This WILL be long.
This is assuming you use a "template" of some kind for your listings, even if it's just your own design. Open your spreadsheet program with a new blank sheet. Also open a HTML editor with your template. This needs to be something where you can see the raw HTML, not the graphic stuff. I personally like NVU. It's free and has tabs where you can go from graphic to HTML.
In your spreadsheet you are going to make a "master form". Starting with the columns, in the first row you will name things. In row 2 we put the "functions" for the spreadsheet. We will have a few but they shouldn't be too complicated. Your headers may vary from mine but this is what I'm using. We break things up to columns so that repetitive things can just be "copy down" in the spreadsheet. Saves a lot of time. With the functions, when you do the copy down, the program automatically adjusts the row numbers for you.
You may have more or less columns than I do depending on your template and what you need.
A has no title. It's a column I added later for putting in a code that I don't know what it is right now. I think it was for indicating "loaded or not", You could use it to show whach sites you have an item listed at, or just eliminate it altogether.
B is Title. That would be the title you want on your listing.
C is Image source. That is the URL to the image used as the first image or preview. For me it's on my web site. Just the first part tho, up to the folder of the image. Mine looks like this -
http://knapps-fresh-vegies.netfirms.com/D is "hard drive inage" to the location of the folder (just the folder) for the same image on your hard drive as some sites only up-load from the hard drive.
E is the file name of the image without the ending, just the name.
F is the ending , most likely .jpg
G was something for Yahoo, so we can skip that.
H is labeled URL image
In row 2 you will put this function in =C2&E2&F2
So what this does is combine column C and E and F to give you a total URL like -
http://knapps-fresh-vegies.netfirms.com/aji.jpgI is drive image.
In row 2 you will put this function in =D2&E2&F2
This combines colums D, E, and F to give you something like
C:\web-page\current\peppers\aji.jpg
The next 2 columns are for if you are using a PHP site and want to try to use the CSV import. Personally I'd skip it as the Php import has never worked right for me. Save yourself some headaches, just build them 1 by 1. But you can use the spreadsheet to build them, copy and paste.
J - for Php
In row 2 you will put 3-5 Pipes (|) ||||| depending on the site you use. On most keyboards it's (shift \)
K is Php image
in row 2 you enter the function =I2&J2
Now we get to your HTML template. This can get a little tricky if you aren't very careful.
Depending on how many places in your template are for things that change, you will have more or less columns. Mine has 3 things that change - image, title and description. So mine has 8 columns, - HTML up to change, change, HTML, change, HTML, change, all the rest of the HTML, where we put it all together.
L is HTML to first change. For my template it's my pic.
In your HTML editor you CAREFULLY highlight and copy the HTML up to the last charactor before your first edit. Paste that into this column in row 2
M is whatever that edit is. For me it's the pic, so in column M in row 2 I put the function =H2 as column H is where my Pic URL is.
Continue alternating columns of the unchangeable HTML with the stuff that changes like the title and description and shipping if it changes for each item. Be sure to copy every HTML charactor before and after the changeable parts into the proper columns. Don't worry that you won't actually SEE all the HTML in a cell if it's long. As long as you did a good copy/paste, it's there. Sometimes the program will try to fit it all in so you can see it. makes things horribly big. Go to format "row" or column and adjust things to a reasonable size. The stuff will all be there, you just won't see it.
The LAST column will be where you put it altogether. In row 2 my function looks like this =L2&M2&N2&O2&P2&Q2&R2
Basically you are just putting the columns together with the & for however many you have. There is probably an easier way to write it but this is the way I know and I can see that all the columns are there.
Now to test to see if you got all the HTML right. Fill in row 3 with 1 item and "copy down" in the columns with a function or repetitive thing so there is something in all the columns across row 3. Now click so you are in the last cell of row 3, the column where we put it all together. Click "copy". Now go to your HTML editor and open a new page. If it's NVU, go to the HTML view and Paste there. Then go to the graphic view and see if it looks the way it should. If it doesn't, you will need to see where you missed something in breaking down the HTML.
While this sounds like a lot of work, it really isn't after you've done it a bit. After you have this "Master list" you can copy the approprate columns to other spreadsheets like the Boostlister or the eCrater or Ebid spreadsheets. In fact once you've made 1 Boostlister sheet, you will probably only need to change the category number to list the same sheet at another Rscript site.
I hope I explained this clearly enough. If you need help, just yell.
Carol
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