Full Text Description and Extended text information not working

[Veronica]

My first post and I am not tech literate but run a 2014 Business website 14.0.0.OLWB. I was adding a new product, something I haven't done in a while, and noticed that the text description wasn't coming up in the preview page. I tried linking to extension but found that this doesn't work either although the More.... link showed on the product. I then realised on looking at other products that it wasn't on those also. I am not sure when this problem arose.

A few years ago Sellerdeck took me up to 2014 version and redesigned my web site. I didn't pick up a problem then but am not sure about this. I was being hosted by Webfusion, the original hoster set up by the original Actinic Business set up, but on their passing hosting to one of their sister companies Tsohost found that Tsohost were not able to host my particular website and they didn't understand Sellerdeck so it was decided I would move to Sellerdeck hosting. This is where I am today and now being website updating etc active I come across this problem.

Can anyone give me a lead as to how I might solve this particular problem. I have looked through all the 2014 threads etc but couldn't find anything that was relevant or similar.

Any help, bearing in mind I am not used to the tech side of things but will try with any possible solutions given.

Many thanks in anticipation
Veronica

[Mike Hughes]

If the text description is working on your existing products then it sounds as if you might be using a different layout for the new product.

You can check in the 'layout' settings for the product by comparing between the new product and one that already works.

Another option would be copy and paste an existing product and just make the changes you need to that.

Mike

PS. I don't think the 'more info' link works in preview. Check on your live website.

[Veronica]

Thank you for your input. Unfortunately when I noticed this problem on adding my new product I checked back on a number of existing and long standing products but, without checking every one, all the ones I did check the Full text description whilst visible in the text area under General, is missing on page preview including on the live website. I haven't uploaded this new one to the live web site as I was trying to deal with the issue first.

I have been looking all over the tabs to see if I can find anything that might refer to Full Text Description as in the General Section on the Product but so far nothing plus I am not really sure what I might be looking for. It is as if something regarding this particular operation has been taken out from an action instruction point of view if that makes sense.

Any other suggestions much appreciated.
Veronica

ps these descriptions were once showing on the live web site but I do not know when they stopped being shown.

[Mike Hughes]

The Full text description is usually set to display in the product Layout where you see 'ProductDecription'.

I don't think it's something you'd usually be able to turn on or off somewhere in the settings.

If you can copy and paste the product layout you're using into the forum then we can see if it looks right or whether there might be something else at work here.

[Veronica]

Thank you for your further input. I have taken a screenshot of the product showing the list of options ie General, Stock, Extended Information, etc that I have always used to create a product entry. The General section is the first on the list and it is the screen where the main product name, price and full text description and picture is entered. I am not sure how to get this screen shot onto the page - oops I think I have done it! Based on the post you gave me I noticed in the list was a Product Page. I haven't used this before to the best of my knowledge but I took a look at it and ticked the box. When I looked back at the product the text had appeared!!!

If this is the correct way to deal with entries and I am sure I haven't done this before but I am getting on a bit and perhaps the old memory is coming into play? However, I checked on another couple of products with no text showing and to deal in this way would mean having to go through every existing product, and there are quite a few, and ticking this particular box? I am not sure whether your suggestion is starting to solve my problem or if there is an extra bit I could do that would put the text back on show for all the other products on the site?

At least I have got further forward with your help for which I am very grateful.

Many thanks and if you also have an answer for how I can deal with all the other products and presumably I will need to tick this box on all new entries, it would be much appreciated.

Kind regards
Veronica


ps Since post this I have tried adding extended information including selecting the More..... link. However, now this doesn't work. The More... doesn't come on the product page whereas before it did. I was going to see if it showed the extended information in the page preview facility.

If I take the Product Page info off the More... extended info comes up again? I have not tried uploading to the site to see if the text is showing as it doesn't in page preview mode. That is my next step.

[Mike Hughes]

Looking at your website, the page you now have for the Korda Guru bait box looks correct to me as it has the text description and the 'more' link so I'd say what you've done has fixed it.

There is a global setting for product pages. According to the help section in Sellerdeck

To disable product page generation by default, untick 'Enable Product Pages for All New Products' in Miscellaneous Options, under the 'Options' panel.

So if you tick that box then this might be a quick way to get it doing what you want.

Mike

[Veronica]

I have not long put it on the web site as a look see. On my desktop the text in the extended window is on to the right and continuing under the picture. On the web site this does not come on. I have copied and pasted the Full Text Description into the extended information section and together with the links set up ie More.... it is showing the text in the More... part. I normally have this information next to the product pic without the need for the More... extension and have only used this for an extra picture and specific extra information. Going forward I can cope in this way with all new entries, but that still leaves me with all my other existing products which are not showing the text from the Full Description but I would have to go through everyone and copy and paste into the extended information etc. I will look at the global setting for product pages you have given me and see if that solves things.
I would once again like to thank you for your invaluable help Regards Veronica

[Mike Hughes]

I'm looking at this page: http://www.doncasterfishingcentre.co...Boxes-922.html

[Veronica]

Now that is strange! From my desktop in preview and by googling dfc the product does not have the text from the full text description box show. Only the More... button but the text that I copied and put into the extended information area does show. After following your link I used my ipad to access the site via wifi to see if I could get the same as yourself but it is the same as the desktop? When you are on the site looking at any products can you see on the first page with the product photo the full text description please? I do not see it there for any of my products.

When I look at product on site via ipad wifi it says the site name plus "/actalog/Korda.html". If I press on the More.. "actalog/info-922.html" shows.
Might this be indicating where I might alter something for the site as a whole?

With regard to global setting issue. I am not sure if I am in the right place on my desktop software but I went to Business Setting, Options, Misc Options. Under Misc Options there are two available. The first is ticked and says "Show Page Names when editing Catalog" and the second is unticked and says "Generate a Separate Page for Each Product"
I think this might mean that it is already in place by the second one being unticked?

Once again, thank you for your input.
Veronica

[Veronica]

ps I have just looked at an existing entry from some time ago. The Full Text is missing on my desktop. I go down and and click the Product Page box and the text from the General - Full Text Description appears. This one is from the Product Search section under Bait Bands, Drennan Bait Bands, Latex Pellet Bands. I have not uploaded it but would be interested to know if it is showing on the site via yourself. Not a problem if you are unable to look.

[Mike Hughes]

Here's what I think is happening.

1. The Korda Guru bait box page ( http://www.doncasterfishingcentre.co...Boxes-922.html ) is being generated because you ticked the 'Generate a separate page just for this product' box in Sellerdeck.

I don't think is how your site was originally set up to work as your section pages with the products on them have no links to this newly generated product page. I had to find it via the sitemap page.

2. This leaves us in a bit of a pickle. As I think you have two options for moving forward.

a) If you'd like to have the individual product pages generated (which is great for the search engines and if you ever want to use online product ads) then you can do can do this by ticking the 'Generate a separate page just for this product' box on all your products. You'll also need create the link to this page in the section page layouts. This is normally done by editing the layout so the product name and image (and the 'more' link if you want) become the link to the newly generated product page. It's not hard if you know what you're doing.

or

b) Just (or also ) fix the section layout so it includes the full text description if this is what you want. Again, it's not difficult if you know what you're doing but is much quicker to do than it is to describe.

Option b) is quicker and easier if that's all you want.

Mike

PS. No, I don't see any text on the Latex Pellet Bands on your website but if you haven't uploaded the site since ticking the 'Generate a separate page just for this product' box then it won't be there.

[Veronica]

pps with regard to the global setting issue - I have via the route given above found that whether I put tick or take out tick in the 2nd option of the five or six products already in the site I have to manually tick the product page for each one. I originally had these in dark blue so would have to go through and set the text colour up again too as they are coming through as black text.

[Veronica]

I am going to have to have a think about which option is going to be best for our site - I am not sure how this all came about. However I am very grateful that you have been able to establish solutions to move forward with. Much will also depend on my own capabilities both in understanding your solutions and of course carrying out the chosen one. I am away to a fishing lake tomorrow so will have a good think then. I hope I may come back in due course for any help/instruction on procedure for the option(s).
I cannot thank you enough. I thought I was going mad as I know I haven't altered anything, well not knowingly.
Enjoy the warm weather !!
Kind regards Veronica

[Veronica]

Hello Mike - After product clicking, un-clicking, links clicking, un-clicking etc my head starts to lose track! However, as my site is currently the products show with prices and buy and options etc without the full text description showing. For continuity to enable me to go forward adding products without making the site look mismatched I thought it might be best to create new products without the full description but with the description in the extended information section and use the More... link. I can then, at leisure so to speak, gradually go back over existing products either deleting them as no longer relevant or taking the full description into the extended information section etc. However, I am not sure what the relevance is between the Product List More... option and the Product Page linking More..... might be as I cannot have them both showing at the same time. I believe doing it this way gives me the better search engine outcome which is important.

On existing product entries as soon as I click the Product Page inclusion the full description text appears and stays unless I unclick, I have tried various scenarios.

Any input on my idea of a way forward or if you think not good, please let me know.

Kind regards
Veronica

[Mike Hughes]

Hi Veronica,

I like the idea of making it as easy as possible to get your new products up and then evolving the site after that. It's far too easy to get held up by making major changes which can often take longer than expected.

In terms of SEO options. What you really want to get to long term is a unique page with the product name in the html page name, the link to the page and the page title and have plenty of text about the product. You'll only get this by having a unique page for each product.

For SEO purposes a sellerdeck extended info page has very limited impact.

I hope I've helped. Good luck.

Mike