Odd Question

[dfontana]

My partner seems to remember that there was a way to havign repeating text for the descriptions of products. We have a site that several products will have identical text repeated, other than cutting and pasting from one product to another how that the repeats be accomplished? The only othe rway I can think of is to copy the product to the same category and change what needs to be changed.

[mc12345678]

Having the exact same product description for multiple products that are not linked is not looked upon favorably by search engines. What are the differences necessary and why are they to be exactly the same? What about stock tracking? Are they all the same quantities or does independent stock tracking not matter?

[dfontana]

Having the exact same product description for multiple products that are not linked is not looked upon favorably by search engines. What are the differences necessary and why are they to be exactly the same? What about stock tracking? Are they all the same quantities or does independent stock tracking not matter?

It is not the same product, but the client is using some of the same phrases on some of the product descriptions in the same category.

But I will pass it on to the client that search engines do not look favorably on it. The are difent products with different quantities etc only share part of the description.

[mc12345678]

It is not the same product, but the client is using some of the same phrases on some of the product descriptions in the same category.

But I will pass it on to the client that search engines do not look favorably on it. The are difent products with different quantities etc only share part of the description.

If it is only part of adescription, there is something that can be added to the product description that allows repeating a set piece of information. I too at the moment forget what it is, but it requires adding a tage into the product description and a modification to the product_info_display template to process the "code" someone I think swguy has it on their site... Wish I could remember what it was and who had it.

[PatClay]

You are looking for boilerplate.

https://www.zen-cart.com/showthread....om-description
http://www.zen-cart.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=1665
Probably more useful results as well, but I will leave that as an exercise for the reader

I have it on my site & like it (good for saying this product can be used with these models...)

A few caveats:
1/To change the boilerplate, you need to mess with the code, not just add something into the db. Harder for the client to do.
2/If you spell the variable wrong in the product description, it will show up as the incorrect variable name & look stupid (or worse the wrong info).
3/Looking at the admin side you don't see what is on the customer side of your site, and I have forgotten what the boilerplate says & ended up with a description that looked stupid before.

[mc12345678]

That certainly is one caveat of using "blind" text and well, even in the realm of programming some of the same can be said. Usually though code is at least tested once before being displayed for all to see. :)

As for the tag replacement not making sense with the remaining description, would think there would be a way to incorporate into the admin preview the "translation". So that it could be reviewed before accepting the content/location. Doesn't help in the case of something like EasyPopulate or Apsona, but...

Btw, got a little laugh out of the above description of problems encountered. :)

[torvista]

where it originally came from:
http://www.thatsoftwareguy.com/zenca...ate_files.html

been using it for years.
Yes you can add it to the admin preview.
And one should always check the catalog product page after editing a description anyway.