too many attributes :(

[Website Rob]

MachaNeko, you have a Bear of a site and it will either make you or break you. And I say that with good intentions.

Due to the nature of the Industry and Products you are providing for that Industry, there is no way around it; you will have to have loads of attributes and be highly organized in your database structure.

Using the example page you provided, you can have One page listing 6 Models or 6 pages listing One Model each.

The latter method would mean having 6 pages that are pretty much exactly like each other except for one piece of information; the Model number.

The former method which you are using now is the better; saves on duplication of Content but does require 6 attributes.


In fact, it looks like you are skimping on attributes with some Products. Your page for CW500 Roller Deck Scale for example, lists 2 Models with many Options -- 32 to be exact. What is the baseline for Options already provided with each Model? Although one can choose either of the Models, how does one choose their Options? What is the pricing for each option?


The above is just some of the reasons why Database Programmers are in high demand. A lot of thought must go into organizing the database structure to be efficient and quick. This does not mean it will be easy or simple. On the bright side, although there is a lot of work/cost to setup there should not be a lot for maintenance. There will be no shortcuts when adding new Products and they must be added properly.


On a side note, why is it that your Header has Category links on top of your Logo?

Template layout is always a main concern and you might want to consider widening yours. The page for the CW500 Roller Deck Scale for example, breaks the Template when viewed in IE6 but not FF. There could be other pages breaking as well but I only looked at a few pages.


I know this is more than you bargained for when you asked your original question, so I hope you don't mind the additional information.

[MachaNeko]

Approach every such problem by analyzing it at its most fundamental level.

Attributes for your products are not standardized across all products.
The set of capacity ranges differs for every model scale.

Either
1) you create a product for every set of attributes and do not define attributes.
2) you create an elaborate and large set of attributes and fewer products.

Sit with a pencil and paper, choose a product and write down the variables. Then try to organize them using different approaches and see what makes the best sense for you.

In the example we used above the model number differs within the same product so it becomes a function of the attributes that are chosen. I believe every product model# should be a product unto itself. This is the only way to avoid losing your mind.

no. not only is that too much work but it will not help with my problem. i found a much better solution anyways.

[Website Rob]

Care to share what the "better solution" was?

[dualaudi]

Seriously... care to share... i have 30 option values that I will need to upload a fabric swatch per item... and duplicate this to all of my products in a category.

[MachaNeko]

someone gave me this to download and it does wonders

improved attributes controller

[dualaudi]

I too tried that, but my image swatches do not show up when I start assigning option values to my other products.. (i can't believe I have to upload 30 swatches individualy for every product)

i'm really hurting here, can someone telle me what i'm doing wrong?

[MachaNeko]

these attributes are images?

if they're the same have to tried doing what i did for an attribute? assigning it to each category so it automatically adds itself to each product.

[dualaudi]

well, it won't let me copy over - so i get this...

1136 Column count doesn't match value count at row 1
in:
[insert into zen_products_attributes values (0, '61', '1', '3', '0.0000', '+', '0', '1', '0', '+', '1', '0', '1', 'attributes/Aqua-Spa-05.jpg', '1', '0.0000', '0.0000', '0.0000', '0.0000', '0.0000', '', '', '0.0000', '0', '0.0000', '0', '1')]
If you were entering information, press the BACK button in your browser and re-check the information you had entered to be sure you left no blank fields.

[MachaNeko]

yeah i have no idea about that. i say send a pm to website rob or obaa-san. theyre good at this kind of stuff.