[documentation] [task] E-Commerce Documentation

[sime]

Issue status update for 
http://drupal.org/node/55427
Post a follow up: 
http://drupal.org/project/comments/add/55427

 Project:      Documentation
 Version:      <none>
 Component:    Misc
 Category:     tasks
 Priority:     normal
 Assigned to:  Anonymous
 Reported by:  webchick
 Updated by:   sime
 Status:       active

"I made this UML class diagram of e-commerce 4.6 some time ago, and have
been updating it for 4.7 since.

"
Thanks for that. Already have that in fact! That was one of the first
diagrams I saw - see comment #1 on your page ;-)


I am in no rush myself. My timeline is to wait until we have an
ecommerce 4.7. Hopefully, among other cool improvements Gordon is
adding, we will have a variety of shipping methods ready for the 4.7
release. But I'm glad I put the feelers out because I would have hated
to waste all the work that webchick has done for instance.




sime



Previous comments:
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Thu, 23 Mar 2006 04:37:26 +0000 : webchick

Attachment: http://drupal.org/files/issues/E-Commerce Documentation.zip (861.33 KB)

Poor Matt Westgate has been waiting for me to do e-commerce docs for
like 4 months. ;( I work full-time now so it's really hard to find a
few spare hours to make headway on it.  :( I think I've finally come to
the realization that I will never finish this project I'm working on, so
I'm putting it here in the hopes that the rest of the community can help
flesh it out.


I've attached what I have done so far in terms of an "E-Commerce
Manual"... the last time this was updated was in maybe January though
so it may not be totally accurate, but maybe it could help as a start?


The idea was to split the docs up into 3 sections:


1. How-to: from an administrator's perspective, basic how-to docs on
how to install the module, how to configure basic settings, etc.
2. Reference: A thorough examination of all the various options and
stuff (warning: sometimes requires looking through source code)
3. Case studies: A step-by-step "recipe" guide on how to make a few
different common examples, such as making a t-shirt store, setting up
Drupal to take PayPal donations, charging people for group membership,
etc.


Another thing that would be far less time-consuming but extremely
valuable would be to fill in module documentation for the 30+ modules
that make up the e-commerce module. A sample page looks like
http://drupal.org/handbook/modules/book and they would go as child
pages to http://drupal.org/node/50350 probably. Looks like there is
more E-Commerce documentation there now than the last time I looked,
cool.  :) 


Also, there are a few getting started guides, including at least one or
two for e-commerce, available from osddp.org:
http://osddp.org/node/284
http://osddp.org/node/287


Hope that helps someone out some.




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Thu, 23 Mar 2006 04:54:01 +0000 : sime

Brilliant, this is great. Both the zip file and the links (I hadn't seen
that deep dark section of the Handbook before).


Quick Q. Is there a requirement to write separate documentation for
different versions? ie. 4.6, 4.7...




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Thu, 23 Mar 2006 05:01:47 +0000 : webchick

I think you'd find it much easier to just write one version of the
documentation, and make special notes to point out where something only
applies to either 4.6 or 4.7.




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Thu, 23 Mar 2006 05:43:51 +0000 : gordon

This is great, I was told about this at the end of last year, and we are
going to need to do some updates, but this is going to give us shuch a
great start.


Do you mind if I commit this into the E-Commerce docs directory?




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Thu, 23 Mar 2006 16:39:06 +0000 : webchick

No, go for it. Much better than on C:\webchick's hard drive\ :P


I'm not sure that it's quite "commit-worthy" yet though. There are
still A LOT of places that need filling in. :(




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Thu, 23 Mar 2006 23:28:57 +0000 : fgm

I made this UML class diagram of e-commerce 4.6 some time ago, and have
been updating it for 4.7 since. 


Maybe it can be of interest ?
http://blog.riff.org/index.php/2005/08/07/9-grokking-drupal-e-commerce
(temporary url, soon to be drupal-based)


Beyond that, I also expect to have a full E/R diagram for drupal 4.7
and e-commerce 4.7 at some point next month. This is less abstract than
the UML view, but I find both useful.


Unless you're in much of a hurry, I suggest you wait for it. 


Of course, these don't really belong in any of the 3 sections you
mention: "reference" would be the closest match, I think.