subcategory description

[afo]

Once again, I'm experimenting with Zen Cart as CMS. I want to set up subcategories so that the subcategory description is an extract or blurb from a document (which will be the only "product" in the subcategory). Is that possible?

Here's what I'm trying to accomplish:

Category = author1 name
subcategory 1 = story 1 title
subcategory 1 description = this is a story about blah blah blah
only product in subcategory 1 is story 1

When someone selects author1, I'd like them to see
Story 1 title
this is a story about blah blah blah

[Ajeh]

The module category_row.php displays the categories_name and categories_image ...

Two functions exist in the functions_lookups.php that you can use:

/*
 * Find category name from ID, in indicated language
 */
  function zen_get_category_name($category_id, $fn_language_id) { 

and then a more generic one:

  function zen_categories_lookup($categories_id, $what_field = 'categories_name', $language = '') { 

These can grab the categories_description for you ...

[afo]

Very cool! When I get some time, I'll have to tinker with it.

[afo]

The module category_row.php displays the categories_name and categories_image ...

Two functions exist in the functions_lookups.php that you can use:

/*
 * Find category name from ID, in indicated language
 */
  function zen_get_category_name($category_id, $fn_language_id) { 

and then a more generic one:

  function zen_categories_lookup($categories_id, $what_field = 'categories_name', $language = '') { 

These can grab the categories_description for you ...

So I would have to mod both files to get the results I want. My php is shaky, but I think I can get this figured out. I'm going to see what I can do.

[Ajeh]

No, you just need to grab the categories_description to add to the categories_row.php ...

You can use either function to get the data ...

[afo]

I realized that after I posted. I shouldn't try to think that hard that late at night.

[Ajeh]

I try not thinking too hard at all ... it hurts the brain ...

[afo]

I've been looking at this and I'm confused. I suppose it's because I don't use php enough.

I had changed category_row.php to remove the display of the image because there are no product images, but what is the part in red doing?

    $list_box_contents[$row][$col] = array('params' => 'class="categoryListBoxContents"' . ' ' . 'style="width:' . $col_width . '%;"',
//                                           'text' => '<a href="' . zen_href_link(FILENAME_DEFAULT, $cPath_new) . '">' . zen_image(DIR_WS_IMAGES . $categories->fields['categories_image'], $categories->fields['categories_name'], SUBCATEGORY_IMAGE_WIDTH, SUBCATEGORY_IMAGE_HEIGHT) . '<br />' . $categories->fields['categories_name'] . '</a>' . '<br />' . $categories->fields['categories_description']
                                           'text' => '<a href="' . zen_href_link(FILENAME_DEFAULT, $cPath_new) . '">' . $categories->fields['categories_name'] . '</a>' . '<br />' . $categories->fields['categories_description']

I know this is going to get tricky since I only want the subcategory descriptions to display, but I think I can write the correct IF statement for that.

[afo]

It looks like I added that line in red.

I think I see what I need to do now...

[afo]

Got it!

functions_lookups.php has a function for the category description. All I had to do was add the line in blue to take advantage of the existing function, so that my original addition to the code actually had something to display (see red code). The '1' is the language code since the site is only in one language.

 $categories->fields['categories_description'] = zen_get_category_description($categories->fields['categories_id'], '1');   
    $list_box_contents[$row][$col] = array('params' => 'class="categoryListBoxContents"' . ' ' . 'style="width:' . $col_width . '%;"',
//                                           'text' => '<a href="' . zen_href_link(FILENAME_DEFAULT, $cPath_new) . '">' . zen_image(DIR_WS_IMAGES . $categories->fields['categories_image'], $categories->fields['categories_name'], SUBCATEGORY_IMAGE_WIDTH, SUBCATEGORY_IMAGE_HEIGHT) . '<br />' . $categories->fields['categories_name'] . '</a>' . '<br />' . $categories->fields['categories_description']
                                           'text' => '<a href="' . zen_href_link(FILENAME_DEFAULT, $cPath_new) . '">' . $categories->fields['categories_name'] . '</a>' . '<br />' . $categories->fields['categories_description']