Attributes HOW-TO

[asorethumb]

Originally posted by Ajeh@Mar 5 2005, 04:08 AM
This is what the attribute setting for:

Used For Display Purposes Only:

You may not add a product to the cart when this is selected.

If you add to Colors a:

Select from below and set this to the default and set to Display only ... it would stop a customer from not picking a valid choice.

I'm having trouble with this.

I've tried a few different things, and I am still able to click the add to cart button without selecting an attribute...it just puts the item in the cart with a $0 total.
I want for the customer to have to pick one or the other before adding to cart.
can anyone advise?

link here

[Ajeh]

Either add an Option Value to the Option Name for:

Select from below ...

The setup the Attribute as:

Select from below ...
Sort Order 0
Default Yes
Display Only Yes

Or, set one of your existing Attributes as:

Default

[clayartisan]

I had this problem when I first started out. I have kits in three sizes: Sm, Med and Lrg. This is what I did to make sure they chose something:

Under product description, I set the base price to 0$. I also set the base weight to 0.

I created the Option Name (Size), and set it to a Drop Down Menu. Attached to that, I added the three values (Small, Medium, Large).

In the Attributes Controller section, I added each of these three to the product. This is where I set the price and weight of each size kit, plus the sort order and clicked Yes on "Include in Base Price" box.

On the Medium size attribute, I also checked "Default Attribute to be Marked Selected".

Now, when someone goes to order a kit, if they just hit Add to Cart, they automatically get the Medium Kit. When they see it in their cart, and if it's not the size they wanted, they backtrack to find where to make the right choice. I haven't had any complaints with this method yet.

Now, if I had the kind of product where they wanted to order a quantity of three of the same thing, in the three different sizes, they would have to go through the "Add to Cart" process for each different size. If they wanted two medium and one large, they would have to go through the Add to Cart process twice. Radio buttons allow only one choice at a time.

Now, using Check Boxes might work for you. They allow the buyer to check any and all of them. If, in the product description, you make your product 0, check yes to Price by Attributes. When you create the attributes, put in the actual price you want for that size or color or whatever. Then on ONE of them, make it the Default option that will be checked.

People will then see all the options layed out in front of them, see one of them is checked, and they can then check another one and uncheck the default one. If they don't uncheck the default one, it will add that amount in the total (even tho they choose a quantity of 1), and they will say "Whoa, why is that so high?" and go back to make sure they made the right choice. In this way, they can choose one of each option, or 3 of one option if they remember to up the quantity to add to cart. Not perfect, but I've shopped at stores with much less user friendly carts.

Hope this helps!
Patti

[Ajeh]

This is why using an additional Option Value:

Select from below ...
Pick one ...
Your choice ...
What do you want?
What works for you?
etc.

Is helpful.

I sell T-shirts ... I set to Medium on Default as you suggested ...

Customer just hits Add to Cart ... never really "reading the screen" ... do they ever?

Bummer they needed an X-Large ... now I have sent them a Medium ... blah, blah, blah

Had I used a Display Only Default Sort Order 0 Attribute, they would have been forced to make the "correct" selection from the start.

Checkboxes, same issue ... leave wrong ones checked or forget to check the correct ones.

Somethings, yes you need checkboxes for ... but use them with discretion ... :)

[georgewiel]

Ajeh:

How do I access the individual attribute values (price, option value string, etc.) from within the tpl_product_info_display.php template?

The available $options_menu[] array already has all the html control stuff in it (yes, I can parse it but that's messy).

I want to create a custom attribute menu without having to modify the main_template_vars_attributes.php file (which is outside the template sturcture).

Thanks,
George

[asorethumb]

thank you ajeh and clayartisan! i will give it a go today. much appreciated!

[Ajeh]

Originally posted by georgewiel@Aug 19 2005, 02:21 PM
Ajeh:

How do I access the individual attribute values (price, option value string, etc.) from within the tpl_product_info_display.php template?

The available $options_menu[] array already has all the html control stuff in it (yes, I can parse it but that's messy).

I want to create a custom attribute menu without having to modify the main_template_vars_attributes.php file (which is outside the template sturcture).

Thanks,
George

Currently ... the main_template_vars_attributes.php is what is used to do the building of the attributes.

While there is no override for this, it can be customized more, but you have to be very careful in doing so.

[asorethumb]

Originally posted by Ajeh@Aug 17 2005, 06:05 PM

Had I used a Display Only Default Sort Order 0 Attribute, they would have been forced to make the "correct" selection from the start.

i think i have it sorted out now...
the cart button can still be clicked on if the customer doesnt make a selection from the dropdown, but it gives an error message at the top of the screen: Please Correct the following:
On the Option for: Yards You picked an Invalid Selection: Select from below....
im assuming this is what is supposed to happen. please let me know otherwise!

[Ajeh]

If you have an attribute set as display only then that is the error message you will receive.

[ctcentralinfo]

Cool yo, thanks.