While osCommerce is not my favorite e-commerce package, it does work and is relatively easy to get up and running. And of course, being open source, is free. I have implemented it for a number of clients. One problem I did have with it was with the process of adding an image to a product. The default way of adding or changing an image was very awkward. Also, every image was placed into the single folder “/images”. There was no obvious method for organising images into sub-folders.

What the system needed was a file manager utility to let the administrator insert some organisation into the images folder. There wasn’t a contribution at the time that suited my needs so I decided to create one myself.

Based on the simple File Browser from by Steve Blinch [code.blitzaffe.com] and using his excellent DirecTemplate system I have created an easy to use File Browser for osCommerce.

The current version is a complete rewrite of version 1. Version 1 was a bit quick and dirty. Version 2+ of the File Manager has addressed any CSS problems and now runs on both Windows and *NIX based servers. It also has some new features including thumbnail view and a more intuitive preview mode.

Version 1 is available from the contributions section at the osCommerce web site and I will post Version 2 very soon. (Version 2 of the File Manager is now posted.)

The osCommerce File Browser v2 contribution is available for download now.

This was said to me the other day while talking about my website or lack of. Thus prompting to me to get into gear and get my new website up and running. I had been putting it off for too long due to an overload of paying jobs to get through. A single banner stating “website coming soon…” doesn’t really cut it.

So, after a few nights work, here it is. I plan on adding useful information to this blog that hopefully you will find helpful.