Why is it so complicated to find instructions to simply uninstall Virtuemart?

[sebmolo]

And why is it so complicated to do a clean full uninstall of VM?

I have been searching the docs and the forum and there is nowhere simply explained how to completely uninstall Virtuemart. (or I couldn't find it)

So just if someone is searching, respect this order or you'll have some problems / error messages:
go to your extension manager and uninstall the extensions in that order:
1. uninstall AIO component
2. uninstall tcpdf
3. Connect to your database and remove manually all the tables containing the word virtuemart.

Why not simply go to the extension manager and uninstall them all together? well, (not surprisingly), virtuemart will not let you do that without error messages and/ or strange behaviour while / after uninstalling.

Some general critics:
IMO, despite being somehow a great tool for, Virtuemart is  too complex for small shops, lacks of other things for big shops, the support forum is a mess, the docs are not up to date, the UI is really bad (i guess that's subjective...), the learning-curve is huge...
I think the developers should adopt another way and make virtuemart a two version component, one for paying customer and one free version with only basic functions. That would free up ressources and accelerate development.

I'm not saying it is bad or something, I definitely couldn't do something similar myself, and I'm sure the development of an e-shop cart system is not simple.
I guess it's probably just fine for people who are happy spending time in playing around with core files and manipulating elements to get just the result they want but that eliminates lots of people who just want a simple functioning e-shop...

I have been a user since version 1, implemented in dozen of sites, not had one problem-less experience: the upgrades procedures were always horrible, very difficult to explain to the end-user of the backend.
The fact that even the uninstalling procedure is a pain in the *** sums it up. Having to manually manipulate the DB is not impossible nor too difficult, but nothing for the average user, and definitly not the general joomla idea where installing/uninstalling should be easy... (If you try the REMOVE VIRTUEMART TABLES function from the TOOL tab in the virtuemart backend, the tables are removed but the whole backend stays "stucked" at the VM component.)

Another point is that it is definitely not an easy cart system to explain to end customers who are going to manage the shop on themselves. If you are an agency and doing the webshop for a customer, expect that customer to call you all the time.

[Milbo]

And why is it so complicated to do a clean full uninstall of VM?

I have been searching the docs and the forum and there is nowhere simply explained how to completely uninstall Virtuemart. (or I couldn't find it)

So just if someone is searching, respect this order or you'll have some problems / error messages:
go to your extension manager and uninstall the extensions in that order:
1. uninstall AIO component
2. uninstall tcpdf
3. Connect to your database and remove manually all the tables containing the word virtuemart.

Why not simply go to the extension manager and uninstall them all together? well, (not surprisingly), virtuemart will not let you do that without error messages and/ or strange behaviour while / after uninstalling.

Because people often uninstall VirtueMart to reinstall it (bad habit), then they install it again =>whoops whole shop gone.

So we decided long long far away that we do not delete the tables, but provide a tool. http://docs.virtuemart.net/tutorials/installation-migration-upgrade/98-possible-virtuemart-installation-problems.html

Btw, your googling skill cant be high http://bfy.tw/307r second entry.

So, I am sorry, but I think it is not worth to read further.

[StefanSTS]

I fully agree, VirtueMart is complicated, you cannot just download it, install it, and have a successful business running. Really bad software.

Moving away from VirtueMart now and try my luck in Las Vegas, there must be a way to get things running without effort. Planning on getting rich with these machines where you put a quarter in, pull an arm, and lots of money comes out. Perfect for me, never need to learn anymore, just get the right rythm of the machine and become rich like Donald Duck, or what was the name?

[GJC Web Design]

Uncle Scrooge was the rich one...

[sebmolo]

@ Milbo
Thanks for taking the time to respond. Too bad you didn't want to read my whole post, as it was about how, IMO, one could improve VM.
Allow me to respond to you, even if I'm not sure you'll read it as you seem to be rapidly judging a post's readability.

1. Because people often uninstall VirtueMart to reinstall it (bad habit), then they install it again =>whoops whole shop gone.
So your answer to the question "why is so complicated to do a clean full uninstall of VM?" is that because some people mess with uninstalling/ reinstalling you decided to not make it simple to uninstall everything?
Superb answer.


2. So we decided long long far away that we do not delete the tables, but provide a tool. http://docs.virtuemart.net/tutorials/installation-migration-upgrade/98-possible-virtuemart-installation-problems.html
As adressed further on my post entry, the tool to delete the table does not work properly, but as you say you didn't read further than the first lines...

Still there?
3. Btw, your googling skill cant be high http://bfy.tw/307r second entry. So, I am sorry, but I think it is not worth to read further.
Do you really think I did not search how to deinstall completely and properly VM before posting? And do you really think that the link you so kindly provided indicates a simple way to deinstall completely VM, really

Finally: (if I did not loose you on the way:-) )
Thanks for making fun of users trying to do constructive critics. My whole post was never agressive, nor destructive, just trying to indicate problems and I insist that there is no place that clearly indicates how to easilly and completely uninstall VM.



@StefanSTS and GJC Web Design
wow, making fun of  people who allow themselves to be critic...
Your answer seem to be symptomatic for your attitude towards members who just want to indicate flaws and/or trying to indicate how to improve a product in a constructive way.
If that is how you react towards positive and improving critics, I don't want to know how aggresively you would react with bad critics.

[Milbo]

If you would be really constructive, you just would written this first
"(If you try the REMOVE VIRTUEMART TABLES function from the TOOL tab in the virtuemart backend, the tables are removed but the whole backend stays "stucked" at the VM component.)"

But you write it at the end of a long list of rants. So the put the whole afford, just to say, that the remove tables command does no proper redirect?

[sebmolo]

Sorry that you interpret the whole first post as a long list of rants, which it isn't. (But I guess that is subject to personal interpretation.)
" So the put the whole afford, just to say, that the remove tables command does no proper redirect?  "
No, the whole afford to say that, among other flaws, it is not easy as it should to uninstall VM, nor it is clearly indicated anywhere in the docs, or the forum. (at least according to standard joomla best practice)

Anyhow, thanks for your precious time and for your energy put into reading and answering members posts.
I'm deeply sorry that I wasted your time and won't bother anymore.