same names for items in different categories

The (numbered) names of my items are the same in each category. So I need to have the various category names included in the shopping cart order. eg: 0004 - oregon, 0004 - california

How would I do this?

if not possible, how could I globally add a prefix to all item names in a given catagory?

thanks, /:b

I am not absolutely sure what you are referring to, but let me explain a little bit about "duplicate" names and products.

Firstly, zencart appends a unique incremental ID # to every product you add to the store. This is largely "hidden", but is critical for the system to identify a specific product in the many FUNCTIONS used to compile browser pages, calculate amounts, and keep records of activity. The ID helps the system apply RELATIONAL ACTIVITY in the database, thereby speeding up processes by using RELATIONSHIPS in the tables to "assemble" relevant information from a variety of places, rather than have everything duplicated (or even triplicated).

The customer is seldom aware of this ID, but it can be seen in the browser address bar when you navigate to a product, or in your ADMIN panel, it's usually visible as the left column in a list of variables.

There is the capacity to append a SKU/Product Code/Model Number/Part Number to every product you add, and this should ALSO be unique. A SKU lives and dies with a unique product, so it should not be duplicated or re-used - even when a product is discontinued and a new one takes its place.

I make a habit of using this feature, and I use it rigorously, following a logical "convention", as would be the case in any formal retail environment.

Zencart can

• DUPLICATE products and
• it can LINK a SINGLE PRODUCT across two or more categories.

Whether you DUPLICATE (clone or copy) a product (so that there is MORE than one of the same product), or whether you LINK one product across several categories, depends largely on what you are trying to achieve.

A LINKED product is housed and managed in a MASTER CATEGORY. You can select which category you'd like to be its MASTER category. This is important, because EDITS to the product must be made to the data located in its MASTER category.

DUPLICATED products can be identical in all respects - even their SKU, and can be edited independently of each other. This is useful if you have a category that applies for a specific purpose and you want the product to be priced or described differently from its duplicate somewhere else.

If you explain in more detail (now that you've read the above) perhaps we can advise what mechanism is the more appropriate one for you.

thanks! good information

because I have identical names (I use numbers), for different products, that _are however in different categories... ie., the product 0004 name is found in a variety of categories/folders, but when I look at either the shopping cart or the invoice, there is no differentiation... ie., it just says 1 x 0004, 1 x 0004,... so ideally I'd like to find a way to have the category name included in the cart and invoice... ie., 1 x 0004-california-category, 1 x 0004-oregon-category,...

or, somehow include a model name or SKUs, as you mention, but globally and after-the-fact (I don't want to have to manually edit thousands of catalog items.)

/:b

because I have identical names (I use numbers), for different products, that _are however in different categories... ie., the product 0004 name is found in a variety of categories/folders, but when I look at either the shopping cart or the invoice, there is no differentiation... ie., it just says 1 x 0004, 1 x 0004,... so ideally I'd like to find a way to have the category name included in the cart and invoice... ie., 1 x 0004-california-category, 1 x 0004-oregon-category,...

or, somehow include a model name or SKUs,:flex: but globally and after-the-fact (I don't want to have to manually edit thousands of catalog items.)

/:b

There are no short cuts... I follow the accepted convention of a SKU / Model Number / Part Number / Stock Item Number ... being unique to a product.

You could use SQL queries to do mass-changes to the model numbers, based on their categories.

Fish around for someone who can help you write a bit of SQL to accomplish this.

ok - thanks - presumably then, there _is no way to have the category name included as part of the item's description in either the shopping cart or the invoice

/:b

:no:

If you were to display the Category Name based on the Product master_categories_id would this give you what you are looking for?

not sure... as long as each (of about 10 or more) category names appears on the invoice and shopping cart... /:b

If you were to edit a group of your Products with the same name and looked to see what their master_categories_id are ... are they different or the same?

This means go to your Admin ... go to the Catalog ... Categories/Products ... find the Products with the same name ... Edit them ... and see what they say their Master Category is ... are they all different? :unsure:

no, the master category is of course different... /;b