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X-Cart 5.3 roadmap

 
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  #31  
Old 12-17-2015, 07:51 PM
 
hartwellj hartwellj is offline
 

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Default Re: X-Cart 5.3 roadmap

I can confirm that the MailChimp works very well and MailChimp is become the new E-mail standard. Yes it costs, but it will pay for itself. This mod works very well and is invaluable.

Quote:
Originally Posted by qualiteam
You take my phrase out of the context.

In X-Cart 5 there is the awesome integration with MailChimp. It looks and works perfectly for most of the merchants. It is much better than the newsletter function that was built into XC4. They not just send your e-mails, but also give suggestions on improving your e-mails and handle situations when their server is added to a black list due to customers complaining on your e-mails (clicking the SPAM button).

And for those who use other company to distribute their e-mail newsletters there will be (later) a function to collect and export e-mails. Or you can use the Mailchimp integration module (it is free) as an example to create a custom integration with any e-mail services provider that you want.

Anyway, I believe that e-mail newsletters should be sent through a company that is an expert in this. I don't recommend to do this through your e-mail server due to possible issues with your server getting black listed (so none of your order e-mails and other notifications will ever get into customer inboxes).
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  #32  
Old 03-06-2016, 08:45 AM
 
hartwellj hartwellj is offline
 

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Default Re: X-Cart 5.3 roadmap

This week is a perfect example of the very crude way of upgrading: My cart is finally very stable with version 5.2.10. The only issue is that the Anti-Fraud module has a very significant bug.

Rather than fixing the bug to make it work with 5.2.10, I am forced to upgrade to 5.2.13, which re-quires a re-adaptation of my custom modules which costs me $172.00.

So I'm forced to pay $172 for a bug that is X-Cart's fault! And yes, all of the custom modules were done by X-Cart.

This is completely not fair and something needs to be done! I would understand if I had to pay to adapt my custom modules for future updates that are just features, but not for bug fixes.

I know I sound crazy, but I am seriously thinking of downgrading my cart to version 4 where it was stable and mature....
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  #33  
Old 03-06-2016, 11:28 PM
 
kevinrm kevinrm is offline
 

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Default Re: X-Cart 5.3 roadmap

While this is not a guarantee, I should say that it's unlikely that the modules made for 5.2.10 will break with 5.2.13. All of my custom modules worked quite well after that upgrade. Next, having upgraded, I can say this latest version works quite a bit better than 5.2.10. I still have a few minor bugs going on but this thing is working quite well now. You may want to copy your store into another directory and upgrade it there and see how it works.

By the way, I'm also using Antifraud, was using it in 5.2.10 and also now with 5.2.13, I didn't run into any bugs with that.
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  #34  
Old 03-07-2016, 06:12 AM
 
phil_ phil_ is offline
 

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Default Re: X-Cart 5.3 roadmap

Hi,

Quote:
Originally Posted by hartwellj
This week is a perfect example of the very crude way of upgrading: My cart is finally very stable with version 5.2.10. The only issue is that the Anti-Fraud module has a very significant bug.

Rather than fixing the bug to make it work with 5.2.10, I am forced to upgrade to 5.2.13, which re-quires a re-adaptation of my custom modules which costs me $172.00.

So I'm forced to pay $172 for a bug that is X-Cart's fault! And yes, all of the custom modules were done by X-Cart.

This is completely not fair and something needs to be done! I would understand if I had to pay to adapt my custom modules for future updates that are just features, but not for bug fixes.

I am in the same position as hartwelj, only I have more customisations. I noticed a bug, was told to upgrade, did so and then found a lot was broken when I moved from v 5.2.10 to v5.2.13. However my cost will be in total around $1200 to fix. Count yourself lucky it was only $172 for you hartwellj. It affected my site template, the VAT tax system, and several other customisations. I was just about to go live and then this all blew up again with the move the v5.2.13. BTW all customisations were by X-Cart.

With the system as it is, the more customisations you have, then the more likely that you will be affected with any updates or changes to X-Cart core. In my view you will have to factor in a yearly cost or perhaps 10%-20% of the original cost of any customisation you get done by X-Cart, so that they can be fixed when they modify the system. Of course if you stick closer to the default x-cart system, then the less you will have to pay out.
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  #35  
Old 03-07-2016, 06:40 AM
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cflsystems cflsystems is offline
 

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Default Re: X-Cart 5.3 roadmap

This doesn't make much sense. XC5 was supposed to be one-click painless upgrade. The main idea on giving up onXC4 and moving to XC5 was to have flawless upgrades. So when core is upgraded all modules stay and continue to work or they need very little adjustment.

From I am reading this is not the case. If you are not isolated cases and this is common to upgraded stores I just don't see how XC5 can be better than XC4....

BTW I had only one of my modules not working properly between 5.2.10 and 5.2.11+. So maybe the problem is not in the XC5 upgrades but in the custom coded modules you have from QT... just saying, it is one of the possibilities.
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  #36  
Old 03-07-2016, 07:39 AM
 
kevinrm kevinrm is offline
 

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Default Re: X-Cart 5.3 roadmap

Upgrading any module on this thing is a frightening experience, every time. The last few times, all went smoothly. Today, however, I upgraded the loyalty point module and got the dreaded lockout on step 13. I managed to get back into admin by deleting the xcart_dir>/var/.rebuildStarted file but the store was stuck closed, so I rebuilt the cache and got stuck again on step 13. Ditto on removing file. Current status: store is open, admin is open, module shows latest build, but something tells me if I try to rebuild that cache again it's going to die on step 13. I don't know if the module is actually working, and I don't know what else may have been affected.

The good news is that I pulled in 30 orders today and when this thing works, it works very well at this stage. But you need nerves of steel to get it to that point.
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  #37  
Old 03-07-2016, 03:55 PM
 
Triple A Racing Triple A Racing is offline
 

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Default Re: X-Cart 5.3 roadmap

Quote:
Originally Posted by cflsystems
This doesn't make much sense. XC5 was supposed to be one-click painless upgrade. The main idea on giving up onXC4 and moving to XC5 was to have flawless upgrades. So when core is upgraded all modules stay and continue to work or they need very little adjustment....
Exactly We do prefer XC5 but.... XC5 upgrades are not and never have been simple

The more complex your store (number of modules / number of purchased custom modifications / self-engineered modifications etc) then the higher the chance of the upgrade process bringing with it some extra work in order to restore normal operations.

With any purchased custom modifications, you could perhaps offset some of this aggravation, by adding '100% retained functionality for an agreed set number of core release upgrades' into each of the initial project specifications, but this would add to the initial custom modification cost and this can't be utilised with normal modules and/or your own self-engineered modifications. We did do this ourselves, on one custom modification way back now during the 5.2.3 > 5.2.6 upgrades and it worked quite well, but it's effectively adding insurance and paying an appropriate premium, nothing more than that to be fair.

What's ultra-clear to us, is the massive importance of mimicking ALL upgrades (one at a time if necessary) within your DEV store, BEFORE even thinking of adding them to your LIVE store! (as per our final post here: https://forum.x-cart.com/showpost.php?p=394500&postcount=22) Ensuring your DEV store is constantly a perfect mimic of your LIVE store does take some time and effort too; accuracy / consistency / methods applied etc

Also.... Do you actually need to upgrade at THAT moment? (as per our post earlier in this thread and which for us, from 5.2.10 > 5.2.13 anyway proved to be true, as this was NOT a nice and 'smooth' transition https://forum.x-cart.com/showpost.php?p=392449&postcount=24).

If you have sufficient time, patience, accumulated knowledge and correct online access, then the XC5 upgrades can be applied okay. With our own setup, 5.2.13 is very stable, fully operational and satisfactory. We see no need, to actually apply any further future upgrades now (other than any security hot-fixes which are made available from the XC Team). It isn't broke, so there is nothing to fix.

We will NOT be moving to 5.3.* until it's been around for at least a year. Lessons learned
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  #38  
Old 03-09-2016, 07:52 AM
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qualiteam qualiteam is offline
 

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Default Re: X-Cart 5.3 roadmap

Quote:
Originally Posted by kevinrm
Today, however, I upgraded the loyalty point module and got the dreaded lockout on step 13. I managed to get back into admin by deleting the xcart_dir>/var/.rebuildStarted file but the store was stuck closed, so I rebuilt the cache and got stuck again on step 13.

Do you see any error messages in the logs that may relate to the issue? The recent Loyalty Program upgrade looks through all orders and adjusts internal flags depending on order statuses. How many orders do you have? It may be that due to the number of orders it takes a while to process all of them.

UPDATE: Nevermind. I see your message in the thread dedicated to the module. Thanks!
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  #39  
Old 03-09-2016, 11:31 PM
 
kevinrm kevinrm is offline
 

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Default Re: X-Cart 5.3 roadmap

Yes, this last upgrade went smoothly, thank you.
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  #40  
Old 03-10-2016, 09:57 AM
 
hartwellj hartwellj is offline
 

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Default Re: X-Cart 5.3 roadmap

I'm so glad someone else spoke up. I complain on here and it makes it seem as if I'm the only one. The bottom line is that IMHO it is impossible to have an effective website that supports your family and does well and not have customizations. The X-Cart modules are great, but every customer has certain needs.

If you have custom modules, then X-Cart 5 is a nightmare to upgrade and just like kev said, you literally are sitting in front of the computer crossing your fingers and praying that your site works. I do have a dev account that helps the transition, but it's very hard to test everything.

And the idea that you DON'T have to upgrade is completely false. The new updates fixe bugs in the previous version which requires you to upgrade, even if you want to stay on the current version. In my case the Anti-Fraud service is very important as much of my products are digital downloadable and I require it to reduce fraud. So it's either live without an essential part of your cart or upgrade.

Man phil_ how many customizations do you have?

X-Cart if you are listening to anything we are saying: PLEASE STOP PENALIZING YOUR LOYAL CUSTOMERS BY MAKING US UPGRADE THEN CHARGING US A FORTUNE FOR RE-ADAPTATION FOR MODULES.

The other issue is that in X-Cart 4, there were quite a few developers who could do the work cheaper. Even a good PHP guy can find his way around XC4, but with XC5 none of the reliable developers are touching it. There are maybe 3-4 guys that really know XC5.

I know I sound crazy, but I am literally considering DOWNGRADING and waiting another 3-4 years until XC5 is really mature.

So sad that there are not a lot of viable choices for eMerchants!

[quote=phil_]Hi,



I am in the same position as hartwelj, only I have more customisations. I noticed a bug, was told to upgrade, did so and then found a lot was broken when I moved from v 5.2.10 to v5.2.13. However my cost will be in total around $1200 to fix. Count yourself lucky it was only $172 for you hartwellj. It affected my site template, the VAT tax system, and several other customisations. I was just about to go live and then this all blew up again with the move the v5.2.13. BTW all customisations were by X-Cart.
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