Showing Products from subcategories on category page

Hello! I'm trying to figure out how to do a product listing on the categories page. for example:

I have a category called "Widgets"
It has several sub categories including "blue", "green", "yellow" and "Turquoise".

When I select the "widgets" category, I'd like to list all of the products (paged) from its subcategories.

Is there a way to do this? I'm looking to edit the tpl_index_categories.php file....

Thanks folks! I'm really stuck on this one!

When I select the "widgets" category, I'd like to list all of the products (paged) from its subcategories.
Why not place them all in the "widgets" category to begin with??

That's not the point. These products NEED to be in subcategories in order to make sense to the users. I want my users to be able to drill down to more specific categories, but I don't want them to HAVE to do that in order to see any products.

Does that make sense?

That's not the point. These products NEED to be in subcategories in order to make sense to the users. I want my users to be able to drill down to more specific categories, but I don't want them to HAVE to do that in order to see any products.

Does that make sense?
NO not at all...

Okay.... how about I explain the issue again. in a different way this time.

Currently, it takes 2 clicks to get to see the product listing. (click master category name, then click sub category name).

In the interest of serving my users better (and increasing their likelyhood of making a purchase), I want it to take 1 click.

Maybe it would make more sense if I explained my situation a bit better. My client sells 4 different types of products. they're VERY different types of products. That makes 4 master categories. each with hundreds of varied products in them. I have placed these products in sub categories so that my users can find them easier. If I had a category structure only one level deep, it would be difficult for users to browse the site and find a product they're interested in purchasing.

I suppose instead of asking why I did it this way, perhaps you could actually help solve my problem? I want to make zen cart work the way I expect it to. I don't want to have to make my clients site behave the way zen cart wants it to.

ANY help would be most welcome. is there a plugin or something that does this (I haven't found one)? Has anybody done this before?

When I select the "widgets" category, I'd like to list all of the products (paged) from its subcategories.

That makes 4 master categories. each with hundreds of varied products in them. I have placed these products in sub categories so that my users can find them easier. If I had a category structure only one level deep, it would be difficult for users to browse the site and find a product they're interested in purchasing.
You state first that you want to list ALL PRODUCTS from the subcategories....
But then go on to say the there are hundreds

Do you see the confusion???

So when the top cat is selected what sub cat do you want opened to display the hundreds(paged) of items You can't mean all the sub-cats - - can you??

You either want hundreds to list or you don't

I want to make zen cart work the way I expect it to. I don't want to have to make my clients site behave the way zen cart wants it to.
It is open source so you can change it to the limits of your ability

Yes. I see that this could be confusing. I want the users to be able to drill down into more specific categories if they want to, but not be required to do so in order to browse products.

Say you were looking for a truck. You don't really care if its 4 wheel drive or rear wheel drive or front wheel drive. you just want to see whats available. You should be able to see all trucks we have available without having to specify the drive train type. but if you decide later that you want a four-wheel-drive car, you can always drill down and view only the trucks in that category.

That's the sort of issue I'm trying to solve for.

Thankfully, this is open source. I was hoping somebody out there had solved this problem and that I could replicate their solution in my project. It looks like this thread might be my answer:

http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?t=88215

You should be able to see all trucks we have available without having to specify the drive train type.
There you go again using "ALL" - - but you don't want them "ALL" in one cat

You still did not answer when the top cat is selected what sub cat do you want opened or what it is "exactly" you want displayed in succint detail

When a user selects a category (that has subcategories) I want the contents of ALL of that category's subcategories to be listed.

No. I don't want to put all of the products in one category.

When a user selects a category (that has subcategories) I want the contents of ALL of that category's subcategories to be listed.

No. I don't want to put all of the products in one category.
So you have more than one Top Level cat
If you want all items to display that are under that ONE top level cat then place all of those items under that ONE cat - no subs...
If you want them all displayed there is no good reason the have them in seperate sub-cats under a top level cat.

The reason for subcats is to shrink the number of items displayed which you apparently do not want to do by showing them ALL the items under a top level cat