Showing list of categories on another page?

I am just starting to put together my first ZenCart based site and have hit upon a problem that I am sure is easy to solve.

What I am trying to achieve is to basically have a separate "Categories" page.

So, customers arrive at my site and the main page has a bit of information about us and what we we sell. On this page will be a "normal" categories sidebar which they can use to go directly to a specific category.

However, I want to add a "Products" (or Categories) menu button and a "Click here to see our range of products" and that will take you to a page just listing all the different product categories with their descriptions and pictures.

If I enable the option "Categories - Always Show on Main Page" then that displays exactly what I want, but I want that on a different page to the main page.

Would it also be possible to add the new "Categories" page into the breadcrumb trail?

The only way I can think of doing it is to have a category of "Products" and then have the actual categories as sub categories of "Products"

Thanks.

Bob.

Sorry not to see a reply to your question.

I don't have an answer just a similar problem. Version 1.3.9 Classic.

I have several main categories to put on the home page, however two of those have up to twenty sub categories. I want the main category on the home page to link to a page showing the twenty + - sub categories. The sub categories will then link you into the actual product groups.

Note: The sub categories are not products, but product groups.

Not sure I understand exactly what you're both looking to do, but one way would be to code the links to the categories and/or products into an EZ page and have the main page button link to that.

Here is an example of what I am trying to do. Categories on home page.

Furniture Seating Lab Industrial Hospital
Colors - Warm Colors Cool Colors Warm Neutrals Cool Neutrals
Origin - Made in America Made in Canada Made in China NAICSCodes337211

       337214
                 etc...

It is the sub categories under the seating that go over twenty sub categories. If someone selects seating I want them to be taken to the page that lists the sub categories such as leather chairs, high back executive chairs and so on. If they select a sub-category they are taken to that product group.

Maybe my process is not workable. Input appreciated. Thanks!

How is what you want different from the default behavior when those twenty subcats are organized inside the top cat?

I don't want another drop down below seating on the front page. It will get too long for readers.

I also don't want them to have to look through all the bar stools and sofas if they want a clean room chair.

I want that text to be easily readable in a static list rather than a drop down. I just want to link to a page of sub categories for say leather, guest, and so on.

Then a selection of a sub-category will take them to the product group say "leather chairs".

I hope I am conveying this OK.

bobmoss - If you make a link (say an ez-page internal link) that points to
index.php?main_page=index&cPath=0
it will show all the top categories in a standard category listing.

Okay, you want to disable the header nav dropdown for Seating only. That would be some tweak to the drop menu file.
It should lead to the page you want if you click on Seating. We can advise better if we see the site live.

gjh42:

bobmoss - If you make a link (say an ez-page internal link) that points to
index.php?main_page=index&cPath=0
it will show all the top categories in a standard category listing.

Thanks gjh42, I've tried that and it very nearly does what I want.

The only problem is that when you navigate to that page the title is "Home" (as is the breadcrumb trial). So it looks a bit confusing for the customer.

I guess what I am really looking for is some way of adding a "Categories" (or Products) page between the home page and each category.

So, if for example you were looking at "Tables and Chairs", they breadcrumb would be Home->Products->Tables and Chairs.

Thanks.

You can make a new top category named Products and put all of your current top cats under it. That would do what you are asking for, at the cost of requiring another page to click through to get to actual products.

my advice, take the title off the page and leave the breadcrumb. :huh:

You might be able to hide the Home in title and breadcrumbs for that page with clever use of the Smart Backgrounds mod. I don't have time now to try it, but I will work on it with you later if you want.

It would be easier to know what will work if we can see the site.