SEO URL's & Sub-Categories Not Working - New Install

Hello,

I've just set up a new install of OpenCart & uploaded my backup.mysql file. I've noticed that if I turn on SEO URL's my sub category links disappear after clicking on a top level category. If I turn off SEO URL's then the categories return and show up when clicking on a top level category. 1.4.8b is the install im using. The changes I've made are redirecting http://site.com to http://www.site.com, some meta take changes & uploading my backup.mysql file, other than that it's a fresh install.

Is there a known issue/bug with sub categories SEO URLs?

UPDATE: I think I may have found a bug. I built a test site with a fresh install of the default cart with the default products, then changed .htaccess.txt to .htaccess as usual. I then turned on SEO URL's and verified that the mod rewrite was working for the default products by loading the page and seeing that the URL changed to the SEO keyword. I then added a test category, with a sub category, and in both I added the SEO keyword upon creation of the category. I was surprised to see that the new test category lost the sub category, plus all information related to that category and instead listed a default product. I was able to fix this issue by returning to admin and editing the categrory SEO keyword. I had to remove the keyword, then save, then readd the keyword (all of this with SEO URL's on). Basically, what this means is that one cannot create a category (not sure if this affects products yet) with SEO URLs turned on and add the SEO keyword to the category at the same time. You have to save the category without an SEO keyword under the data tab, then go back and add it after you created the category, otherwise information is missing. At least that's what I've found in my testing.

The test site is http://wvupride.com the category's created and saved with the SEO keyword upon creation are not working (http://wvupride.com/test should be showing sub categories named http://wvupride.com/test/test1a .

The next test categories I made I created without using an SEO keyword under the data tab. I then saved the category as usual, went back, added the SEO keyword, then saved the category again. Using this method the test category's and sub categories show up as they should, with the SEO keyword URL and all. The test categories created without the SEO keyword in the data tab are http://wvupride.com/test3 , http://wvupride.com/test4 with sub categories http://wvupride.com/test3/test3a , http://wvupride.com/test4/test4a

So..that begs the question. Is this a bug? has anyone else stumbled upon this? I've done many searches on the forum and little in regard to SEO URL's. I guess maybe not too many OpenCart users are implementing SEO URLs?

Anyone have any ideas or can anyone replicate these issues on their install?

UPDATE: Now I am unable to recreate the issue. When I add a category with SEO keyword it seems to find the category and any sub category beneath it just fine, regardless if it's created with the SEO keyword or not. Truly confused here. Obviously quirks like this make it awful hard to take the current cart into a live environment, but I'm running out of time to deliver the site when promised.

Any idea why this could be happening would be appreciated.

UPDATE: It appears that the sort by menu isn't working properly with or without SEO URLs enabled. It seems that high to low & low/high sort tab isn't working, but the alphabetical sort seems to work. Not sure about product ratings as I'm still using default products in the test install.

Do0d wrote:UPDATE: It appears that the sort by menu isn't working properly with or without SEO URLs enabled. It seems that high to low & low/high sort tab isn't working, but the alphabetical sort seems to work. Not sure about product ratings as I'm still using default products in the test install.

if you weren't using an old version you wouldn't have this problem. Try looking in the 1.4.8 bugs post there is a link to a fix for this issue.

As for the SEO lots of people implement SEO URL's it's just that none of them have experienced the issue that you yourself can no longer reproduce.

Xsecrets wrote:

Do0d wrote:UPDATE: It appears that the sort by menu isn't working properly with or without SEO URLs enabled. It seems that high to low & low/high sort tab isn't working, but the alphabetical sort seems to work. Not sure about product ratings as I'm still using default products in the test install.

if you weren't using an old version you wouldn't have this problem. Try looking in the 1.4.8 bugs post there is a link to a fix for this issue.

As for the SEO lots of people implement SEO URL's it's just that none of them have experienced the issue that you yourself can no longer reproduce.

Thanks for the reply Xsecrets. I was only using the older version of OpenCart because that was the version our template was built for. After all the touble, I decided to upgrade the cart just a few hours ago to the latest 1.4.9.1. The template seems fine after reinstalling it, the sort tabs are working as well.

Im still having issues related to SEO URLs, though the category shows up fine, when I turn SEO URL's on, the add to cart feature in my template no longer works, it just takes me to the product page instead of adding a product to the shopping cart. Also, when I click on enlarge image with SEO URL's turned on the image appears below my footer instead of a pop up window.

Obviously still issues relating to SEO URLs

from the link I see above the seo keyword is working and sub cats are as well. I have no problems viewing your images also. Just out of curiosity the add to cart button is on the product page and the cart should and does add to cart from the link provided.

If this issue is happening from another template than the one you linked to I would have to say it's either something to do with the template you are using or something you have personally done to the code. I have had absolutely zero issues with SEO urls for my site which has over 900 products. The only thing about the seo keyword is categories and products can not have the same name, both must be 100% unique.

I'm experiencing the same problem. ARG!

I think this is all bunk.... My assumption is the same keyword was being used for the cat and subcat or something. I cannot reproduce this. It just doesn't even make sense logically from the code. A URL alias is simply a modification of the url text..it has no relation or functionality in the database as far as parent to children relationships

Hi,
I have noticed problems as well after I installed the 1.4.9.2 patch. Some of my sub-categories just don't show anything, or they load the category page. eg. bags>macpac doesn't show macpac bags, it shows bags>.

Anyway, looked at the seo_keyword for bags>macpac - found it was missing, updated it and it all works fine. Also have deleted and recreated some sub-categories and that fixes the problem too, just more work re-associating the products.

Doesn't make sense code or logic wise to me either, checked the db entries and they seem to be ok, and it is random as to the sub-categories affected.

Thing1

Just wanted to point out something to people for future reference. It might be obvious to some, but not to everyone. I originally thought there were problems with my sub categories and the seo urls so I found this thread, but then I discovered what my problem was.

When your turn on SEO URLs you have to manually create the seo keywords to use for every single category and sub category, which can be done in the data tab. If you don't have an seo keyword then your url wont be in seo format, and it also won't show your subcategories as a part of its main category.

I've only used wordpress before so I thought the seo urls were created automatically based on the category, and sub category titles, but now I know that you must manually enter the keywords or your url won't be set right.

I did as you mentioned "create the seo keywords to use for every single category and sub category, which can be done in the data tab. If you don't have an seo keyword then your url wont be in seo format, and it also won't show your subcategories as a part of its main category".
The product shows up when you click on the category list but my problem is the subcategory doesnt show up displayed in the menu under the parent (in the category block). The menu isnt expanding to show subcategories.
Any thoughts??

should also mention that sometimes if your SEO keyword has a space, or & in there somewhere, somtimes, it can cause the seo url to break, which in turn stops a product or category from being displayed, so always check your replacing these with other things like _and_ instead of " & "