Stock by Attribute v4.0 addon for v1.3.5-1.3.9

jeking:

Can you share your irl?

This is how it should look:
http://shopasgoodasgold dot com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=4_5&products_id=9

Here is the url: http://sweetsagescents.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=68&products_id=223

And all but 4 scents are out of stock (or supposed to be since I set the stock quantity to 0).

Mal

Check this file:
\includes\modules\YOUR_TEMPLATE\attributes.php

That's where the Out of Stock message is generated which is defined in:
\includes\languages\english\extra_definitions\products_with_attributes.php

jeking:

Check this file:
\includes\modules\YOUR_TEMPLATE\attributes.php

That's where the Out of Stock message is generated which is defined in:
\includes\languages\english\extra_definitions\products_with_attributes.php

Ok, I admit that my PHP skills are damn near non-existant, but in the version of attributes.php that I am looking at, I see code for radiobuttons, checkboxes, and text areas but nothing for drop-downs. Do I somehow have the wrong version of the file or do I simple have no bloody clue what I'm looking for? (and thank you for your response and help! I appreciate it!)

Mal

jeking:

Check this file:
\includes\modules\YOUR_TEMPLATE\attributes.php

That's where the Out of Stock message is generated which is defined in:
\includes\languages\english\extra_definitions\products_with_attributes.php

Ok, I admit that my PHP skills are damn near non-existant, but in the version of attributes.php that I am looking at, I see code for radiobuttons, checkboxes, and text areas but nothing for drop-downs. Do I somehow have the wrong version of the file or do I simple have no bloody clue what I'm looking for? (and thank you for your response and help! I appreciate it!)

Mal

Malaperth:

Here is the url: http://sweetsagescents.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=68&products_id=223

And all but 4 scents are out of stock (or supposed to be since I set the stock quantity to 0).

Mal

It may be an issue of adding an item that already has a stock quantity of zero. The customer wanted to have all the scents of products shown, but shown "Out Of Stock" so people would know what was available. That may not work. I have deleted all the 'initial zero' products (the customer was NOT pleased), and now we will have to see what happens when an item sells out.

Mal

Seems my reply from earlier did not post...

with all due respect, I'd have to guess 'no bloody clue'. Check your PM.

Well, I now have it working as far as I know. We'll see what happens when a product reaches zero quantity.

But, I have another issue. The customer does not like the Qty: 4 that appears. Thinks it will be too confusing for customers of the site. So now I'm supposed to fit about the contents of War and Peace into that drop-down box. It may be code blindness or irritation, or as mentioned not having a bloody clue, but I cannot find the place to adjust the size of that particular drop-down box. I would appreciate a point in the right direction.

Mal

And thank you for putting up with an old fart with no patience and apparently less coding skills and helping me out.

It's set in the stylesheet.css, line 84:

FORM, SELECT, INPUT {
display: inline;
font-size: 1em;
margin: 0.1em;
}

Be aware changing this will also change other inputs.

potteryhouse:

Hi all,

Need some testers for this update, please only use/test on a development system, not a live site!

I have posted the updated SBA mod, this one is only usable with Zen Cart 1.5.3, this is due to the many changes that are specific to the new version.

I made updates and tested on a locally installed copy of Zen Cart 1.5.3, there are still a number of changes and additions I would like to make but I think it would be good if others tested this version and provided feedback on problems they encounter.

DO NOT use on a production site, this is for testing only. There are bugs I have not seen!!!
If anyone has suggestions to add or update in the instruction please send them so I can incorporate.

Changes / Updates

1. All affected files have been merged with Zen Cart 1.5.3 version.
2. Updated to the attributes.php file for getting attribute quantity and to support a new feature "change image on select" in a selection list.
3. Database table now has two additional fields, product_attribute_combo and title. These are to support future planned changes.
4. Many other smaller updates to improve user interface.
5. Installation script has many updates, and now supports installing the various "Optional SQL" command, also the Help screen notes have been updated. Additionally, the 'File Check" has been updated to find old/obsolete files from previous versions (user must manually remove files).
6. The AJAX folder has been removed, files are now located in the "includes\templates\YOUR_TEMPLATE\jscript" and admin folders as applicable.

Please provide feedback, with examples, screenshots, and explanations when you find problems. This is so I can more quickly duplicate the issue and make the update.

In the mean time I will be making a few other updates and fixes as I find them.

Thanks.

Nice job on the new plugin. Installation was a breeze!

1. One small language inconsistency. When adding adding a quantity for product variant. It says:

The Title will not be saved if "ALL" is selected.
The Title should be unique for each attribute and combination.
Description:

Title should be Description or vis versa.

2. I also noticed that what I fill in for Description does not show up when I click Submit. This may be part of the 'future planned changes' but wanted to mention in case it was a bug.

3. I get an error 'Missing or bad Quantity!' when trying to add a zero quantity. Attached is a screen shot. The item is from the default Zen Cart install, category 25, id 36, Hewlett Packard - by attributes SALE

jeking:

Nice job on the new plugin. Installation was a breeze!

1. One small language inconsistency. When adding adding a quantity for product variant. It says:

The Title will not be saved if "ALL" is selected.
The Title should be unique for each attribute and combination.
Description:

Title should be Description or vis versa.

2. I also noticed that what I fill in for Description does not show up when I click Submit. This may be part of the 'future planned changes' but wanted to mention in case it was a bug.

3. I get an error 'Missing or bad Quantity!' when trying to add a zero quantity. Attached is a screen shot. The item is from the default Zen Cart install, category 25, id 36, Hewlett Packard - by attributes SALE

Thank you,
I found and corrected these bugs, the fix will be in the next draft I upload.

Thank you for the help, jeking. I would still be tearing my hair out if it was not for your help. And as far as adding a product with a zero quantity, what I have installed for Stock With Attributes simply refuses to list it whether I want it listed or not.

Mal

I don't understand your question. Can you clarify?

I thought you mentioned a zero quantity product in your last message. While adding products to the Stock With Attributes list so they can be used, if I try to add a product with a zero quantity, and in the section where you give a product a quantity to be displayed in the dropdown, when you look at the site, that product is not in the drop-down list, nor is it displayed as "Out of Stock", it simply is not there.

Mal

Malaperth:

I thought you mentioned a zero quantity product in your last message. While adding products to the Stock With Attributes list so they can be used, if I try to add a product with a zero quantity, and in the section where you give a product a quantity to be displayed in the dropdown, when you look at the site, that product is not in the drop-down list, nor is it displayed as "Out of Stock", it simply is not there.

Mal

What are you doing when 'adding products to the Stock With Attributes list'? I'm guessing you are actually using 'Add Quantity For Product Variant'. If so, can you include a screen shot and the product url?

Not anymore. I deleted all the zero-quantity products I mentioned (I mentioned that in an earlier post). Try it for yourself and we'll then see if it's just something I did.

(at this point, it's no big deal as I've convinced the customer that showing every option for every product, even if it's out of stock, is going to annoy the hell out of site users so she decided it was ok not to show everything, but at least on my end, even if I wanted to, I cannot).

Mal

Malaperth:

Not anymore. I deleted all the zero-quantity products I mentioned (I mentioned that in an earlier post). Try it for yourself and we'll then see if it's just something I did.

(at this point, it's no big deal as I've convinced the customer that showing every option for every product, even if it's out of stock, is going to annoy the hell out of site users so she decided it was ok not to show everything, but at least on my end, even if I wanted to, I cannot).

Mal

I'm not clear on what you did (deleted all the zero-quantity products - Deleting products is unrelated to this plugin) nor do I have a cart set-up like you did, so couldn't duplicate it anyway. Sorry.

"Deleting products is unrelated to this plugin"

So if I delete a product, the attributes stay? And the cart has nothing to do with the issue I describe. The products I have added through Stock By Attribute, if when I set them up with their quantities, if I input a quantity of zero, they do not show up in the drop-down menu of the product. But at any rate, it's mostly irrelevant now that I have convinced the customer she doesn't need to show every single variant of every single product she sells. And again, I thank you for your help.

Mal

Malaperth:

"Deleting products is unrelated to this plugin"

So if I delete a product, the attributes stay? And the cart has nothing to do with the issue I describe. The products I have added through Stock By Attribute, if when I set them up with their quantities, if I input a quantity of zero, they do not show up in the drop-down menu of the product. But at any rate, it's mostly irrelevant now that I have convinced the customer she doesn't need to show every single variant of every single product she sells. And again, I thank you for your help.

Mal

The way this is designed if a product variant is out of stock it WILL NOT show up in the dropdown.. ONLY the variants which HAVE STOCK quantities associated with them will show in the dropdowns.. Is THIS what you are asking about??? (like jeking, I am not clear about what it is you are asking or saying the module is or is NOT doing..)

DivaVocals:

The way this is designed if a product variant is out of stock it WILL NOT show up in the dropdown.. ONLY the variants which HAVE STOCK quantities associated with them will show in the dropdowns.. Is THIS what you are asking about??? (like jeking, I am not clear about what it is you are asking or saying the module is or is NOT doing..)

From my read of the discussion, I think the above summarizes "the issue". I think the misunderstanding of the plugin showing variants with a stock of zero originated from the discussion of the missing type casting done for quantity in the code provided for ZC 1.5.3 that was in essence pointed out and really only discovered when a value of zero is entered.

As for the possibility of showing variants or at least combinations of variants that are out-of-stock/quantity of zero, I believe there is another plugin that is considered compatible with this version of SBA that can provide a sort of cross reference (table like structure having rows and columns) for a combination of two attributes at a time. I believe this would present attributes/combinations of attributes that might otherwise be available and reflect that they are out-of-stock or similar. I think it is called grid by attribute or something similar. It may be that the store owner would need to add text into the description to identify the attributes that normally might be available and indicate that those missing from the list are not available or some similar wording. It's a thought/patch to the programming side.

Fyi and fwiw, the way that this plugin has been rewritten, unless every desirable combination of attributes is populated in the applicable database, a blanket, this is what is possible type query would result in a huge list as a result of the added functionality of being able to stock all the combinations of attributes associated with a product. (At least for a product that starts to have say three or more attributes with multiple values in each attribute name.)

In post 1920, jeking, I believe it was, gave a link to a site that showed certain variations of a product as "Out Of Stock". This one particular customer (until I talked her out of it) wanted to show every variety of every item she sold even if the stock level was zero so customers could see all the variations she offered. It seems that when an item has originally been entered into SBA with a quantity above zero, it will show in the drop-down as Out Of Stock once the stock has been sold. You cannot, it seems, enter a product into SBA, then when entering quantities, give it a value of zero and have it show up in the drop-down list. I convinced the customer that this was "ill advised" (not the wording I wanted to use) because it would irritate the hell out of a customer to have to look through 30 "Out Of Stock" items just to find out what the heck WAS in stock. There are situations where this would be useful, however. Let's say you're just starting up a T-shirt shop and we'll only stick with one attribute for the moment. Once you get the money, you will be offering sizes from 2T up to 4X, but at the moment all you have is small, medium, large, 1x and 2x. You may want to show the other sizes as choices listed as Out Of Stock since you will be selling them soon and don't want customers to think those are the only sizes you will offer. Now, that may be a lame example, and if you had lots of variations, that could get out of hand quickly and actually drive people away from your site, but, at the time, that is what my customer wanted and the option to do that was not there, that's all.

Mal