Table of Contents

Merchant OrderForm Web Based Shopping Cart System @ 2001
A consolidated Table of Contents for all documentation

Table of Contents | FAQ | Installation | Security Issues | Building Input Pages | Formatting
Configurations1 | Configurations2 | About Configurations | Troubleshooting | Customizing

These programs are protected by copyright and may not be resold or distributed. Please see the copyright notice for more information on your end user license for this program.

Frequently asked questions

• What is Merchant OrderForm ?
• What skill level do I need to install MOF ?
• What kind of servers can I use MOF with ?
• Can I use it on Windows ?
• Is it linked to any Authorization Services ?
• What features does MOF have ?
• More kudos

Installation

1. unZIP the package so that directories are preserved
   • on windows unzip to C:\mof-install\
     
     
2. Create directories on your server
   1. for the DATA files (outside public web areas):
      
      • ../orderdata/
      • ../orderinfo/
   2. for the WEB accessible files:
      
      • ../mofcart/
      • ../invoices/
   3. for the placement of CGI scripts
      (location & name depends on server)
      
      • ../cgi-bin/mcart/
        
        
3. Adjust File settings
   • We do a search and replace on all files at once
   • Use bk replace em with preset strings
   • - OR - your own search/replace methods
   • Here's a detail list of strings to replace
     
     
4. FTP everything to your server
   • send all local ../mofcart/ files --> ../mofcart/
   • send all local ../invoices/ files --> ../invoices/
   • send all local ../cgi-bin/ files --> ../cgi-bin/mcart/
     • Adjust permissions on CGI files
     • <mof.cgi> needs 755 permissions
     • <mofpay.cgi> needs 755 permissions
     • <mofnumber.dat> needs 777 permissions
       
       
5. Go for it
   
   
   • With your browser, head to mofinstallation.html on your server
     http://www.site.com/mofcart/mofinstallation.html
     
     
   • .. and test it up real good
   • .. use the Example pages provided to test various input schemes
   • .. begin making your own store pages, templates, etc.
     
     
   • If you have any problems:
     1. place the cart in troubleshooting mode
     2. run the ?test
     3. If you cannot get the scripts to run ?test
     4. Common causes of ?test problems
        
        
6. When you are done testing and ready to go live :
   
   
   1. Turn on the mail for Merchant : Customer : help
      
      
   2. Adjust configuration settings to suite
      
      Note: MOF's behavior is controlled by two configuration files. You will find all settings for discount, insurance, tax, shipping, fields, input options, and other options in those configuration files :
      
      
   • Configurations1.html has explanations for all settings in mof.conf
   • Configurations2.html has explanations for all settings in mofpay.conf
     
     
   1. Adjust templates to suit, about templates
      
      
   2. Read the SecurityIssues.html document

A security checklist

1. Configuration files not accessible from a web browser. Very important
2. Directory contents listing not accessible from a web browser for:
   • ../orderinfo/
   • ../invoices/
   • ../cgi-bin/ (or where the program files are)
3. Configuration files not accessible from other server users
4. Directory content not accessible from other server users for:
   • ../orderinfo/
   • ../invoices/
   • ../cgi-bin/ (or where the program files are)
5. MOF security settings (configuration files) are:
   • POST_ONLY enabled
   • ALLOWED_DOMAINS enabled to only your site(s)
6. ../invoices/ directory password protected from index bots
7. ../orderinfo/ directory password protected (if inside public web area)
8. Credit card or checking number scrambling codes enabled
9. MOF back end running under SSL if credit card number taken on your site

Building Input Pages

• Use the examples
  The quickest way to get started for those who already have skill with Forms
  
  
• How does MOF work ?
  A brief explanation of how cgi scripts do what they do
  Some basics about how html forms work with cgi scripts
  A very brief Form tutorial
  
  
• Building your Online store
  Rules for making your Product Input Pages
  
  
  • Rules for the name=value pairs in your input
  • Understanding MOF's input modes:
  • MODE 1: QUERY STRING (GET) INPUT
  • MODE 2: SINGLE PRODUCT INPUT
  • MODE 3: CHECKBOXES LISTS
  • MODE 4: MULTIPLE PRODUCTS, ONE SUBMIT
  • Other Considerations in making input
  • Pseudo HTML and other tricks
    
  • Price adjusting product options
  • Price Input for product and product options
  • Quick reference for mode types

Formatting

• Make my own templates, find the templates
• Use CSS support for Forms and buttons
• Change colors, fonts, and backgrounds in the orders tables
• Change font colors in the description text
• Format the description area the way I want
• Change or use those trash cans
• Change top navigation menus
• Change the shipping-billing screen formatting
• Change the validation cues on the shipping-billing screen
• Change links back to the shipping screen
• Change the bottom navigation scheme
• Find all the places needing SSL references

Front End Configurations - mof.conf

• Set custom Error Messages
• Allow only your domain to use the scripts
• Allow only POST input
• Make continue shopping a fixed link
• Where are Program file settings and file locations
• Where are the template file(s) settings
• Change the currency symbol
• Change the weight symbol
• Change the delimiter used
• Set the default email address for error messages
• Keep or not keep the cart if a purchase is not completed
• Keep or not keep a visitor's shipping information
• Set up User Selected Input Options for your product(s)
• Make User Select Input Options Price Adjusting Fields
• Make Price Input boxes
• How to Change what the Shipping Info page asks for
• How to get rid of the Shipping Info page altogether
• How to Change what Shipping Address fields display
• How to Change what Shipping Address fields are required or not
• How to Change the drop box list for Country - State in Shipping Address
• How to configure a default discount
• How to configure and use the Coupon discount feature
• How to configure a handling charge
• How to set up the insurance options and computations
• How to set the default Shipping computations
• How to set up user selected Shipping Methods and computations
• How to set up tax computations

Back End Configurations - mofpay.conf

• Set custom Error Messages
• Allow only my domain to use the scripts
• change file settings and file locations
• Change the invoice numbering ?
• expire cart contents when order is finalized
• store orders to a ASCII flatfile database
• store order to a MySQL database
• use the affiliate system
• customize the template file(s) settings
• mail the Merchant an order notice 
  -- and transpose the cc numbers in mail
• mail the Customer an order confirmation 
• save a Web copy of the Invoice
• change the currency symbol
• change the weight symbol
• change the delimiter used
• set the default email address for error messages
• Change what Bill To fields display and validate
• change what Receipt To fields display and validate
• use pop up links for CVV, check, Terms windows
• change the drop box list for Country - State in Bill To / Receipt To
• How the Payment Method area works
• Enable Mail or Fax in option
• Enable On Account payment method
• Enable Call for cc info payment method
• Enable credit card options
• Enable online checking options
• Enable COD charges
• Enable deposit options
• Enable custom POST gateways
• Enable the PayPal option
• Enable the comments box
• Enable Cyber Permission

About Perl Configuration Files
How to work with the configuration files: beginners

• Basics of editing configuration files
• Rules for variables, arrays, and associative arrays
• Simple On/Off switches
• Single text strings
• Simple array settings
• Associative array settings

Troubleshooting

• General notes about troubleshooting
  • Three levels of problems:
    1. server errors, Internal server errors, 500 errors
    2. MOF operational errors, file access errors
    3. Formatting problems, images not showing up, etc
• Enabling MOF's built in troubleshooting mode
• Use MOF's initial ?test command
• If you can't get the script to run at all
• Common errors in getting the scripts to run
  
  
• NT/Win issues
  • do you have correct privileges on files, directories ?
  • do you need PL extensions to run CGI ?
  • how to adjust absolute paths for NT/Win
  • Error message says files not found in @INC
  • getting the mail to work on NT/Win

1. Mail problems
2. Maintenance issues
   How to clean up those scratch files
   
   
3. no FTP privileges on invoice files
4. unable to write to datafile using $delete_cart_final
5. Expiring MOF's cart : how it works
6. I get "unsecured items" browser message using SSL with MOF
7. Edit Cart button on Billing screen causes error using SSL
8. Installing MOF under SSL

Customizing

• Customizing computations for:
• Discounts
• Handling
• Insurance
• Shipping
• Customize the screen templates
• Customizing navigation buttons
• Customizing placement of navigation buttons
• Hook up to a processing gateway via POST
• Create a minimum purchase required message
• Bypass the Billing information screen
• Add new fields to the Shipping information screen
• Add new fields to the Billing information screen
• Add new payment methods
• Set up a third party affiliate program link

These programs are copyright @ MerchantOrderForm.com, MerchantPal.com 2001