Next developments....scheduled order downloads and stock data uploads

Now that the Live Stock Level Display javascript add-on has been released, I'm concentrating my efforts on providing a scheduling option for ActiveStock. This will allow you to set a time interval for an order download schedule. If orders are found, they will be downloaded before the ActiveStock file is refreshed from the Actinic database and uploaded. If no orders are found, the stock file will upload in the background without any user interaction. This effectively automates the whole process and any off-line changes in the Actinic stock levels (due to MOTO orders, cancellations, deliveries, etc.) will be picked up and sent to your website seemlessly.

I've sorted out the code for most of this - just need to package it all together and do some testing before it gets released as ActiveStock 1.2....

ActiveStock Live Stock Display Add-on now launched

The javascript add-on to show live stock levels on your website and replace the Add to Cart button with an Out of Stock message is now available at the download page (see the links to the right of this page). The digital download file contains a new perl script and the javascript file which work with the V7, V8 or V9 version of ActiveStock and Actinic. A comprehensive help file is also included, but if you want to read this in advance you can download it from here. (If you run Windows Vista, check out the post below about permissions for help files...)

As ever, your feedback is most welcome!

ActiveStock v1.1 now released!!

The new version of ActiveStock is now available for download from the download page on the MumStuff website (see link in the right hand panel). Here are the release notes for this version (also available in the help file):

Additions to previous release (v1.0) - 12th May 2009

1. ActiveStock now provides the option to allocate stock to PSP pending orders or not, either by reading the corresponding record in the Actinic database for v8.5.2 and above or via a simple settings file ("psp.txt")


2. In v1.0, ActiveStock assumed that the Actinic site folder was always the default 'Site1' folder. Now the installation process allows the user to choose a different folder if necessary.


3. The installation process now edits the Actinic template script files rather than the generated files - this removes the possibility of Actinic overwriting the ActiveStock modifications when performing a 'Publish to Web'

As ever, please get in touch if you have any problems with installing or using ActiveStock.

Stock control for PSP Pending orders

ActiveStock was originally designed to deduct the order quantity from stock as soon as the order was 'completed'. In Actinic terms, this means after all customer details have been collected but before payment has been taken. So, of course, orders that are cancelled at the payment stage (in most cases, at the Payment Service Provider's pages) would still be reducing the stock. For some users, this is not a problem as they would like to have the opportunity to speak to their customer and perhaps reinstate the order. For others, though, it is important that stock is not reduced until payment has been taken. So I investigated how to provide this option in ActiveStock and now have a working solution (it is installed on the MumStuff site so that PSP-Pending orders do not affect stock levels).

It works by including a flag in the uploaded stock file that indicates whether the "Allocate stock to PSP Pending orders" option in Actinic's Business settings has been ticked or not. The order script then reads this flag from the file before deciding whether to immediately deduct stock when an order has been completed or wait for an authorization call-back from the PSP. I have been able to test this with Worldpay and PayPal (the 2 PSPs used for MumStuff) but, of course, I cannot test it for all PSPs so I would like some feedback from other users as to how this solution works for other PSPs.

I will shortly change the download to include this new development as well as making the installation process more flexible. This will allow you to pick the 'Site1' folder and also the installation will modfiy the template script files (OrderScript.pl, ActinicOrder.pm and ShoppingCart.pl) rather than the generated files, thus avoiding the possiblity of Actinic overwriting ActiveStock code for things like network setup changes.

Showing live stock levels

I have now tested the code for showing live stock levels on V7, V8 and V9 and will soon package it up for download. It will be available as an 'add-on' to the standard ActiveStock package. It will simply be provided as a zip file containing a perl file, a javascript file and some detailed instructions. The changes requred within the Actinic templates are minimal, but there are a lot of options for how you use the javascript. You may want to show stock levels or stock 'status' (e.g. 'Limited Availability' when stock<5), or you might only want to remove the 'Add to Basket' button when a product goes out of stock and not show stock levels at all. With a little bit of javascript knowledge, all these options (and many more!) can be implemented. Of course, I'll offer help where I can with requests about making it work to your requirements.

Check back soon to see when it has been released!