Independent SEO Header Tags For Novices v3.01

By GemRock

What's new in this version?

works on the newest osCommerce releases (RC1 - RC2a);

works on php 5.2.x;

works with register_globals On or Off;

multi-languages support;

fixes a number of bugs, eg, can't change number of rows per page;

Upgrade

The only changes made in this version is in the header_tags_edit.php. If yours has already been working without problem, then you do not have to upgrade. Otherwise, just copy & over-write the header_tags_edit.php using the one from this download. No other change is needed.

What does this contribution do?

Dynamically generates different title tag and the two meta tags, i.e., description tag and keywords tag for each product info page by using either product names, product description that are already in the database, or (optional) manually enter title text, description text and keywords for each product, 20 or 30 or even more products per page at one time. See screenshot.

Requirements or what it does not require

osCommerce or any other osCommerce based solutions;

it works independently and does NOT rely on any other contribution;

although NOT required, ideally, you should also install ultimate SEO URLs by Chemo and google XML sitemap feed by Chemo.

New Installation - Minimum Installation

Skill level required: Novice;
Time needed: a few minutes in a total of 2 steps installation;
New files to upload: 1;
File to modify: 1 (application_top.php).

NB: THE USUAL PRECAUTION OF BACKING UP YOUR FILES & DATA BEFORE MAKING CHANGES APPLIES.

STEP 1 - Upload one programme files

The file includes/classes/breadcrumb_tags.php should be uploaded to includes/classes/breadcrumb_tags.php

STEP 2 - Edit includes/application_top.php

Look for this block of code (just a few lines further down the above):

// add category names or the manufacturer name to the breadcrumb trail
  if (isset($cPath_array)) {
    for ($i=0, $n=sizeof($cPath_array); $i<$n; $i++) {
      $categories_query = tep_db_query("select categories_name from " . TABLE_CATEGORIES_DESCRIPTION . " where categories_id = '" . (int)$cPath_array[$i] . "' and language_id = '" . (int)$languages_id . "'");
      if (tep_db_num_rows($categories_query) > 0) {
        $categories = tep_db_fetch_array($categories_query);
        $breadcrumb->add($categories['categories_name'], tep_href_link(FILENAME_DEFAULT, 'cPath=' . implode('_', array_slice($cPath_array, 0, ($i+1)))));
      } else {
        break;
      }
    }
  } elseif (isset($HTTP_GET_VARS['manufacturers_id'])) {
    $manufacturers_query = tep_db_query("select manufacturers_name from " . TABLE_MANUFACTURERS . " where manufacturers_id = '" . (int)$HTTP_GET_VARS['manufacturers_id'] . "'");
    if (tep_db_num_rows($manufacturers_query)) {
      $manufacturers = tep_db_fetch_array($manufacturers_query);
      $breadcrumb->add($manufacturers['manufacturers_name'], tep_href_link(FILENAME_DEFAULT, 'manufacturers_id=' . $HTTP_GET_VARS['manufacturers_id']));
    }
  }

Replace it with this:

// add category names or the manufacturer name to the breadcrumb trail
// modified by GemRock for auto fill header tags
  if (isset($cPath_array)) {
    for ($i=0, $n=sizeof($cPath_array); $i<$n; $i++) {
      $categories_query = tep_db_query("select categories_name from " . TABLE_CATEGORIES_DESCRIPTION . " where categories_id = '" . (int)$cPath_array[$i] . "' and language_id = '" . (int)$languages_id . "'");
      if (tep_db_num_rows($categories_query) > 0) {
        $categories = tep_db_fetch_array($categories_query);
        $breadcrumb->add($categories['categories_name'], tep_href_link(FILENAME_DEFAULT, 'cPath=' . implode('_', array_slice($cPath_array, 0, ($i+1)))));
        $breadcrumb_tags->add($categories['categories_name']);
      } else {
        break;
      }
    }
  } elseif (isset($HTTP_GET_VARS['manufacturers_id'])) {
    $manufacturers_query = tep_db_query("select manufacturers_name from " . TABLE_MANUFACTURERS . " where manufacturers_id = '" . (int)$HTTP_GET_VARS['manufacturers_id'] . "'");
    if (tep_db_num_rows($manufacturers_query)) {
      $manufacturers = tep_db_fetch_array($manufacturers_query);
      $breadcrumb->add($manufacturers['manufacturers_name'], tep_href_link(FILENAME_DEFAULT, 'manufacturers_id=' . $HTTP_GET_VARS['manufacturers_id']));
      $breadcrumb_tags->add($manufacturers['manufacturers_name']);
    }
  }
// end of modified code  - GR

Directly AFTER add this:

// added code to prepare for the title tag, description tag & keywords tag - By Gemrock
// IF IT'S FIRST TIME TO RUN, THEN ADD 3 NEW FIELDS - CAN BE DELETED ONCE RUN SUCCESSFULLY
  if (!mysql_query("SELECT title_tag FROM " . TABLE_PRODUCTS_DESCRIPTION)){
      tep_db_query("ALTER TABLE " . TABLE_PRODUCTS_DESCRIPTION . " ADD COLUMN title_tag VARCHAR(255) NULL, ADD COLUMN desc_tag TEXT NULL, ADD COLUMN keywords_tag VARCHAR(255) NULL");
    }
// END OF CODE ADDING FIELDS
  if (isset($HTTP_GET_VARS['products_id'])) {
    $header_tags_query = tep_db_query("select products_name, products_description, title_tag, desc_tag, keywords_tag from " . TABLE_PRODUCTS_DESCRIPTION . " where products_id = '" . (int)$HTTP_GET_VARS['products_id'] . "' and language_id = '" . (int)$languages_id . "'");
    if (tep_db_num_rows($header_tags_query)) {
      $header_tags = tep_db_fetch_array($header_tags_query);
      $header_tags[products_name]= trim($header_tags[products_name]);
      $header_tags[title_tag]= trim(strip_tags($header_tags[title_tag]));
      $header_tags[desc_tag]= trim(strip_tags($header_tags[desc_tag]));
      $header_tags[keywords_tag]= trim(strip_tags($header_tags[keywords_tag]));
      $header_tags[products_description] = substr(preg_replace('/\s\s+/', ' ',(strip_tags($header_tags[products_description]))),0,1000);
      // if a tag is less than 2 charactors, then use default
      if (strlen($header_tags[title_tag])< 2) {
        //set product name as page title
        $header_tags[title_tag]= $header_tags[products_name];
        }
        //add category name to page title
      if (strlen($categories['categories_name'])>1) $header_tags[title_tag] = $categories['categories_name'] . ' ' . $header_tags[title_tag];
      if (strlen($manufacturers['manufacturers_name'])>1) $header_tags[title_tag] .= ' ' . $manufacturers['manufacturers_name'] . ' ' . $header_tags[title_tag];
      if (strlen($header_tags[desc_tag])< 2) $header_tags[desc_tag] = $header_tags[products_description];
      if (strlen($header_tags[keywords_tag])< 2) $header_tags[keywords_tag] = $header_tags[products_name];
    }
}
// end of added code - By Gemrock

Now, go to your osCommerce Home page, click a category or product. This will add 3 new fields to the table products_description in the database.

How to use - adding dynamic header tags to your shop

1. Open index.php (under the catalog folder or your web root) for edit:

Look for the title tag:

Note that, if you already have the description & keywords tags there, then you must delete them. You can not have two sets of header tags.

2. products_info.php (under the same folder as index.php above) for edit:

Look for the title tag:

Note that, if you already have the description & keywords tags there, then you must delete them. You can not have two sets of header tags.

Optional Installation

This part of installation is for those who are more adventurous and who want to make full use of this contribution to further customise the title, keywords & description tags for each product.

Note: You MUST first finish the minimum installation BEFORE doing this optional installation.

STEP 1 - Upload one programme files, three language files and two image files

The file admin/header_tags_edit.php should be uploaded to admin/header_tags_edit.php
The file admin/images/down-arrow.png should be uploaded to admin/images/down-arrow.png
The file admin/images/up-arrow.png should be uploaded to admin/images/up-arrow.png
The file admin/includes/languages/english/header_tags_edit.php should be uploaded to admin/includes/languages/english/header_tags_edit.php
The file admin/includes/languages/german/header_tags_edit.php should be uploaded to admin/includes/languages/german/header_tags_edit.php
The file admin/includes/languages/espanol/header_tags_edit.php should be uploaded to admin/includes/languages/espanol/header_tags_edit.php

Please note that all three language files are in fact in English. You will need to translate them into your own language.

STEP 2 - Edit admin/includes/filenames.php

STEP 3 - Edit admin/includes/languages/english.php (and/or whatever language you use)

Obviously, you will need to translate 'Edit Header Tags' into your language.

STEP 4 - Edit admin/includes/boxes/catalog.php

Find this:

You are done!

By default, the header_tags_edit.php does not show the left column. If you want to show it, then open header_tags_edit.php, uncomment line 91 so that it looks like:

SUPPORT: This is the link to the Support thread on the osCommerce Support Forum.

Please search the support thread before you ask a question. The contribution is a simple but effective solution that offers almost the same thing as some other much more complicated header tags solutions. Its installation should be straightforward. If somehow you can not make it work on your site, and if you like and willing to make a donation (between £10 - £20) for my time, I can take a look and do whatever to ensure it work on your site.