Separate Product Listing by Category

[cinbou]

I'm working on a Jewelry site and I would like to separate the product listing page by category. For instance, I have "Gemstones" listed as a category, when someone clicks on a gemstone, I'd like to divide the page into three categories:

Bracelet
Earrings
Necklace

Here is an example of what I'm trying to do:

http://www.stonehinged.com/amethyst_jewelry.html

Here is the site I'm working on: http://twistjewelrydesign.com/shoppi...php?main_page=

Is this possible? What do I need to change? Would it mess up my other categories? I'm currently using the add-on that shows subcategories all the time.

Thanks,
Cindy

[gjh42]

It would not be a big deal to sort the products by type and then start a new row and add a heading above the first item in each type; but if you only want three of each type per page, that will require some involved coding or perhaps very picky sorting.

[cinbou]

gjh42,

Sorting the products by type and then starting a new row and adding a heading above the first item in each type would work fine.

How would I go about doing that?

Thanks,
Cindy

[gjh42]

The Main Category - sub heading sort - is it possible? thread discusses this.
We got it working for the category/subcategory page, but I think the code as first given will work for the product listing page.
Try it and let me know.

[cinbou]

Hi Glenn,

I tried it, but it didn't work. Nothing changed on my site. Any ideas?

[cinbou]

Here is my code:

// Following code will be executed only if Column Layout (Grid Layout) option is chosen
if (PRODUCT_LISTING_LAYOUT_STYLE == 'columns') {
$section_check = $listing->fields['products_name'];
$section_header = '';
if (in_array($section_check,explode(",",'Bracelets,Earrings,Necklaces'))) {
$column = -1;
$rows ++;
switch ($section_check) {
case "First Name":
$section_header = 'First Section';
break;
case "Second Name":
$section_header = 'Second Section';
break;
case "Third Name":
$section_header = 'Third Section';
break;
} //switch
$section_header = '<div class="sectionHeader">' . $section_header . '</div>';
} //if
$lc_text = $section_header . implode('<br />', $product_contents);
$list_box_contents[$rows][$column] = array('params' => 'class="centerBoxContentsProducts centeredContent back"' . ' ' . 'style="width:' . $col_width . '%;"',
'text' => $lc_text);
$column ++;
if ($column >= PRODUCT_LISTING_COLUMNS_PER_ROW) {
$column = 0;
$rows ++;
}
}
// End of Code fragment for Column Layout (Grid Layout) option in add on module

[gjh42]

The cases given are generic:
case "First Name":

You need to customize them to match your installation:
case "Bracelets":

[cinbou]

Thanks Glenn.

I changed the Case names. Still not working... Below is my updated code:

// Following code will be executed only if Column Layout (Grid Layout) option is chosen
if (PRODUCT_LISTING_LAYOUT_STYLE == 'columns') {
$section_check = $listing->fields['products_name'];
$section_header = '';
if (in_array($section_check,explode(",",'Bracelets,Earrings,Necklaces'))) {
$column = -1;
$rows ++;
switch ($section_check) {
case "Bracelets":
$section_header = 'First Section';
break;
case "Earrings":
$section_header = 'Second Section';
break;
case "Necklaces":
$section_header = 'Third Section';
break;
} //switch
$section_header = '<div class="sectionHeader">' . $section_header . '</div>';
} //if
$lc_text = $section_header . implode('<br />', $product_contents);
$list_box_contents[$rows][$column] = array('params' => 'class="centerBoxContentsProducts centeredContent back"' . ' ' . 'style="width:' . $col_width . '%;"',
'text' => $lc_text);
$column ++;
if ($column >= PRODUCT_LISTING_COLUMNS_PER_ROW) {
$column = 0;
$rows ++;
}
}
// End of Code fragment for Column Layout (Grid Layout) option in add on module

[gjh42]

First, you need to use the product names in the explode, not the section names.
As your product names are long and may include commas, they will be cumbersome if not fatal to use. It will be better to use product ids, which are short and unique.

    // Following code will be executed only if Column Layout (Grid Layout) option is chosen
    if (PRODUCT_LISTING_LAYOUT_STYLE == 'columns') {
      $section_check = $listing->fields['products_id']; // subheadings - gjh42 20080913 
      $section_header = '';
      if (in_array($section_check,explode(",",'list_ids_to_start_new_lines_here,separated_by_commas,and_no_spaces'))) { 
        $column != 0?$rows ++:''; 
        $column = -1;
        switch ($section_check) {
        case "first id":
          $section_header = 'First Section';
        break;
        case "second id": //repeat case/$section/break for other ids to start headings
          $section_header = 'Second Section';
        break;
        } //switch
        $section_header = '<div class="sectionHeader">' . $section_header . '</div>';
      } //if
      $lc_text = $section_header . implode('<br />', $product_contents);  // /subheadings
      $list_box_contents[$rows][$column] = array('params' => 'class="centerBoxContentsProducts centeredContent back"' . ' ' . 'style="width:' . $col_width . '%;"',
                                                 'text'  => $lc_text);
      $column ++;
      if ($column >= PRODUCT_LISTING_COLUMNS_PER_ROW) {
        $column = 0;
        $rows ++;
      }
    }
    // End of Code fragment for Column Layout (Grid Layout) option in add on module 

[cinbou]

Glenn,

I'm not sure I totally understand. Do I need to list out every single product ID? This site will have over 300 products. Each "gemstone" page would have a different set of product ids, will this script work for that?

Sorry, if these are dumb questions, but I'm new to all of this.

Thanks,
Cindy