I recently found myself needing to set up various stores with very large custom order numbers to avoid conflicting order numbers when centrally processing orders from multiple stores.

Background Information

When OpenCart is installed the tables with order_id columns are setup as datatype INT(11) and by default these columns are signed, meaning they support negative or positive numbers (which doesn’t make any sense for order numbers). As an INT(11) SIGNED column it could contain order numbers up to 2147483647 and if the field was INT(11) UNISGNED it could then contain order numbers up to 4294967295. But for my administrative needs this was still not enough.

Solution

Note: The following method has been tested on OpenCart v1.5.2 only and I can’t say how it will behave on other versions.

First things first, you should take this opportunity to backup your OpenCart database in case something goes wrong.

Allowing Very Large Order Numbers

After eliminating the other integer data types I turned to the BIGINT UNSIGNED datatype which can contain order numbers up to 18446744073709551615.

To make use of this datatype you will need to run some SQL queries to alter some columns in the database schema. If your install has a table prefix setup adjust the queries as necessary.

ALTER TABLE `affiliate_transaction` CHANGE COLUMN `order_id` `order_id` BIGINT UNSIGNED NOT NULL;
ALTER TABLE `coupon_history` CHANGE COLUMN `order_id` `order_id` BIGINT UNSIGNED NOT NULL;
ALTER TABLE `customer_reward` CHANGE COLUMN `order_id` `order_id` BIGINT UNSIGNED NOT NULL DEFAULT '0';
ALTER TABLE `customer_transaction` CHANGE COLUMN `order_id` `order_id` BIGINT UNSIGNED NOT NULL;
ALTER TABLE `order` CHANGE COLUMN `order_id` `order_id` BIGINT UNSIGNED NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT;
ALTER TABLE `order_download` CHANGE COLUMN `order_id` `order_id` BIGINT UNSIGNED NOT NULL;
ALTER TABLE `order_fraud` CHANGE COLUMN `order_id` `order_id` BIGINT UNSIGNED NOT NULL DEFAULT '0';
ALTER TABLE `order_history` CHANGE COLUMN `order_id` `order_id` BIGINT UNSIGNED NOT NULL;
ALTER TABLE `order_option` CHANGE COLUMN `order_id` `order_id` BIGINT UNSIGNED NOT NULL;
ALTER TABLE `order_product` CHANGE COLUMN `order_id` `order_id` BIGINT UNSIGNED NOT NULL;
ALTER TABLE `order_total` CHANGE COLUMN `order_id` `order_id` BIGINT UNSIGNED NOT NULL;
ALTER TABLE `order_voucher` CHANGE COLUMN `order_id` `order_id` BIGINT UNSIGNED NOT NULL DEFAULT '0';
ALTER TABLE `return` CHANGE COLUMN `order_id` `order_id` BIGINT UNSIGNED NOT NULL;
ALTER TABLE `voucher` CHANGE COLUMN `order_id` `order_id` BIGINT UNSIGNED NOT NULL;
ALTER TABLE `voucher_history` CHANGE COLUMN `order_id` `order_id` BIGINT UNSIGNED NOT NULL;

Setting the Order Increment ID

Now you can the set the order table’s order_id column AUTO_INCREMENT value to a non-negative number between 1 and 18446744073709551615. The SQL command for that follows:

ALTER TABLE `order` AUTO_INCREMENT = 9010003001;

Once again, if your install is using a table prefix, update the query as necessary.

Hopefully in the future the OpenCart developers will recognize that some need to use very large custom order numbers and adjust the install database schema so that we don’t have to hack the tables. But until then this is what works for me.

Note: These queries were testing on Magento Community Edition v1.6.2.0. I fully expect the increment ID queries to work on v1.4.1 and above, but DO NOT set the increment prefix to NULL on anything less than v1.6.0. Backup your database before making any changes in case your copy of Magento reacts unexpectedly.

Find the Current Increment IDs for All Stores

SELECT core_store_group.name AS group_name, core_website.name AS website_name, core_store.name AS store_name, core_store.store_id, increment_prefix, increment_last_id, entity_type_code
FROM eav_entity_store
INNER JOIN eav_entity_type ON eav_entity_type.entity_type_id = eav_entity_store.entity_type_id
INNER JOIN core_store ON core_store.store_id = eav_entity_store.store_id
INNER JOIN core_store_group ON core_store_group.group_id = core_store.group_id
INNER JOIN core_website ON core_website.website_id = core_store.website_id
WHERE eav_entity_store.store_id != 0 ORDER BY eav_entity_store.store_id;

This will display your current increment ID and prefix for all document types (quotes, orders, invoices, shipments, and credit memos). In addition it will show you the website group, website name, store name, and store ID for each type of increment ID to help you in updating a specific store among multiple stores.
When making changes keep in mind that the increment_prefix field type is varchar(20) and that the increment_last_id field type is varchar(50).

Order Increment ID and Prefix

Change your Order Increment ID on All Stores

UPDATE eav_entity_store
INNER JOIN eav_entity_type ON eav_entity_type.entity_type_id = eav_entity_store.entity_type_id
SET eav_entity_store.increment_last_id='XXXXXXXXXX'
WHERE eav_entity_type.entity_type_code='order';

Replace the X‘s with your desired order number and run the query.

Change your Order Prefix on All Stores

UPDATE eav_entity_store
INNER JOIN eav_entity_type ON eav_entity_type.entity_type_id = eav_entity_store.entity_type_id
SET eav_entity_store.increment_prefix='X'
WHERE eav_entity_type.entity_type_code='order';

Replace the X with your desired order prefix or remove the quotes and set X to NULL to disable the order prefix, then run the query.

Change your Order Increment ID on a Specific Store

UPDATE eav_entity_store
INNER JOIN eav_entity_type ON eav_entity_type.entity_type_id = eav_entity_store.entity_type_id
SET eav_entity_store.increment_last_id='XXXXXXXXXX'
WHERE eav_entity_type.entity_type_code='order' AND eav_entity_store.store_id = 'Y';

Replace the X‘s with your desired order number, replace Y with the store ID of the store you want to modify, then run the query.

Change your Order Prefix on a Specific Store

UPDATE eav_entity_store
INNER JOIN eav_entity_type ON eav_entity_type.entity_type_id = eav_entity_store.entity_type_id
SET eav_entity_store.increment_prefix='X'
WHERE eav_entity_type.entity_type_code='order' AND eav_entity_store.store_id = 'Y';

Replace the X with your desired order prefix or remove the quotes and set X to NULL to disable the order prefix, then replace Y with the store ID of the store you want to modify. Run the query.

Invoice Increment ID and Prefix

Change your Invoice Increment ID on All Stores

UPDATE eav_entity_store
INNER JOIN eav_entity_type ON eav_entity_type.entity_type_id = eav_entity_store.entity_type_id
SET eav_entity_store.increment_last_id='XXXXXXXXXX'
WHERE eav_entity_type.entity_type_code='invoice';

Replace the X‘s with your desired invoice number and run the query.

Change your Invoice Prefix on All Stores

UPDATE eav_entity_store
INNER JOIN eav_entity_type ON eav_entity_type.entity_type_id = eav_entity_store.entity_type_id
SET eav_entity_store.increment_prefix='X'
WHERE eav_entity_type.entity_type_code='invoice';

Replace the X with your desired invoice prefix or remove the quotes and set X to NULL to disable the order prefix, then run the query.

Change your Invoice Increment ID on a Specific Store

UPDATE eav_entity_store
INNER JOIN eav_entity_type ON eav_entity_type.entity_type_id = eav_entity_store.entity_type_id
SET eav_entity_store.increment_last_id='XXXXXXXXXX'
WHERE eav_entity_type.entity_type_code='invoice' AND eav_entity_store.store_id = 'Y';

Replace the X‘s with your desired invoice number, replace Y with the store ID of the store you want to modify, then run the query.

Change your Invoice Prefix on a Specific Store

UPDATE eav_entity_store
INNER JOIN eav_entity_type ON eav_entity_type.entity_type_id = eav_entity_store.entity_type_id
SET eav_entity_store.increment_prefix='X'
WHERE eav_entity_type.entity_type_code='invoice' AND eav_entity_store.store_id = 'Y';

Replace the X with your desired invoice prefix or remove the quotes and set X to NULL to disable the order prefix, then replace Y with the store ID of the store you want to modify. Run the query.

Shipment Increment ID and Prefix

Change your Shipment Increment ID on All Stores

UPDATE eav_entity_store
INNER JOIN eav_entity_type ON eav_entity_type.entity_type_id = eav_entity_store.entity_type_id
SET eav_entity_store.increment_last_id='XXXXXXXXXX'
WHERE eav_entity_type.entity_type_code='shipment';

Replace the X‘s with your desired shipment number and run the query.

Change your Shipment Prefix on All Stores

UPDATE eav_entity_store
INNER JOIN eav_entity_type ON eav_entity_type.entity_type_id = eav_entity_store.entity_type_id
SET eav_entity_store.increment_prefix='X'
WHERE eav_entity_type.entity_type_code='shipment';

Replace the X with your desired shipment prefix or remove the quotes and set X to NULL to disable the order prefix, then run the query.

Change your Order Increment ID on a Specific Store

UPDATE eav_entity_store
INNER JOIN eav_entity_type ON eav_entity_type.entity_type_id = eav_entity_store.entity_type_id
SET eav_entity_store.increment_last_id='XXXXXXXXXX'
WHERE eav_entity_type.entity_type_code='shipment' AND eav_entity_store.store_id = 'Y';

Replace the X‘s with your desired shipment number, replace Y with the store ID of the store you want to modify, then run the query.

Change your Order Prefix on a Specific Store

UPDATE eav_entity_store
INNER JOIN eav_entity_type ON eav_entity_type.entity_type_id = eav_entity_store.entity_type_id
SET eav_entity_store.increment_prefix='X'
WHERE eav_entity_type.entity_type_code='shipment' AND eav_entity_store.store_id = 'Y';

Replace the X with your desired shipment prefix or remove the quotes and set X to NULL to disable the order prefix, then replace Y with the store ID of the store you want to modify. Run the query.

Credit Memo Increment ID and Prefix

Change your Credit Memo Increment ID on All Stores

UPDATE eav_entity_store
INNER JOIN eav_entity_type ON eav_entity_type.entity_type_id = eav_entity_store.entity_type_id
SET eav_entity_store.increment_last_id='XXXXXXXXXX'
WHERE eav_entity_type.entity_type_code='creditmemo';

Replace the X‘s with your desired credit memo number and run the query.

Change your Credit Memo Prefix on All Stores

UPDATE eav_entity_store
INNER JOIN eav_entity_type ON eav_entity_type.entity_type_id = eav_entity_store.entity_type_id
SET eav_entity_store.increment_prefix='X'
WHERE eav_entity_type.entity_type_code='creditmemo';

Replace the X with your desired credit memo prefix or remove the quotes and set X to NULL to disable the order prefix, then run the query.

Change your Credit Memo Increment ID on a Specific Store

UPDATE eav_entity_store
INNER JOIN eav_entity_type ON eav_entity_type.entity_type_id = eav_entity_store.entity_type_id
SET eav_entity_store.increment_last_id='XXXXXXXXXX'
WHERE eav_entity_type.entity_type_code='creditmemo' AND eav_entity_store.store_id = 'Y';

Replace the X‘s with your desired credit memo number, replace Y with the store ID of the store you want to modify, then run the query.

Change your Credit Memo Prefix on a Specific Store

UPDATE eav_entity_store
INNER JOIN eav_entity_type ON eav_entity_type.entity_type_id = eav_entity_store.entity_type_id
SET eav_entity_store.increment_prefix='X'
WHERE eav_entity_type.entity_type_code='creditmemo' AND eav_entity_store.store_id = 'Y';

Replace the X with your desired credit memo prefix or remove the quotes and set X to NULL to disable the order prefix, then replace Y with the store ID of the store you want to modify. Run the query.

Open your site through FTP or cPanel File Manager and add this line just inside the closing ?> of your site’s wp-login.php file (found in the root of your installation):

wp_set_password('foobar',1);

Now, open up a browser go to your WordPress site’s login page (/wp-login.php or /wp-admin) and login using your new password (foobar in this case).

At this point you need to remove the wp_set_password line from wp-login.php and then you’re done. You can now change your password from within the WordPress admin.

The first parameter is the new password you would like to set, and the second parameter is the WordPress user ID. If you need to lookup your user ID connect to your WordPress database using phpMyAdmin or another SQL client and look in the wp_users table.

I’m not sure why the Internet is full of pages suggesting running SQL commands, that hasn’t worked for a while since the passwords are not stored using the MD5 algorithm anymore. Even the WordPress Codex has outdated methods, although it does include the method I have shown you.

Happy log-ins WordPress travelers!

• Fast Image Resizer: http://adionsoft.net/fastimageresize/ (Free)
  Though last updated in 2010 it does what it needs to and that’s what matters. Drag-and-drop images to resize to your defined pixel shape. You can also process one or more images by using the Send To menu and it will start resizing instantly using your last settings.
• Freemake Video Converter: http://www.freemake.com/free_video_converter/ (Free)
  Great video editor, combiner, and converter.
• Total Recorder VideoPro: http://www.highcriteria.com/ (Paid)
  Little known program that can record any sound that comes out of your computer whether it’s source be software or hardware. Total Recorder can take on any single-track audio editing needs including converting tapes and LP records to MP3s, audio restoration, support for many audio formats, normalization, EQ adjustments, scheduled recordings, and more. The VideoPro edition adds screen recording and video editing features as well.
• MediaInfo: http://mediainfo.sourceforge.net/ (Free)
  Gives a massive amount of information about video files such as audio/video bit rates, codec used, video container format, and much more. The HTML view is the easiest for me to read.
• Unlocker Assistant: http://www.emptyloop.com/unlocker/(Free)
  Helps you delete locked files. XP Context Tools mentioned later has this as an option, but i’m not sure which is better.
• Harddisk Search & Stats: http://www.harddisksearch.com/ (Free)
  Search for files containing specified content far better than normal Windows search function. Also referred to as HDSearchandStats. Though last updated in 2005 this utility works fine on Windows 7.
• Daemon Tools Lite: http://www.daemon-tools.cc/eng/products/dtLite (Free)
  Makes mounting CD/DVD/Blu-ray images as drive letters easy as pie.
• Bulk Rename Utility: http://www.bulkrenameutility.co.uk (Free)
  Time-saving utility with tons of options for renaming large quantities of files.
• Beyond Compare: http://www.scootersoftware.com (Paid)
  Compare folders and files with power and ease.
• EditPad Pro: http://www.editpadpro.com/ (Paid)
  Best notepad-type application for text editing and manipulation. I like to use it for it’s regular expression search & replace, sorting, viewing SQL files. Pair with RegExBuddy for best results.
• RegExBuddy: http://www.regexbuddy.com/ (Paid)
  Wonderful app for creating, deciphering, testing regular expressions. Pair with EditPad Pro for best results.
• Sysinternals Suite: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb842062 (Free)
  An amazing set of local/remote administration, monitoring, and troubleshooting tools. An absolute must have for IT Managers.
• FileZilla: http://filezilla-project.org/ (Free)
  The app you need when using FTP/SFTP.
• HeidiSQL: http://www.heidisql.com/ (Free)
  A good MySQL client to create, read, update, and delete databases.
• SecureCRT: http://www.vandyke.com/products/securecrt/ (Paid)
  Very fine SSH/Telnet/Console client, better interface and terminal emulation than PuTTy in my opinion.
• VirtualBox: https://www.virtualbox.org/ (Free)
  Powerful x86 and AMD64/Intel64 virtualization product for enterprise as well as home use. Easy to use and religiously updated. Create virtual machines quickly to install and run multiple Windows, Linux, Mac operating systems.
• XAMPP: http://www.apachefriends.org/en/xampp.html (Free)
  XAMPP is an easy to install Apache distribution containing MySQL, PHP and Perl. Must-have for developing web applications locally.
• Macrium Reflect Free: http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx (Free)
  Great disk imaging utility for free; pretty fast as well. Use DiskRestore for restoring full hard drive images as opposed to a single partition image restore.
• WinDirStat: http://windirstat.info/ (Free)
  Haven’t found a better utility than this to show me what is using disk space and in a way that is visually informative.
• ImgBurn: http://www.imgburn.com/ (Free)
  Simple program for burning CD/DVDs from files or images and making CD/DVD images from files or existing media.
• XP Context Tools: http://camtech2000.net/Pages/Context_Utilities.htm (Free)
  Adds the very useful “Copy This Path” item to the context menu so you can copy the path to a specific file or folder for use in another application. An older utility, but works great on Windows 7.
• TortoiseSVN: http://tortoisesvn.net/ (Free)
  Helps you manage your projects using SVN repositories. Great for WordPress plugin developers using Windows.
• TortoiseGit: http://code.google.com/p/tortoisegit/ (Free)
  Helps you manage your projects using Git repositories. Port of TortoiseSVN for Git.  Great for Github users using Windows.

As I find more extremely useful applications i’ll add them here, so you may want to bookmark this page for future reference.

View Screencast

Say hello to traits, a short array syntax, $this for closures, and a built-in web server for testing.

Say goodbye to safe mode, magic quotes, register_globals, and import_request_variables. Wonderful news!

Learn more:

• New features
• Backward Incompatible Changes

Click image to view full phpinfo() output PDF

You heard it right, you can now run PHP 5.3 applications on HostMonster. I’ve only testing this on HostMonster, but I would assume the same applies to BlueHost.

Simply add this line to the beginning of your website’s root .htaccess file:

AddHandler application/x-httpd-php53 .php

After making this change you can test it using phpinfo() and it will show you the version at the top, and as of the time of this post Hostmonster is keeping right up to date, running version 5.3.9.

This is exciting news for Zend programmers and other PHP developers ready for the upgrade. Enjoy!

But when you click on the link for News Feed the URL registers as http://www.facebook.com. But for those of us who prefer the News Feed when going to the normal Facebook URL this is annoying, and I’ve found no help or settings that allows me to choose the default section that Facebook will initially load.

So after some messing around i found that the URL for the actual Facebook News Feed:

http://www.facebook.com/?sk=nf

Just click that link once you’re logged in to Facebook, bookmark the page, and you’ll be able to go directly to your News Feed using that bookmark; that is unless Facebook makes changes rendering this method useless.

It works for me, hope that information helps someone else.

Method 1

1. Run gpedit.msc
2. Go to Local Computer Policy -> Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Windows Update
3. Double-click on “No auto-restart for scheduled Automatic Update installation”
4. Enable it, click OK and close the Group Policy Editor
5. Reboot

Method 2

If you don’t have gpedit.msc, use the following instructions.

1. Run regedit.exe
2. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU
   Note: You will need to create the WindowsUpdate and AU keys if they are missing.
3. Create a new 32-bit DWORD value inside of WindowsUpdate\AU and name it NoAutoRebootWithLoggedOnUsers
4. Double-click on your newly created value and give it a value data of 1 (hexadecimal)
5. Click OK and close Registry Editor

Add the following code to your theme’s functions.php file to fix this annoying behavior:

if(!is_admin()){
	add_action('init', 'search_query_fix');
	function search_query_fix(){
		if(isset($_GET['s']) && $_GET['s']==''){
			$_GET['s']=' ';
		}
	}
}