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Files and Directories

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Files and Directories
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Files and Directories

The following files and directories are used by the script.

The filename prefix "ae" is based on the name of the script. If you rename the script (or set the "script" configuration variable), then the filename prefix is changed accordingly.

Note: The script will not automatically create the cache directory ae-cache or the image cache directory ae-imgcache. You have to create those directory. See installation instructions.

See also: File Permissions for the correct read/write/execute permissions of each file and directory.

Filename or Directory	Description
ae.pl	The Associate Engine script file itself.
ae-ini.txt	Optional configuration file that contains configuration values.
ae-cache/	Directory that contains cached amazon.com data. See configuration variable `cache.dir`
ae-cache/*.tmp	Cached amazon.com data file. If the configuration variable `cache.compress` is `yes` then the files are compressed to about 1/5 their original size to save space and are not human-readable. See configuration variable `cache.dir`
ae-imgcache/	Directory that contains cached amazon.com image data. See configuration variable `imgcache.dir`
ae-cache/*.tmp	Cached amazon.com data file. If the configuration variable `imgcache.compress` is `yes` then the files are compressed to about 1/5 their original size to save space and are not human-readable. See configuration variable `cache.dir`
`ae-format/`	Optional directory that contains formatting code files.
`ae-format/*`	Optional formatting code files.
`ae-template/`	Optional directory that contains Page Template files.
`ae-template/*.html`	Optional Page Template files.

Optional Directories

The following directories are optional. You only need to create them when you want to use the functionality that they are used with.

Directory	Required?	Description
ae-asin/	Optional	Optional directory that contains ASIN lists. See ASIN List Searches. You can define an ASIN list (a text file containing a list of product ASIN's) and then do a search by referring to that list name; e.g.: if ae-asin/myfavbooks.txt contains a list of 3 ASIN's, you could then use /cgi-bin/ae.pl?asinsearch=myfavbooks to display those products.
ae-cache/	Recommended	Even though Associate Engine will work without an ae-cache directory, we strongly recommend that you create it. Data from amazon.com is cached in that directory to speed up requests. The directory must be writeable so you must use CHMOD 755 (if that doesn't work, then use either CHMOD 775 or CHMOD 777 to make it work).
ae-exclude/	Optional	Optional directory that contains list of ASIN's to exclude from search results. See exclude.* configuration variable. Associate Engine will work without this directory. This directory is needed only if you want to exclude certain ASIN's from the search results.
ae-imgcache/	Recommended	Optional directory that contains cached amazon.com image data. See configuration variables `imgcache.dir`. Associate Engine will work without this directory. The directory must be writeable so you must use CHMOD 755 (if that doesn't work, then use either CHMOD 775 or CHMOD 777 to make it work). This directory is only used if you use the "if" ("images first") option of the grid parameter.
ae-format/	Optional	Optional directory that contains Format Templates files. Associate Engine will work without this directory. This directory is required only if you use the format parameter (see: Format Templates). Format Template files are provided in the ae-format directory in the .zip file; copy that directory to the cgi-bin directory of your server as is.
ae-include/	Optional	Optional directory that contains custom HTML (that you write) to be included on certain product details pages (based on ASIN). Associate Engine will work without this directory. See includeasin template variable and include template variable.
ae-template/	Recommended	Optional directory that contains Page Template files. Associate Engine will work without this directory. However, we strongly recommend that you install this directory and its files. Page Template files are provided in the ae-template directory in the .zip file; copy that directory to the cgi-bin directory of your server as is.
ae-upc/	Optional	Optional directory that contains UPC lists. A UPC list is used in a similar way to doing ASIN List Searches. You can define a UPC list (a text file containing a list of product UPC's) and then do a search by referring to that list name; e.g.: if ae-upc/myfavbooks.txt contains a list of 3 UPC's, you could then use /cgi-bin/ae.pl?upcsearch=myfavbooks to display those products.

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