The VirtueMart 3 adapter adds VirtueMart 3.x as a source in J2Commerce Migrator. It moves currencies, countries, tax profiles, categories, products, customers, coupons and orders into J2Commerce 6.
Use it when you are replacing a VirtueMart 3 store on Joomla 3 with J2Commerce on Joomla 6.
Requirements
- Joomla 6.0.0 or later and PHP 8.2.0 or later.
- J2Commerce 6 installed.
- J2Commerce Migrator component 6.1.10 or later.
- A VirtueMart 3.x source database that the migrator can reach.
Installation
- Install the J2Commerce Migrator component first and update it to 6.1.10 or later.
- Go to System -> Install -> Extensions and upload the plugin package.
- Go to System -> Manage -> Plugins and enable J2Commerce Migrator — VirtueMart 3 Adapter.
- Open J2Commerce Migrator. The VirtueMart 3 card shows Ready to migrate with a Start Migration button.
Settings
Open the plugin and use the Basic Settings tab. Use Configure Connection in the migrator to set up the source database connection.
| Setting | What It Does | Default | Options |
|---|---|---|---|
| VirtueMart Site Root | Absolute filesystem path to the VirtueMart 3 webroot, for example /var/www/virtuemart. Product images are read from images/stories/virtuemart/product/ under this path. When blank, the migrator uses a sibling directory named virtuemart next to this Joomla install. | Empty | Text |
| Source Site URL | Public URL of the live VirtueMart 3 site, for example https://oldstore.com. Images are downloaded over HTTP when the files are not on this server. Required for remote-database migrations, and the old site must stay online. When blank, images are copied only from the local path. | Empty | URL |
Migration Pages
The migrator splits the work into two pages: Foundation Data and Store Data. Migrate Foundation Data first.
Foundation Data
- Lookup & Probe: Probe Source checks that the source database is reachable and has the expected tables. Map Shopper Groups assigns each VirtueMart shopper group to a Joomla user group, or to Skip User (do not migrate). Click Save Shopper Group Mapping when done.
- Foundation Data: Currencies, Countries, Zones (States), Order Statuses, Tax Profiles and Manufacturers.
- Tools: Clear Entire ID Map.
Store Data
- Catalog Foundation: Categories, Options and Product Options.
- Products: Products (with linked Joomla articles and master variants), Price Tiers and Product Images.
- Customers: Users and Addresses. Existing Joomla accounts are matched by email.
- Coupons: Coupons.
- Orders: Ensure Order Statuses, Orders, Order Items, Order Addresses and Order History.
- Tools: Clear Entire ID Map, Reset Migrated Data, Purge Trashed Items and Rebuild Assets Tree.
Each tile has Detect, Migrate, List and Reset buttons. Use the toggles Migrate All Foundation Data and Migrate All Store Data to run a whole page. A finished tile shows Synced. You can export a migration log.
Common Setups
Source Files on Another Server
- Configure the connection to the remote VirtueMart database.
- Enter the old store address in Source Site URL.
- Keep the old site online while you migrate Product Images.
Source Files on the Same Server
Enter the VirtueMart webroot in VirtueMart Site Root and leave Source Site URL blank.
Troubleshooting
Plugin Will Not Install
The message "This plugin needs J2Commerce Migrator 6.1.10 or later. Update the component first, then install this plugin again." means the component is missing or too old. Install or update it, then install the plugin again.
Shopper Groups Unmapped
Orders and users need every shopper group mapped. If "No VirtueMart shopper groups found in the source database" appears, check that the connection points at a VirtueMart 3 database.
Nested-Set or Trashed Category Errors
If saving categories or articles fails with errors such as "Out of range value for column 'lft'", back up the database and run Rebuild Assets Tree. If trashed categories from an earlier run cannot be emptied, run Purge Trashed Items. It deletes every trashed content category and article and cannot be undone.
Important
Run Clear Entire ID Map only before you migrate. Afterward, migrated rows lose their VirtueMart link and Reset Migrated Data can no longer remove them.
Warning
Reset Migrated Data deletes all migrated articles, products, categories, orders and reference data and clears the ID map. Migrated Joomla user accounts are kept.
Uninstalling
Go to System -> Manage -> Extensions, find the plugin and click Uninstall. Data already migrated stays in J2Commerce.
