How does the Search Process Work?

[DrByte]

You are correct that the search has always been product-centric.

The queries for the search are handled in /includes/modules/pages/advanced_search/header_php.php

The queries for handling product listings are largely driven by the logic in the /includes/index_filters files.

To change the layout of the results delivered by the product search, one would have to adjust the main product-listing, which is handled by the array of output data built by /includes/modules/YOUR_TEMPLATE/product_listing.php and displayed via the /includes/templates/YOUR_TEMPLATE/common/tpl_columnar_display.php (which probably should not be edited without a full understanding of why, since it is used by *many* templates).

By "subset of category images", I suspect you mean you'd like to see something like a listing of subcategory icons, but have the actual list of selected categories be driven by a set of search results instead of by a parent category. Doing that requires, as you've discovered, changing code in several places. The simplest approach would be to adjust the advanced_search/header_php.php file to check whether you're searching "categories" or "products". Then if "categories" is selected, build the appropriate query and stuff its results into the $categories variable (similar to the way the /includes/modules/pages/index/main_template_vars.php in lines 62-126), and then use tpl_modules_category_row.php to render the output (or maybe a modified tpl_index_categories.php).

[dmfelder]

Thank you for the feedback, Good Doctor. I have probably traveled down the wrong path, so if you get a moment, perhaps you could provide a little feedback.

The website is still rough: gafy.com/newweb

When the index page loads, it displays every category icon. These represent all of our designs. Many of these icons have multiple classifications (new, all, shirts for girls, oneliners, etc.) so they cross-over into multiple subsets.

For an example, the "Bad Hare Day" design is classified with keywords: all, one-liners, and shirts for girls.

What I need is a way to create a page with a custom header/footer that only displays the designs within the subset. Since I did not know how to put the results within the custom page (embedded), I hacked up the advanced_search_results/header_php file and created unique headers for all hard-coded searches. You will see this if you click on the top links.

Ideally, I wouldn't reflect the search code in the URL, and I wouldn't have to dissect the same URL to load unique headers and footers.

Anyway, you suggested that I could populate the "$categories" variable and then display it within the new page. I really don't know how to do that, OR make a DB or Function call to display the results.

If you have any ideas, I would be grateful to hear them.

Thank you.

[DrByte]

It would be a lot easier if you used categories for your major groups/themes.
And then instead of having hundreds of categories each containing the same 18 products as every other category, make your current "categories" into "products", and use attributes to control the selection of desired variations.

Then you wouldn't have to fiddle with creating custom search scripts just to create subcats for shopping.

[dmfelder]

Thank you for your response, DrByte.

If I did what you suggest, how could I manage the cross-over items?

Cross-Over = Categories (Designs) that fall into multiple classifications.

It seems that if I used the top-level category, I'd still end up with a need to use a search routine to isolate the cross-overs ("Shirts for Girls", for example, that by definition appear in multiple groups).

[yellow1912]

Maybe you can use linked products?

[dmfelder]

Thanks for the suggestion. I thought about that, but I don't think I can accomplish a major goal by leveraging linked products--or perhaps products in general. If I used linked products, I think I would need attribute-dependent attributes--which Zen-Cart does not currently support.

One requirement is that the shopper can see all of his/her options when they get to the design page. Another is that he/she can see the image change as they select a style and color.

Zen-Cart provides the ability to load attribute images, but only one image per attribute. Thus, if I define a product by two attributes (style AND color), I can only use one image unless I do some hefty coding. I have over 200 images for each design (style x color).

I am interested, though, in how you might suggest I use linked products. Over the last week, I have come very far with the test site. Please have a look:

gafy.com/newweb

1) Click on the top links to see my search issue/solution.

2) Go to the design "I Was Talking to the Sheep" and you will see how I integrated an image that changes each time you change the color selection (I have test images loaded).

You will quickly see my requirements, but...I am SO WILLING TO LISTEN TO FEEDBACK because I know it's less than ideal/efficient.

Thanks!