My Preliminary Thoughts

Hi thank you for your feedback.

We will not be creating documentation anytime soon due to the plugins constant development. When the interface stops changing so much we will but that could be another year away.

Actually a lot of users get very confused when giving instructions because the instructions make them think they MUST or HAVE TO do what we show rather than doing what is right for their project or doing it in a way suitable for their data etc. Combined with the endless project configurations that can be setup documentation does not help everyone.

I think the lack of ability to create pages is an oversight. The plugin was re-developed and released a month back. We’ve obviously hurried a change there. We’ll get that sorted.

Recently I’ve been thinking about how to deliver tutorials based on free edition only. They obviously will come up in the same search on YouTube so the best approach is probably to display a list of links to them on the free edition. I decided that just yesterday as it happens because it is bugging me a little. Originally tutorials for free edition were not considered high priority because it is a simple plugin however that is changing also. I would like to get them made this week actually especially with feedback like this.

If your interested in the premium edition contact us for a discount as a gesture of goodwill.

Thanks for taking my ‘personal’ thoughts about the plugin so kindly. I’m definitely interested in your plugin for numerous reasons, mostly because it is WAYYY more intuitive than any others available.. it’s not even a question.

But like I said as soon as I saw that I could not import data to custom fields of pages, that really hurt because I spent much time examining everything I could find including every single Youtube video. So I assumed that dealing with pages would definitely be an option in the free plugin version, only to find out hours and much excitement later, it wasn’t. That then and now ceases any notion of me being able to use it AT ALL, because without pages, “for me” it makes it 100% useless.. because pages are a must in every website an app that I use WP as a front facing tool for my clients.

I’m keen to using Navicat Premium for MYSQL and importing to just _postmeta table to ‘update the custom fields’ in the mean-time, BUT I will be considering you paid plugin definitely once the token use is in place, as that is what i use myself now with automation software + Navicat + MySQL.. I’m thinking your plugin would speed up my process trifold as I could do away with many of the steps it takes me in this process.

I have subscribed to this RSS and will be waiting ??

Well your feedback is noted and I’m hoping for changes you require in the next few days.

One thing I’m not 100% sure about is your need to update existing custom fields. The way you have said it is as if you want to update meta data as a single process, even if our plugin did not create the posts using the meta or even adopt the posts.

The premium does adopt existing posts if the conditions are right. That is with the aim of then adding or updating custom fields/meta. I’ve never thought or had it requested to update meta values as a process on its own.

Is this what your asking for, a sort of Update Custom Fields tool?

Noting it to be done either way ??

Yes I did think 5 custom fields was restrictive. The most advanced premium themes use around 10 so that is what we will offer in the free edition.

Thanks for trying our plugin.

Sorry Zara, I’m actually just now seeing your response.

Yes, thats exactly what i meant. The option to “update” fields (records if you are thinking DB) that may already have data.

Right now, for a specific site I have a few thousand Posts that have about 8 custom fields each. To do “updates” which i do regularly, I simply export the post_meta table from DB, make changes and then import back straight to DB. When I import back instead of dropping the whole table, I just do an ‘update’.. so it’s more like a diff process.. thus updating the db with all new changes. I use navicat, and that specific process takes about 2 mins.

As of late I’ve been dabbling in connecting to db and doing a simple diff SQL, which make it a simple 2 step process.

As soon as I get some time away from projects, I’m gonna learn the mapping of ALL of the tables and what gets created per table when a post, pages, etc is first created vs my simple update(s) of already created post_meta.

Maybe create a stand alone .exe that could allow one to do somethings without even needing to touch WP.

But I say all that to say, YES.. the fact that ECI paid version will do ‘updates’ I will definitely HAVE to have it.

@ryan, yea the fact that I couldn’t deal with posts was a kill all for me. BUT, the paid version, because of it not only having post capabilities.. but ALL of the other capabilities is a sale from me ??

Without a doubt there is still not enough tools for WordPress in this area. But both Easy CSV Importer and CSV 2 POST have been created to fill the gap. We have long task lists to deliver anything anyone wants in the area of importing.

Your specific requirement is technically possible, just not obvious. So we’ll sort that out. Some options to tell our plugins not to mess around with your posts and just update custom fields are buried among a lot of other options related to creating posts. That won’t do for you. Even once you know how, the plugin your using is still not as light as it could be.

I’m considering a different project type that doesn’t require a title template, content template etc. We could maybe do with an interface that lists all distinct meta keys and you would pair your .csv file columns to them. I would like to see the free edition get something in this area but I think most of the power will come in the paid, especially scheduling and monitoring.

Well this has been noted. Don’t be surprised if we release a plugin that focuses on your specific needs.

??

If u need beta I’m always online working on something