Stock by Attribute v4.0 addon for v1.3.5-1.3.9

[jnabird333]

I noticed that the dynamic dropdowns are working for the items with only one dropdown menu (which by the way I do not want my custom ID to show in the drop down menus). If there are 2 drop down menus (1 for size and 1 for color), it's not showing any qty or custom ID. However, I noticed that on the items that have additional charges like sizes 2X and 3X are showing 2 dollar amounts and I have no idea where the first one (the lower one) came from. Where is this at?

2XL (+$1.66) (+$2.00)

Alana

[mc12345678]

I apologize for the delayed response...day job. :)

I am using a radio button for the one color because there is only one color. I did add in a display only "Please select..." so that a drop down would show and it did't change anything.

I had not even looked at the dynamic dropdowns menu until you said something about it. I set the ZC default HTML Attribute Tags to false as instructed. I noticed that the drop down menus have not changed. Below are the settings I have for that screen.

Dynamic Drop Downs
Title Value
Enable Dynamic Dropdowns 1
Product Info Single Attribute Display Plugin sba_sequenced_dropdowns
Product Info Multiple Attribute Display Plugin sba_sequenced_dropdowns
Use ZC default HTML Attribute Tags false
Show Out of Stock Attributes True
Mark Out of Stock Attributes Right
SBA Number of Records to Displayed 25
Display Out of Stock Message Line True
Prevent Adding Out of Stock to Cart True
Display Javascript Popup for Out-of-Stock Selection True

If the entire group is out of stock, then it will show out of stock when you look at your cart. For example, if you choose a small JK T-shirt in pink, it will show out of stock. But, if you choose a small zip hoodie in grey, it will NOT and I have that item as a quantity of 0.

I am completely new to Zen Cart and running a website as a whole. I am learning as I go. So, if there is something else that I need to look at, then please let me know. If I missed any info, it was not done intentionally...I just don't know what else you would need to see.

Alana

Understand about not being sure of what is needed... The above is a good start to the overall issues. At the moment, I would suggest Enable Dynamic Dropdowns to be set to 2 (Multiple Attributes Only). (There is other code that provides "pretty" dropdowns for single attribute display and I haven't gone through the effort to modify Dynamic Dropdowns to work as well or better than that for single attributes...)

Normally at this point I would also ask for the specific variant setup for the product, but I think that you have provided or partially provided it. So I actually think this may be an installation issue. There is very little that is touched by this plugin in the template arena, but, it seems like if the above were set as true, the page(s) are not rendering the full content because I can't find the expected javascript on the page...

So do you have the file: tpl_modules_attributes.php located in:
includes/templates/valyria/templates ?

Or is there now a directory called:
includes/templates/YOUR_TEMPLATE/templates that has that plus four other files?

If that is the case, also would question what version of the attributes.php file is located at: includes/modules/valyria/

[jnabird333]

Understand about not being sure of what is needed... The above is a good start to the overall issues. At the moment, I would suggest Enable Dynamic Dropdowns to be set to 2 (Multiple Attributes Only). (There is other code that provides "pretty" dropdowns for single attribute display and I haven't gone through the effort to modify Dynamic Dropdowns to work as well or better than that for single attributes...)

Normally at this point I would also ask for the specific variant setup for the product, but I think that you have provided or partially provided it. So I actually think this may be an installation issue. There is very little that is touched by this plugin in the template arena, but, it seems like if the above were set as true, the page(s) are not rendering the full content because I can't find the expected javascript on the page...

So do you have the file: tpl_modules_attributes.php located in:
includes/templates/valyria/templates ?

Or is there now a directory called:
includes/templates/YOUR_TEMPLATE/templates that has that plus four other files?

If that is the case, also would question what version of the attributes.php file is located at: includes/modules/valyria/

Yes, that php file is in the includes/templates/valyria/templates. I made sure to change the YOUR_TEMPLATE folder to valyria before I uploaded the files. The attributes.php file that is located in includes/modules/valyria is yours...Here's the beginning info.


* attributes module
*
* Prepares attributes content for rendering in the template system
* Prepares HTML for input fields with required uniqueness so template can display them as needed and keep collected data in proper fields
*
* @package modules
* @copyright Copyright 2003-2012 Zen Cart Development Team
* @copyright Portions Copyright 2003 osCommerce
* @license http://www.zen-cart.com/license/2_0.txt GNU Public License V2.0
* @version GIT: $Id: Author: Ian Wilson Tue Aug 14 14:56:11 2012 +0100 Modified in v1.5.1 $
*
* Stock by Attributes 1.5.4 : mc12345678 16-01-02
*/


I updated the setting for the enable dynamic dropdowns as suggested. What do these settings stand for?

[mc12345678]

I noticed that the dynamic dropdowns are working for the items with only one dropdown menu (which by the way I do not want my custom ID to show in the drop down menus). If there are 2 drop down menus (1 for size and 1 for color), it's not showing any qty or custom ID. However, I noticed that on the items that have additional charges like sizes 2X and 3X are showing 2 dollar amounts and I have no idea where the first one (the lower one) came from. Where is this at?

2XL (+$1.66) (+$2.00)

Alana

I would disagree, the dynamic dropdowns if active would present the first attribute saying please select this, and the second attribute would state "Next select.." and upon selection would have nothing to select.

So, today have had two individuals request something to be done about the customid not being displayed in dropdowns but want it elsewhere... Guess it's time to add another admin switch.. Once I figure out what it is expected to be in the final code I can post a sql statement here.

Regarding those prices? It looks like there is some form of tax possibly being applied (removed) or possibly a sale... The addition of text to the dropdown again is primarily covered in the includes/classes/observers/class.products_with_attributes_stock.php file in the code that is observing for the notifier to tell it to "run"...

To immediately address the customid for display on the attributes listing, please see the post within the last where line numbers were provided within the class file and it can be modified.

[jnabird333]

I would disagree, the dynamic dropdowns if active would present the first attribute saying please select this, and the second attribute would state "Next select.." and upon selection would have nothing to select.

So, today have had two individuals request something to be done about the customid not being displayed in dropdowns but want it elsewhere... Guess it's time to add another admin switch.. Once I figure out what it is expected to be in the final code I can post a sql statement here.

Regarding those prices? It looks like there is some form of tax possibly being applied (removed) or possibly a sale... The addition of text to the dropdown again is primarily covered in the includes/classes/observers/class.products_with_attributes_stock.php file in the code that is observing for the notifier to tell it to "run"...

To immediately address the customid for display on the attributes listing, please see the post within the last where line numbers were provided within the class file and it can be modified.

My dropdown menus are not displaying that...they look the same as they were before I installed SBA.

Yes, I do have them as a taxable good BUT only if they are purchased within my state. I will look into those files to see what I can modify for the other two items.

Please include directions on how to do the sql statement....sorry newbie.

[mc12345678]

Yes, that php file is in the includes/templates/valyria/templates. I made sure to change the YOUR_TEMPLATE folder to valyria before I uploaded the files. The attributes.php file that is located in includes/modules/valyria is yours...Here's the beginning info.


* attributes module
*
* Prepares attributes content for rendering in the template system
* Prepares HTML for input fields with required uniqueness so template can display them as needed and keep collected data in proper fields
*
* @package modules
* @copyright Copyright 2003-2012 Zen Cart Development Team
* @copyright Portions Copyright 2003 osCommerce
* @license http://www.zen-cart.com/license/2_0.txt GNU Public License V2.0
* @version GIT: $Id: Author: Ian Wilson Tue Aug 14 14:56:11 2012 +0100 Modified in v1.5.1 $
*
* Stock by Attributes 1.5.4 : mc12345678 16-01-02
*/


I updated the setting for the enable dynamic dropdowns as suggested. What do these settings stand for?

So, perhaps a little history if I am able to provide some without too much butchery.. SBA was first being developed, it spawned off into multiple branches, each being developed with one or more goals, someone wanted to have multiple attributes, someone wanted one attribute, this or that and they pretty much all said that they could do the same thing, but never really able to do so. Then, somebody (credit is still given in the files but I forget who it is/was) got creative and tried to make a way using javascript to provide all of the options available for the product and when it was in stock to show how much was in stock. Generally it worked to some extent though as provided it pretty much required every product that had attributes to be tracked by SBA if the attributes were to be selectable in a multiple attribute environment.

Needless to say, there were about three or four "versions" of SBA that were out there. Some incorporated Dynamic Dropdowns (requiring all attribute product to be tracked by SBA), some did not and only offered single attribute product stock tracking. So, then came along potteryhouse and jeking about 2 years ago I think it was now. They picked up a lot of the pieces, sat down to get something that worked and gave some of the additional features that seemed lacking/needed to meet their business needs. They specifically were targeting single attribute type product, but were keeping things clean-n-clear to possibly handle multiple attributes. Some time around then I was put into contact with the two of them and began poking around to see what could be done with it.

Anyways, the concept of Dynamic Dropdowns became tempting as compared to just displaying a list of options in multiple places, but again, installing that plugin meant an all or nothing approach. So, instead, modified the template file so that it could be active as desired and while at it to activate only a "portion" of it if necessary/desired. Well, seeing that potteryhouse/jeking had developed a sort of "informative" dropdown for single attributes, I saw no reason to work on revising the single dropdown version of dynamic dropdowns if there was already something functional and there was other work to be done... So, the one setting requested to be changed was to activate dynamic dropdowns only for multiple attribute product. If the option name box for dropdowns was set to the SBA dropdown list also created by potteryhouse/jeking then it will provide the additional "scripting" to display.

So then, why all these options and things? Well, ZC is an open source platform, the file(s) added/modified by this plugin have been done so that users of historical copies that have overcome this issue or that can continue to use that modified version to their liking but also to use the modified version provided here. Now those things that have been started here specifically I don't have a hard spot with improving upon because well, what was created for this plugin well, if broke needs fixing.. :)

I did forget to mention that there is another plugin that is out there that is supposed to be compatible with SBA, though I haven't tried it in a while, it has to do with grids and product selection such that there is a column and a heading where product is selected by entering at the intersection of the two the desired number of items to add to the cart. I have some proposed modifications to it as well so that it would play a little nicer with ZC overall, but that too is on a back burner for now.. Only have so much that can be done in so little time. :)

So... Your issue though....

If the file(s) are where they are said to be (no reason not to believe) and seeing the template that is being used, it would seem to me that the file tpl_modules_attributes.php actually isn't used at all by the template and would need to track down how it is displaying/selecting the items being displayed... Probably something that calls (include or require) attributes.php, or something that echoes $options_name, $options_comment, $options_menu, etc...

[jnabird333]

Regarding those prices? It looks like there is some form of tax possibly being applied (removed) or possibly a sale... The addition of text to the dropdown again is primarily covered in the includes/classes/observers/class.products_with_attributes_stock.php file in the code that is observing for the notifier to tell it to "run"...

I have isolated it to it taking into account the sale I have on the t-shirts. If I remove the sale, they display correctly. If I turn it back on, the additional amounts are there. Why is it figuring in the sale on the additional cost especially since it is a set amount off and not a set percentage?

Quite honestly, when I try to read the php files, I get very confused trying to figure out where to make a change as I do not have line numbers on my page when I am editing.

[michael_rebreathe]

Are you saying that if you goto the option Names Manager and look at the ID for the Color option that it has the same ID as the Bottle Size option? Are you able to provide a link to look at where this is an issue? Have you tried creating another product with those option names and values to see if the same issue carries over or if it is something that just got "created" with this product? Possibly tried to recreate the option name(s) and assign to the product, etc... ?

Sorry to not state what I considered obvious. Each Option Name has its own distinct ID, as does each Option Value. Out of the non-db-constrained unique fields, the only differences between the options is the option name and products_options.products_options_track_stock

As to how the variant(s) are populated for that product, are you doing:
Stock ID:
X having color and capacity assigned with a quantity of availability for that combination and associated customid, or are you doing:

Stock ID:
X color quantity of "color" and customid (if one assigned).
Y capacity quantity of "capacity" and customid (if one assigned).

such that there is a color availability of quantity W and capacity of Z and the availability is the lesser of the two?

Doesn't exactly seem to be an issue specifically with the plugin, but something that has been discovered through its use...

Regarding the field(s), I don't see that products_options_track_stock is currently a part of this plugin. I believe that the original Dynamic Dropdowns plugin (earlier version of this plugin included it as was) included that field, but I think I removed it for the time being so that it wouldn't negatively affect databases until fully/properly incorporated.. So an earlier installation of some type may have used that data, though I can't say that I have seen (though haven't dug deep into all) a publicly available set of code that made that additional field directly accessible (ie not requiring database manipulation through external sql or phpmyadmin modification). Otherwise, only having the one "table" as the restraining location seems to me to be a little limiting, but development does have to start/go somewhere. :) At the moment though, this code does not "respect" the setting in that table field. At the same time, installation does not remove it if it is there just doesn't add it nor read it, directly.. Sure if pulls all fields from the table then it would be included, but isn't currently a part of the operation.

Stock ID:
Capacity: Slim (2.5ml) Color: Clear Qty: 3
Capacity: Slim (2.5ml) Color: Black Qty: 8
Capacity: Slim (2.5ml) Color: Blue Qty: 7
Capacity: Slim (2.5ml) Color: Orange Qty: 12
Capacity: Slim (2.5ml) Color: Pink Qty: 4
Capacity: Large (5.0ml) Color: Clear Qty: 6
Capacity: Large (5.0ml) Color: Black Qty: 10
Capacity: Large (5.0ml) Color: Blue Qty: 7
Capacity: Large (5.0ml) Color: Orange Qty: 2
Capacity: Large (5.0ml) Color: Pink Qty: 6

Capacity is one Option with Slim and Large as options values
Color is the other option with Clear, Black, Blue, Orange and Pink as options values
We track all inventory by product for products with no attributes, Product AND attribute 1 for single-option products, and Product AND attribute 1 AND attribute 2 for two-option products. There's no product in our catalog where we stock by one attribute and can change the second attribute on-the-fly.

Each SKU is unique to the products_with_attributes_stock.stock_id (items with attributes) or products.products_id (items without attributes). We have an additional module we created, which creates SKUs for each stocked item, such as
A0832075009. This number is useless to the customer, and would be confusing or irritating, but is essential to fulfilling orders, since it is broken down as such:

A - Department (shelving Unit)
08 - Shelf number
32 - Slot Number *** These three data points give the picker the precise location of the item
07 - counter - Once we no longer stock an item, the stock location is available, so the next item put in the location receives the next number in sequence
50 - Value for the first attribute, such as 50 for 5.0 ml and 25 for 2.5ml
09 - Value for the second attribute *** Once the pickers are familiar with these last two fields, they provide a sanity check to ensure the item in-hand is the right size/color, etc.

Our SKU Module updates the products.products_model OR products_with_attributes_stock.customid with our SKU, depending on whether or not the item has attributes. Our module reads a number of other tables, but only updates these two fields, since Zen Cart/SBA already use them (mostly) how we want/need them to be used. The "mostly" is my question of whether Configuration => Stock => SBA Display Custom ID = false hides the customid on pick slips and invoices as well as the attribute selection dropdowns and shopping cart.

I've already considered deleting and recreating the SBA tracking for this problem child. If you'd like to see the symptom before I try to dump and recreate, PM me and I can get you inside the "down for maintenance" wall.

[mc12345678]

My dropdown menus are not displaying that...they look the same as they were before I installed SBA.

Yes, I do have them as a taxable good BUT only if they are purchased within my state. I will look into those files to see what I can modify for the other two items.

Please include directions on how to do the sql statement....sorry newbie.

We all began somewhere. :)

SQL statements can be run from the admin panel: tools->install SQL patches

There is text that is on that screen that is/can be confusing to new users. It says something to the effect of not to use it for ZC install scripts... The minor SQL queries you see around the site are not the same as the "Hey I want to install or upgrade ZC" type SQL queries.

Still working on the code, though been writing a lot as well. :) Have to balance forum with coding. :)

So, ZC doesn't really know where the customer is when simply navigating around... The code portion that shows the "tax/sale" would need to include additional "restraints" to only show that revised price when the "person" is logged in. See without "having" the person, the basic ZC code just keeps on chugging basically treating everyone the same. :)

[mc12345678]

Sorry to not state what I considered obvious. Each Option Name has its own distinct ID, as does each Option Value. Out of the non-db-constrained unique fields, the only differences between the options is the option name and products_options.products_options_track_stock



Stock ID:
Capacity: Slim (2.5ml) Color: Clear Qty: 3
Capacity: Slim (2.5ml) Color: Black Qty: 8
Capacity: Slim (2.5ml) Color: Blue Qty: 7
Capacity: Slim (2.5ml) Color: Orange Qty: 12
Capacity: Slim (2.5ml) Color: Pink Qty: 4
Capacity: Large (5.0ml) Color: Clear Qty: 6
Capacity: Large (5.0ml) Color: Black Qty: 10
Capacity: Large (5.0ml) Color: Blue Qty: 7
Capacity: Large (5.0ml) Color: Orange Qty: 2
Capacity: Large (5.0ml) Color: Pink Qty: 6

Capacity is one Option with Slim and Large as options values
Color is the other option with Clear, Black, Blue, Orange and Pink as options values
We track all inventory by product for products with no attributes, Product AND attribute 1 for single-option products, and Product AND attribute 1 AND attribute 2 for two-option products. There's no product in our catalog where we stock by one attribute and can change the second attribute on-the-fly.

Each SKU is unique to the products_with_attributes_stock.stock_id (items with attributes) or products.products_id (items without attributes). We have an additional module we created, which creates SKUs for each stocked item, such as
A0832075009. This number is useless to the customer, and would be confusing or irritating, but is essential to fulfilling orders, since it is broken down as such:

A - Department (shelving Unit)
08 - Shelf number
32 - Slot Number *** These three data points give the picker the precise location of the item
07 - counter - Once we no longer stock an item, the stock location is available, so the next item put in the location receives the next number in sequence
50 - Value for the first attribute, such as 50 for 5.0 ml and 25 for 2.5ml
09 - Value for the second attribute *** Once the pickers are familiar with these last two fields, they provide a sanity check to ensure the item in-hand is the right size/color, etc.

Our SKU Module updates the products.products_model OR products_with_attributes_stock.customid with our SKU, depending on whether or not the item has attributes. Our module reads a number of other tables, but only updates these two fields, since Zen Cart/SBA already use them (mostly) how we want/need them to be used. The "mostly" is my question of whether Configuration => Stock => SBA Display Custom ID = false hides the customid on pick slips and invoices as well as the attribute selection dropdowns and shopping cart.

I've already considered deleting and recreating the SBA tracking for this problem child. If you'd like to see the symptom before I try to dump and recreate, PM me and I can get you inside the "down for maintenance" wall.

At "last" check, yes

The "mostly" is my question of whether Configuration => Stock => SBA Display Custom ID = false hides the customid on pick slips and invoices as well as the attribute selection dropdowns and shopping cart.

as I recall controls the overall usage not just in one place or another. But, with that in mind, one could either hard code replace the constant with a "false" or "true" for all cases, or as desired including adding one's own "on/off" switch...

Here's my thoughts for the "settings". One for the Attributes.php file such that is possible to have in no particular order (off entirely, on always, on with the overall setting just discussed), then also to provide a "no-customer side" type option... Like said, doesn't help the customer to know some of that customid data, so may make sense for some to not have it displayed on the customer side except for packing slips that may be received, etc... Kind of a "side" issue versus say the email? Haven't really thought about how/when one would want to disable it, so open to suggestions, although again not trying to make this thing overly complicated or to have too many options that need to be "explained". :)