CiviCommerce?

[rczamor]

Hi folks,

Trellon will be launching a few modules in the coming weeks that add nonprofit related functionality to Ubercart and tightly integrate the Ubercart module with CiviCRM. The modules allow users to:

1) Accept additional contributions at check out

2) Have purchases made in honor or memory of an individual

3) Purchase gift coupons for a person

The integration code takes a different approach that the currect UC CiviCRM module which is being released by DharmaTech. The integration module we developed connects UC and CiviCRM in the following ways:

1) Each product which is purchased by an individual is passed into CiviCRM as a separate donation record to allow for reporting on each product. Each donation record stores a source code (custom field on product content type), product name (custom CiviCRM field), and product sku (custom CiviCRM field).

2) Each additional contribution is stored as a specific contribution type which can have a source code assigned to all contributions made through the check out form.

3) For purchases in memory of someone, the honoree is stored in the honoree fields for the donation records of each product purchased. Our module also collects honoree address, so the contact record for honoree may  be created with a mailing address.

We are thinking of releasing the modules as an e-commerce package for CiviCRM, but first wanted to gauge interest in the CiviCRM community. We could release these as one module called CiviCommerce that could be rolled into CiviCRM core if the demand is high enough. if not, we would just release the UC Honorary Gift, UC Contribution, and UC Gift Coupon modules as individual modules.

Let us know your thoughts on this package. We would love to also hear your thoughts on our approach to this module. We implemented this for our a client, so the methods are very specific to their needs. We could generalize the code based on feedback we get for a release with CiviCRM 2.3 or later.

[Chris Burgess]

These look really promising - have had requests for some of this functionality already. Will look forward to seeing the results of this work when it is released.

Thanks (in advance!) Trellom

[Chris Burgess]

I wonder if "CiviCart" would be a better name, though? "CiviCommerce" might cause some confusion, b/c the two cart/commerce modules for Drupal are eCommerce and UberCart. Therefore "CiviCommerce" may suggest to folks that it is integrated with eCommerce rather than Ubercart.

Hopefully we can attach the appropriate hooks so that this work of yours integrates cleanly with eCommerce as well - that would be a win for users of that platform. (We generally prefer Ubercart, but it might be useful for others too.)

Looking forward to seeing the code released!

[rczamor]

I wonder if "CiviCart" would be a better name, though? "CiviCommerce" might cause some confusion, b/c the two cart/commerce modules for Drupal are eCommerce and UberCart. Therefore "CiviCommerce" may suggest to folks that it is integrated with eCommerce rather than Ubercart.

Hopefully we can attach the appropriate hooks so that this work of yours integrates cleanly with eCommerce as well - that would be a win for users of that platform. (We generally prefer Ubercart, but it might be useful for others too.)

Looking forward to seeing the code released!

We have personally found Ubercart to be a far superior e-commerce module with more options for reporting, discounts, coupons, etc, so we think we will leave the integration to Ubercart. These modules we specifically made to integrate with that module, and we would probably need to re-engineer them to work with Ubercart.

[Matt2000]

This might be an unpopular suggestion for this forum, but I'd rather see work toward eliminating the need for CiviCRM entirely, and do everything natively in Drupal/Ubercart. This would make for much better Developer Experience. We're already seeing this trend with the new ubercart donations module.

IMO, [Drupal as a Framework] is a much better choice than CiviCRM's hodge podge of [QuickForm + PEAR:DB + Smarty + Dojo + custom ACLs].

(CiviCRM would do much better to support one CMS natively (the CMS that is a framework), and support the others via bridge modules/components, rather than duplicating effort in order to try and live in some pointless middle ground. The work being done with Drupal+Alfresco demonstrates the point nicely.)

[Donald Lobo]

Thanx for the CiviCRM suggestions. we'll keep it in mind for future versions. We have learned and continue to learn and pick up a lot from the drupal way .

I dont think we've duplicated any effort in pointless middle ground. Using standard PHP library (PEAR, QF, Smarty) is not a duplication, IMO (and neither is it a hodge podge). Its also saved us a lot of potential nightmare from drupal's fapi migration (4 -> 5) and DB migration (6 -> 7). Unfortunately we did get caught in the menu migration ( 5 -> 6)

lobo

[Matt2000]

There are always migration issues, no matter what framework you choose. For example, PEAR:DB has been deprecated... presumably we'll have to eventually deal with a migration to MDB2.

My point is simply that one integrated framework is advantageous over several disconnected projects. (Of course, there are disadvantages also, but I think it is better to err on the side of integration for core systems.) I didn't intend 'hodge podge' as derogatory. Drupal as Framework is easily overlooked when you think of Drupal as a CMS only; I'm just trying to correction that potential perception.

Obviously this was not a reasonable option for CiviCRM before Drupal FAPI matured, but now that it has, I would *LOVE* to see CiviCRM 3.0 built like Ubercart, on top of Drupal.

I'm not trying to start a flame war or a Drupal vs Joomla debate. I think CiviCRM shoudl support as many CMSes as possible, and I'm trying to propose a better way to do so, by viewing Drupal as a framework, and NOT as a CMS.

I've supported the work on Ubercart Donations as a constructive step in that direction, and I'm glad that rczamor is seeking to continue to include the CiviCRM project.

Perhaps a temporary separation of efforts is a necessary evil, but my hope is that the two could come back together as soon as possible, and perhaps CiviCRM 3.0 is that opportunity.

Again, this is not about abandoning support for any CMSes. This is what has occured with Alfresco. By way of analogy,

Drupal[Framework] + Alfresco[CMS] = (CiviCRM on Drupal) + Joomla

[petednz]

Anyone else pick up on Chris' suggestion of referring to this new module(s) as CiviCart rather than CiviCommerce - to be more explicit about the connection to Ubercart v eCommerce?

[rczamor]

Anyone else pick up on Chris' suggestion of referring to this new module(s) as CiviCart rather than CiviCommerce - to be more explicit about the connection to Ubercart v eCommerce?

Yep, I got that. I think that is a good idea.

Also realized I did not mention that these modules will also be released as Ubercart modules so people can use them outside of CiviCRM.

[kevcol]

This is exactly what I'm looking for -- have there been any updates?

[gg66]

Have these modules ever been released? Looking into a similar project and would like to pick up on this..

[Matt2000]

http://drupal.org/project/uc_varprice

http://drupal.org/project/uc_atctweaks

[petednz]

Matt, you or anyone else able to update us on the status of these - do they still work with 3.2?

I know it took a fair amount of work to get the other uc integration upgraded - refer here http://forum.civicrm.org/index.php/topic,15233.0.html

But the approach taken above sounds like it has some further advantages at the civicrm end of things

[Matt2000]

Those modules have nothing to do with CiviCRM directly. It's just a way to collect donation with ubercart.

I don't know if uc_civicrm works with 3.2. I try to avoid using both Ubercart & CiviCRM if at all possible. I think it's generally better to go with one or the other, but YMMV.

[petednz]

Hi Matt - in the original post rczamor said

The integration code takes a different approach that the currect UC CiviCRM module which is being released by DharmaTech. The integration module we developed connects UC and CiviCRM in the following ways:

1) Each product which is purchased by an individual is passed into CiviCRM as a separate donation record to allow for reporting on each product. Each donation record stores a source code (custom field on product content type), product name (custom CiviCRM field), and product sku (custom CiviCRM field).

2) Each additional contribution is stored as a specific contribution type which can have a source code assigned to all contributions made through the check out form.

3) For purchases in memory of someone, the honoree is stored in the honoree fields for the donation records of each product purchased. Our module also collects honoree address, so the contact record for honoree may  be created with a mailing address.

Hence my thought that some integration had occured.

Re uc_civicrm works and 3.2 - we should be testing this later this week. Will report back.