Our Google Base Feed Generator extension will allow you to create a text file for google to crawl on a schedule you define. This can be a more dependable method of keeping your products current with Google Shopping.

Installation

  • Install through Magento Connect, clear cache, log out and back into the admin.  If you do not log out you may see a 404 error when trying to access the extension.
  • Or copy contents of the archive from the latest version into Magento dir and clear cache
  • To enable cron in Magento if you have not already, please review these links:
    http://www.magentocommerce.com/wiki/groups/227/setting_up_magento_in_cron
    http://www.magentocommerce.com/wiki/1_-_installation_and_configuration/how_to_setup_a_cron_job
  • In app/code/community/RocketWeb/GoogleBaseFeedGenerator/etc/config.xml change your store code by uncommenting the following if necessary:
    <!–<store>default</store>–>
  • For multi-store config, in the same config.xml file you can create as many googlebasefeedgenerator_generate_store_# blocks as needed.
    <!–
    Setting generator to run for other stores in a multistore configuration.
    <googlebasefeedgenerator_generate_store_2>
    <schedule><cron_expr>* 2 * * *</cron_expr></schedule>
    <run><model>googlebasefeedgenerator/observer::generateFeed</model></run>
    <store>store_code_2</store>
    </googlebasefeedgenerator_generate_store_2>–>
  • Use Magento cron way only for small catalogs and set admin configuration ‘Use Batch Segmentation’ to ‘No’
  • For larger catalogs use the script from app/code/community/RocketWeb/GoogleBaseFeedGenerator/scripts/generate_google_base_feed.php and ‘Use Batch Segmentation’ to ‘Yes’. Check below links for further info.

* 1.4.8 is our last version for Magento 1.6.2.0

Test the Feed

  • After installing the extension, if you have less than 1000 skus you can click the Generate Feed Now button to test the output.
  • If you have more than 1000 skus, you can set an offset and limit to generate a file with 1000 skus or less.  Setting the offset to 0 and the limit to 500 will output your first 500 skus.
  • Look in var/rw_google_base/ to see what the name of your tsv file is.  By default it would be google_base_default.txt.  If you changed your store code in Magento default would be replaced by your unique store code.
  • Open this file in a spreadsheet program like Google Docs, Excel or Apple Pages.  It is a tab separated values file.
  • Look for blank columns.  You will likely need to define at least your product type, Google product category and brand.

How attribute values can be added to products in Magento

  • If you look in the Feed Columns section of the Google Base Feed Generator you will see where you can set default, static values for attributes.  This is the easiest way to set values if all or most rows in a column will be the same.  Set some defaults as appropriate.  Set the product_type and google_base_product_category.  Go here to review Google’s Product Taxonomy.  If you do not have a logical, meaningful category hierarchy on your own site, just set product type to the same thing as product category.
  • If you scroll down in the feed settings, you will see Google Product Category by Category and Product Type by Category.  Here you can easily specify new product types and Google product categories depending on your specific category.
  • For attributes other attributes, you can set some defaults in the Feed Columns map if you like and then edit those attributes in your products.
  • You can also set product attribute values in bulk by going to Catalog -> Manage Products.
    • Select the products you want to edit.
    • Now choose update attributes in the Actions dropdown box and click Submit.
    • You will be taken to a screen where you can set attributes in bulk.
    • Enter your value for the set of products, check the Change checkbox and click the Save button.  You’ve now updated attributes for a set of products.
  • The Enhanced Admin Product Grid is a great extension for giving you more control over what you select and edit in the Manage Products grid.

 Add Your Feed to Google Base

  • If you have more than 1000 skus, wait for the cron job to generate your full feed.  This may take a full day from now, maybe more if you have a very large catalog.
  • Tell google where to fetch your feed once it has been generated.
    • Log into http://www.google.com/merchants/merchantdashboard click Data feeds.
    • Click the “New Data Feed” button.  Specify the filename of the feed on your server, by default google_base.txt.
    • Now save this form and you should see a link in the data feed list for “Create schedule”.  Click this and you’ll be able to specify how often you want google to fetch your feed, what time, and it’s location.  If you have followed advanced instruction on moving your feed file out of the var directory or creating a symlink you can enter a location to a url.  Otherwise if you have not moved your file, you can instruct google to fetch your tsv file from var/rw_google_base via ftp.  You’ll need to give google your fp login and password though, and remember to update it with google whenever you change your password or your feed will break.

 

Additional Google Base Feed Generator Documentation