Currently, under development by Miva Merchant, Miva Script is a proprietary scripting language used in e-commerce applications.
Originally developed by Joseph Austin as HTMLScript in 1995, a company, HTMLScript Corporation, was founded to distribute it. However, its origins go back to 1993, when Austin and David Haldy created a scripting language that they called Logic Enhanced HTML (LEHTML). Austin designed a wrapper for it, which he used with his hosting service, Volant Turnpike. His hosting clients liked using LEHTML, so Austin reimplemented it in the C language, naming the new language HTMLScript.
Due largely to security issues, Jon Burchmore rewrote the language in 1997, with syntax that Austin developed with the assistance of SoftQuad, using the new XML standard. The new product, which supported the old HTMLScript syntax, was named Miva Script, and the company's name was changed to Miva. The e-commerce shopping cart software, powered by MivaScript, became known as Miva Merchant. The HTMLScript syntax and macros were dropped from the language in 2002.
In 2003, Miva Corporation was acquired by FindWhat, who subsequently bought the name Miva. In 2007, Russell Carrol bought the original Miva technologies and founded Miva Merchant, which is responsible for the continued development of Miva Script.
Prior to version 4.00, Miva Script was interpreted by Empresa, the Miva Script engine. Version 4.00 introduced a compiler, which increased performance. Since version 4.00, Miva Merchant Empresa serves as a Virtual Machine (VM) for running compiled Miva Script.
Miva Merchant Mia is a version of Empresa designed to run in a Windows platform as a localhost server and is updated whenever Miva Merchant Empresa is updated. Like Empresa, versions prior to 4.00 will work only with the compiled script.
Miva Merchant Script Compiler was developed in 2003, improving performance. As compilability required changes to the language, support for the old HTMLScript syntax and macros were dropped at that time. The compiler produces a platform-independent bytecode that runs on Miva Merchant Empresa and Miva Merchant Mia VMs, although there are minor differences between the Empresa and Mia VMs.
In 2007, Miva Merchant became a separate entity due to a management buyout.
Topics related to the Miva Script scripting language, its compiler, and any other tools or technologies designed to facilitate the use of the language, are the focus of this category. Other appropriate topics include Miva Corporation, Miva Merchant, any historical documentation relating to the language, and any Miva Script user groups, forums, tutorials, or guides.
Recommended Resources
Based in Fremont, California, IDS is a Miva Merchant certified web developer specializing in developing retail and customized Miva Merchant modules, as well as integrating web designs into Miva. Its products and services are featured here, along with client reviews, prices, and online shopping capabilities. Other resources include support documentation, its terms of service, shipping, and returns policies, an online contact form, and the company's address and payment options.
https://www.southbound.com/
Joe Austin was the founder and CEO of Miva Corporation, which he ran for seven years before selling it to another company, which then renamed itself Miva, and is now operated as Miva Merchant. The site presents a biography of Joe Austin, and tells the history of Miva Script, which was originally known as HTMLScript, as well as information about the creation of the code for HTMLScript, the creation of Miva Script and Miva Merchant, and related information, such as the origins of the name.
https://josephjayaustin.wordpress.com/
Maintained by Kent Multer, Magic Metal Productions specializes in Miva Script and Miva Merchant, the former being a scripting language developed by the Miva Corporation, the latter being an e-commerce software package. Its products include The Official Miva Web Scripting Book, an introduction to Miva Script programming, as well as Currency Magic, a Miva Merchant module that allows Miva stores to display prices in international currencies, as well as special order and checkout applications.
http://themagicm.com/
Offering more than four hundred HTML, Storemorph, Miva Script, CSS, JavaScript, and Business Management tutorials, tips, and information for those who are absolute beginners to advanced users, to help them improve their Miva Merchant online store. Limited tips and tutorials may be viewed by subject, but the site’s subscription program gives unlimited access to its content for twelve months, after which renewals will be offered at approximately 38% of the initial fee.
http://www.merchantmastery.com/
Founded in 1997 and headquartered in San Diego, Miva is engaged in e-commerce design, development, and strategy. Its platforms include an all-in-one business-to-customer and business-to-business store, online retail, and small business solutions, which are highlighted here, including documentation for the most recent release of Miva Merchant, reference guides, step-by-step guides, how-to guides, and integration guides, as well as video tutorials.
https://www.miva.com/
The Miva support forums include announcements from Miva Merchant, and from Miva Merchant partners, as well as questions and answers relating to Miva Merchant, Legacy ReadyThemes, Miva Script, Miva Merchant Empresa, and related products and services. Topics are divided into categories for general discussion, online merchants, designers and developers, and archived mailing lists. Registration is required in order to participate in discussions, although the forum’s content is visible to all.
https://www.miva.com/forums/
Miva Script is the server-side scripting language of the Miva Merchant shopping cart solutions, although it is also suited to other web development purposes, given its support for MySQL, MivaSQL, and xBase3 databases. An introduction to the most recent version of the scripting language is stated, including a list of things that are new in the most recent update. The basics of Miva Script, as well as basic and advanced references, are put forth, along with function and graphics indexes.
http://www.mivascript.com/
The focus of MVTRocks is on offering assistance in customizing and extending a Miva Merchant store. Miva Merchant modules from well-known developers in the Miva Merchant community are offered for sale and MVTRocks partners with Miva Merchant store designers who are familiar with the modules on its site. Available Miva Merchant modules are highlighted, and details are given for each, along with products available from partners. A guide to Miva Merchant stores is included.
http://www.mvtrocks.com/
