In this tutorial, we will review the manual and automated installation of Loaded Commerce on your account. The process is easy to complete and we will review the steps for that so you can configure the application per your needs.
Further reading:
Loaded commerce configuration and branding
Loaded commerce content management tutorial
Automated Installation
There is an easier way of installing Loaded Commerce on your account. It provides an automated setup of Loaded Commerce via Softaculous.
The steps for a manual Loaded Commerce installation are:
- 1. Download Loaded Commerce
- 2. Prepare the Loaded Commerce Files
- 3. Initiate the Installation
- 4. Complete the Installaton
Download Loaded Commerce
The first step of the process is to download the application. You can do so via the official Loaded Commerce website. Click on the Download button at the top-right section of the screen.
Enter your name and email address and then click on the Get Free Download button to proceed.
Prepare the Loaded Commerce Files
The next step is to prepare the Loaded Commerce files for installation. You need to extract the contents of the archive you have downloaded on your local computer. This will create a loaded7-master/ directory, which includes all of the files that you need for the installation. Within that directory, you will notice another one, which is called catalog/. This directory contains all of the files you need to perform the installation on your account.
The next step is to upload the files of the catalog/ folder to the server. The important thing here is to make sure that you upload them to the exact directory where you wish to install Loaded Commerce. For example, if you wish to install the application on your primary domain, simply upload the files directly to the public_html/ directory of your account.
Upload Files
There are two ways of uploading your files to the server - using an FTP client, following our FTP tutorial, or uploading directly through your cPanel account > File Manager, following our cPanel tutorial.
Initiate the Installation
Up until this moment, you will have a location on your account, which contains the Loaded Commerce files. To initiate the actual installation, you need to access it via your favorite browser. The system will automatically call the installation script for you.
The first step is to perform a system check. This will test if the server meets the requirements of Loaded Commerce, before it can proceed with the installation. Todhost servers are fully optimized for the application so you will not have any issues on this step.
Check the requirements for your information and then click on the New Install button to proceed.
The next step is the Database configuration. You will need to create a new and empty database for your website and a user assigned to it with full privileges.
MySQL Configuration
You can create a new database and a user assigned to it via cPanel. Simply follow our MySQL Wizard tutorial for information on that.
When you have your new database ready, you can proceed with the following database options for the new Loaded Commerce installation:
- Database Host - Set this to "localhost" (without the quotes), if your database is located on the same server
- Username - Enter the username assigned to your database;
- Password - Enter the password for it;
- Database Name - Enter the name of the new database you have created above;
- Database Type - Choose the database type you will use for your website;
- Table Prefix - Set a prefix for the tables on your new Loaded Commerce installation.
When you edit these options, click on the Continue button to proceed to the next step.
The next step will configure Loaded Commerce on the server. Edit the following options:
- HTTP Address - Enter the URL for your website. This option will be automatically detected by the system;
- Use SSL - Enable this option only if you have a valid SSL certificate installed on your domain by our technicians;
- HTTPS Address - If you use SSL for your website, enter the https address here;
- Root Directory - The directory of your Loaded Commerce installation on the server. The system will automatically detect that for you.
- Work Directory - The work directory of your installation. The system will detect this path for you.
Click on the Continue button to proceed with the installation.
The last configuration step for your new website is the Store Settings. This will create the main administrative account for your new website. The options you can edit are:
- First Name - Enter your first name;
- Last Name - Enter your last name;
- Store Name - Enter the name of your store;
- Store Owner E-Mail - Enter the email address of the store owner;
- Admin Email - Enter the email address of the administrator for your website;
- Admin Password - Enter the password that will be used for the administrator account;
- Import Sample Data - You have the option to import sample data on your website. If you are new to Loaded Commerce, it is recommended to import such data as it will be easier to review the different features of the application.
Complete the Installaton
The installation of Loaded Commerce is now successfully completed. The system will display a notification for you, which includes direct links to the front and back end of your new website.
Keep a note of them for your records so you can easily edit and manage your new website.
Further reading:
Loaded commerce configuration and branding
Loaded commerce content management tutorial
Install Loaded Commerce via Softaculous
The installation of Loaded Commerce is easy, when you use the Softaculous automated process. We will review the steps for that and all of the options you have using this method. This will provide an inside look on how to complete the process yourself.
The steps for Loaded Commerce installation via Softaculous are:
- 1. Access Softaculous
- 2. Configure the Installation Options
- 3. Complete the Installation
Access Softaculous
The first step of the process is to access the Softaculous auto-installer. For that purpose, you need to log into your cPanel account and locate the Software and Services section. Click on the Softaculous icon to proceed.
You will be presented with a list of all available applications for free installation. The list is located on the left-side of the screen and the available scripts are grouped by their functionality. Search for Loaded 7 and select it.
You will be taken to the Loaded Commerce overview page of Softaculous. It will provide valuable information about the script and what it is designed to do. You will also be able to see a live demo, reviews and many other options. If you wish to proceed with the installation, click on the Install button.
Configure the Installation Options
The system will initiate the install script for Loaded Commerce. You will have a few options for a proper set up of the application on your account. We will review all of the available options so you can make sure that Loaded Commerce is configured properly on the server.
The first section is called the Software Setup and the options you have are:
- Choose Protocol - You can choose the protocol to be used on your new installation. Make sure that you do NOT select https, if you do not have a valid SSL license for your domain. This is an extra service that you can get via your Client Area.
- Choose Domain - Choose the domain to be used for the new installation. If you have any addon, parked or subdomains, you will be able to choose them here.
- In Directory - Choose the directory, where you wish to install Loaded Commerce. If you do not want to install it in a subfolder, simply leave this field blank.
- Database Name - Set the name of the database to be created for your website. The system will automatically add it to your account.
The second section is called Site Settings and you have the following option in it:
- Site Name - Enter the name of the new store. This is optional only and you will be able to easily change the name later
The third step is the Database Settings section configuration. It provides the following option:
- Table Prefix: Set a prefix for the tables on your database. If you are using existing database with data in it, you may specify any prefix, which allows you to easily locate the tables for this new installation.
The last section is the Admin Account configuration. The options are:
- Admin Email - Set the administrative email account for your website;
- Admin Password - Set the password for the administrative account on your website;
- First Name - Enter your first name;
- Last Name - Enter your last name.
When you are ready with the configuration described above, simply scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the Install button. The system will automatically initiate the process for you.
Complete the Installation
The installation may take a few seconds to get fully completed. Once this process is over, you will be presented with details about your new website, which includes the home page URL, as well as the one for the administrative area. Enjoy!
