subcategories only in sidebox main categories top

[Sckwooral]

I would like to display only the subcategories for a category in a left sidebox. So, basically, you click on a category (horizontal top menu which I have working just fine) and on that specific category page the subcategories are listed in a sidebox and the first subcategory's product items fill up the center column.



There are a lot of posts related to sideboxes, menu trees etc but after hours of reading through and trying a few I still can't seem to figure it out.

Any help, links to solutions in the forum, etc. appreciated!

[gjh42]

The easiest way to do this is probably by adding a switch that suppresses output of any category that is not current and a subcat.
Find this line in /includes/templates/your_template/sideboxes/tpl_categories.php

if (zen_get_product_types_to_category($box_categories_array[$i]['path']) == 3 or ($box_categories_array[$i]['top'] != 'true' and SHOW_CATEGORIES_SUBCATEGORIES_ALWAYS != 1)) {
      // skip if this is for the document box (==3) 
    } else { 

and add
$current_top = false;
if ((int)str_replace("cPath=","",$box_categories_array[$i]['path']) == $_GET['cPath']) { //top cat of path is active
$current_top = true;
}

above it, and

($current_top == false) or ($box_categories_array[$i]['top'] == 'true') or
inside it to get

$current_top = false;
if ((int)str_replace("cPath=","",$box_categories_array[$i]['path']) == $_GET['cPath']) { //top cat of path is active
$current_top = true;
}
if (($current_top == false) or ($box_categories_array[$i]['top'] == 'true') or zen_get_product_types_to_category($box_categories_array[$i]['path']) == 3 or ($box_categories_array[$i]['top'] != 'true' and SHOW_CATEGORIES_SUBCATEGORIES_ALWAYS != 1)) {
      // skip if this is for the document box (==3) 
    } else { 

I haven't tested this yet, so try it and let me know how it works. If it needs tweaking, I'll take care of it.

[Sckwooral]

Hey - that's great!

I need to add some more subcategories and products to make sure it's working across the board but it appears to work.

I originally plugged the code into the Categories Dressing tpl_categories.php page that I was working with and it did not work - everything under the top category tab nav disappeared, from the breadcrumbs down. I replaced the tpl_categories with the default and applied your change and this is exactly what I was looking for. Since I don't need the Categories Dressing code I don't mind reverting back.

I'll be making changes to this as the day progresses but for anyone checking this post the original change stated above supplies a Category Specific - Subcategory Side Box that has the "Categories" title on default blue, a list of the Subcategories, and then "New Products", "All Products" followed by the green bottom. (When I'm done styling it will be slightly different than that).

Link to test page:
http://infullfig.com/index.php?main_...&products_id=1

Thanks!

[gjh42]

Glad to see it's working! And it looks really good.

I noticed something that should be making it malfunction, but it is not malfunctioning...
The

if ((int)str_replace("cPath=","",$box_categories_array[$i]['path']) == $_GET['cPath']) {

compares the first numbers of 'path' (before the _) with the cPath (which may include an _); this should not be equal if you are in a subcategory, but it still works as desired. I'll have to test this to find out exactly why it's working before I want it relied upon.

The line should read

if ((int)str_replace("cPath=","",$box_categories_array[$i]['path']) == (int)$_GET['cPath']) { 

so that both values are being truncated the same.

[Sckwooral]

that new change didn't work - everything under the top categories tab disappears completely, from breadcrumbs down. I changed the code back to the original one and it works fine.

So do you feel the original changes won't work effectively? I don't know enough about PHP to understand exactly how that string of code works.

Unfortunately, my client wants me to put the site in Under Construction mode until it's finished so if you need to take another look at how it renders let me know and I'll ask permission to post the site with dummy text and images.

And I wish I could take credit for the site design - it is pretty cool - but it was designed by my client who hands off photoshop file for me to pound into shape using css and html. This is our first ecommerce project.

[gjh42]

Curiouser and curiouser...

The
str_replace("cPath=","",$box_categories_array[$i]['path'])
removes the "cPath=" from the beginning of the path item in the array, so the format matches the format of $_GET['cPath'].
The (int) is a shortcut way to strip the subcategories if any, by type-casting the value as an integer. That might not work the same way on $_GET['cPath'] ...?

At any rate, if it works, it works.

[wildgarden]

I would also like to get this working in my site, but when I add the code suggested above, the content disappears from top menu down. I am using v 1.3.8. Any ideas?

[wildgarden]

Never mind, I had inserted the code incorrectly. It's working now! yay

[stoneymontana]

hi gjh42,

i have to ask because everytime i think i found the solution its for something else.

the code solution you provide, is that to prevent subcategories from showing up above the items in the middle column underneath the breadcrumbs thing? like ie...

home::cat1

subcat1 subcat2 subcat3


this is the solution i need how to keep those subcategories off and only in the left column box.

i appreciate it.
thanks,

Stoney

[stoneymontana]

forget it i found the solution,
i apologize but since i found it 2 hours ago and then had to rush my son to school i actually forgot the spot in the control panel that did it.

my bad.