Random Sort Order

[Craig Freeburg]

Trying to set up all products list to sort products randomly. Used the information in this thread

https://www.zen-cart.com/showthread....o-Random-Order


It doesn't seem as if there are any errors, and the page is showing up just fine. Could it be a version issue why this isn't working with 154?

Or does someone have a similar solution to doing this?

[cvhainb]

If you want to do this, you can not do it in admin. You must edit code from any listing.

[Craig Freeburg]

If you want to do this, you can not do it in admin. You must edit code from any listing.

I did edit the code using the thread I posted the link to. It didn't cause any issues, but even when calling for the RAND in admin, it's not randomizing. I know nothing about sessions, and I know this is suppose to be written to read the session, and only randomize once, that way the same products won't show up on page 2. It randomizes all products, and then saves them that way for the entire visit. (or at least that's how I understand it).

[cvhainb]

You can not use rand() for your listing, it can makes your site with duplicate content. You should use rand() for a block products (example new products, featured products and specials)

[Craig Freeburg]

You can not use rand() for your listing, it can makes your site with duplicate content. You should use rand() for a block products (example new products, featured products and specials)

Have you looked over the thread link I've posted? I'm not good enough at coding to tell exactly what it's doing, but it's supposed to just randomize once, that way you don't get duplicate listings, and then can be used on all products. It randomizes, and then spreads them out over the pages.

[balihr]

This got my attention and I decided to do it... Here's what you need to do.

Go to includes/index_filters/ and create a new directory for your template override and copy the default_filter.php to the new directory. Now you'll have something like includes/index_filters/YOUR_TEMPLATE/default_filter.php
Now edit that file and find around line 94

if (isset($column_list)) {

Add after:

// BOF randomize sort order 1/2
   if ($_GET['sort'] == 'RAN') {
		$seed = preg_replace("/[^0-9]/", "", $_SESSION['securityToken']);
		$seed = substr($seed, 0, 5);
		$seed = (int)$seed;
		echo $seed;
		$listing_sql .= " order by p.products_sort_order desc, rand($seed)";
	} else {
	// EOF randomize sort order 1/2

Next, around line 148 find 3 closing brackets and just add one more.

This is how your code will look:

// set the default sort order setting from the Admin when not defined by customer
  if (!isset($_GET['sort']) and PRODUCT_LISTING_DEFAULT_SORT_ORDER != '') {
    $_GET['sort'] = PRODUCT_LISTING_DEFAULT_SORT_ORDER;
  }

  if (isset($column_list)) {
   // BOF randomize sort order 1/2
   if ($_GET['sort'] == 'RAN') {
		$seed = preg_replace("/[^0-9]/", "", $_SESSION['securityToken']);
		$seed = substr($seed, 0, 5);
		$seed = (int)$seed;
		echo $seed;
		$listing_sql .= " order by p.products_sort_order desc, rand($seed)";
   } else {
   // EOF randomize sort order 1/2
    if ((!isset($_GET['sort'])) || (isset($_GET['sort']) && !preg_match('/[1-8][ad]/', $_GET['sort'])) || (substr($_GET['sort'], 0, 1) > sizeof($column_list)) ) {
	  for ($i=0, $n=sizeof($column_list); $i<$n; $i++) {
        if (isset($column_list[$i]) && $column_list[$i] == 'PRODUCT_LIST_NAME') {
          $_GET['sort'] = $i+1 . 'a';
		  
          $listing_sql .= " order by p.products_sort_order, pd.products_name";
          break;
        } else {
// sort by products_sort_order when PRODUCT_LISTING_DEFAULT_SORT_ORDER is left blank
// for reverse, descending order use:
//       $listing_sql .= " order by p.products_sort_order desc, pd.products_name";
          $listing_sql .= " order by p.products_sort_order, pd.products_name";
          break;
        }
      }
// if set to nothing use products_sort_order and PRODUCTS_LIST_NAME is off
      if (PRODUCT_LISTING_DEFAULT_SORT_ORDER == '') {
        $_GET['sort'] = '20a';
      }
    } else {
      $sort_col = substr($_GET['sort'], 0 , 1);
      $sort_order = substr($_GET['sort'], 1);
      switch ($column_list[$sort_col-1]) {
        case 'PRODUCT_LIST_MODEL':
          $listing_sql .= " order by p.products_model " . ($sort_order == 'd' ? 'desc' : '') . ", pd.products_name";
          break;
        case 'PRODUCT_LIST_NAME':
          $listing_sql .= " order by pd.products_name " . ($sort_order == 'd' ? 'desc' : '');
          break;
        case 'PRODUCT_LIST_MANUFACTURER':
          $listing_sql .= " order by m.manufacturers_name " . ($sort_order == 'd' ? 'desc' : '') . ", pd.products_name";
          break;
        case 'PRODUCT_LIST_QUANTITY':
          $listing_sql .= " order by p.products_quantity " . ($sort_order == 'd' ? 'desc' : '') . ", pd.products_name";
          break;
        case 'PRODUCT_LIST_IMAGE':
          $listing_sql .= " order by pd.products_name";
          break;
        case 'PRODUCT_LIST_WEIGHT':
          $listing_sql .= " order by p.products_weight " . ($sort_order == 'd' ? 'desc' : '') . ", pd.products_name";
          break;
        case 'PRODUCT_LIST_PRICE':
          $listing_sql .= " order by p.products_price_sorter " . ($sort_order == 'd' ? 'desc' : '') . ", pd.products_name";
          break;
      }
    }
   // BOF randomize sort order 2/2
   }
   // EOF randomize sort order 2/2
  }
// optional Product List Filter
  if (PRODUCT_LIST_FILTER > 0) {

Next, go to your admin->Configuration->Product Listing and set "Display Product Listing Default Sort Order" to RAND.

Don't get confused with the code above using 'RAN' - this is on purpose because the very beginning of the default_filter.php strips the $_GET parameter down to 3 characters... Basically, you can enter RANDOM in the admin, it won't make any difference. Heck, you could even put RANCH...

There's no mention of duplicate content since the sort order is passed on to all pages and products will not be duplicated. It will only randomize the sort order based on session parameter which is randomly generated by Zen Cart...

[Craig Freeburg]

This got my attention and I decided to do it... Here's what you need to do.

I did this and I still can't get it to function. Do I need to delete the original default filter file? If the template one is meant to override it, I wouldn't think I would need to, but that's the only thing I can think of. If you want to check it out, i'll post the site. its
wearspeedmachine . com/index.php and then click on all products. they're still sorting by alpha order.

I really appreciate the help. thank you

[balihr]

and then click on all products.

Hehe, you should've mentioned you were specifically doing this for the products_all page - I thought you were referring to the standard product_listing page... Let me see what I can do.

[Craig Freeburg]

Hehe, you should've mentioned you were specifically doing this for the products_all page - I thought you were referring to the standard product_listing page... Let me see what I can do.

I thought of that afterwards. haha. sorry.

[balihr]

First of all, a correction for my previous post - I forgot to remove the echo line...

Here's how the first block should (default_filter.php) look like:

// BOF randomize sort order 1/2
   if ($_GET['sort'] == 'RAN') {
		$seed = preg_replace("/[^0-9]/", "", $_SESSION['securityToken']);
		$seed = substr($seed, 0, 5);
		$seed = (int)$seed;
		$listing_sql .= " order by p.products_sort_order desc, rand($seed)";
	} else {
	// EOF randomize sort order 1/2

As for your request on products_all page, here's what you need to do:
edit your includes/modules/pages/products_all/header_php.php
Find around line 23:

$products_all_query_raw = "SELECT p.products_type.....

and add BEFORE:

// bof - randomize sort order
  if(PRODUCT_LISTING_DEFAULT_SORT_ORDER == 'RAND') {
	  $seed = preg_replace("/[^0-9]/", "", $_SESSION['securityToken']);
	  $seed = substr($seed, 0, 5);
	  $seed = (int)$seed;
	  $order_by = " order by rand($seed), pd.products_name";
  }
  // eof - randomize sort order

Since there are no available inputs to set any sort for the products_all page, I've used the one for product_listing pages (PRODUCT_LISTING_DEFAULT_SORT_ORDER). You'll need to set that in the admin as mentioned in the previous post. This time, it must say RAND.