Changed Product Type - now product gone

Good morning everyone,

Upon taking Ajeh's/Linda's advice, wherein I wanted part of my store to be a showcase, part for retail, I did the following.

1. I changed a test item to Product_Document (e.g. rubber stamps).
2. I turned on the document category sidebox in Layout Controller.

However, upon returning to the catlogue, the item rubber stamps was not gone from main category but No rubber stamps to be found :no:

Bummer I thought I was doing it right for once.

Any assistance would be most kind as I've been kicking this around all night, search forums, etc. and I'm pretty clueless at this point (well at any point, but this one in particular.
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Screen shot for your amusement and mocking. :smile:

1. I changed a test item to Product_Document (e.g. rubber stamps).

When you say you changed it to a new product type- how did you do that exactly?

1. I turned on the document category sidebox in Layout Controller.

Did you restrict your Category of showcased products to Product_Document?

Kim:

When you say you changed it to a new product type- how did you do that exactly?

Did you restrict your Category of showcased products to Product_Document?

1. I edited the category (in Categories/Products) and used the pulldown box to select the document product and then clicked on "add with subcategories"
2. I believe this worked, as the category is no longer showing in any sidebox. I believe the issue has something to do with my document_category sidebox not showing, even though I turned it on (and use a top sort #) in Tools.

Does that help?
Thanks,
Laura

The Document sidebox will show any Category that is setup as a restricted Category that must have the Document General ... then you can add your other Product types ...

The Document General, even if not used, is the "trigger" to the Document sidebox ...

So, if you made a Category called Stuff ... then edited the Category called Stuff and set the Restriction to Document General ... it would appear in the Document Sidebox ...

If you were then to edit the Category Stuff ... and added the Restriction of another Product type such as Document Product or Products General ... these Product Types can now be added to the Category Stuff ...

Got it! When I was messing with the product types, I changed it from Document - General to General Document so there it is.

Now to change the "Documents" Title....

Thanks!:thumbsup: Have a cup of coffee on me!

Hey folks -

I hate to be dense but, now I have the sidebox working great, but the products are still showing as being able to be bought online. I thought "N" for add to cart took care of that.

Also - should they be Document-General, or Document-Products. I tried both and I'm still getting a cart for this restriction.

Thanks,
Laura

Document General should be N for not adding to the cart ...

Document Product should be Y as these can be added to the cart ...

If you do not want this for sale, make it Document General ...

If you do want it for sale, but different than Product General ... make it Document Product ...

Hi Linda,

I'm really not going crazy - I promise, but that is exactly what I did. The main Invitation category is document - general, and I clicked add subcategories, and the cart is still showing.

Any suggestions. I'm stumped.

Laura

Here's another shot of the product screen:

You added the Product Type to the Category ... after the Products were made ...

So, the Category is the Document General or Product General

The Products will remain Product General ... they were made Product General

Now, you have to decide who you want to be what Product Type ...

They have to be manually changed to use the Document General or Document Product types ...

New Products, you can add as any of the Product types that you have added as the "restricted" product type on the Category ...

If you can break down a bit more by products_id who you need to be Document General or Document Product ... then we can get these sorted out ... with a little help from phpMyAdmin ...

Sorry Linda, I don't understand.

A) I made products (invitations).
B) They were originally in the Products-General (as I didn't know better at the time).
C) Then as I decided that I want them to be showcased only, changed their entire category & sub category Product Type to Document-General, thinking they would not be able to be cart added.
D) They are properly showing up in the Document box, as you can see - which further confuses me.

This is wrong? If so,

1. Do I have to recreate all the my products again originating as Document-General.
2. PHPAdmin - I've heard of it - I don't know what to do with it.

DesignbyDemeter:

1. Do I have to recreate all the my products again originating as Document-General.

There is no type-converter built-in to Zen Cart at the present time, for reasons of maintaining data-integrity between types. It's safest to recreate using the proper type.

Okay - make sure I understand this correctly - will have to rebuild 82 products from scratch - just want to make sure I understand this before I start...:cry:

What if I just rebuilt the categories from scratch (only a dozen or so), and then restricted that category and all under it to document general, then moved the products. Would that work?

Thank you,
Laura

If you are familar with phpMyAdmin ...

Make a good backup of your database ...

IF the original products_type is Product General products_type = 1 then you can change that per product in the products table by finding the products_id you wish to change and setting the products_type to Document General products_type = 3

DO NOT do this on products that are using multiple databases such as Product Music as that Product type is utilizing different database tables and you will make a total mess ...

Be careful that you are changing the products_type on the correct Product to switch between Product Types ...

Again, backup before attempting to do this ...

Ajeh:

If you are familar with phpMyAdmin ...

Make a good backup of your database ...

IF the original products_type is Product General products_type = 1 then you can change that per product in the products table by finding the products_id you wish to change and setting the products_type to Document General products_type = 3

DO NOT do this on products that are using multiple databases such as Product Music as that Product type is utilizing different database tables and you will make a total mess ...

Be careful that you are changing the products_type on the correct Product to switch between Product Types ...

Again, backup before attempting to do this ...

If I'm not?? I'd love to learn and do it this way because otherwise it will probably take me a couple of weeks to recreate these products (they are copy heavy).

I make daily backups (and interim before taking on things like this). Is it pretty intuitive? Should I just give it a shot or do you have more detailed info for me.

Again, thank you for your guidance.
Laura

Well ... you could learn this handy dandy little SQL line that can be run from the Admin ... Tools ... Install SQL Patches ...

NOTE: This is not recommended for changing product types unless you FULLY understand the reason you are doing this and the ramifications of the deadly sin of changing a Product Type when you haven't a clue ...

To change between Product Type 1 (Product General) and Product Type 3 (Document General) there are no physical database changes ... so the switch will not break your database tables and break the relationships ...

WARNING: Not all Product Types are like this ... do NOT do this at home ... this requires adult ... er ... coder supervision or you will be doomed ... :eek:

Are you scared now? :yes:

Okay ... simple command ...

Go find the products_id you want to change ...

Easiest method ... find it in the Catalog ... click on it ... what does the products_id= XXX read in the URL?

Now, remember that number ...

You did do a backup right? Of course you did ... :unsure:

Go to the Admin ... Tools ... Insert SQL Patches ...

Let's assume you are changing products_id 7

UPDATE products SET products_type=3 where products_id=7;

Do NOT forget the semi-colon on the end ...

Check each product from a search for the product name to assure that it has been fixed and you should now see document_general_info in the URL vs product_info ...

You do have the patience of a guru.

I will try it on an item and report back.

Thank you again,
Laura

:::eyes open in amazement like a child at Christmas:::

It's Magic!:ohmy:

In therapy, they call projecting feelings of affection onto your therapist ' transferrence'.

I think I'm having the first documented case of transference with coders.

Wow - thank you (so does my husband as you just cut down my workload from weeks to days!)

Best regards,
Laura

If I repeat the sql statement, I can do tons of these at once!!!!

It's been working beautifully~!

I am so glad to hear that this is working for you now ... thanks for the update ... :cool: