How to connect an external MySQL product database to PrestaShop?

[Victor_sch]

I am looking for a way to connect PrestaShop to an external MySQL server on which all products are placed. At the moment we use a local SQL server on which all the products are placed. Since we want to modernise our existing website (vebim.com), I am looking for a way to have PrestaShop automatically synchronise the products with the SQL server or MySQL. This is because the company works internally on this database/server . (quotations, inventory ...) Who can help me or give me advice on how to start? 

A little more context and explanation:

Our current website is still written in ASP.NET and is rather outdated, but does work via the external database principle. We want to keep this working method, but we want to renew the site and start focusing on content: blogs, tips and tricks, testimonials, videos, buying guides, etc. That is why we want to switch to PrestaShop. A logical choice since we already have a web shop for a secondary activity via that platform. The website is more of a catalogue with the available machines (products) on which visitors can request an offer. The product pages are generated automatically via our local SQL server. The database is supplemented via Access. Every night, the website is synchronised with our server and our products are automatically placed on our website via MySQL.

But please note that our quotation system also works via this server. When visitors request a quote for one or more machines (our products) on the website, a list is automatically sent to our Access interface, in which all information is filled in automatically in predefined fields, the product info is retrieved from the server and our employees only have to assign a price and additional costs and click send. As a result, a graphically pleasing e-mail is automatically drawn up and sent with PDFs of the machines in question attached. The process is thus fairly well automated and ensures a very fast processing of quotations. So we don't want to move away from this quickly. We therefore realise that it is no child's play to integrate this into a CMS or to integrate a CMS into our existing system/website. However, renewal and modernisation is necessary! Therefore, my question is whether you can offer an answer to this.

How do you link an external MySQL database to the products within PrestaShop?
Is this possible at all? Is it still advisable to proceed in this way? What would be the best way to proceed? I am looking forward to your suggestions and ideas.

Thank you in advance!

Kind regards
Victor Schellens - Marketing Vebim
Vebim.com

[knacky]

Hi.
It's a little more complicated.
Direct connection is inappropriate.
This is solved, for example, by creating a file with all the necessary parameters from the XML database on the side where MySql is.
The prestashop can then create a scriot that reads XML and adds or updates products.
Others can also be created using modules.

[Victor_sch]

Hello

Thanks for your quick response, I'm clearly learning something! Can manuals be found for this?
What exactly do you mean by modules? Which modules are you talking about exactly? 

Thanks in advance. 

[knacky]

The modules are an extension of Prestashop's functions.
Not everything is included in Prestashop.
There is a Prestashop function directly from the CSV file for import.
But it is imperfect and must be imported separately product, separate categories etc ...
Therefore, there are third-party extensions that can import / update products, categories ... from one XML file (has an extended structure).
Do you already have Prestashop installed?
Have you seen the administration?

https://devdocs.prestashop.com/1.7/

[Victor_sch]

Hello
Just to clarify, yes I am familiar with PrestaShop and know what modules are. I already have a running website, but this customer has specific requirements. I was wondering which module would work best for this. And if there are specific modules for this? Does this need to be custom developed and scripted?

To be clear, this is about connecting an external database server to PrestaShop so that the products automatically appear on the website when we enter the products "directly" on our server.

We have other systems to complete our product inventory and these are at the heart of our business operations. so that is why we want this to automatically appear on our website.

Thanks in advance for your help

[knacky]

Hi.

OK.
You have a specific requirement.
There is no solution that can simply connect to your external server and retrieve data from the database.
There are clouds of universal solutions for importing XML products, but none of the ones you need.
We are still talking about something, but nothing specific.
Are you a module developer for Prestashop?

 

https://addons.prestashop.com/en/search?search_query=XMLimport

Edited March 24, 2022 by knacky (see edit history)

[Victor_sch]

Hello 

So the only logical option is to develop a customised module? 
We are indeed not very specific yet, because I was still orienting myself towards the possible solutions. 

I am trying to list the problem and the wishes as specifically as possible:

- This is the current website: https://vebim.com

 - This shows all the products of the company. These products are on a SQL local server. This database is updated daily by the employees via MS Access. The SQL is converted a MySQL on the hosting to be displayed on the ASP.NET website. 

- The website itself is just a simple framework around the database. The only function that is possible is to add products to a cart and request a quotation for that cart. Just that!

- They now want to renew the Website to a php in a CMS and expand it with blogs, knowledge bases and extra content and marketing applications.

- Since they already have a small webshop (Vebim-parts.com) running through PrestaShop, they want to bring Vebim.com also into PrestaShop and make it a multistore.

- It is important that they keep their current database where the input is provided via Access. In short: they wants to keep the current web shop (Vebim.com) and especially the whole system and way of working, but wants to be able to expand the website with extra pages, blogs and knowledge bases in a handy CMS.

So this is specifically what needs to be done. I am not a developer, but I do know what I am talking about. I provide solutions and the necessary working method to my developers with whom I work.

Is this now all a bit clearer and more specific for you? 

So if you know how this is best connected and how the module should be built? What must definitely be taken into account? 

Thanks in advance!