admin products_to_categories: copy products as linked flags empty TO cat as invalid

[torvista]

When copying linked products from one category to another:
the From Category is checked for the existence of products to copy, ok
the To Category is checked for the existence of products too: not ok. It should check for the existence of the To Category and that there are no subcategories, it doesn't matter if there are no products in there.

Suggestion
from

$check_category_to = $db->Execute("select products_id from " . TABLE_PRODUCTS_TO_CATEGORIES . " where categories_id='" . $copy_to_linked . "' limit 1");

        // check if from is valid category
        if ($check_category_from->RecordCount() < 1) {
          $zv_invalid_copy_linked = 'true';
          $zv_complete_message_linked .= WARNING_COPY_ALL_PRODUCTS_TO_CATEGORY_FROM_LINKED . $copy_from_linked . '&nbsp;';
        } else {
          $zv_complete_message_linked .= SUCCESS_COPY_ALL_PRODUCTS_TO_CATEGORY_FROM_LINKED . $copy_from_linked . '&nbsp;';
        }

        // check if to is valid category
        if ($check_category_to->RecordCount() < 1) {
          if (zen_childs_in_category_count($copy_to_linked) > 0) {
            $zv_invalid_copy_linked = 'true';
            $zv_complete_message_linked .= WARNING_COPY_ALL_PRODUCTS_TO_CATEGORY_TO_LINKED . $copy_to_linked . '&nbsp;';
          }
          $zv_complete_message_linked .= WARNING_COPY_ALL_PRODUCTS_TO_CATEGORY_TO_LINKED_MISSING . $copy_to_linked . '&nbsp;';
        } else {
          $zv_complete_message_linked .= SUCCESS_COPY_ALL_PRODUCTS_TO_CATEGORY_TO_LINKED . $copy_to_linked . '&nbsp;';
        } 

to

$check_category_to = $db->Execute("select categories_id from " . TABLE_CATEGORIES . " where categories_id='" . $copy_to_linked . "' limit 1");

        // check if from is valid category
        if ($check_category_from->RecordCount() < 1) {
          $zv_invalid_copy_linked = 'true';
          $zv_complete_message_linked .= WARNING_COPY_ALL_PRODUCTS_TO_CATEGORY_FROM_LINKED . $copy_from_linked . '&nbsp;';
        } else {
          $zv_complete_message_linked .= SUCCESS_COPY_ALL_PRODUCTS_TO_CATEGORY_FROM_LINKED . $copy_from_linked . '&nbsp;';
        }

        // check if to is valid category
        if ($check_category_to->RecordCount() > 0) {
          if (zen_childs_in_category_count($copy_to_linked) > 0) {
            $zv_invalid_copy_linked = 'true';
            $zv_complete_message_linked .= WARNING_COPY_ALL_PRODUCTS_TO_CATEGORY_TO_LINKED . $copy_to_linked . '&nbsp;';
          }
          $zv_complete_message_linked .= SUCCESS_COPY_ALL_PRODUCTS_TO_CATEGORY_TO_LINKED . $copy_to_linked . '&nbsp;';
        } else {
            $zv_invalid_copy_linked = 'true';
            $zv_complete_message_linked .= WARNING_COPY_ALL_PRODUCTS_TO_CATEGORY_TO_LINKED_MISSING . $copy_to_linked . '&nbsp;';
        } 

and add more information in the constants:
to

define('WARNING_COPY_ALL_PRODUCTS_TO_CATEGORY_FROM_LINKED', 'Invalid Category (no products) to link Products From: ');
define('WARNING_COPY_ALL_PRODUCTS_TO_CATEGORY_TO_LINKED', 'Invalid Category (has subcategories) to link Products To: ');
define('WARNING_COPY_ALL_PRODUCTS_TO_CATEGORY_TO_LINKED_MISSING', 'WARNING: Copy not allowed to Invalid (missing) Category to Link: '); 

[lruskauff]

Hi Steve

I remember reading that this was done on purpose in order to keep the link manager cleaner. They don't want a bunch of categories that are empty showing up on the link manager. So they only let those with at least one product. That is why you always need to add a product to a category before you can use it in the link manager.

I don't remember where I read this though and I looked for an hour, lol. I was hoping to find more info on it.

Linda

[torvista]

Yes I thought I had raised this issue already years ago but I couldn't find it either.

I understand your point but, this particular functionality is really divorced from the main tabular display of linked categories as the copy-from and copy-to categories are completely unrelated to the selected product, it just happens to be on the same admin page.

So I stand by my claim that the current code which flags an empty category as invalid is not right.

Offtopic
Whether empty categories are shown or not is something that should be an option on this page. I think the current code is lacking and so I got Multiple Categories Link Manager-Sorted coded for me to improve it. I'm currently updating it and so have finally got round to looking at the bug of this thread.

[lruskauff]

I like the idea of a switch too. Wonder when 1.6 is coming, do you know? And I wonder what will be in it.

Also, what code is followed when not using multiple link manager to just copy/link one product into another category? I'm just learning how it all links together and couldn't find this part. It is prob right in front of my face but I can't see it. Thanks.

Linda