NextGen Gallery Alternate Integration Method (Method 2)

There are two ways to integration WP eStore with the NextGen Gallery plugin. Each of these two methods have pros and cons. Depending on what you want, one might work out better than the other.

So make sure to check the details of both these integration methods so you can decide which one works best for you.

The method 1 of NextGen Gallery integration is explained on the following page:

• WP eStore and NextGen Gallery Integration Instructions

• Why configure every product separately

The only issue with method 1 is that you manually have to configure every product separately which is not ideal for some users. So for people who are not really that concerned about the security of the digital image (example, if you are selling prints of wedding photos) the method 2 (alternate way of integrating NextGen Gallery) works out better as you don’t have to manually configure every product.

What to Expect From Integration Method 2 (the objective)

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.

Important Note: One thing people miss when using this method is that the image that you are using in the NextGen gallery will be delivered to your customer after purchase (not the one you configure in the “Digital Product URL” field of eStore).

If you want to deliver the image from the “Digital Product URL” field then you need to use method 1 of NextGen gallery integration.

The Integration Steps

Step1. Install the eStore NextGen Gallery Addon

How to download and install the Free eStore NextGen Gallery Addon is explained here.

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. You will need to change “1” to whatever your NextGen Gallery ID is.

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: 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 2: 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).