Need help calling variables

[DrByte]

Here's a very basic start to doing canonical URL handling:

IT IS NOT RECOMMENDED TO ADD THIS TO AN ALREADY-INDEXED SITE WITHOUT FIRST CAREFULLY CONSIDERING THE CONSEQUENCES OF DOING SO!!!!

1. At the bottom of init_category_path.php (replacing the ?> if any), add this:

// CANONICAL HANDLING:
// product pages:
if (strstr($current_page, '_info') && isset($_GET['products_id'])) {
  $canonicalLink = zen_href_link($current_page, 'cPath=' . zen_get_generated_category_path_rev(zen_get_products_category_id($_GET['products_id'])) . '&products_id=' . $_GET['products_id']);
}
// category/prod-listing pages:
if ($current_page == 'index' && isset($_GET['cPath'])) {
  $excludeParams = array('zenid', 'action', 'main_page', 'language', 'currency', 'typefilter', 'disp_order', 'page', 'sort', 'alpha_filter_id', 'filter_id');
  $canonicalLink = zen_href_link($current_page, zen_get_all_get_params($excludeParams));
}

2. In /includes/templates/YOUR_TEMPLATE_FOLDERNAME/common/html_header.php
Add the 3 lines highlighted here, as shown:

<base href="<?php echo (($request_type == 'SSL') ? HTTPS_SERVER . DIR_WS_HTTPS_CATALOG : HTTP_SERVER . DIR_WS_CATALOG ); ?>" />
<?php if (isset($canonicalLink) && $canonicalLink != '') { ?>
<link rel="canonical" href="<?php echo $canonicalLink; ?>" />
<?php } ?>

<?php
/**
 * load all template-specific stylesheets, named like "style*.css", alphabetically

There are some who may argue that the 'sort' or 'page' options should be removed from these exclusions. If you feel similarly, you're welcome to change it.

[CJPinder]

Just a quick note, make sure you have applied this fix...
http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showpo...7&postcount=28
...before using DrByte's code above. Without the fix the canonical URLs generated will not be consistent.

Regards,
Christian.

[philip937]

I'm not sure why you're having any problem with it, since zen_get_products_category_id gives you the master, and $current gives you the current one, and it's already comparing those for mismatch.

This tests fine for me:

//Robots no-index on product pages not using master_categories_id:
if ($current_page != 'index' && isset($_GET['products_id']) && $current_category_id > 0 && $current_category_id != zen_get_products_category_id($_GET['products_id']) ) $robotsNoIndex = TRUE;

Although, it only deals with product pages, and not category pages.

However, as I've eluded to before, I'd recommend a different approach altogether: proper canonical handling.

Hi DrByte,

OK I tried the code again.. this time..

with != this had the following effect:
1. if a product is linked it added noindex nofollow on the product in the master category
2. all linked products and non linked products had no meta tag

with == this had the following effect:
1. all linked products and non linked products had noindex nofollow
2. all linked products in master category had no tags

What I need to achieve is:
1. all linked products to have noindex nofollow
2. all master category products & non linked products to have no tag.

Phil

[philip937]

Going by my original logoc which worked when I was echoing onto product pages I thought this might work.. but its doesnt...

if (($_GET['master_categories_id']) != $current_category_id ) {
  $robotsNoIndex = TRUE;
} 

? am I missing something?

[philip937]

Here's a very basic start to doing canonical URL handling:

IT IS NOT RECOMMENDED TO ADD THIS TO AN ALREADY-INDEXED SITE WITHOUT FIRST CAREFULLY CONSIDERING THE CONSEQUENCES OF DOING SO!!!!

...

I have just tried this one. Its perfect for what I need, but I am at a loss. For some reason it is doing the COMPLETE opposite on my site, its setting the canonical for the linked product not the master!???

[philip937]

Dr Byte,

I thought I would expand on this issue. OK here's why I am confused.

Two example products:

Master Category
http://www.fanciedress.co.uk/#######...nsemble-p-1763

the ######## should be s e x y, I guess the forum doesnt like that word!

Linked Category
http://www.fanciedress.co.uk/animals...nsemble-p-1763

Looking in categories link manager I can see:
Yellow square next to ########-fancy-dress category id 27 - indicating Master

tick next to animals-bugs-fancy-dress category id 22 - indicating linked

To prove this I have added the following code for you to see at the bottom of the tpl_product_info_display.php page to echo the master category id:

<!-----bof master category id check-------->
<?
$check_linked = mysql_query('SELECT master_categories_id from products WHERE products_id = '.$prod_id.'');
$check_result_row = mysql_fetch_row($check_linked);
$catid = $check_result_row[0];

echo $catid;
?>
<!-----eof  master category id check-------->

as you can see on both urls, it displays id 27 as you'd expect.

However, when I add the code you gave me, it is adding <link rel="canonical" href="http://www.fanciedress.co.uk/animals-bugs-fancy-dress/7-piece-lady-bug-ensemble-p-1763" /> to both urls but that is the linked category url...

Am I being thick?

Please help, i'm now worried there is something wrong with my setup. but im pretty sure ive proved the right master cat id's are present...

Phil

[philip937]

OK narrowed this down now.

I have also added this

<?php
$tester = zen_get_products_category_id($_GET['products_id']);
echo $tester;
?>

You said that zen_get_products_category_id($_GET['products_id']) should be the master id, on mine its calling the linked...

look at the bottom of these urls, the first number is the master which is my db query calling and the second is the linked which zen_get_products_category_id is calling..

[philip937]

Just a quick note, make sure you have applied this fix...
http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showpo...7&postcount=28
...before using DrByte's code above. Without the fix the canonical URLs generated will not be consistent.

Regards,
Christian.

I can't believe i didnt see your post!

I was indicating that the canonical URLs were setting as linked instead of the master I take it this fixes this!???

Does making this change affest anything else??

[philip937]

Dr Byte,

I'm fairly confident after applying this fix:
http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showpo...7&postcount=28
your code will work as you described. Before I do, can you explain what you ment by conciquences of implementing after indexing?

My understanding was that the next time google crawls that page with the new rel... etc, it will then know the main url...?

Is this not the case? is there a downside to this??

Cheers,
Phil

[DrByte]

I'm fairly confident after applying this fix:
http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showpo...7&postcount=28
your code will work as you described. Before I do, ...

There's no need to wait before applying that confirmed bugfix.

can you explain what you ment by conciquences of implementing after indexing?

You want to be sure that the canonical links it's generating are the ones you want it to produce.

My understanding was that the next time google crawls that page with the new rel... etc, it will then know the main url...?

I'll state it this way: The next time google crawls, it will be told about whatever canonical links you're generating, and will take action accordingly.

Is this not the case? is there a downside to this??

The downside is that if it's generating canonical links that you don't want it to generate, it will rearrange its index the way you don't want it, and if you need to change something you'll have to wait for it to re-index again before it will fix whatever you want fixed, and it may take time for it to rebuild things the way you want them.

There are many rags/blogs that suggest not to just go throwing canonical urls onto pages without first verifying that it's doing what you want for your site.
There are many more that go on to say that they recommend not excluding sort or page number parameters, but then there are those that do.
The only consistent thing you'll find is that nobody really seems to know for sure. Even google doesn't spell it out exactly, but they usually don't anyway.
Hence my disclaimer.