Here is a great video walkthrough on how to use the store locator webpart in Commerce Server 2009. I followed to the letter what Tom is doing and it worked flawlessly. Thanks Tom for the tip. Commerce Server 2009’s webparts are really working well for us.

Original Post:

http://blogs.msdn.com/tschultz/archive/2009/03/15/commerce-server-2009-web-cast-using-store-locator-web-part.aspx

UPDATE: I updated the video to the Channel 9 version because it is of much higher resolution

Tags: commerce server, commerce server 2009

Here at Orckestra, Commerce Server is an important part of our offering. Evidently, any new release of Commerce Server is analysed and validated against any of our solutions. In this process, We have discovered a very important bug in the new Commerce Server 2009.

Most of our solutions depend on the Free-Text search capabilities of Commerce Server. In this optic, I tried creating a simple search using the API:

var query = new CommerceQuery<CatalogEntity, CommerceCatalogFullTextSearchBuilder>(); 
query.SearchCriteria.Catalogs.Add("My_Catalog"); 
query.SearchCriteria.FirstItemIndex = 0; 
query.SearchCriteria.FullTextSearchType = CommerceFullTextSearchType.FreeText; 
query.SearchCriteria.NumberOfItemsToReturn = 500; 
query.SearchCriteria.Phrase =”My Criteria”; 

query.SearchCriteria.ReturnTotalItemCount = true; 
query.SearchCriteria.WhereClause = "[Active] = 1"; 

As it turns out I was constantly getting an unknown error. Digging through the code and using the SQL Profiler I discovered this line in the [dbo].[ctlg_GetFTSQuery] stored procedure of the catalogue database:

IF @IsVirtualCatalog = 1 or @SQLClause < 1 or (CHARINDEX(N'CONTAINS',@SQLClause) = 0 ) 

where @SQLClause is defined as an nvarchar(MAX). Well, @SQLClause < 1  is wrong and should then read: LEN(@SQLClause) < 1

So in that regard here is the entire line:

IF @IsVirtualCatalog = 1 or LEN(@SQLClause) < 1 or (CHARINDEX(N'CONTAINS',@SQLClause) = 0 ) 

Please remember that this bug is in the RTM so I would advise you to fix immediately or any Free-Text search will fail if it contains a where clause. Here is Microsoft’s official response by the way on the Connect site:

Hello David,
Thanks for reporting this. We have identified it is indeed a product defect.
As you already mentioned here, there is a syntax error inside ctlg_GetFTSQuery. Your suggested fix is correct and probably you have already done such modification from your side.
Unfortunately, the same error is also inside RTM release. We are building official fix for this problem. Please contact Microsoft CTS (Commercial Technical Support) for the official fix.
Thanks
Hao

Tags: commerce server, commerce server 2009, bugs

Microsoft, yesterday, officially announced that Microsoft Commerce Server 2009 has been released to manufacturing with broad availability in April 2009. The bits are available now on MSDN. I suggest to anyone dealing With Commerce Server to take a look at this release. Here is the official announcement:

via the Microsoft e-commerce blog:

Microsoft® Commerce Server 2009 is Now Available on MSDN!

Published 03 March 09 10:28 PM | Lynnette McL

Commerce Server 2009 is now available for download to MSDN subscribers.
Commerce Server 2009 delivers the ability to increase your business reach by making it possible to sell via multiple channels by using an out-of-the-box shopping site, SharePoint® Commerce Services, and the Multi-Channel Commerce Foundation. The new out-of-the-box shopping site leverages SharePoint Commerce Services, which provides a gallery of ASP.NET 3.5 Web parts and controls, a comprehensive e-commerce shopping feature-set, and technology integration between Commerce Server and SharePoint technologies. The Multi-Channel Commerce Foundation provides a new unified, extensible run-time programming model for Commerce Server, including new run-time e-commerce capabilities. 
Download the following Commerce Server 2009 online materials today!
• Readme and Installation Guide
• Default SharePoint Site Performance Guide
• Multi-Channel Foundation Samples
• Partner Software Development Kit (SDK)

Commerce Server 2009 will be available to order from the Microsoft Price List effective April 1, 2009 through the normal Microsoft channels and Microsoft Volume Licensing Programs.

Note: Microsoft Commerce Server 2007 Enterprise Edition is also available for download to MSDN subscribers.

Tags: commerce server, commerce server 2009