Images into permutations for Google Data Feed

[Sail and Ski]

Hi,
Finally Sellerdecks barcodes into permutations works, joy! However, I need to find a way for it to also have different images for permutations. These don't need to be shown on sellerdeck, just in the google shopping feed.

On many products we stock various colours of the same product which we build as a single product (and have up until now been using a hidden section with duplicate products that share the URL of the main product).

Sellerdeck have told me they don't think it can be done but does anyone know of a way it can be or maybe a third party extension that would do the trick?

Cheers.

[NormanRouxel]

If you have an Associated Product for each (or some) Permutations then you may be able to use the image from that Associated Product.

You will need to have selected Enable Advanced Options in Marketing / Google Product Search Data Feed.

Then edit layout Google Universal Product Feed Layout and look around line 58 for:

			<g:image_link><actinic:block if="%3cactinic%3avariable%20name%3d%22IsBaseHREFStandard%22%20%2f%3e" ><actinic:variable name="CatalogURL" /></actinic:block><actinic:block if="%3cactinic%3avariable%20name%3d%22IsBaseHREFSSL%22%20%2f%3e" ><actinic:variable name="SSLCatalogURL" /></actinic:block><actinic:variable encoding="html" name="ProductImageFileNameRaw" /></g:image_link>

In that line, replace:

<actinic:variable encoding="html" name="ProductImageFileNameRaw" />

With:

<actinic:block if="%3cactinic%3avariable%20name%3d%22AssociatedProduct%3a%3aProductImageFileNameRaw%22%20%2f%3e%20%21%3d%20%22%22" ><actinic:variable encoding="html" name="AssociatedProduct::ProductImageFileNameRaw" /></actinic:block><actinic:block if="%3cactinic%3avariable%20name%3d%22AssociatedProduct%3a%3aProductImageFileNameRaw%22%20%2f%3e%20%3d%3d%20%22%22" ><actinic:variable encoding="html" name="ProductImageFileNameRaw" /></actinic:block>

What this does is use the Associated Product Image if it exists. Otherwise the usual Product Image is used as before.

N.B. Untested. Please report if it works or not.

[Sail and Ski]

Thanks Norman, I haven't tested it but it isn't quite what I was looking for. The advantage of being able to add barcodes into permutations is that it would save me having to create extra products, we really want to keep it much simpler by just having a single product for all variants of a product we stock and use permutations.

I can't quite figure out how it's done but is there a way to insert a new column unto the Product > [Permutation Name] > Permutations grid that I could insert a URL for the product image and then edit the Google Universal Product Feed Layout to look for this as the main product image?

[NormanRouxel]

Out so doing this from memory. If you go toDesign / Library / Variables / Permutations, and right-click and choose new variable then that will show up when you select a permutation row. It doesn't add a new column - it appears below the permutation grid.

You can then use this variable wherever permutation row items are allowed.

[Sail and Ski]

Cheers Norman, I found that earlier but it is really a column I need as we need multiple images inserting. Are the columns hard coded in, if so is there anyway to insert a new one that I can add URL paths to? See screenshot for example of how some products are set up.

[NormanRouxel]

You don't need a new column to have multiple images. As you click each Permutation row, you can make a unique entry for that row at Permutation Properties / Permutation Image. Try it and see.

[Sail and Ski]

Ah perfect! My hero, cheers Norman.

[Sail and Ski]

Ok, so with a bit of editing of the Google Universal Product Feed Layout to look for the image in the permutations first this works. Perfect, glad I didn't believe support yesterday when they said it couldn't be done!

Thanks for the help with that Norman.

[NormanRouxel]

Sellerdeck have told me they don't think it can be done

Was this the eye wateringly expensive SellerDeck Cover?

Perhaps they need to read the Starter Guide as creating user Variables is covered there?

[brucet]

Thanks Norman, that's a very useful tip.

Unfortunately, reading the Starter Guide would not help here. User-defined properties function differently on Permutations than at every other level, where they only accept a single entry for the selected tab. AFAICS that's actually undocumented - even in the Advanced User Guide. TBH, I wasn't even aware of it myself. Support have been reminded now.