cPath for Dummies - I want a totally different layout

[kobra]

Your walls don't talk?? Mine do!!!! But I don't like what theya are saying about me...

In a binary world there are only two answers...0 and 1. which one are you?

[0101101011]

OK Kobra, here is a thought:

I hear and read over and over about 'selecting from the attributes.' - What if this is not a good option? What if, each product, with its attributes is priced differently? You cannot go to product page and select from attributes (like color, size, etc.), because that particular product, with its attributes is unique (incl. unique SKU, UPC, etc.) -

and because the pricing is so random, you cannot just use price by attributes... it doesn't work that way...

It's clever to design separate tables that holds option names and values - it seems like every ZC user can create it's own fields as they need (either it is color and size and its values). But this seems to be very tight design... -- I mean, how it is related to pricing and the 'attributes layout' (dropdown, checkbox...).

Well, since data are in database, it should be a no-brainer to pull these out into desired places, right? So what do I need to know? I believe that the data are first 'pulled out' from database and 'translated' into variables, and then placed in template - am I correct? Either way, I appreciate your feedback,
Thanks,

[Kim]

An example of a real product that fits your requirements might be helpful.

[DrByte]

Well, since data are in database, it should be a no-brainer to pull these out into desired places, right? So what do I need to know? I believe that the data are first 'pulled out' from database and 'translated' into variables, and then placed in template - am I correct?

Yes -- you can see how it pulls the data for display, via the /includes/modules/attributes.php script.
You can see how it stores the data for purchase via the includes/classes/order.php class.
And you can see how it receives data to add to cart via the various elements of the shopping_cart.php class.

[0101101011]

Hello everyone,

Kim - the URL's to samples are on the first page of this thread.

After some time spent inside the zen cave , I came up with a theory, and more questions

But first -

1. Topic One:
Could you please tell me is it possible to link CATEGORIES? Theoretically, the database can be setup to reflect such relation, but there may be stuff in code I'm not aware of, so I'm humbly passing the question to you.

***
2. Topic Two:
Remember, I'm trying to find out best way to display the products as per example.

So far, without much of messing around, the product listing page in zen cart looks pretty close to the sample provided above (here you can see on a testing platform) - title, picture below (this is a 'category picture'), description, filter and otional (which is desirable in this situation) 'add selected products to cart' button.

The lower, tabular part shows the actual products that are within the category. I entered them with read-only attributes to better visualize (you can see it, once you click on the product link). The title in this case is represented by number (indicating series), since we have the tilte above already.

The table header shows: Model, Item Name and Price - all of these variables are located in Admin>Configuration>Product Listing.
I switched off image and manufacturer. There are some few more.

NOW, bare with me: theoretically, I could add (code) to Product Listing the items I desire to show in the table, i.e. Color, Size, Weight (! - this is not a shipping related weight - it is another field representing paper 'thickness'), etc.

This will be at least the minimum to achieve the desired look (there is howerver more, but let's leave it for another discussion).
The link on the product title (in tabular product display) could be disabled, so there is no need to go into product page...

(opinion of experts highly desired at this point - mucho thanks)

***
This brainstorm is triggered to identify the possibility of displaying products the 'other way.' In my opinion, the way how attributes work now, is only beneficial to businesses who actually can take advantage of pricing possiblility of attributes. Clean and solid example could be Apple store: you select an iMac (starting at $$$) and then you add/remove components (or, attributes - better graphic card and processor [+$$], smaller HD[-$$],more memory[+$$], etc.).

However, if your product's attributes (let's call them descriptive properties of product) are not benefit from pricing functions; and on top of that, their price is random, regardless of their attributes (descriptive properties), then an optional way of showing product may be more than functional: it will benefit customers (i.e. saving them extra clicks).

***

Questions:
1. Did I explain the situation clearly?
2. If in a theory, adding additional 'variables' to Admin>Product Listing page to display extra fields (in this exercise are the option names/values/attributes) is possible (is it? zen guru's, please elaborate), would it affect the admin structure (since admin is not overrideable)?
3. My theory omits the product page - anyone else have other suggestions/solutions?

Thanks,

[Putzmeister]

Hello 0101101011 vbmenu_register("postmenu_299288", true); ,

I dont' have the time to read all the posts on this thread, just as I would prefer to read a reference book on Zen-Cart that was written by a tech-writer/programmer rather than have to sift thru this muck to get some answers.

I sort of understand what your looking for, and I believe that it would require a script that targets the <head></head> portion of the webpage.

That script would have to inspect the category of item that needs to be displayed, and echo a stylesheet link on that basis.

This way the browser is told which stylesheet to use based on the product category that's being displayed.

You or someone who knows how will have to code that into the page building PHP, which ever that is. Finding the right one is like sexing baby chicks, you have to find the little nub on the males.

I'm not a PC programmer, it's way too cryptic for me, but I have a pretty grasp of the concepts.

Please let me know if this was of any help.