A ShopSite auth file is the digital equivalent to the keys of your store; it is used to open your store, and to help protect your store and the information your customers entrust you with. You can not install or run ShopSite without a valid auth file, which can only be used with your store.
When you obtain a ShopSite store license from a ShopSite reseller, such as your hosting provider, a unique auth file is generated. The auth file contains information specific to your store, such as your storeid (the username you use to log in to your ShopSite back office), a unique serial number, the store URL, and the service level for your store. This information is stored in an encrypted format in your auth file for your security.
Be sure to use ASCII (text file) format any time you use FTP to transfer your Auth file.
In order to install or upgrade ShopSite, you must put the auth file in a location where the install programs can find it. On Linux and UNIX servers, the auth file must be in the install directory, with the name store.auth. Windows-based installations will prompt you for the auth file during the installation process.
Once ShopSite has been installed, your auth file is stored in your store's data directory.1 with the name storeid.auth (where storeid is the username you use to log in to the ShopSite back office).
There are several possible situations where you would be required to replace your store's auth file with a new one. Your auth file contains various information used to uniquely identify your store, so you will require a new auth file any time that information changes. This includes changes to your store URL or the service level of your store. You should not change the storeid of an existing store.2 You may also need to obtain a new auth file if you are moving your store to a server running a different operating system.
Your ShopSite reseller can provide you with a new auth file if you need to replace it. When you request a new auth file, your ShopSite reseller will need the following information (see the Store Settings and Product Information sections of your Preferences > Hosting Service screen for this information):
After you have obtained a new auth file, you can install it by doing the following:
If you are having trouble installing or upgrading ShopSite, or if you are unable to access ShopSite after installing or upgrading ShopSite, your auth file could be part of what is causing your problems. The following are a few things to be aware of with regard to your auth file:
Footnotes:
1. The data directory is where the information unique to your store is kept. For more information see Data directory for Linux/UNIX Installs or Data Directory for Windows Installs help for more information.
2. The storeid and serial number are used as part of a system that associates shopping cart and order information with only your store and encrypts the information so it can not be viewed by anyone else. If you were to change your storeid or serial number, you would no longer be able to view or process orders placed prior to the change.
