Manufacturers Page Description / manufacturers_info Table Help

OK so I found the manufacturers description mod, however I have two problems. first off is doesn't appear to work and in addition the code seems very flakey.

Whilst trying to diagnose why it wasn't working I have noticed something weird in my database and hoping someone can maybe shed some light.

The mod I found alters the table 'manufacturers_info', which is fine and dandy, but heres the weird thing. When I looked at this table there is only entires here for about 6 or my manufacturer entires...? I have a total of 18 manufacturers in the manufacturers table? For info I created a new dummy manufacturer and an entry was created in both so I am assuming that each of them is supposed to have an entry!? something has screwed up somewhere I think. If they all should have an entry I will need a simple SQL query to create one for each in the manufacturers table to correct it? What is the manufactures_info table used for? doesn't seem to be doing anything on my set up otherwise i assume it would break not having these entries?

all my manufactures work fine but i am a little confused as to why there is not a manufacturers_info entry for all of them? Should there be?

Anyway if someone can advise on that I would be grateful.

Next up I would still like to add a description to my manufacturers page and think the best place for this would be to capture it on the edit manufacturer view directly below the manufacturer name. So can anyone tell me once I have added an additional field to the manufacturers table say manufacturers_description how I can implement this one additional text input on the form to update it?

Any help appreciated, Thanks guys!

So first off I think I need to get the field in there so perhaps need to do something like this:

add below this:

$contents[] = array('text' => '<br />' . TEXT_MANUFACTURERS_NAME . '<br>' . zen_draw_input_field('manufacturers_name', htmlspecialchars($mInfo->manufacturers_name, ENT_COMPAT, CHARSET, TRUE), zen_set_field_length(TABLE_MANUFACTURERS, 'manufacturers_name')));

something like this?:

$contents[] = array('text' => '<br />' . TEXT_MANUFACTURERS_DESCRIPTION . '<br>' . zen_draw_input_field('manufacturers_description', htmlspecialchars($mInfo->manufacturers_description, ENT_COMPAT, CHARSET, TRUE), zen_set_field_length(TABLE_MANUFACTURERS, 'manufacturers_description')));

something like that to start, then need to start joining it up?

and I can see under the case insert and case save the db queries where it updates and inserts like this:

} elseif ($action == 'save') {
            zen_db_perform(TABLE_MANUFACTURERS_INFO, $sql_data_array, 'update', "manufacturers_id = '" . (int)$manufacturers_id . "' and languages_id = '" . (int)$language_id . "'");
          }

but I need some guidance on how to properly intercept and use the $sql_data_array to include my new description field?

Anyone able to help with the last bit?

Still havent got anywhere with this or any advice? Anyone out there able to give me some pointers?

Hi Phil - I am trying to achieve the same trying to echo/display the manufacturer description on the product info page.

I thought by trying to modify another mod such as the MSRP mod, would show me the correct path. Once added MSRP is modified in the admin and is being used in most pages, being pulled from the tables.

I thought you might want to know. Cheers.

the echoing part i dont have an issue with, this would be easy, its the modifying the admin page to include the extra feild to enter a description into the manufacters description table I am struggling with. any idea how to do that as per logic im applying above?

I just found this Manufacturer About

I don't know whether this would do the job. I can't install it till Monday.

Let me know what you think of it.

Says it creates an extra page, no good to me. I think if I don't get any guidance how to change the code on the admin manufacturers page ill just hard code it in with if statements as I have before and use a define page to access the code