Setting up products with options

Consider the following
A coach has, say, 50 seats. Seats can be occupied by Adults or Children. I need to know how many of each in order to provide appropriate refreshments and gifts for the children.

It would not be appropriate to set up 50 'adult seats' and 50 'child seats' or the coach could be oversubscribed., and I have no way of knowing in advance the mix ratio.

If I set up stock of, say,
50 seats
50 adult 'options'
50 'child' options'.

Is there any way of ensuring that when someone buys a 'seat' they MUST select either of the 'options'?

Help appreciated

I would set up the seats as the product, and Adult and Child as attributes, and use this to track stock:

http://www.zen-cart.com/index.php?main_page=product_contrib_info&products_id=310

http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?t=115248

It would not be appropriate to set up 50 'adult seats' and 50 'child seats' or the coach could be oversubscribed., and I have no way of knowing in advance the mix ratio.
You would not want to use the stock by attributes module for this
Just add the proper number of seats and the stock will reduce no matter if an adult seat or a child seat

I dont undesrtand Kobras reply -
How will I keep track of Adults/Child whilst ensuring a total of 50 seats irrespective of Adult/Child?

I have managed to set up using 'attributes' - but
how do I ensure that NO MORE than 50 seats are sold - it allows me to order more than the 'in-stock' total.
I suspect this is because stock-level is not reduced until the status is changed to 'shipped' - is it possible to reduce stock as soon as an order is placed, (not just added to cart) and then replace these seats if payment fails?

I dont undesrtand Kobras reply -
How will I keep track of Adults/Child whilst ensuring a total of 50 seats irrespective of Adult/Child?

I have managed to set up using 'attributes' -
Tracking adult/child will be in your order detail

Having a stock of 50 anytime one is sold the stock will be reduced

how do I ensure that NO MORE than 50 seats are sold - it allows me to order more than the 'in-stock' total.
Check your settings in
admin > config > stock

Generally, products aren't removed from stock until a checkout is successful.

Check Admin - Configuration - Stock - Allow Checkout Should be False.

stevesh:

Generally, products aren't removed from stock until a checkout is successful.

Check Admin - Configuration - Stock - Allow Checkout Should be False.

Thanks guys - got it -
Now to have management take a look