Categories Dressing

Either the IE9 dev tools aren't nearly as useful as I thought they looked, or I haven't yet found some of the most important features (entirely possible), but I couldn't directly find the causes of the extra spacing... however, I think I know the immediate cause, if not the ultimate one. The spaces seem to correspond with totally empty <li> elements in the list. Some are second heading items which could have been caused by too many "pipes" in the define, while one seems to be an empty <li> which follows the All Wedding Flowers top cat and actually holds the subcats. I don't know the cause of this and can't replicate it in my test setup with CD v2.8; there were list bugs in earlier versions of 2.7. I think they were all worked out by v2.7.3, but couldn't be certain without installing it to test.

The Coming Soon and Colour Filter headings do have blank <li> following them in Firefox view source: ```html

Thanks for taking a look Glen. I searched for empty <li> tags and could only find one in the /index.php file. I've remved it but it didn't help.

Which file would you think may be the culprit file? Does the page source give you any clues?

The empty <li> are being generated in the tpl_categories.php output (they wouldn't exist as such in the PHP files).

Look at your heading defines to see if there are any pipes | after the heading content and class number. Post your defines here if you are not sure of what you see.
For the extra <li> holding the subcats... the code for list/level control is rather complex and the issue if there is one may not jump out at me. I'll look at the v2.7.3 files when I get a chance, but that will be a lower priority than finishing up the v2.8 release (which should solve the problem for sure if it is a v2.7.3 bug).

Hi Glenn, if you look at the defines file it'll probably jump out at you. This is v2.6 I'm using btw. I did have some trouble with this file getting it to do what I wanted so you might well find a pipe where it shouldn't be. Hard to figure out as some of the original defines have two pipes, some have three and some have even got four or five. Not sure how many they should have. Here's the existing file:

<?php
/**
 * 
 * @copyright Copyright 2009 Glenn Herbert
 * @copyright Copyright 2003-2006 Zen Cart Development Team
 * @copyright Portions Copyright 2003 osCommerce
 * @license http://www.gnu.org/licenses/ GNU Public License V3.0
 * Categories Dressing v2.6  -  Glenn Herbert (gjh42)   - 20090128  
 * includes/languages/english/extra_definitions/your_template/categories_dressing_defines.php
 */

//example defines - copy & modify for each category desired
define ('CAT_BOX_HEADING_349','0|0||| <a href="index.php?main_page=coming_soon">Coming Soon ...</a>|3||');
define ('CAT_BOX_HEADING_#','group|divider/class|[imgname]|[imgalt][|headcontent|headclass][|headcontent|headclass]...');
define ('CAT_BOX_HEADING_#','1|0||');//new list - no headings
define ('CAT_BOX_HEADING_1_26','1|0|||Colour Filter:|1||');//new list - text headings - multiple levels - styles 1 & 2
define ('CAT_BOX_HEADING_1_339','1|0||');//new list - no headings
define ('CAT_BOX_HEADING_349','2|0||');//new list - no headings
define ('CAT_BOX_HEADING_#','0|1|||Another Heading|2');//no list break - divider and text heading - style 2
define ('CAT_BOX_HEADING_#_#','0|0|||Subcat Heading|3');//simple text heading - style 3
define ('CAT_BOX_HEADING_#','1|0|cathead48.gif|Cat 48 Heading|Buy Now...|3');//image heading and alt text - can be followed by text heading(s)
define ('CAT_BOX_HEADING_1','0|1||');//divider only - style 1
define ('CAT_BOX_HEADING_355','1|0|||Homewear Flowers|5');//new list - text heading - style 5  
define ('CAT_BOX_HEADING_16','0|2||');//divider only - style 1
define ('CAT_BOX_HEADING_3','0|1||');//divider only - style 1
define ('CAT_BOX_HEADING_#','0|2||');//divider only - style 2
define ('CAT_BOX_HEADING_FEATURED','0|0||||');//no list break - text heading
define ('CAT_BOX_SUBTEXT_#','Subtext for cat # escape apostrophe\'s|1');//subtext - style 1
//
//display only the active top category and its subs, hide top cats, hide sub-subcats, or any combination.
//only uncomment and set this define if you want to hide cats based on active tree or level
// 'active|highest_level|deepest_level'
//active: 0=all tops/1=active tree only/2=active only (all tops when no cat selected)|
//highest_level:0=all levels/1=no topcats/etc.|
//deepest_level: 1=only first subcats/2=first & second subcats/etc.
//
//define('CAT_BOX_ACTIVE_LEVEL', '0|1|9');//hide top cats
//define('CAT_BOX_ACTIVE_LEVEL', '1|0|1');//show only active cats, to first subcat level
?>

Maybe I should upgrade to the latest version?

The Colour Filter heading has two pipes after the "1"; there should not be any trailing pipes in defines with heading text. Every one of those defines should have exactly 3 or 5 or 7 pipes, depending on how many text headings there are (none, one or two).

And v2.6 definitely had list bugs in it. You should not be using anything older than v2.7.3.

Looks like I had extra pipes after the 3 in coming soon... too. I've taken them out of both and it's defnitely helped! Take a look at it now, only the All Wedding Flowers heading has a gap now:

https://www.silkblooms.co.uk

Here's the amended defines file. Can you see anything that might be causing this one last gap?:

<?php
/**
 * 
 * @copyright Copyright 2009 Glenn Herbert
 * @copyright Copyright 2003-2006 Zen Cart Development Team
 * @copyright Portions Copyright 2003 osCommerce
 * @license http://www.gnu.org/licenses/ GNU Public License V3.0
 * Categories Dressing v2.6  -  Glenn Herbert (gjh42)   - 20090128  
 * includes/languages/english/extra_definitions/your_template/categories_dressing_defines.php
 */

//example defines - copy & modify for each category desired
define ('CAT_BOX_HEADING_349','0|0||| <a href="index.php?main_page=coming_soon">Coming Soon ...</a>|3');
define ('CAT_BOX_HEADING_#','group|divider/class|[imgname]|[imgalt][|headcontent|headclass][|headcontent|headclass]...');
define ('CAT_BOX_HEADING_#','1|0||');//new list - no headings
define ('CAT_BOX_HEADING_1_26','1|0|||Colour Filter:|1');//new list - text headings - multiple levels - styles 1 & 2
define ('CAT_BOX_HEADING_1_339','1|0||');//new list - no headings
define ('CAT_BOX_HEADING_349','2|0||');//new list - no headings
define ('CAT_BOX_HEADING_#','0|1|||Another Heading|2');//no list break - divider and text heading - style 2
define ('CAT_BOX_HEADING_#_#','0|0|||Subcat Heading|3');//simple text heading - style 3
define ('CAT_BOX_HEADING_#','1|0|cathead48.gif|Cat 48 Heading|Buy Now...|3');//image heading and alt text - can be followed by text heading(s)
define ('CAT_BOX_HEADING_1','0|1||');//divider only - style 1
define ('CAT_BOX_HEADING_355','1|0|||Homewear Flowers|5');//new list - text heading - style 5  
define ('CAT_BOX_HEADING_16','0|2||');//divider only - style 1
define ('CAT_BOX_HEADING_3','0|1||');//divider only - style 1
define ('CAT_BOX_HEADING_#','0|2||');//divider only - style 2
define ('CAT_BOX_HEADING_FEATURED','0|0||||');//no list break - text heading
define ('CAT_BOX_SUBTEXT_#','Subtext for cat # escape apostrophe\'s|1');//subtext - style 1
//
//display only the active top category and its subs, hide top cats, hide sub-subcats, or any combination.
//only uncomment and set this define if you want to hide cats based on active tree or level
// 'active|highest_level|deepest_level'
//active: 0=all tops/1=active tree only/2=active only (all tops when no cat selected)|
//highest_level:0=all levels/1=no topcats/etc.|
//deepest_level: 1=only first subcats/2=first & second subcats/etc.
//
//define('CAT_BOX_ACTIVE_LEVEL', '0|1|9');//hide top cats
//define('CAT_BOX_ACTIVE_LEVEL', '1|0|1');//show only active cats, to first subcat level
?>

The last gap is not from a define, it is a bug in v2.6. That's why there is v2.7.3, so those things don't happen.

Thanks Glenn. I'll look at upgrading. Do you think it'll be an easy upgrade given my current setup?

You won't need to replace the existing defines file, where presumably all of the customization is, so it should be painless. Compare the defines files and if there is a new kind of define added to the v2.7.3 copy, add it to your copy (I don't recall the details of differences this long after the update).

Hello Glen, do you have a date for when you might release 2.8?
Are there a lot of updates from the current version to 2.8?

"Soon." :) There are not a lot of noticeable changes.
v2.8 (added easier special category styling, image type setting, image function for links, optional flyout styling)
The last two in this list can be done with tips I have posted in this thread, and I think the others are contained in the preliminary zip I attached to a post some time back.
You won't have to redo any settings or filenames etc. (Unless you have written a custom case in the switch function.) There are mostly just a few new features you can find, and a few obscure edge cases that will work more reliably.

can i install this mod on 1.5 or should i just wait for the new version?

I am a little confused on how to make the changes to this MOD. Site is http://lesleyelizabeth.net

I have 5 Categories

Cocina Fiesta ID #4
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Grape Seed Oil & Aged Balsamic Vingar ID#2
Subcategory Aged Balsamic Vinegar ID #5
Seasoned Oils and Dressings ID #1
Seasoning Blends & Sea Salts ID #3
Recipes ID #6

I would like to make them all look like the Seasoned Oils and Dressings category...it is surrounded by it's own bounding box.

I am just unsure of what exactly needs to be done to accomplish this. Plus some of my categories aren't showing, and one is linked to the Cat 3 Sample.

Any help would be appreciated.

mbschwerin:

I am a little confused on how to make the changes to this MOD. Site is http://lesleyelizabeth.net

I have 5 Categories

Cocina Fiesta ID #4
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Grape Seed Oil & Aged Balsamic Vingar ID#2
Subcategory Aged Balsamic Vinegar ID #5
Seasoned Oils and Dressings ID #1
Seasoning Blends & Sea Salts ID #3
Recipes ID #6

I would like to make them all look like the Seasoned Oils and Dressings category...it is surrounded by it's own bounding box.

I am just unsure of what exactly needs to be done to accomplish this. Plus some of my categories aren't showing, and one is linked to the Cat 3 Sample.

Any help would be appreciated.

Ok I figured out some of this, but I can't figure out why the Cat3 image is still there and 2 of my categories aren't.

What was unclear or hard to find in the readme? > There are numerous examples set by default to display the mod's functions; you will probably want to turn many of them off for your situation. See the appropriate readme section for adjusting each function.

'''
To display images in place of selected category names:
...
If you do not wish to use the image feature, delete any matching image files.
Your Aged Balsamic Vinegar subcategory will only show when its top cat is selected - this is standard Zen Cart behavior.
The SEASONING BLENDS & SEA SALTS: category text is currently replaced by the "Cat 3 Sample" image; delete that image from /includes/templates/your_template/images/ to get the text back.

gjh42:

What was unclear or hard to find in the readme?
Your Aged Balsamic Vinegar subcategory will only show when its top cat is selected - this is standard Zen Cart behavior.
The SEASONING BLENDS & SEA SALTS: category text is currently replaced by the "Cat 3 Sample" image; delete that image from /includes/templates/your_template/images/ to get the text back.

I expected that from the subcategories...it was the one hidden by the image I couldn't figure out where the code was to get rid of it, so THANK YOU for that info...

Hopefully the Recipes cat will show up when I get rid of the image as well?

FYI that image is in the buttons folder not images folder. Got that category back but my last category Recipes is not showing...any ideas? The line is exactly the same as the other categories in the categories_dressing_defines.php file.

Oops right, /buttons/english/.

Can you post the exact defines you have? Maybe I can see something in them.

//example defines - copy & modify for each category desired
define ('CAT_BOX_HEADING_#','group|divider/class|[imgname]|[imgalt][|headcontent|headclass][|headcontent|headclass]...');
define ('CAT_BOX_HEADING_4','1|0||');
define ('CAT_BOX_HEADING_2','1|0||');
define ('CAT_BOX_HEADING_1','1|0||');
define ('CAT_BOX_HEADING_3','1|0||');
define ('CAT_BOX_HEADING_6','1|0||');
//define ('CAT_BOX_HEADING_52','0|1||');//divider only - style 1
//define ('CAT_BOX_HEADING_53','0|2||');//divider only - style 2
//define ('CAT_BOX_HEADING_FEATURED','0|0|||Featured Heading|3');//no list break - text heading
//define ('CAT_BOX_SUBTEXT_23','Subtext for cat 23 escape apostrophe's|1');//subtext - style 1

Are you certain the Recipes category is enabled in admin? Catalog > Categories/Products > red/green dot. What type of product are the recipes? If they are restricted to Document-Product, they will not appear in the categories menu if you have set Configuration > Layout Settings > Split Categories Box to true.