# osComemrce attribute sorting - Help!



## zensan (Feb 4, 2008)

Hi, I am currently building my first online site using oscommerce. Could anyone tell me which contribution I need to use for attribute sorting?

What I am trying to do is my size attributes (S, M, L, XL) is not showing as S-M-L-XL order in its drop down list and I want to fix this problem.

I would appreciate if someone can tell me which contribution would work for this.

Thanks!


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## EXTouch (Mar 22, 2007)

I don't know if it's anything like my cart software, but if so, do you have a modifier for position when you create the attribute? If so, put them in order that way.


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## zensan (Feb 4, 2008)

I am using oscommerce is v2.2 MS2. I am not sure about modifier but all I see from my control panel is attribute name and value and when I type in, it sorts in alphabetic order so "L" comes top and "M" comes next and "S" comes next even I enter "S" first "M" next. My hosting company said I need to find out from oscommerce support link but I was not sure which contribution is appropriate for my problem...


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## lindsayanng (Oct 3, 2008)

You need to install an addon called attribute sort order.. go to addons.oscommerce.com and type in attribute sort order.. you will see the addon there. 

forums.oscommerce.com is the best support forum out there.


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## printchic (Apr 3, 2006)

for my store i just added numbers in front of the attributes as follows;

01. Small
02. Med
03. Large

etc.


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## zensan (Feb 4, 2008)

Thanks, I think I am going to do the same way.


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## lindsayanng (Oct 3, 2008)

ohhh thats not good.. Dont take the easy way out.. that makes it look , well, like you took the easy way out.. It is NOT hard to add the attribute sort order addon!!


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## zensan (Feb 4, 2008)

lindsayanng said:


> You need to install an addon called attribute sort order.. go to addons.oscommerce.com and type in attribute sort order.. you will see the addon there.
> 
> forums.oscommerce.com is the best support forum out there.


Hi there. Somehow I didn't see your post until now (very strange)... Ya, I first went to the oscommerce website and went to the addons/contribution and did the search. I found addons but in the explanation at the top says "Operating on the assumption that price modifiers should be specificaly selected by the user, this mod adds a sort_order field to the product_atributes table and to the products_attributes.php, and product_info.php pages to allow user ordering of these attributes". , I am not sure what "price modifiers" is... 

Can I use this contribution (small update + full package posted on May 17, 2008) for my problem to sort size attribute values? 

Also what is your take on "PAW"? I am not sure if I should leave "My Account" log in or not. I read some people saying leave it as is and some says you will drive customer away if they have to create an account to see shipping cost and so on...


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

zensan said:


> I am not sure if I should leave "My Account" log in or not. I read some people saying leave it as is and some says you will drive customer away if they have to create an account to see shipping cost and so on...


Yes, you will.

Optional account login to retain customer information? Maybe.

Compulsory account creation for all customers? Ditch it.


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## EXTouch (Mar 22, 2007)

I definitely wouldn't make it mandatory. 

But I have a lot of repeat customers, so those customers appreciate not having to constantly re-enter their information.


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## lindsayanng (Oct 3, 2008)

You mean PWA not PAW right?? Purchase Without Account?? I think its a dangerous thing to add.. it takes a LOT of other addons off the table because its a BIG TIME hack to the system.> What you probably can do is the addon called FAST EASY CHECKOUT.. It cuts down the checkout pages and they create the account at the same time they purchase.. you kind of WANT them to create an account, but you dont want to make it the longest checkout process ever.. SO Fast Easy Checkout is a LOT better. PWA just does not play well with other addons. 

This will cut out need to create an account BEFORE seeing the shipping because it is created at the same time.. So they can see the shipping, set their shipping address, and create an account on the same page. The reason it is dont that way though is because if you have a table rate based on zones, it cant calculate shipping until you create your account with your address anyways.. So thats the reasoning behind that.. 

this quote from the addons:


> Operating on the assumption that price modifiers should be specificaly selected by the user, this mod adds a sort_order field to the product_atributes table and to the products_attributes.php, and product_info.php pages to allow user ordering of these attributes.


Is just saying that this is assuming that a price modifier attribute, like adding $2.00 for an XL shirt, would be a CHOICE of the customer, and not an automatic fee added.. its kind of a useless statement. 

I would install the one that says "Small update + full package" but you SHOULD do a manual install, DO NOT just upload and replace your files.. You will overwrite any other changes you made.

I am not sure how much you have done as far as addons, but the EASIEST way to do this is to download a merge program.. DIFFMERGE for macs or WINMERGE for PCs.. What you do is open the new file and your existing file side by side.. it will look at them side by side and see which lines of text the new one has that the old one doesn't.. With one click you can merge those changes into your existing.. HOWEVER you do have to be AWARE fo the other code that you have changes so that you don't overwrite your other addons too.. 

It still cuts your addon install time in HALF.. 

For intance, if you have a list of tables like:


> ("select products_id, options_id, options_values_id, options_values_price, price_prefix from " . TABLE_PRODUCTS_ATTRIBUTES ." where products_id='".$clone_product_id_from."'");


but you added an addon called "product_special_attribute_price" (doesnt really exist just for example) then you will have had to create a new row in your database in the* TABLE_PRODUCTS_ATTRIBUTES *table called *"product_special_attribute_price" *

So then in that little bit of code, it is telling the database to show the information inside the TABLE_PRODUCT _ATTRIBUTES which SHOULD include your new one and it would look like this:



> ("select products_id, options_id, *product_special_attribute_price,* options_values_id, options_values_price, price_prefix from " . TABLE_PRODUCTS_ATTRIBUTES ." where products_id='".$clone_product_id_from."'");


You new file wouldnt have that in there, so you have to be aware if there are things in your old file that arent in your new file so they dont get overwriten


I HOPE THIS WASNT TOO CONFUSING!!!!


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## printchic (Apr 3, 2006)

lindsayanng said:


> ohhh thats not good.. Dont take the easy way out.. that makes it look , well, like you took the easy way out.. It is NOT hard to add the attribute sort order addon!!


I have a heavily modified oscommerce store so any attempts to addon this means i have to go pay the designer to fix/add thus i just numbered the options to make it work. 

But i do agree for anyone that has a frees copy of the store i would go the route recommended and "install the add on".


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## zensan (Feb 4, 2008)

lindsayanng said:


> I am not sure how much you have done as far as addons, but the EASIEST way to do this is to download a merge program.. DIFFMERGE for macs or WINMERGE for PCs.. What you do is open the new file and your existing file side by side.. it will look at them side by side and see which lines of text the new one has that the old one doesn't.. With one click you can merge those changes into your existing..


Thanks you for the details! Yes, I meant PWA (I can't type after 3:00 a.m. ). Thanks for the valuable input. I am glad that I posted here. I use Canada Post module for shipping calculation so customer has to enter their shipping address first to see exact shipping cost. I will try to install fast check out. Thanks.

As far as contribution experience goes, I haven't done anything yet. I just did basic modification like adding box pages, background, font, color, size changes, tax settings and so on. I was tring to find the contribution for the "multiple images" but kind of discouraged since there are number of different addons and I could see which one actually works. So, I thought maybe I should work on something easier like attributes and again, I couldn't even make size order right!  
I was frastrated but I am glad that I posted here for help.

I will look into the WINMERGE and see if I can do it. Everyday, I struggle with little things but when I learn/find something and it works, I just go "Ah Ha!" and it is rewarding. I will try those contributions you mentioned tomorrow (when my brain is little more fresh with strong coffee!) Thanks again for the all the details!


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## lindsayanng (Oct 3, 2008)

Thats funny, you are just like me 2 years ago.. it took me 2 years, but now i am at the point where i can do a LOT with oscommerce. I even write a tutorial blog on my website about it.. The "AH HAH" is the absolutely best feeling, but that feeling is what is going to make you the best person to learn to do coding. 

Now, as for the mulitple images, do you want 3 images for one product all that open up to larger images?? If so, the Mo Pics is a good one.


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## zensan (Feb 4, 2008)

lindsayanng said:


> Thats funny, you are just like me 2 years ago.. it took me 2 years, but now i am at the point where i can do a LOT with oscommerce. I even write a tutorial blog on my website about it.. The "AH HAH" is the absolutely best feeling, but that feeling is what is going to make you the best person to learn to do coding.
> 
> Now, as for the mulitple images, do you want 3 images for one product all that open up to larger images?? If so, the Mo Pics is a good one.


I can't believe expert like you used to be at my level just 2 years ago  That is crazy. I feel much better that all the struggles and frastration will pay off one day! 

Yes, I am looking for a contributionn that will let me upload 3 images for one product all open to larger images fit in one page so when customers clicks a t-shirt pic from main page, they will see the 3 photos, descriptions and can add to cart all from one page. I saw some contributions for multiple Images in oscommerce forum /addons site but it seems that because there are several choices (and it does not say clearly that which one is the best/common contribution that everybody is using and working properly for everyone), newbie like me cannot tell which one to use... 

Is the "Mo Pics" some kind of contribution or software that I need to buy to download?


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## zensan (Feb 4, 2008)

I found the Mo Pic in oscomeerce support site. Thanks!


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## lindsayanng (Oct 3, 2008)

thats the downfall with the oscommere addons. i would be really happy if they had some kind of rating system.. i have found that the best thing to do is to look in the forums an dsee which ones people are suggestion.. MOST of them do the same thing in a similar way, so you cant go wrong with just chosing one out of 4 of them.. Its also never a bad thing to go on the forum and say "Hey, i need a multi pick contribution, which one do you suggest and why" and post links to each one you are looking for. 

The one thing that I found is the more you help other people, the more people will help you. AND the more info you give in your posts, the more answers you will get..


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## zensan (Feb 4, 2008)

Ya, it will be nice if there is rating system for common contributions in the oscommerce site. I will keep trying (with a baby step) each day to reach my goal which is to create an awsome online shop and go "LIVE" . 

Thanks for all your great advise.


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## lindsayanng (Oct 3, 2008)

yea.. Definitely look into getting WINMERGE.. it will save you SOO much time.


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## goodtease (Nov 29, 2006)

Hey,

If it isn't too late......you should try magento ecommerce. Much better than oscommerce. i have oscommerce creloaded 6.2.....and it always has problems!

Anyways just check it out. IT can do everything you want and much much more. Also much more robust and better development support! 

I am building mine as we speak! and I love it!


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## zensan (Feb 4, 2008)

Thanks for the info. I've actually seen Magento on TV not long ago (interviews with CEO/employees and over all company and their products & service details) and sounded pretty good. I am about 4/5 work done with oscommerce and just need to work on some contributions and image uploads so I won't be changing at this point but if I have to change in the future, I will check it out for sure.


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## lindsayanng (Oct 3, 2008)

oscommerce CRE will and has always had problems because its not stable.. and magneto is too new. There is not NEARLY enough contributions to match osc and it also has a bunch of flaws. If you ask me, Zen Cart is the "easier" alternative to oscommerce right now, but i choose osc because of the contributions.. and i believe OSC has just but out 3.0a so although i think its in Alpha, its going to have something that the basic will not


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