Site to Session to Database connectivity

[hoprick]

Hello all,

 

I'm wanting to add a comments box to the products page where a customer can add an instruction for an individual product, which displays on the invoice under the product it was added for (similar to how the attributes display).

 

I can't find a solution to my needs so I'm going in the deep end and hand-coding myself. I've worked out roughly in the database where the invoice gather the info from, and also where the products page & shopping cart put in, however I'm wondering how they all connect to each other.

 

IE :

 

Comments box on PRODUCT_PAGE.PHP (customer enters comments) -> SHOPPING CART -> DATABASE -> INVOICE.PHP

 

The main question I have is.... How can I get what is put into the comments box into the database for the invoice to gather out?

 

So far I've come up with the conclusion that an additional row at the end of the 'orders_products' table for the comment to go in (and invoice to call out) is the best way to achieve this?

 

Thanks for the help, in advance!

[Jack_mcs]

See the Option Types contribution. It will allow you add a textarea as an attribute.

[hoprick]

Thanks for the reply. I've used Options Type 2.3.1, gone through the install.txt file and followed eveything it said in there and also the SQL textfile. At first it came with a PHP error on the checkout page about a non-existent directory called 'images/temp' after which I created and the site works fine again.

 

However, there is no textbox for comments on the products page, nor on the admin side for creating a new product. Have I missed something out on the install? I've seen a large number of files and folders, which at first I assumed I'd have to upload and overwrite the already existing ones, but have seen no prompt to do so.

 

Cheers again

[hoprick]

UPDATE - PHP errors occur on products page (customer side) which have options active with them.