[iSenseLabs Weekly 75] New OpenCart Features & Fixes, Video Tutorials and Latest E-Commerce News
During the past week we made some significant progress with updating our modules for OpenCart 3.0.
Together with the new compatibility updates, we also reworked big parts of iSearch and iSearchCorporate for some of their main features.
Make sure to update all of your iSenseLabs modules with the latest versions you will see below.
Enjoy and have a great weekend!
iSearch 4.3 (OC 2.0.x - OC 2.3.x)
New feature: iSearch is fully compatible with Journal2 Super Filter.
New feature: The iSearch admin panel will pre-load the non-AJAX search results after you click "Save". The results will be cached in the OpenCart system cache.
New feature: Exclude search results by product_id.
Improvement: iSearch engine is now loaded as an event before getProduct() and getTotalProducts().
Improvement: Admin controller is structured better.
Improvement: Model file introduced in the admin panel.
Improvement: Catalog model code is now cleaned up. iSearch now allows for easier integration with many different filters.
Improvement: Catalog model is now in catalog/model/{/extension}module/, not in catalog/model/catalog.
Bug fix: Layout auto-assignment fixed on OC 2.0-2.2.
Bug fix: Non-AJAX search was not working.
Bug fix: Number of search term suggestions no longer defaults to 5 when set to 0.
Bug fix: Strict search help description improved.
Bug fix: Search term suggestions now properly logged in product/search.
Bug fix: Search box now autofocuses if it has already been focused before iSearch loads.
Bug fix: Custom spell check rules first line no longer defaults to cnema > cinema.
Bug fix: Responsive design feature now working properly.
Bug fix: The Enter button is now working when traversing through the instant results with the Up/Down keyboard buttons.
Removed: iSearch no longer has its own results controller. The standard results are better compatible with all themes.
Removed: Loading image JavaScript code deleted.
iSearchCorporate 3.3 (OC 2.0.x - OC 2.3.x)
Improvement: Compatible with iSearch 4.3+. iSearch versions older than 4.3 will NOT work with this release of iSearchCorporate.
Improvement: This release builds on top of the major improvements introduced in iSearch 4.3 - better code structure, faster performance, much better compatibility of the standard results with all themes, compatibility with the AdvancedSorting extension, compatible with Journal Super Filter, allows easy modifications for compatibility with other filter extensions.
Improvement: The iSearch "Default sorting of results" setting will get applied at the end, after all iSearchCorporate sorting settings.
Improvement: CRON task is better compatible with different CLI environments. The CRON task no longer relies on $argc.
Improvement: Refresh Cache button no longer reloads the whole page to start re-creating the cache.
Improvement: The iSearchCorporate engine is packed as a library for better compatibility with CRON tasks.
Improvement: Much better speed when returning categories in the instant and standard results.
Improvement: Better description of the iSearchCorporate custom sorting rules.
Improvement: Cache rebuilding for a specific product is now hooked as an OpenCart event after product add/edit/delete.
Improvement: Faster cache generation.
Improvement: The iSearchCorporate cache is smaller in size.
Bug fix: URL's are now constructed according to the OpenCart SEO URL functions and extensions.
Bug fix: Input field focus is no longer lost after iSearchCorporate loads in the front-end.
Bug fix: Installer files can now update existing modifications.
Bug fix: Specials are now properly displayed (taken natively from OpenCart).
iAnalytics 3.4 (OC 2.0.x to 2.3.x)
Improvement: OCMOD compatibility fixes
Improvement: Added upgrade instructions
Bug fix: Blacklist IP functionality is working again
Bug fix: Fixed glyphicons issue
Bug fix: Fix tax column not correctly displayed in the orders report
Bug fix: Fix the total column not correctly displayed in the most ordered products report
Bug fix: Language strings fixes
Bug fix: Fix for funnel, which was not displayed sometimes
Bug fix: Fixed store-switcher
Bug fix: Fixed filter in the After-Sale tab
Promotions 3.0.1 (OC 3.x)
Improvement: layout improvements in the promotion page
Bug fix: Issue with SEO URLs
Bug fix: Issue causing memory allocation
Bug fix: Not working status changer in administration
ProductManager 4.1.3 (OC 3.0.x)
Improvement: OpenCart 3.0.x compatibility
From this version on, all 2.x. and 3.x. versions of ProductManager will be compatible with OpenCart 2.x and OpenCart 3.x. respectively
NotifyWhenAvailable 2.8.4 (OC 2.0.x - 2.3.x) & 3.8.1 (OC 3.0.x)
Bug fix: Customers are now not notified if a product option they were not interested in is stocked
Bug fix: Pages that have both PreOrder and NotifyWhenAvailable enabled products now show both correctly
iCustomFooter 4.4 (OC 3.x)
Improvement: OpenCart 3.0.x compatibility
OrderReviews 3.8.6 (OC 3.x)
Improvement: OpenCart 3.0.x compatibility
OrderFollowUp 3.4 (OC 3.0.x)
Improvement: OpenCart 3.0.x compatibility
AskForQuote 3.4.9 (OC 3.0.x)
Improvement: OpenCart 3.0.x compatibility
Improvement: AskForQuote widget is added to all layouts on module install
FacebookLogin 3.0.2 (OC 3.0.x)
Bug fix: Licensing on the support tab now works correctly
Bonus Section: Our Favorite Articles of the Week
Using Product Images on E-Commerce Sites
By Pixelz
Some basic photography lessons and recommended practices for your product images. E-Commerce sites are lost without capturing their products in an attractive light. Before you go and upload bad images in your site, take a look at this article and make your decision afterwards.
Facebook Interest Targeting – How to Laser Target Your Facebook Ads
By Sebastian Kull
Are you trying to promote your posts and products in Facebook? Don’t worry, it’s always hard in the beginning. Defining your target audience is a long process. More importantly, accurately targeted ads are the ones that work the most in the current state of social media marketing. Check this post for some very interesting tips about precise targeting in Facebook.
Why Artificial Intelligence Is the Evolution of User Experience
By Ladder
This article takes a look at some advanced practices and technologies used by tech giants for optimizing their conversion process and improving sales with better user experience. Artificial intelligence is when you use algorithms and systems to adapt your solutions for individual customers (after manually segmenting your audience and picking the right approaches) at a mass scale. A very interesting read that explores how the future of digital marketing will work on a larger scale, but still with an individual approach.
How to Promote Your OpenCart 3 Products Like a Pro
By iSenseLabs
We recently updated the Promotions module for OpenCart 3.0 compatibility. You can now use it to begin creating multiple and stackable E-Commerce promotions to increase sales in your shop. You can use it both for customer acquisition by creating offers that are hard to refuse, as well as for customer retention by rewarding loyal customers with better deals.
iSenseLabs Videos
How to Setup Google Sitemap in OpenCart 3.x
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