General Questions (pre-installation)

[FractalDesign]

Hello,

I'm considering using Virtuemart and Virtuemart Database Manager as part of a site I'm using...

I have some questions to discover if it will do what I need...


(1)Can I create a good searchable and downloadable database based on categoies as part of the database manager?
(2)Can I add information into the database manually without a user having completed a form? I want to add offline data if possible.
(3)Is Virtuemart primarily just a payment shopping cart or can I build some comprehensive forms into each product?
(4)Does it save user details for when they buy another item?
(5)Can users pay for an item in installments?
(6)Can I link Virtuemart to a paypal account?

Would massively appreciate it if someone can answer these questions...

Philip

[Milbo]

I'm considering using Virtuemart and Virtuemart Database Manager as part of a site I'm using...

Database manager?

There is no database manager in the vm core, or better said, I dont understand what you mean with database manager.

Virtuemart is using php as coding language and mysql as database. When you want to understand virtuemart completly you must learn about joomla. Joomla is a CMS and virtuemart is a component of it. So you have a full ecommerce solution with a framework which has a lot other extensions, like guestbooks, maps, social components, forum, and so on.

(1)Can I create a good searchable and downloadable database based on categoies as part of the database manager?

Vm is programming a mysql database for you. All tables use index. So you can do this of course.

(2)Can I add information into the database manually without a user having completed a form? I want to add offline data if possible.

For this exist various possibilities, you can use database tools like phpmyadmin. There will exist connectors to offline programms using vm api.

(3)Is Virtuemart primarily just a payment shopping cart or can I build some comprehensive forms into each product?

You can extend the products with customfields, which can be even a plugin, so the customisation possibilities are endless.

(4)Does it save user details for when they buy another item?

Learn joomla! Of course it contains a full user managment. It is possible to connect this users to other joomla components like "community builder".

(5)Can users pay for an item in installments?

?

(6)Can I link Virtuemart to a paypal account?

Yes, vm1 supported more than 20 different payment gateways, you can assume that vm2 will also. Paypal basic is already provided in the aio delivered with the core installer.

Please read also the sticky VirtueMart 2 Feature list: http://forum.virtuemart.net/index.php?topic=91199.0

[Milbo]

btw:
http://virtuemart.net/home/faq