Product images are displayed on the Image tab of the View Inventory screen and the Pack and Ship screen as they are packed.
The Order Manager has two methods for displaying product images. It can 1) use the full file path to the image that you enter in the system or 2) build the full path to the image file based on the parts of the image path (file name, file type, location) that you enter in the system parameters. Product images can be added on the Image tab and the Web Fields tab of the View Inventory screen, depending on which method you choose for displaying images.
The method by which the Order Manager generates your product images depends on image location, name, and file type.
If your images reside in multiple locations, comprise multiple file types, and are not named according to SKU or Item Name (values in the Order Manager), then you will need to add product images by entering the full file path to the image (method 1). You can do that on either the Image tab or the Web Fields tab on the View Inventory screen. (See the article, Inventory Image Tab, and Scenario C and its instructions below.)
However, enabling the Order Manager to build the image path for you can save a lot of time and effort, rather than adding image files one-at-a-time. If your images reside in the same location (same file path), comprise the same file type, and are named according to SKU or Item Name (values in the Order Manager), then you can utilize the efficiency of method 2. (See Scenario A and its instructions below.) You may also use method 2 if your images reside in the same location but are not all the same file type or named according to SKU or Item Name. (See Scenario B below.)
There are three relevant system parameters in the Program group for generating product images. These will be explained in context further along in the article, but the following descriptions are found in System Parameters:
ImageField - Field in Inventory table where product image names are stored. For use at Manual Orders and Packing forms. If the data in that field does not include a Web or local path and/or 3-letter extension, the contents of ImagePath and ImageType will be added as needed.
ImagePath - For use with ImageField and ImageType to display product images at Manual Orders and Packing forms. Can be a Web or local path. Web paths should start with http or www. Local paths should start with \\ or a drive letter and colon (e.g. "c:").
ImageType - For use with ImageField and ImagePath to display product images at Manual Orders and Packing forms. Enter .jpg, .gif, etc. Be sure to include the "dot". This will be added to image names that do not include a 3-letter extension.
Following are three different scenarios based on file type, file location, and file name. Identify the scenario that matches your situation and follow the corresponding scenario instructions below, to enable the Order Manager to generate product images.
Scenario A:
All your image files reside in the same location (i.e., the same folder).
All your image files are the same file type (.jpg or .gif, etc.).
All the file names of your images match either the SKU or the Item Name of that product in Order Manager.
Scenario B:
All your image files reside in the same location (i.e., the same folder).
All your image files are the same file type (.jpg or .gif, etc.).
The file names are not related to values already associated with the product in Order Manager (SKU or Item Name).
All your image files reside in the same location (i.e., the same folder).
Your images comprise multiple file types (.jpg and .gif, etc.).
The file names are not related to values already associated with the product in Order Manager (SKU or Item Name).
Scenario C:
Your images reside in multiple locations.
Your images comprise multiple file types (.jpg and .gif, etc.).
The file names are not related to values already associated with the product in Order Manager (SKU or Item Name).
Note: If you have a variation on one of these Scenarios and can't figure out how to make it work by modifying the instructions below, contact Stone Edge Support at (610) 994-3699.
If your images are of the same file type, reside in the same file folder, and are named according to product SKU or Item Name, then the Order Manager can use method 2 and build the full path to the image file based on the parts of the image path, which you provide in the system parameters.
Go to System Parameters> Parameter Group> Program.
Select the ImageField parameter and choose SKU or ItemName, depending on whether your images are named according to SKU or item name. Click Save.
Select the ImagePath parameter and type or paste the file path where all your images are stored (e.g., C:\WebStore\ProductImages). Click Save.
Select the ImageType parameter and enter the image type (e.g., .jpg or .gif). Click Save.
The Order Manager will build the full image path for each product; it will pull the file path from the ImagePath parameter; it will pull the file name from the ImageField parameter; and it will pull the file type from the ImageType parameter.
(Note: The Image field on the Image Tab will display the contents of the field designated in the ImageField parameter; in this example, it will display the SKU or Item Name, which also happens to be the filename.)
For Scenario B, you could choose method 1, but method 2 is also available and would be a little less work. With method 2, you enter the file path and file type for each image once in the ImagePath and ImageType parameters because they don’t vary. Then you just add the individual file names to each product and set the ImageField parameter to the name of the field where you entered the file names. You can upload your file names into the Image field on the Web Fields tab from a text file, which is much quicker than copying and pasting image file names for many products. (See Import Suppliers, Customers, Inventory, or Cost and Prices for more information about importing data from a text file.)
Since the file names vary, you need to associate each image file name with its product and tell the Order Manager where to look for the file name. Before setting the ImageField parameter, enter the file name in the Image field on the Web Fields tab (of the View Inventory screen). Then, select the ImageField parameter and select Image (this refers to the Image field on the Web Fields tab).
Select the ImagePath parameter and type or paste the file path where all your images are stored (e.g., C:\WebStore\ProductImages). Click Save.
Select the ImageType parameter and enter the image type (e.g., .jpg or .gif). Click Save.
Note: Technically, you could enter the file name in one of the other fields on the Web Fields tab and select the corresponding option in the ImageField parameter drop-down list. For example, you could put the file name in Thumbnail, and as long as you select Thumbnail from the ImageField parameter drop-down, the image will display. Can't think why you’d want to do that, but the option is there!
Now the Order Manager knows where to look for the file name and it can build the entire file path.
(Note: The Image field on the Image Tab will display the contents of the field designated in the ImageField Parameter; in this example, it will display the file name, which you entered in Step 1, above.)
All your image files reside in the same location (i.e., the same folder).
Your images comprise multiple file types (.jpg and .gif, etc.).
The file names are not related to values already associated with the product in Order Manager (SKU or Item Name).
In this scenario, you would set the ImageType parameter to the type (e.g., .jpg or .gif), which comprises the majority of your images. Then, for the images that are of a different file type than the majority, you include the file type extension in the file name when you enter it in the Image field on the Web Fields tab.
For Scenario C, where your image files reside in multiple locations, with different file types, and file names that are not related to values already associated with the product in Order Manager (SKU or Item Name), then the only choice is method 1 -- enter the entire image path in either the Image field on the Image tab or in the Image field on the Web Fields tab.
If you choose to enter the file path in the Image field on the Web Fields tab, set the ImageField parameter to Image (this refers to the Image field on the Web Fields tab). You do not need to set the ImageType or ImagePath parameters.
(Note: The Image field on the Image Tab will display the contents of the field designated in the ImageField parameter; in this example, it will display the full image file path.)
General Note: In order for images to display on the Pack and Ship screen, the System Parameter PackingShowImages (in the Packing group) must be set to True.
See Also
Updated 4/6/09