Display Model Number on Category Page

[briandoakes]

Hello,
I have spent the past 3 hours searching how to display the model number on a category page underneath the product title.

I have found threads on adding model numbers to the shopping cart, product detail page, sideboxes, everything except the category page.

Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Thanks,
Brian

[stevesh]

Not exactly sure what you mean by the 'category page', but if it's the product listing, check Admin - Configuration - Product Listing - Display Product Model.

[briandoakes]

Not exactly sure what you mean by the 'category page', but if it's the product listing, check Admin - Configuration - Product Listing - Display Product Model.

Thank you for the response. Yes, I believe it is what you would call the product listing.

That was actually the very first thing I did, went to the Admin - Config - Product Listing - Display Product Model and changed that to 1 instead of 0. That however did not display the Model Number.

To preface, I am not a developer, Im more of a designer, although I can understand and manipulate code. I am working on a custom theme that someone else made, not the default Zen Cart. I came across a tutorial online that got me to the point of being able to display the Product ID by using the following code: $listing->fields['products_id'] but how can I translate that to show our actual product model number?

On our Product Detail Page, the Product Model Number displays

<!-- Begin Product Model Number -->
                  <div style="background-color:#96ccc5; border:1px solid #000;">
                            
							<!-- In Stock -->
							<?php if ( (($flag_show_product_info_model == 1 and $products_model != '') or ($flag_show_product_info_weight == 1 and $products_weight !=0) or ($flag_show_product_info_quantity == 1) or ($flag_show_product_info_manufacturer == 1 and !empty($manufacturers_name))) ) { ?>
                                
                            <?php echo (($flag_show_product_info_model == 1 and $products_model !='') ? TEXT_PRODUCT_MODEL  . $products_model : '') . "\n"; ?>
                             
                      		
                            <!-- Out of Stock -->
                            <?php
                            } else {
                            ?>
                            <?php echo '<li>' . TEXT_PRODUCT_MODEL . $products_model . '</li>'; ?>
                            <?php echo '<li><table width="100%" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tr><td valign="middle" width="1%"><img src="images/arrow-images.jpg" alt="" width="44" height="50" /></td><td valign="middle" width="99%">Out Of Stock</td></tr></table></li>'; ?>
                            
                            <?php 
                                }
                            ?>
                     </div>       
               <!-- Begin Product Model Number -->

So Ive been stuck trying to figure out how to get that Model Number to display on the Product Listing.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Brian

[schoolboy]

Thank you for the response. Yes, I believe it is what you would call the product listing.

That was actually the very first thing I did, went to the Admin - Config - Product Listing - Display Product Model and changed that to 1 instead of 0. That however did not display the Model Number.

This is the correct, STANDARD way of doing it.

If your site is not displaying the model number after you have toggled this "switch" then whoever designed/supplied your template has removed this function.

My guess is that you are using a TEMPLATE MONSTER template - in which case you need to contact them to ask how you re-instate this core function.

While you are at it, ask them what other functions they have removed (there are likely to be quite a lot, because TM is known to smash up ZC functionality quite badly).

[briandoakes]

Hi Schoolboy,
Thanks for the response...

Yeah, whether I turn it on or off, it will display the Product ID like 38,20, etc but not our own unique Model #.

It is not from Template Monster. The company I am at had a developer create it a while ago for them and we no longer are in contact with him.

Do you know of a way that I could re-instate this functionality? Since Model #s are displaying on our Product Detail Pages, Im thinking there's a way to do it. I just dont know how.

[schoolboy]

Firstly, you need to see what he called the site's CUSTOM template.

Then, you need to FTP (to your computer), the entire INCLUDES folder. This will bring in ALL files (core and customized).

Then, in the following directories, you will need to find the CUSTOM TEMPLATE folders (they exist at various sub-levels in these folders, so drill down to see where they all are):

includes/languages
includes/modules
includes/templates

(A "custom template" will have "modified" files in all of these three main areas, so they all need to be looked at).

When you have a COPY of the full "includes" folder, you need to do FILE COMPARISONS with a copy of the ORIGINAL zencart files.

So... determine what VERSION of ZC your site is using (can be found out in the ADMIN area under TOOLS >>> SERVER/VERSION INFO), and then download a full copy of the Zc version software.

Next... get a copy of a GOOD file comparison package - like WINMERGE or BEYOND COMPARE

Then, using this file comparison system, COMPARE the CUSTOMISED versions of files, with their CORE ORIGINAL. Differences between the files will be highlighted.

In your case, I imagine it's mostly files in the templates folder(s) that have been smashed up, so you could concentrate on this area.

Look particularly at:

tpl_modules_product_listing.php

It will be in:

CORE VERSION:
includes/templates/template_default/tpl_modules_product_listing.php

CUSTOM VERSION
includes/templates/YOUR_CUSTOM-TEMPLATE/tpl_modules_product_listing.php

Then... do COMPARISONS for ALL template files by following the same pattern...

[schoolboy]

If you find a depressingly large number of customised files, it is sometimes easier and faster to just load up a NEW template, and re-skin it to your existing template's design.

Another way to check TEMPLATE MODIFICATIONS is to temporarily "switch back" to the "classic" template, and load up the "problem page" again. This will show the page's CORE FUNCTIONS, because "classic" is a good "diagnostic tool" for seeking out template alterations.

If the page shows your desired behaviour, then the "fault" (or removed function) lays in the CUSTOM TEMPLATE setup - in which case, your focus for remedial action will concentrate on the custom template folder's files.

In SOME CASES, MODULE files may have been "adjusted", because certain "pages" have specific FUNCTIONS applied in their MODULE files.

It's a tedious task... but once cleaned up, your site should work in accordance with the way it was designed...

[stevesh]

I would switch temporarily to the Classic template and see if the model number appears. If so, you'll need to find the file the template designer removed that section from, possibly includes/modules/YOUR_TEMPLATE/product_listing.php.

A link to the site might let us spot something, too.

Edit: Must. Type. Faster.

[briandoakes]

Thank you for the very in-depth response. Much appreciated. As I mentioned... Im more of a designer than a programmer, so although I have been able to figure out how to manipulate the layout of my ZC Store and add some basic stuff, when it gets to the technical level you are discussing. It's gonna take me a while to figure out. LOL

I am relatively new to ZenCart and dont even know hot to switch back to classic template as you mentioned.

thank you though!

[schoolboy]

Sorry... just looking at your earlier post...

You mention "Product ID numbers" and "Our product model numbers".

I am not clear of what you mean exactly, because in "zencart-speak" the ID is a unique incrementalised number added to a product record in the database. In general, this number is NOT displayed in the website.

The MODEL NUMBER is the SKU, or EAN, that YOU enter in the Products Model field when you ADD/EDIT a product via the admin panel.

Could it be that your developer BUILT a bespoke system for inserting YOUR OWN "Model Numbers" ???

If so, then a different approach is required.