PURPOSE

-------

Frequently Asked Questioned Regarding iStore Functionality.

SCOPE & APPLICATION

-------------------

intended for casual audience, for iStore staging use, various levels of
detail.

FAQ for iStore Functionality

-----------------------------

1. Provide ecCookie structure and its parameters, and their function in

iStore.
2. Explain ecCookies encryption methodology, and iStore's methods for
effectuating that encryption, and the implementation options
concerning
cookie encryption.
3. What are different implementation alternatives (Browser Cookie vs.
URL-encoded) and their implementation methods?
4. Explain interaction between the ecCookie and effected iStore
functionality
(such as User Registration), in particular addressing how that
cookie-related
functionality differs based on the chosen implementation alternative
from
question above.
5. Explain different states for the session-based User Status, which
represents
status for each established User session, whether the User is logged
in
(i.e. to be provided with a trusted level of access to system
functionality)
or merely recognized but not logged in ( i.e. not trusted).
6. Provide the iStore data schema used to maintain User Status
information,
and the iStore Classes/Methods that enable access to that User
Status.
7. What is related item?
8. Are Flex Fields read only? If so, how are Flex Fields updated?
Does a
customized "do" method need to be written in order to update a Flex
Field?
9. How does iStore handle the bookmarking of store navigation pages...?
10.Does iStore sends only the final price to Apps and then apps has to
do its
own processing to handle the discount/coupons?
11.What is EventException: 11815$$
12.What is DBException caught in lstPrdItm::lst() : 00006$$`
13.What is the latest software versions for getting iStore up on NT and
what is
the Y2K standing on these versions?
14.What is the recommended way to get an old store up to the above
versions:
A: DB at 7.3.3
 B: OAS 3.0.1.0.1
C: ICS 1.1
15.My issue has to so with iStore/iPayment integration on NT. During
iPayment
install when my customer ran 'configure' to configure the mck, he
chose ASP
instead of Perl or C. We are wondering if ASP does not work with the
Oracle
Application Server.
16.A customer is interested in adding a middle initial to the template
twbillinfo.em.htm to match the middle initial on credit cards. If
possible,
how can this be done?
17.What do the characters @+ mean in the html files? For example in
twbillinfo.em.htm , there is @+billto@.
18.In general, how can info objects (lists) be used to write data back
to tables?
19.Is there any documentation on extending the viewMethod functionality.
i.e. creating new viewMethods? Is that possible? If so, what
would be a
suggested way for doing that? Any code standard suggested?
20.Can you confirm that we need to have all the custom templates for
iStore at
root level in ../store/templates/ directory? With IE (the way it
handles
client cookies as compared to Netscape), it does not seems to work
sometimes
with customized sites and all the templates required to be moved
from sub
directories to the root level to make it work.
Note: However, there is netp sub directory for Netperception related
templates with the product install.
21.iStore error message "CASH REGISTER DID NOT RESPOND IN A TIMELY
MANNER",
Where does this come from and what can he do about it?
22.How does discount information associated with a price list get
transferred
into iStore.
23.There is a need to remove iStore records which have been marked as
deleted,
that is, the dbsts column is 'D'?
24.What development tool is used to extend iStore? Can the library
classes be
imported into this tool?
25.Freight cost calculation : computing shipment cost based on weight,
cumulative cost (slabs for number of packets). How can the basic
freight
calculation functionality be enhanced/extended?
26.Is Provision for discounting and promotional schemes such as buy a
shirt
and get one tie free (freebies) available with iStore?
27.Auctions?
28.Facility for merchants to create their own stores, in case of
affliates?
29.It was mentioned that the Oracle Store is not using Cybercash for
creditcard
authorization. Is there any information available as to whether
this is
true and why it's not being used? Is another solution being
 tested or employed?
30.I have a customer that is trying to do the following:
Implementing related products functionality of iStore. Specifically,
I want
to include a thumbnail of any related item. I know this can be
done, because
bike.com is doing it. BTW, setting up just a text link to the
related item
works fine. I can't pass a transient variable to a viewCall in the
template
showonerelatedprodinfo.en.htm. Consider the following code:

The related product ID is

%%relPrdInfoLst.PrdInfo.infoId%%.<oecname=viewCall
(call="ecaction=ecsingleproditemview&template=dtprodview.en.htm&ecpi
d=
%%relPrdInfoLst.PrdInfo.infoId%%")
default=viewNotImplemented()>

This will display, for instance, "The relatedproduct ID is 1235."

But it
will not pass the "1235" to the view call. However, if I change the
code
to:

The related product ID is

%%relPrdInfoLst.PrdInfo.infoId%%.<oecname=viewCall
(call="ecaction=ecsingleproditemview&template=dtprodview.en.htm&ecpi
d=1235")
default=viewNotImplemented()>

Then the "1235" is passed, and the function works.

So I know that
1) the transient variable is resolving correctly within
showonerelatedprodinfo.en.htm.
2) the transient variable is not being passed to the view call,
3) the view call works if I give it a literal prod ID.

Questions & Answers

-------------------
1. Provide ecCookie structure and its parameters, and their function in
the
iStore.

Answer
------
The cookie string is a concatenation of name value pairs. Most common
parameters are userid, user type, account id, etc. There is no
sensitive
info in the cookie.

2. Explain ecCookies encryption methodology, and iStore's methods for

effectuating that encryption, and the implementation options
concerning
cookie encryption.

Answer
------
 Not documented or available.

3. What are different implementation alternatives (Browser Cookie vs.

URL-encoded) and their implementation methods?

Answer
------
If merchant sets use_cookie parameter to false, cookie is always in
the URL,
else iStore tests user's browser settings. If cookie is enabled,
browser
cookie is used. else URL cookie is used.

4. Explain interaction between the ecCookie and effected iStore

functionality (such as User Registration), in particular addressing
how that
cookie-related functionality differs based on the chosen
implementation
alternative from question above.

Answer
------
If browser cookie is used, iStore can recognize a returning customer
(he does not have to log in again). If URL cookie is used, merchant
can
set a session time-out after period of inactivity. (note: if this
feature
is used, frames should not be used because usually the left frame
remains
inactive and times out even though the right frame is active). All
other
functionality's are same.

5. Explain different states for the session-based User Status, which

represents
status for each established User session, whether the User is logged
in
(i.e. to be provided with a trusted level of access to system
functionality)
or merely recognized but not logged in ( i.e. not trusted).

Answer
------
Even if a user is recognized, he is re-authenticated when he
attempts to
access/update sensitive information (secure pages). Hence, there
are three
states:anonymous, authenticated and may-be.

6. Provide the iStore data schema used to maintain User Status

information,
and the iStore Classes/Methods that enable access to that User
Status.

Answer
------
It is in the cookie.

7. What is related item?

Answer
------
Each item can be associated with a list of related items, which you
can use
to associate services, substitutes, etc. To retrieve the related
items for
a particular item, just call the do method: do_ecrelatedprodlist.

8. Are Flex Fields read only? If so, how are Flex Fields updated?
Does a
customized "do" method need to be written in order to update a Flex
Field?

Answer
------
Flex fields allow a merchant to capture specific information about
an object
(prd, prditm, ord, etc). For example, Oracle Store use
prditm.attribute1 to
store the license level of a software item. In 3i, you can only
retrieve
flex field values from a template, you cannot take value from forms
and store
back into Flex fields.

9. How does iStore handle the bookmarking of store navigation pages...?

Answer
------
This depends on whether is URL is complete. If the page is generated
via
post method, the URL is missing necessary parameters. So usually you
cannot
bookmark and come back again, because the URL does not carry all the
needed
parameters. In 11i we'll have the save cart ability.

10.Does iStore send only the final price to Apps and then apps has to
do its
own processing to handle the discount/coupons?

Answer
------
Yes.

11.What is EventException: 11815$$

Answer
------
11815= ClassNotFoundException thrown by java.lang.class. checkout
failed.
Possible reasons: the install configured any of the following
software using
third party or customized implementations, but the implementation
class(es)
is not put in the cstage/cdeploy cartridge class path: tax software,
order
software, shipping/handling software, payment software, order number
 software, etc.

12.What is DBException caught in lstPrdItm::lst() : 00006$$`

Answer
------
00006= Unable to list persistent objects with PrstLst. Possible
errors:
ora 1403: no data found
ora 1422: two many rows returned (fetch returns more than requested
rows).

13.What is the latest software versions for getting iStore up on NT and

what is
the Y2K standing on these versions?

Answer
------
Oracle 8.0.5.1, OAS 4.0.8.1, iStore 3.1.1.5. Please check the NT
version
3.1.1.5 documentation for official answer.

14.What is the recommended way to get an old store up to the above

versions:
A: DB at 7.3.3
B: OAS 3.0.1.0.1
C: ICS 1.1

Answer
------
It's all in the NT version documentation.

15.My issue has to so with iStore/iPayment integration on NT. During

iPayment
install when my customer ran 'configure' to configure the mck, he
chose ASP
instead of Perl or C. We are wondering if ASP does not work with the
Oracle
Application Server.

Answer
------
[from iPayment] Our QA has only tested with C option. That is the
option
recommended.

16.A customer is interested in adding a middle initial to the template

twbillinfo.em.htm to match the middle initial on credit cards. If
possible,
how can this be done?

Answer
------
This can be done through the flex fields (Attribute1 to 15) that are
provided
in the AddrInfo object. Two sample flex fields (Attribute1 and
Attribute2 are
already in twbillinfo.en.htm). Rename the labels as appropriate. The
value
 will get stored in the Address table flex fields in the iStore
schema.

17.What do the characters @+ mean in the html files? For example in

twbillinfo.em.htm , there is @+billto@.

Answer
------
These are for use by the viewMethods. In the viewMethods, you can
specify
alternate templates. The viewMethod figures out which template to
use
(from the list of alternates) by finding the template with the max
number of
successes while trying to instantiate the variables used in that
template.
The + sign before a variable indicates that the variable should be
ignored
while trying to find the number of successes for the template.

18.In general, how can info objects (lists) be used to write data back
to
tables?

Answer
------
Info objects are primarily meant for displaying information on the
templates. Some info objects are used to write back data to the
tables, but
these are controlled by iStore (ie. which objects/fields are
saved).

19.Is there any documentation on extending the viewMethod functionality.

i.e. creating new viewMethods? Is that possible? If so, what
would be a
suggested way for doing that? Any code standard suggested?

Answer
------
iStore provides only out-of-box viewMethods, and does not support
creating
or extending new viewMethods. iStore provides a generic viewMethod
called
'viewObject' that can be used to print any list of objects by
providing the
appropriate templates. This should overcome the need to write any
new custom
viewMethods.

20.Can you confirm that we need to have all the custom templates for
iStore at
root level in ../store/templates/ directory? With IE (the way it
handles
client cookies as compared to Netscape), it does not seems to work
sometimes
with customized sites and all the templates required to be moved
from sub
directories to the root level to make it work.
 Note: However, there is netp sub directory for Netperception related
templates with the product install.

Answer
------
iStore expects all the templates to be in the same directory (the
directory
is specified in the config file). Though in some cases you may be
able to
specify sub directories, we do not support it. Regarding,
Netperception
templates, these are supposed to be copied to the root directory if
the
installation uses Netperception.

21.iStore error message "CASH REGISTER DID NOT RESPOND IN A TIMELY

MANNER",
Where does this come from and what can he do about it?

Answer
------
Payment system is creating this error message. Look into the
logfile of
iPayment Server.

22.How does discount information associated with a price list get

transferred
into iStore.

Answer
------
It doesn't. Work around is to create coupons and associate them with
the customer in iStore.

23.There is a need to remove iStore records which have been marked as

deleted,
that is, the dbsts column is 'D'?

Answer
------
This could be an enhancement request.

24.What development tool is used to extend iStore? Can the library

classes be
imported into this tool?

Answer
------
Any java programming tool.

25.Freight cost calculation : computing shipment cost based on weight,

cumulative cost (slabs for number of packets). How can the basic
freight
calculation functionality be enhanced/extended?

Answer
-----
iStore comes with S&H API. Refer to Adv Config Guide.
26.Is Provision for discounting and promotional schemes such as buy a
shirt and
get one tie free (freebies) available with iStore?

Answer
------
No.

27.Auctions?

Answer
------
No.

28.Facility for merchants to create their own stores, in case of

affliates?

Answer
------
No, 11i is projected to have some features related to it.

29.It was mentioned that the Oracle Store is not using Cybercash for
creditcard
authorization. Is there any information available as to whether
this is true
and why it's not being used? Is another solution being tested or
employed?

Answer
------
Oracle Store is using CyberCash, but the functionality which
previously
existed in iStore is now in iPayment. Thus, iStore makes a call to
the
Payment Server which then calls CyberCash and the Payment Gateway.

30. I have a customer that is trying to do the following:

Implementing related products functionality of iStore.
Specifically, I want
to include a thumbnail of any related item. I know this can be
done,
because bike.com is doing it. BTW, setting up just a text link to
the
related item works fine. I can't pass a transient variable to a
viewCall
in the template showonerelatedprodinfo.en.htm. Consider the
following code:

The related product ID is

%%relPrdInfoLst.PrdInfo.infoId%%.<oecname=viewCall(call="ecaction=
ecsingleproditemview&template=dtprodview.en.htm&ecpid=%
%relPrdInfoLst.
PrdInfo.infoId%%") default=viewNotImplemented()>

This will display, for instance, "The relatedproduct ID is 1235."

But it
will not pass the "1235" to the view call. However, if I change
the code
to:
 The related product ID is
%%relPrdInfoLst.PrdInfo.infoId%%.<oecname=viewCall
(call="ecaction=ecsingleproditemview&template=dtprodview.en.htm&ecp
id=1235")
default=viewNotImplemented()>

Then the "1235" is passed, and the function works.

So I know that
1) the transient variable is resolving correctly within
showonerelatedprodinfo.en.htm.
2) the transient variable is not being passed to the view call.
3) the view call works if I give it a literal prod ID.

Answer
------
Please try @relPrdInfoLst.PrdInfo.infoId@, even the percentage
should work.
iStore has special do method for retrieve related items (see
Prdrelated.en.htm, etc). You need to use Store Manager to set
related
items.

RELATED DOCUMENTS
-----------------

iStore 3.1.1.5 installation manuals. Advanced Configuration Guide