link 1 product to several categories at once

**dedj** · 12 May 2007, 02:03 PM

Hi.
Have searched the forums, but can't seem to find an answer on exactly what i'm looking for..

I'm doing a webshop with car parts.

For example, I've added a product named "frontbrakepads" modelcode 25-102 under acura/cl/brake.

this same product i want to link to categories:
- acura/integra/brake
- acura/nsx/brake
- acura/rsx/brake
- acura/tl/brake
- honda/accord/90-97/brake
- honda/accord/98-02/brake
and lots of civic's
etc etc

Hopefully you see my problem, It's time devastating to click on a product, click C button and link it to one category at a time, then do this 20 times, for this particular frontbrakepad, then same thing for 2 other frontbrakepads.
And then do the same with the rearbrakepads, BUT i can't use the "copy all products from category to category" since all the products in the acura/cl/brake category doesnt fit all the same cars, some cars have other rear brakepads etc etc.

How can I do this easiest?
All I can think of at the moment is to do the many hours of clicking using C button and linking the product to one category at a time.

One more thing, I have read that you guys write a notice while the subject it "multiple categories link manager" that you have to have a product in a category for it to get even shown in the "available for linking categories".
My problem is that since my webshop is empty at the moment i don't have items under every category hence don't get them listed to fast link them to several categories if I know the category #id.

I would need some kind of solution where you press you want to link a product, and then can scroll down a list with checkbox so i can checkbox all the categories at the same time that I need this product to be linked to, and press update button.

Is there anything like this I have missed in zencart? Or do you guys have some tips and solution on how to do this. I don't want to spend hours linking a product to one category at a time.

I've added a product and linked it (the time consuming way) to a few categories, below is some issues i've encountered along the way.
I've tried to link a product by linking it 1 category at a time, one bad thing is that I can't see all the categories it's been linked to, it only says "Current Categories: Brakes > TL > Acura > Brakes > RSX > Acura > Brakes > NSX > Acura > Brake > Integra > Acura >&n"

If there would be a scrollist and checkboxes then it would be easier to see if you have accidently linked it to wrong category rather than only lots of ID#'s in multiple links category manager; pasting example on which are written for me at the moment.
Linked: ID# 28,60,39,76,55

What I am looking for is a feature like attached picture.
If it doesnt exist, will there be a similar feature in zencart anytime soon?
thanks
Dejan

**Ajeh** · 12 May 2007, 04:23 PM

Did you try using the Multiple Categories Link Manager?

When you hit C for Copy you will see it at the bottom ...

This will show you all Categories with at least 1 product in them ...

Check the checkboxes for the Categories that you want the Product Linked to and click update ...

Yes ... 1 time per category will be slow ... then it will be faster for you ...

**dedj** · 12 May 2007, 08:57 PM

That function doesn't work properly.

For all carmodels, i have a category called Brake under every carmodel.
I have 44 carmodels, so I have 44 Brake categories.

I'm adding new products to webshop all the time, lets say I just added my first brakepad product. So there is only 1 brakepad product on the webshop in only 1 of the categories.
And this product i want to link in some easy way to lets say 30 Brake categories.
I can't use multiple link category manager for this, it won't show all the Brake categories since i have no products in them yet! It will only show me 1 Brake category, the category the brakepad product I made is in.

First problem is that I don't have any products under every Brake category, thats why I wan't to link them. I find it very odd that it is needed to have a product in a category for it to be linkable. I mean, should i need to make a quick "test" product in the categories I want to link to be able to link several at the same time? Would be a solution, but a very stupid one, should be a proper way somehow.

The second problem with multiple link category manager is that you can't see under what category-tree an ID#category is under. The ID#category that is linkable somehow doesnt show on a mouseover or similar function from what category tree it is from.
If I have made 44 different brakepads and put each one under a own Brake category, and then a new product arrives,a brakeline that suits 30 of the 44 cars so I need to put this new product in 30 of 44 Brake categories.
So now under multiple link category manager, there will be lots of ID#category to click the checkbox on, since i now have products under every Brake category, don't help me at all cause I don't know for under what car that actual Brake category lies.
EXAMPLE: If i would have 2 linkable categories in multiple category link manager, and with a mouseover a small text would show something like "acura/nsx/brake/" on the one ID#category and "acura/tsx/brake" on the other one so its easy to see which one you want to check the checkbox on.

I can allways grab a pencil and write down every ID# for every cars Brake category so I can easily check the correct boxes under multiple link category manager, but needing to use paper and pencil for this feels like I would go back to stoneage

Hope you understand my problem exactly Ajeh, since I'm in deep trouble and have massive amount of hours spending to do clicking linking one product at a time if there isn't a way for this..

thanks
Dejan

**Ajeh** · 13 May 2007, 04:14 AM

The reason for at least 1 product is because with so many categories it could not find all the categories that allow products to be displayed without too much testing at this time ... that would make the screen much to slow to draw ... and in many cases it could not draw at all ...