My frontpage mod file is a plugin for MrRat's perl script Amazon Products Feed - or APF. It will work with APF when used as a stand-alone script or when incorporated into Joomla with my APF Bridge component.  The purpose of this mod file is to enable you to add extra text on the frontpage of your store. This is a commercial addon that allows you to:

• Show any text you want on your store's frontpage
• Optionally show different front page for each locale.
• Optionally show the normal 'BrowseMenu' (below)

Who Needs the Frontpage Mod and Why? 

By default the front page of MrRat's APF script shows a list of the major product categories (SearchIndexes in Amazon's terminology) that you the webmaster has enabled. Again out of the box these are all enabled leaving a fairly well populated menu.

For most people this is adequate - although for many others it is less than ideal. There are two or three groups in particular for whom this mod may prove particularly useful.

• Those wishing to feature multiple international Amazon stores equally.
• Those wishing to add a welcoming message or pre-amble to their store's entry page.
• Most importantly those wishing to 'niche' their store - perhaps limiting it to just one of the SearchIndexes. This group in particular are faced with showing a front-page with a menu with one item (not ideal)
  

My mod file overcomes these niggles allowing the user to add whatever html he/she likes to the frontpage. This can be in addition to the normal menu - or instead of.

How to order the APF Frontpage Mod

The mod file can be purchased by sending a paypal payment for UKP10 ($20) to This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it stating that you are ordering the frontpage mod file. I will send you the mod file and instructions later the same day.

In time I will switch to the 'OrderForm' Joomla component that I am developing - and I may even integrate paypal's Instant Payment Notification to facilitate automated electronic  delivery of mod files.  

How Does The Frontpage Mod Work?

A text file (html file) called frontpage.txt that you create is stored in a folder you specify - by default it is in the /frontpage/ folder under your APF folder. If you use multiple locales AND you set the appropriate variable - then  each locale receives its own frontpage file named <xx>_frontpage.txt where <xx> is a placeholder for the two letter code for the locale (uk,us,ca,de,fr,jp).

You can edit the file(s) to contain any code you wish. For example - if you niche your store so heavily you only wish to sell Books  - you could click through your store to the Books page - copy the html and place it  in your frontpage file -  thus moving the Books  SearchIndex directly to the frontpage.

Setup Instructions for the APF Frontpage Mod

Setting up the mod file is really easy.

Open the mod file in a text editor such as notepad (but not a word processor). At the top of the mod file you will find a block of settings that are available for editing.

I detail the main settings here - where numbers are used
1 means on or yes.
0 means off or no.

$Internal_variables{'one_file_per_locale'} = 0 ;

This option when set to 1 enables the use of a different text file for each 'locale'. When left at 0 (zero) the same file is 'included' or incorporated into your frontpage regardless of the 'locale'.

$Internal_variables{'frontpage_folder'} = "$Internal_variables{cwd}/frontpage";  

This line specifies the location of that the 'frontpage files' are stored. It can usually be left unedited - you will need to create this folder 'frontpage' as a sub-folder under the APF script's folder.

$Internal_variables{'show_browse_menu'} = 1;

This setting specifies whether or not the normal browse menu should be shown after your frontpage text. Leave it set to 1 (yes) unless you are adding your own navigation menu within your frontpage text.

$Internal_variables{'the_store'} = 'APF Bridge Joomla Component';
$Internal_variables{'the_subject'} = 'Front Page';

These two setting create variables that the script normally creates (inefficiently) for the frontpage - they form the basis of the <title> and <meta> tags so used effectively they can have an SEO benefit.

Once your edits are complete you transfer the file to the /mods/ folder under your APF script's folder - you run apf_config.cgi and you adjust the radio button next to the mod file to the position of 'enabled'. Ensure you have created the /frontpage/ folder also under the APF script's folder and that the relevant frontpage.txt file(s) have been created.