynamic versus static websites. Dynamic websites are can change and are adjustable with scripts and the information the database provides. Content management systems helps how the website pages are arranged. Static websites do load faster and quicker to create but once made they are not as flexible to new data.

Replit account I had already from my previous classes and not much there to discuss about what I have learned. I do have issues with the site with my browsers and this site and constantly have to log out and back in to make it work properly.

Practicing writing statements in PHP. Have did that with My first Lab Assignment and currently with my second lab Assignment. This very similar to other programing languages so these concepts are not new to me.

The single and double quotes took working out a few examples to see what the difference made. 

$string = 'He said "What\'s up?"';
$string = "He said \"What's up?\"";

Still a newbie with this language but it should come to me.

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Final Project Submission: eCommerce Store

Why My Choice

     For my final project I chose and e-commerce store. Just a few years ago I had a couple of online stores using Shopify. It allowed me to setup a store and add products quite easily. I wondered how much tweaking I needed to do to get one going on WordPress and my decision was made.

Plugins

     As I mentioned in my prior blog about the plugins, I installed in WooCommerce. It was not much of an issue to setup. But not very intuitive when it comes to really setting up the store. I do need to play with the Dropshipping plugin for WooCommerce. This is a deal maker if I can make that work. Just need to setup my accounts again to make that work. The plugins that cost me some money I didn’t really install. I would have considered it if was a real store and the cost of return would have been worth it. 

I did install a few more plugins. Here is a list of all the ones I have.

  • Akismet Anti-Spam: It protects your blog from spam.
  • ALD – Dropshipping and Fulfillment for AliExpress and WooCommerce: It transfers data from AliExpress products to WooCommerce effortlessly and fulfills WooCommerce orders to AliExpress automatically.
  • *This one is important for me since this is what I use to do on Shopify
  • All in One SEO: SEO for WordPress with features like XML Sitemaps, SEO for custom post types, SEO for blogs, business sites, ecommerce sites, and much more.
  • Blocksy Companion: This plugin is the companion for the Blocksy theme, it runs and adds its enhacements only if the Blocksy theme is installed and active.
  • Bulky – Bulk Edit Products for WooCommerce: Bulk Edit Products for WooCommerce helps easily work with products in bulk. The plugin promises to help users to save time and optimize manipulation when working with products in bulk.
  • Elementor: Website Builder has it all: drag and drop page builder, pixel perfect design, mobile responsive editing, and more. Get started now!
  • Elementor Beta (Developer Edition): Each Developer Edition release will contain experimental functionalities that developers will be able to use to get familiar with the next releases before they are published.
  • Elementor Pro: Elevate your designs and unlock the full power of Elementor. Gain access to dozens of Pro widgets and kits, Theme Builder, Pop Ups, Forms and WooCommerce building capabilities.
  • Email Template Customizer for WooCommerce: Make your WooCommerce emails become professional.
  • EXMAGE – WordPress Image Links: Save storage by using external image URLs.
  • Facebook for WooCommerce: Grow your business on Facebook! Use this official plugin to help sell more of your products using Facebook.
  • Google Analytics for WordPress by MonsterInsights: See how visitors find and use your website, so you can keep them coming back.
  • Google Listings and Ads: Native integration with Google that allows merchants to easily display their products across Google’s network.
  • Gutenberg: Printing since 1440. This is the development plugin for the new block editor in core.
  • ImageMagick Engine: Improve the quality of re-sized images by replacing standard GD library with ImageMagick
  • Jetpack: Security, performance, and marketing tools made by WordPress experts. Jetpack keeps your site protected so you can focus on more important things.
  • Jetpack Boost: Boost your WordPress site’s performance, from the creators of Jetpack
  • Jetpack CRM: Jetpack CRM is the simplest CRM for WordPress. Self host your own Customer Relationship Manager using WP.
  • MailPoet: Create and send newsletters, post notifications and welcome emails from your WordPress.
  • OptinMonster: is the best WordPress popup builder plugin that helps you grow your email newsletter list and sales with email popups, exit intent popups, floating bars and more!
  • Product Variations Swatches for WooCommerce: The plugin displays variation select options of the products under colors, buttons, images, variation images, radio so it helps the customers observe the products they need more visually, save time to find the wanted products than dropdown type for variations of a variable product.
  • Site Kit by Google: Site Kit is a one-stop solution for WordPress users to use everything Google has to offer to make them successful on the web.
  • The Events Calendar: is a carefully crafted, extensible plugin that lets you easily share your events. Beautiful. Solid. Awesome.
  • TikTok: With guided & simple setup prompts, you can sync your WooCommerce product catalog and promote it with custom ads without leaving your dashboard
  • WooCommerce: An eCommerce toolkit that helps you sell anything. Beautifully.
  • WooCommerce Amazon Pay: Amazon Pay is embedded directly into your existing web site, and all the buyer interactions with Amazon Pay and Login with Amazon take place in embedded widgets so that the buyer never leaves your site.
  • WooCommerce Payments: Accept payments via credit card. Manage transactions within WordPress.
  • WooCommerce Shipping & Tax: Hosted services for WooCommerce: automated tax calculation, shipping label printing, and smoother payment setup.
  • WPForms Lite: Beginner friendly WordPress contact form plugin. Use our Drag & Drop form builder to create your WordPress forms.
  • (Google site kit, Akismet Anti-Spam, Jetpack, and a few more). These additional plugins added some security to my site.

Customization

     Choosing a theme for my store was the next step for me. I did some web research and came across Blocksy. It was light weight and had WooCommerce built-in which would of saved the trouble of installing it. I did create a child theme for customization.

     Blocksy works with Gutenberg and Elementor site editors. I had Gutenberg already installed. It still wasn’t getting the feel I wanted for the site. So I did install Elementor. Once I switched to Elementor was in foreign ground on editing the site. Gutenberg was easier in editing a post compared to the Elementor I installed. After a while it was getting familiar.

With my research with my themes, I learned that you could import a starter template. On the WordPress dashboard I clicked on Blocksy. Then I chose the Starter Sites tab. I settled on Gardenrobe templet to import.

With the customizer I inserted my own logo and changed the footer of the site. The footer I added links to terms and conditions, return policy and contact us. On the home page I removed the paragraph and added my latest post. I removed some pages from my site to clean it up. I added a product and gave it a category of electronics. The template added a few others as well.  

Conclusion

    It was an experience setting up this site. I really excited by the way I can carousel images on products. I do wish it was more user friendly on getting the look you want.  It will probably take me some more time tweaking the site to make it polished to the point that it is a truly good e-commerce store and be proud of it. For the most part I think I’m 90% there right now. It does basically what Shopify did for me. With a little work, and some trial and error you can get the site you want using WordPress.

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Working With Plugins

It was pretty easy to install plugins from WordPress Plugins Add New areas of the dashboard. It gives you a cornucopia of options to choose from. So you can start searching for one that your site needs. I need to add a way to sell stuff on mine.

It was just a quick search and a click on the install button and I was adding features to my site. Then all you have to do is activate the plugin. Some of them required further tweaking of the setting. Others you had to take care of on the home dashboard on the top.

Some even have a wizard to help you further set up plugins and even recommended additional plugins to build upon features of the plugin you just installed. I had to add some banking features that required some financial accounts to be set up. It went pretty easy not as straightforward as Shopify but once you are familiar it becomes easier.

I did break my website and had to restore it so make sure you backup before you implement changes. Some require other plugins to be installed before they can work. Also, the theme is something to consider with plugins. Some don’t work nicely together.

I am a fan of plugins. They truly change the way your site will behave and appear to the world.

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Comparing Classic and Block Themes in WordPress

My impressions of the classic editor and the new editor. They seem to be booth usable and still have issues. I my decision is a matter of preference.

The classic editor although usable feels old (web 2.0) in ways. Seems like a simple text editor just like we use on our school site Canvas. You only have one control panel on the top. Though still usable not as customizable withing the site. You can add images, lists and links.

Gutenberg gives you more customization of your posts. You have custom control panel for each block depending on the type of block you use. You also have more options like tables. Classic editor doesn’t have it as an option. Maybe you can get a plugin to add this functionality. Rearranging images is also a breeze compared to the clunky image controls of the classic.

While Gutenberg is not quite fully features like desktop publisher it does most of the job you need and It is the my choice for editing WordPress.

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Using the WordPress Site Editor 

My first impressions with this site editor is that it isn’t so user friendly. Still ruff around the edges in some parts and not so intuitive in others. My experience with Shopify probably spoiled in this regard.

I get confused on if I am editing something just for this block or site wide. It might just be with some more time with this editor that will understand the implications of my changes. Would like the ability to change fonts or add them from the editor.

The editor feels familiar but foreign as the same time. Maybe it just needs more polish. I do like you can drag and drop images. If I had more experience with WordPress then I might feel a little different about this editor tool.

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Class Project Proposal

In the past I dabbled in E-commerce. I used Shopify then and it was pretty easy to set up. Didn’t have much experience in marketing or SEO so I didn’t do so well.

An E-commerce site would be an excellent project to do since I have used Shopify before and had a polished looking site. It would be quite a challenge to try to accomplish the same thing with WordPress and some plugins.

This will require quite a bit of tweaking accomplish this. Getting plugins to play well with each other and themes will be a challenge. The product management, coupons, cart management, and checkout. The menu will be interesting as I found out this week.

WooCommerce is your suggested plugin and will try working with that for this project.