cross link entire categories to multiple locations?

In my store we sell lighting of 3 different types, LED, fluorescent and incandescent. Right now our lighting department is first organized into form-factor categories such as hanging lights, free-standing fixtures and DIY kits. Under each of those categories we break down by manufacturer and then one more time by models. Within each of those model categories, we have all the products listed by their dimensions or wattage.

This system works fine for customers who are shopping by form factor>brand>model>size. The issue we are having is that within the brand categories, there are often mixed lighting technologies (florescent and LED, because a manufacturer makes both types). For customers who are shopping by lighting type, our current system is not easy for them to navigate. What I would like to do is link each of the products in my lighting department into new categories arranged by technology. Zen cart will not allow me to link the entire category at once, and doing it manually is an arduous task. Is there a module or method which will allow me to cross link an entire category with all it’s contents into other categories?

For example Lighting>Hanging Lights>ACME>Model A>(all sizes) would need to be linked to LED>Hanging Lights>ACME>Model A. Doing this by hand leaves too many chances for mistakes, and with several hundred items, it would be too much work to attempt.

One other reason I would like to use this method is because there are places where a manufacturer makes a line of lighting that was designed to work with other products they make. It would be great to have both groups together in some places.

Thank you

Have you looked at the Multiple Categories Link Manager under the C for Copy?

You will see near the bottom of the page:

Copy ALL Products in a Category as LINKED Products to another Category ...
Example: Using 8 and 22 would Link ALL Products in Category 8 to Category 22
Select All Products in Category: Link to Category:

Thanks for the suggestion, but as I understand it, I would still have to link / copy each product individually. Then I would have to put them all into new categories which would have to be created. I would really like to link the entire category that the products are listed in, to another higher level category. Some of my lowest level categories have 20-30 items, linking them individually is what Im trying to avoid.

One more linking question, when I link products to a new category, those products retain their sort value. Is there a way to assign a new sort value to linked products?
thanks

If you want all products in categories_id 8 to be Linked to categories_id 22, you just enter 8 and 22 and it is done for you ...

If you want a partial list, then no ... it would not be helpful ...

The Sort Order is owned by the Product not the Category ...