Product in transition
As with all software, NeuCart's code base is constantly under development, adding features and functionality as necessary and/or requested. More than that, NeuCart is a product in transition; some functionality that exists today uses older technology or initial product designs that must eventually be transitioned out of the product.
This page discusses some of the major transitions and merges within the code that are expected.
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| Multi-step checkout process | Single-Page Checkout (SPC) | SPC was introduced in version 7.21. This new functionality did not replace the multi-step checkout process, but it added a new style of checking out. The reason that both checkout styles continue to exist is that SPC does not include functionality to support every type of checkout configuration. | SPC will be the only checkout method once it supports the following:
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| POST-behavior Admin Configuration | AJAX-behavior Admin Configuration | The initial functionality used POST behavior, where a save button reloads the page and saves the form. This type of behavior comes from early days of web design. The new functionality allows for better data validation, error presentation, and data integrity, among other benefits. | Each release incorporates rewriting of some old-style pages to the newer style; eventually the old-style pages will no longer exist. See below for more information. |
| Customer UI split between Desktop and Mobile views | Responsive CSS | The initial functionality detected the customer's browser and displayed either the Desktop CSS or Mobile CSS as required. Responsive design CSS was introduced in 7.55, and the new functionality did not replace the existing Desktop/Mobile split. Both types of display exist to allow sites to continue with their current display. | Responsive Design is considered the modern (and proper) way to design websites. By maintaining both styles of display, the code base contains multiple options that create bloat.
Eventually only the Responsive Design editor will exist; ample notice will be given prior to this change. |
| Multiple styles of reports | Unified reporting code base | Initially, some reports were added to the Configuration Menu directly, while others were added under the Exports and Reports tool. | A new reporting structure will eventually be developed to make all reports function consistently. |
Admin Area Configuration Notes
There are multiple ways to determine if a configuration page is the new style or old style:
- A table view page in the old style does not have a space in the URL. For example, "manageorders.php"; the new style is "manage_orders.php"
- A table view page in the new style has alternating row colors.
- A form view page in the old style used dashes in the URL. For example, "single-order.php"; the new style uses an underscore: "single_order.php"
- A form view page in the old style had a save button at the bottom. The new style incorporates all save and navigation buttons in the top menu.
- In the old style, the "clone record" option was available from table view only; it is now available only in form view.
Uploads
The Digital Files for Products page uses the new style, and it also includes improved upload mechanisms for initial file uploads and also for replacements of existing files. Other configuration pages that include uploads, Sample Music Files and Product Images, will eventually use a similar upload mechanism.
