How to store shopping cart data?

[alanzhao]

Hi everyone:

I am trying to write a shopping cart module, so I need suggestions on how to store shopping cart data like item#, qty etc...

My choices are:

1) store data in database with session id
2) serialize data and set cookie
3) register shopping cart object as session

Thanks!!!

[planetsim]

I usually set up a session for each user store that session into a table then of course have all products in the database as well..

From there i just create a 3rd table which holds information of which products each sessionid has added to the cart.

id|sessionid|productid|quanity

Than a simply left join of the products table, session table with cart to add results up.

[alanzhao]

Also, I wonder if you should intergrate the shopping cart with a inventory control system(product out, reserve) which is complicated.😕

[alanzhao]

Originally posted by planetsim
I usually set up a session for each user store that session into a table then of course have all products in the database as well..

From there i just create a 3rd table which holds information of which products each sessionid has added to the cart.

id|sessionid|productid|quanity

Than a simply left join of the products table, session table with cart to add results up.

How do you delete the un-checkout items in the cart? Do you configure the database or the script to delete them within a certain time?