I have been with Miva for a while now, but have yet to get my site up and running because I simply cannot figure out this site despite going through video and PDF tutorials and even contacting support. I'm self-taught and have never had so much trouble trying to figure out something in my entire life.
The tutorials I've gone through either do not match what I am seeing on my screen or do not tell me where I'm supposed to be looking for whatever it is that's being talked about. I certainly shouldn't have to read through a 500+ page document just to get a site up and running. Good Lord, I've never heard of such a thing at any other host I've used! Not only that, but apparently the one I was provided doesn't even apply to the version I'm using. Which means I was wasting my time only to be confused all that much more and I'm not about to go through another. Who's got that kind of time or patience for that matter? LOL
So, basically, every avenue I've tried to learn Miva has been useless. It should NOT be this difficult. Seriously. Please forgive my rant, but my business has been on hold for far too long and I am beyond frustrated at this point. I simply want this done because my business is my only source of income, so am turning to the community in the hopes that I can actually get the RIGHT answers to my questions.
I have the site design done for the home page, using Dreamweaver CS5.5, but need to be able to get it uploaded so I can start applying it to the other pages for products, checkout and such. However, I'm not seeing an option to upload or even use FTP to copy anything. Plus, how do I upload/apply the CSS I've already created?
In the Pages section, I'm seeing the tab for Items, but they all refer to CSSUI items. Am I going to have to completely recreate my CSS and edit the home page accordingly? I'm used to having access to all root and image files where I can upload files to, but I'm not even seeing that. Am I just missing it somewhere?
Other questions are:
(1) Which modules do I need for an eCommerce site? I see there are pages for checkout, customer accounts, cart contents, etc., but are the necessary modules already applied? If not, what do I need to make them work? I do see the page listing different modules and the option to add more, but I have no idea what most of the ones currently listed are for. It looks like some of them aren't even needed. So, I can't tell what I'm missing other than what I need to process payments via PayPal.
(2) How do I get USPS shipping linked? The instructions provided in the tutorials were of no help. I've already got an online account with them, but how and where do I get a user ID to enter?
(3) I'm using Miva 5.5 PR8 and cannot seem to get it to update to 9. It says I'm eligible for updates, but when I click to update, it just runs and runs and makes no progress. I've let it run for over an hour once while I walked away to do something else and it got absolutely nowhere. Am I supposed to install something on my computer or what? If so, what and where do I get it? If not, then what is the problem?
(4) Could you please tell me if the 502 page document at the following link is the correct reference for the version I'm using? http://www.mivamerchant.com/pdf/MivaPR8_07-30-13.pdf. The one I was reading before was last updated 05-31-13 and was related to PR7-PR8, but I was told it doesn't apply to me. If I do update to 9, is there an updated guide? If not, I think I'll pass on updating until they get a guide for it completed.
(5) How do I get Miva to quit automatically logging me out so quickly? I can understand the need for security, but can I please have more than a few minutes to work between things without constantly having to log back in? It's a huge time waster when you're having to do it that often. I mean, the phone could ring by the time I get done logging in and finding my place again and I've gotten no further than I was before. Also, can I opt out of having to change my password every 90 days? I'll take care of my own password security, thank you.
(6) Is there anything else that I need to know before I continue? The previous reference guide I was reading was talking about choosing between CSSUI/MMUI and databases when it apparently doesn't apply to me. Now I have to weed through another 500 pages to figure out what DOES apply to me, so getting answers to the above would help get me started sooner rather than much later. It's been long enough and I would greatly appreciate your help.
The tutorials I've gone through either do not match what I am seeing on my screen or do not tell me where I'm supposed to be looking for whatever it is that's being talked about. I certainly shouldn't have to read through a 500+ page document just to get a site up and running. Good Lord, I've never heard of such a thing at any other host I've used! Not only that, but apparently the one I was provided doesn't even apply to the version I'm using. Which means I was wasting my time only to be confused all that much more and I'm not about to go through another. Who's got that kind of time or patience for that matter? LOL
So, basically, every avenue I've tried to learn Miva has been useless. It should NOT be this difficult. Seriously. Please forgive my rant, but my business has been on hold for far too long and I am beyond frustrated at this point. I simply want this done because my business is my only source of income, so am turning to the community in the hopes that I can actually get the RIGHT answers to my questions.
I have the site design done for the home page, using Dreamweaver CS5.5, but need to be able to get it uploaded so I can start applying it to the other pages for products, checkout and such. However, I'm not seeing an option to upload or even use FTP to copy anything. Plus, how do I upload/apply the CSS I've already created?
In the Pages section, I'm seeing the tab for Items, but they all refer to CSSUI items. Am I going to have to completely recreate my CSS and edit the home page accordingly? I'm used to having access to all root and image files where I can upload files to, but I'm not even seeing that. Am I just missing it somewhere?
Other questions are:
(1) Which modules do I need for an eCommerce site? I see there are pages for checkout, customer accounts, cart contents, etc., but are the necessary modules already applied? If not, what do I need to make them work? I do see the page listing different modules and the option to add more, but I have no idea what most of the ones currently listed are for. It looks like some of them aren't even needed. So, I can't tell what I'm missing other than what I need to process payments via PayPal.
(2) How do I get USPS shipping linked? The instructions provided in the tutorials were of no help. I've already got an online account with them, but how and where do I get a user ID to enter?
(3) I'm using Miva 5.5 PR8 and cannot seem to get it to update to 9. It says I'm eligible for updates, but when I click to update, it just runs and runs and makes no progress. I've let it run for over an hour once while I walked away to do something else and it got absolutely nowhere. Am I supposed to install something on my computer or what? If so, what and where do I get it? If not, then what is the problem?
(4) Could you please tell me if the 502 page document at the following link is the correct reference for the version I'm using? http://www.mivamerchant.com/pdf/MivaPR8_07-30-13.pdf. The one I was reading before was last updated 05-31-13 and was related to PR7-PR8, but I was told it doesn't apply to me. If I do update to 9, is there an updated guide? If not, I think I'll pass on updating until they get a guide for it completed.
(5) How do I get Miva to quit automatically logging me out so quickly? I can understand the need for security, but can I please have more than a few minutes to work between things without constantly having to log back in? It's a huge time waster when you're having to do it that often. I mean, the phone could ring by the time I get done logging in and finding my place again and I've gotten no further than I was before. Also, can I opt out of having to change my password every 90 days? I'll take care of my own password security, thank you.
(6) Is there anything else that I need to know before I continue? The previous reference guide I was reading was talking about choosing between CSSUI/MMUI and databases when it apparently doesn't apply to me. Now I have to weed through another 500 pages to figure out what DOES apply to me, so getting answers to the above would help get me started sooner rather than much later. It's been long enough and I would greatly appreciate your help.
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