VirtueMart Akeneo Connector

Introduction

VirtueMart is an open-source eCommerce solution eCommerce designed as an extension of the Mambo or Joomla! Content management systems.

VirtueMart is written in PHP and requires the MySQL database environment for storage. It is best suited for low to medium-level traffic websites.

Basic Requirement

Before you begin, please see the minimum requirements for using this module:

This module works with Akeneo 2.0.x, 2.1.x, 2.2.x, 2.3.x, 3.0.x, 3.1.x, 3.2.x 4.0.x. and 5.0.x. Download Akeneo from here
This module is compatible with the Akeneo community and Enterprise(Flexibility) edition.
If you want to use this extension on Akeneo EE Serenity mode, please contact us.
For the Akeneo installation, your Akeneo server should meet these system requirements.

Features

Export category from Akeneo to VirtueMart
Select locale and currency for product export jobs
Export Custom-field from Akeneo to VirtueMart
Upload multiple images of a product
VirtueMart Akeneo Connector is compatible with latest Akeneo version 5.0.x
Export any specific product(s) using its SKU value in the identifier
Filter products for export based on -category, family, completeness, time conditions
Export Product and product model from Akeneo to VirtueMart

Installing Module for Version 4.0.x to 5.0.x

1- Composer Installation

Read This Blog

2- Manual Installation

To know how to install the VirtueMart Akeneo Connector module in Akeneo, please follow the below steps:

1. First of all, unzip the respective extension zip then merge the “src” folder into the Akeneo project root directory.

2. Goto config/Bundles.php then add the line:

Webkul\AkeneoVirtuemartBundle\AkeneoVirtuemartBundle::class => ['all' => true],

in return array.

3 – Copy the “config” folder into akeneo project root directory for routing.

4 – Run this command after ssh to your akeneo server by the terminal

php bin/console ca:cl --env=prod && php bin/console virtuemart:setup:install --env=prod

5 – If you are using php-fpm. Then you need to restart the php-fpm services and apache web server.

For Akeneo 5

sudo service php-fpm7.4 restart

For Akeneo 4

sudo service php-fpm7.3 restart

Docker Installation Command :

For Akeneo 5

alias docker_php='docker-compose run -u www-data --rm php php';
alias docker_yarn='docker-compose run -u node --rm node yarn';
docker_php bin/console cache:clear --env=prod;
docker_php bin/console pim:installer:assets --symlink --clean --env=prod;
docker_php bin/console d:s:u --force;
docker_yarn run webpack;
docker_yarn run update-extensions;
docker_yarn run less;

For Akeneo 4

alias docker_php='docker-compose run -u www-data --rm php php';
alias docker_yarn='docker-compose run -u node --rm node yarn';
docker_php bin/console cache:clear --env=prod;
docker_php bin/console pim:installer:assets --symlink --clean --env=prod;
docker_php bin/console d:s:u --force;
docker_yarn run webpack;
docker_yarn run less;

Installing Module for Version 2.x to 3.x

To know how to install VirtueMart Akeneo Connector module in Akeneo, please follow the below steps:

1. First of all, unzip the respective extension zip then merge the “src” folder into the Akeneo project root directory.

2. Goto app/AppKernel.php then add line

new Webkul\AkeneoVirtuemartBundle\AkeneoVirtuemartBundle(),

in function registerProjectBundles()
3. Goto app/config/routing.yml and add these lines at top of the file.

akeneo_virtuermart:
   resource: "@AkeneoVirtuemartBundle/Resources/config/routing.yml"
   prefix: /

4. You have to navigate first to Akeneo installation directory (Ex: cd /opt/bitnami/apps/akeneo/htdocs). After SSH, you have to run the command to your Akeneo server by the terminal.

php bin/console ca:cl --env=prod && php bin/console virtuemart:setup:install --env=prod

Common Issues After Installation

It might happen that even after proper installation, upon opening your Akeneo admin dashboard, you see a loading screen. In that case, do check for the following solution:

Webpack Installation: If you get the below error.

It means that webpack is not installed in your system. Run the following command

npm install --save-prod webpack
npm install

Module routing.yml is not configured properly. Re-check the routing.yml file as mentioned in the 3rd step of Module Installation
Clear your browser cache.

VirtueMart API Integration

Before creating the API key admin have to create a user group. For this, the admin will navigate to Users>>Manage>>Add new user.

After that fill the details to create a new user

Account Details: In this admin enter the name, login name, password, and mail.

Assigned User Group: In this admin have to select a group.

Basic Setting: In this admin select the Backend Template Style, Backend Language, Frontend Language, Editor, and Time Zone. Then after filling the details click to Save button.

After creating the user admin can easily generate API keys from the VirtueMart Admin backend. For this, the admin will navigate to Components>>Joomapi>>API Keys as per the below image.

Then select the user to create an API key.

Click to Save button.

VirtueMart Configration

After installing the module in Akeneo, you need to set up the VirtueMart API keys in Akeneo. For this, log into Akeneo then navigate to VirtueMart Connector>Credentials. Then enter the following details –

Shop URL
Shop API Key
User Id

Then click to the Save button.

After creating the credentials you have to map the attribute click to Attribute Mapping.

Other Mapping:

Attributes to be used as Images – The selected Akeneo image attributes will be visible as VirtueMart product gallery images. Please note – The images will export in sorting order they are selected here.

Attributes to be used as Export Custom Attributes – When you are going to export the product from Akeneo to VirtueMart. The selected Akeneo attributes will be visible as custom attributes in VirtueMart. They will appear on the storefront under the ‘More Information’ tab.

Product Creation

You can also create a product in Akeneo. For this, navigate to the Products>>Create.

Now, you need to choose your action – as Product or Product Model as per the below image. You can either select-

Product – If you want to create simple products.
Product Model – If you want to create a variable product with variations

Now enter the required SKU, choose a family then click the Save button.

Product Family – A family is a set of attributes that will be the same for all products belonging to a family.

Therefore, the product family represents product type, imposes product information structure then defines the list of attributes for a product that it belongs to.

Add Product Details

After that, you need to provide product information according to the VirtueMart requirements. Then enter basic product details such as Product name, SKU, image, etc.

Select Attributes

While adding product information, select the attribute options you require. Then you can also create new options for the attribute.

Following Attributes from Akeneo are supported for export:

Text
Text Area
Number
Date
Boolean
Select
Price
Metric
Image
File

You can also add a product description, stock, visibility, and price.

Provide SEO information with your product like mention Meta title, Meta keywords and Meta description.

New Attribute Option

If you require some additional attribute option or an attribute option is missing for a select attribute type. Then, in that case, you can create/add new options for the attribute.
For this, enter a Code and Label, proceed further by clicking the Save button.

Upload Images

Upload multiple images of a product before that make sure you have mentioned the image attributes code in module configuration.

Select Category

After that enter all the product information, you can also select Categories for the created product.

VirtueMart Export Job

To export the products, you first need to create the Export Profile. For this, navigate to Exports -> Create Export Profile as per the below image.

In this module, you will find the following types of export jobs for exporting catalog information to VirtueMart.

To export the product first you have to export the category then custom field.

Category Export:

To create a category export profile, you have to fill the code, label, and job.

After filling the details click to Save button. Then run the export job click to Export Now.

After running the export job you can see the export details.

Custom Field:

To create a custom field export profile, you have to fill the code, label, and job.

After filling the details click to Save button. Then run the export job click to Export Now.

After running the export job you can see the export details.

Product Export:

To create a product export profile you have to fill the code, label, and job.

After filling the details click to Save button. Then go to the Content section then select your channel, locales, currency, and attributes.

You can use various filters for deciding which products to export. Then you can even export some specific products using their SKU values to use commas for more than one SKU.