On April 29th, 2016,  we posted the 37th full cart release which includes not only all the cumulative updates from the last year but also the long-awaited mysqli based admin area. The entire cart is now 100% mysqli and no longer uses the deprecated mysql_connect function in any area. The new cart release includes the following features:

• New 100% MySQLi Cart Administration System (Removed all mysql_connect db functions from administration area)
• Recoded | converted all admin functions/forms in /estore_admin/ from old InterAKT Kollection Code to new mysqli classes / functions.
• New Admin Area Product Search Including Keyword Searching for Items On Every Admin Page
• New Product Image Plugins Systems - Allows 3rd party image viewers on item view page (ie. MagicZoomPlus)
• Fixed issue where some PCI - XSS scans were returning false positive alerts on the search results title.
• Fixed issue where session manager diagnostics could display incorrect error info.
• Fixed issue where image / upload browsing window was not working on specific Linux server configurations
• Updated USPS API rates plugin to include new API calls / parameters.

Below are some FAQs about the new cart release and how it may affect your installations:

Why was the front-end of the cart recoded in January 2015 and the admin recoded in April 2015 in mysqli?

• The cart was originally developed for Dreamweaver users. The default Dreamweaver development environment has always only used the mysql_connect function (generated code) to connect to mysql databases. However, in PHP 5.5 the mysql_connect function was deprecated and was removed in PHP 7+. Therefore, to keep the cart viable for years to come and since the cart is now used in many different development platforms outside of Dreamweaver, we recoded all php/mysql database functionality to mysqli.

What versions of the cart can be upgraded with the new admin area?

• If your installation ends with an “i”… such as 2.1501-i … you can upgrade your install to be 100% mysqli. Versions without the “i” (prior to January 2015) will still run fine, they just can’t support the mysqli code. If you are running a version of the cart prior to 2.1501, we recommend upgrading to the new API based (mysqli) cart platform. More information on upgrading older PHP cart installs to the mysqli platform is available at : https://www.sitestorepro.com/upgrading-past-php-cart-installs-to-the-new-api-platform/

If my site still uses the mysql_connect version(s) of the shopping cart or I have other applications that are using mysql_connect, is that bad?

• Not at all. Mysql_connect based applications, including all previous versions of the php cart, are extremely common and will continue to function fine for years to come. Most hosts will not disable mysql_connect in their PHP configuration for a long time due to the fact that there are so many applications that are using the mysql_connect. As long as the application you are using is coded correctly and secure, the mysql_connect method of connecting to mysql databases is still okay and will be for a long time. We simply choose to finally switch our application over to be 100% mysqli at this point to avoid issues in the future with mysql_connect function deprecation and/or retirement.

Can I run mysqli and mysql_connect at the same time?

• Sure, the previous cart release has been doing that for over a year. There are no issues running an application that uses both mysqli and mysql_connect to access, insert and update data in php/mysql. However, if you are using mysql_connect and running PHP 5.5+, you may receive an warning that the mysql_connect function has been deprecated. It will still function however.

If I have custom admin features in my existing cart, will they continue to work after I upgrade to the new admin system?

• Any custom admin pages that are coded in mysql_connect will still work fine after upgrading to the new admin. However, your custom pages may be overwritten with new files if your custom version have the same file names as the new versions. If you are running a custom admin area, we recommend contacting support for prior to uploading the new /estore_admin/ folder up to your server.

Can I run both my current admin area and the new admin area at the same time?

• Absolutely. Simply rename your current admin folder from /estore_admin/ to something else like /estore_admin_OLD/ before you upload the new /estore_admin/ folder.Both admin areas can operate at the same time on current installs without any issues. You can even switch back and forth from each admin without having to login again.

Will new Site Store Pro cart installs have any mysql_connect functions in them now?

• No. All new installations of the cart as of April 29, 2016 will be 100% mysqli. Only existing installations that do not fully upgrade their admin areas will still have mysql_connect. Make sure that you download the new cart version prior to doing an install so that you are installing the latest version. Login to your account at https://www.sitestorepro.com/myaccount/ to download the new release.

If I have custom admin functions that are using mysql_connect, can they easily be converted to the new mysqli code?

• Yes, you can convert admin and store customizations from the old mysql_connect code to the new mysqli code  Please contact support for assistance and/or instructions on how you can convert custom features using mysql_connect to the new mysqli code format.

  To upgrade your install or download the new cart release, please login to your account at : https://www.sitestorepro.com/myaccount/ or register for a new download at : https://www.sitestorepro.com/downloads/