Option Name and Option Values

[Dr.Tech]

I'm new to OSC and m just trying to set up a site to act as a searchable catalog only for museum resources. Am I correct in assuming I can use this product as a catalog only product without using it as a shopping cart?

 

When setting up Option Names and Option Values, it appears that if I set an Option Name as grade and and Option Values as 7, 8 and 9 that when I go to set a Product attribute for Artifact X, should not only 7, 8 and 9 appear under the Option Values when I select Option Name: grade?

 

All Option Values assigned to all Option Names are possible values. This does not seem to be right to me.

 

Is my install messed up or is this the way it is supposed to be?

 

thanks in advance

[ryos]

I'm not 100% sure I know what you're talking about, but here goes.

 

On my install, in the admin tool, under Catalog > Products Attributes, there are three tables. One lets you create options (these appear as lables next to a drop-down list), another lets you create option values (that appear as items in the drop-down list), and a third lets you associate options and values with products and a price. In that third table, you can select and assign any value to any option, regardless of what option the second table says the value belongs to. Is that what you're asking?

 

It shouldn't matter; just assign the options/values to the "products" that you want in the third table and don't let it bother you. It's the options in the third table that will appear on your product info pages.

 

It occurs to me that what you really want is probably a content management system instead of osCommerce. I know that there are several that are both open source and quite good; unfortunately, I have never explored them and so couldn't give a recommendation.

[Dr.Tech]

Hi Ryan

 

Thanks for your help.

 

I see what you mean.. I installed a hack to allow users to input items (I want museum staff to do an initial entry that I can later nodify.

 

I'm quite familiar with PostNuke, but wanted someing that was more of a catalog. My adapting of OSC os going quite well so far.

 

I'm not a programmer ... but not bad as a hacker! There are still two issues causing me concern.

 

1. When I create a product attribute, I only intend for 1 value for each product (eg instead of for example grade 7, 8 or 9, I will preassign 7 8 or 9. Rather than a pull down menu, I''d like it to appear without the choice (as in the form of a pull down menu. I'm not sure how to limit to only one option (without the down arrow key to select other options.

 

2. I'd like to add an additional field or two that could be selected when other folks are adding a new product. Not quite sure how to do this.

 

thanks

larry

[ryos]

1. When I create a product attribute, I only intend for 1 value for each product (eg instead of for example grade 7, 8 or 9, I will preassign 7 8 or 9. Rather than a pull down menu, I''d like it to appear without the choice (as in the form of a pull down menu. I'm not sure how to limit to only one option (without the down arrow key to select other options.

 

Once again, I'm not sure what it is you're trying to do. If you don't want a menu, do you want a checkbox? If so, you'll need to do some hacking. If you don't want a checkbox, why not just include the attribute as a formatted list inside your product description text?

 

2. I'd like to add an additional field or two that could be selected when other folks are adding a new product. Not quite sure how to do this.

 

You mean, modifying the administration tool, right? Well, you have to find the file that generates the page you want to modify, find the form, add your fields, then find the logic that processes the form submission (in the case of the osC admin tool it's often at the top of the very page you are editing) and support your changes. Depending on what you want to do, you may also have to alter the database.

 

That's the gist of the procedure. Explaining how to do these things is beyond the scope of any help I could give you. Though if you have a specific question about any of these things, I'd be happy to try and help.

[regalcanada]

Once again, I'm not sure what it is you're trying to do. If you don't want a menu, do you want a checkbox? If so, you'll need to do some hacking. If you don't want a checkbox, why not just include the attribute as a formatted list inside your product description text?

You mean, modifying the administration tool, right? Well, you have to find the file that generates the page you want to modify, find the form, add your fields, then find the logic that processes the form submission (in the case of the osC admin tool it's often at the top of the very page you are editing) and support your changes. Depending on what you want to do, you may also have to alter the database.

 

That's the gist of the procedure. Explaining how to do these things is beyond the scope of any help I could give you. Though if you have a specific question about any of these things, I'd be happy to try and help.

 

I am new to os also and I need to have an option where on a product my customer can enter some personalization for an item so I am looking to put an input box for my customer on certain products.

 

Do you know how to do this?