There are two ways to integration WP eStore with the NextGen Gallery plugin. The preferred way of integrating NextGen Gallery plugin is explain on the following page:

• WP eStore and NextGen Gallery Integration Instructions

Why is that the preferred method? The simple answer is security of the digital asset. The following link explains this in detail:

• Why configure every product separately

The only issue with that integration method is that you manually have to configure every product separately which can be a tedious task. So for people who are not really that concerned about the security of the digital image (e.g. if you are selling prints of wedding photos) there is an alternate way of integrating NextGen Gallery with eStore whereby you don’t have to manually configure every product.

The Aim

The aim of this integration is that you will configure one product with the price, variation, shipping etc options that you prefer and then use that product’s information as a template to create a “Buy Now” button for every image in your gallery. The name of the product will be dynamically changed to the “alt text” of the image on a per image basis and upon purchase the “image url” for that image from the NextGen gallery will be given as a download.

The Integration Steps

Step 1. Uploading the Gallery Template File

There is a gallery template file named “gallery-wp-eStore-auto.php” in the “view” directory of the WP eStore plugin. You need to copy it and upload it to the “view” directory of the NextGen Gallery plugin (nextgen-gallery/view).

Step 2. Configuring a product to be Used as  Template

Add a product from the “Add/Edit Products” menu of the eStore plugin. Specify the price, variation, shipping etc options that you prefer for your images appropriately (the product name doesn’t matter as it will be dynamically changed to the alt text of the image).

Step 3. Specify the Template Product ID in the Settings Menu

Browse to the “3rd Party Integration” tab of eStore’s settings menu and specify the product ID configured in step 2 as the template product.

NextGen Gallery Settings Screenshot

Step 4. Displaying the Gallery with Buy Buttons

Use the following shortcode/tag to display the Gallery in a post or page.

nggallery id=1 template=wp-eStore-auto]

The gallery id is 1 in this example.

Using the “template=wp-eStore-auto” option will show display a “Buy Now” button below every image in this gallery that the visitors can use to make a purchase.

Important Notes and F.A.Q:

Question 1: What Happens When You Upgrade the NextGen Gallery Plugin?

After you upgrade the NextGen Gallery, you need to put the template file (gallery-wp-eStore-auto.php) back in the ‘view’ directory (nextgen-gallery/view) and all done.

This is because, when upgrading, WordPress completely deletes the folder of the plugin that is being upgraded then downloads the new version. So the previously uploaded WP eStore template file gets deleted in the process.

Question 2: Can I Use “Add to Cart” Buttons Instead of “Buy Now” Buttons When Using This Integration?

Yes, There is another template in eStore so you can use “add to cart” type buttons. The template is stored in the “view” directory of the eStore plugin and is called “gallery-wp-eStore-auto-addtocart.php”. Copy this template file to the “view” directory of the NextGen gallery plugin. Now, you can follow the 2nd and 3rd step of the above instruction and use the following shortcode to use this template:

[nggallery id=1 template=wp-eStore-auto-addtocart]

1 is the ID of the nextgen gallery.

Question 3: Can I use an eStore fancy display inside a NextGen gallery display?

No, the NextGen gallery itself is a way of displaying your products. So you cannot insert a pre-configured eStore’s fancy display inside a NextGen gallery display (they are two different display methods).