building a shopping cart

[Vampirev]

hey guys,

im getting a handle on basic cookies etc..

i need to create a shopping cart etc.

just need some logic behind it..

i can create an order code per item.. in this case its shirts

i use a database to hold data etc.

ie each shirt has an IDCODE, color, size,

I have a seperate table of colors holding the codes etc.

i am creating codes like this

for example somone orders shirt A the code would be

IDCODECOLORCODESIZEQUANTITY

eg

01BLKME2

shirt code = 01
color code = BLK
size = ME
quantity = 2

so then i can read that later and get it form the code on the checkout page..

ok..

I have succesfully had this working by using cookies as they choose a particular item.

so it works with 1 item.

what i need to know is the theory behind getting it to work with 2 or more...

ie multiple items in the checkout.

whats the best way to approach this?

cheers
vamps

[halojoy]

😃

Cant stop annoying you, Vampirev.

This defines a class named Cart
that consists of an associative array of articles in the cart
and two functions to add and remove items from this cart.

http://php.net/oop

The Preacher, in Old Testament said, wisely:
There is nothing that is new under the sun.
Meaning, it has all been the same.
Has all been done and seen already before.

So, if you are going to eat,
why reinvent the knife and fork, every time?

[Vampirev]

ta

[Vampirev]

just had a thought,

Could I..

in theory

when a client is logged on create a table called.. [client_order]

when they add an item have it insert into the table.

then simply.
display the table in the shoping cart...?

i could add extra stuff ie remove from cart checkboxes... add to cart quantity etc..

i guess that should work..and its easy enough.

flawed logic?

[halojoy]

suppose you have table 'users'
with id, name, email, password, lastvisit, lastaction, etc..
what you could do, is to add new field in 'users' record:
user_shopping_basket ( or current_cart, or current_order )
which stores this users' cart, as long as have NOT yet sent in his order.

When he comes back, he can continue picking thing into, or out of cart
and maybe send his order. Start making a new 'cart'
you do not have to empty this field: 'cart_contents',
you can have an extra field: cart_status:
with options:
empty, order_not_sent, order_awaiting_delivery, order_delivered, new_cart

you may even for any user have an automatically
creation of a 'table' named: 'user_id+_order
where user_id, is id number of each user.

This is a typical 'Database'-forum issue, but as you started
asking about how to make a 'cart-script', this place is okay.

====

Regarding making this cart application:
add item, remove item, show cart, empty cart, order cart, set item color, set item attribute, save cart, delete cart ......

This is the kind of app that is well suited to write a Class. Object Oriented Program. OOP:

A Class is a collection of functions, that all deals with some kindsame kind of object(s)
where 'object' may be a shopping cart, member-of-website, user, forum-posts, and even object can be a no-thing
like a collection of functions that all do similiar things, actions:
display templates in diferent styles-colors, send different kind of emails using different email transporting ways,
handling website security authentication

=======================

Vampirev Cart Class.

1. main object to handle is 'cart', each one belonging to a user with id='x' at my website
2. functions I need to add to my class (my collection of funcs dealing with cart and cart-items )

   • new_cart

   • delete_cart

   • empty_cart

   • add_item

   • remove_item

   • set_item_attribute ( color, size, quality, text-label )

   • change_item_attribute

   • set_item_quantity ( how many t-shirts of this sort to order )

   • check_item_available ( do you have these items ready to deliver to custumer? )

   • display_cart_contents

   • order_cart_contents

   • order_status

   Well, you know better what functions you need.
   within your class, all functions use same name for things:
   cart_id_num
   cart_user_id_num
   cart_user_name
   curr_cart = current cart
   cart_contents
   total_items_in_cart

so these functions can interact in a smooth way,
they all use same labels to refer to objects.

you get the picture, Vampirev.
now only up to you and your imagination how you create your class
It depends on what you need and want.
you can also add more functions to this Class: Vampirev Cart Class
in future to add new things that can be handled by it.

But try to keep this Cart Class
only to deal with same objects: 'cart, item, item-attribute'

to handle objects: 'users, members', you should Create another class: Vampirev Users Class

🆒