New Compulsorary Product Search attributes for Google

[graphicz]

Export the new Google Feed variables from 10.04 beta as a design element snapshot for clients to import into 10.02/03.

[oldhasbeen]

Anyhoo, unless I can extract the barcode data from Epos, this isn't going to happen for us - I cannot make the time to do this manually for thousands of products (unless I stop sleeping).

I've applied for an exemption based on the fact that it is illogical as a blanket policy as it serves no purpose, it is meaningless to the global majority of retail consumers whom they purport to be "helping" so is therefore punitively biased against small businesses who have enough on their plates already. I daresay I shall at best be ignored or at worst be banished/have my google feed disallowed (which they will be anyway if I don't doff my cap and comply).

They're getting as bad as the government with all this illogical meddling but I've said my bit and will see what happens.

Helen

Update - exemption granted Be interesting to see what happens next.

[oldhasbeen]

Am I right in thinking that we can somehow extract this data from EPOS? All our products are barcoded in EPOS so it seems mental to manually enter all this information for thousands of products when we've already got it sat there. Or am I barking up the wrong tree?

[FrazerPart]

Duncan, Lee
Thanks for your help - I hadn't considered the blockif statements!

All sorted now.

[leehack]

Yep, either used in another layout or within a blockif.

[Duncan Rounding]

It sounds like the variable may be used in more than one layout.

[FrazerPart]

Even after removing the variable from the layout, I still get an error message when I try and rename the variable. It's the same message I had before and suggests that this variable is in use in a layout.

[leehack]

You might find you need to remove it from your layout to be able to change it and then put it back in after the change. NOTE: Make sure you snapshot before you try, just in case contents of the variable get reset as part of the change.

[guccij]

Yes - you just rename it by right-clicking on it in the variables list.

[FrazerPart]

Duncan/Lee,
I have created my own variables last autumn but instead of using "brand" as a variable name, I used "manufacturer".
Google now want this data to be submitted under the "brand" identifier.

Is there a quick and easy way to rename a variable?

An added complication is that this variable is also used within a page layout to actually display the variable information on the website.

[chickenhouseman]

You can't do this with the Actinic feed, each variable added has it's own row in the spreadsheet (but I guess you could easily combine the rows manually), but you can do this with the Mole End product mash using macros, if you want to know more about this and have the Mole End product mash, contact our support desk.

Where did you want to add the review details to?

Regards,

To the google product feed

[Duncan Rounding]

Whilst on the subject.. Is it possible to have one variable that equals another or to be able to apply a mathematical function?

You can manipulate variables using php within the Actinic Design View that will run during the page parsing for page preview and publishing but it wouldn't directly change a variable content in the database for the Google Feed.

You can however write and read values directly to the database using php in the same manner but again it needs to be triggered by a preview or upload.

I think the simplest is to use Excel and import the data, as I presume you are doing now or use Mole-Ends Feed Mash of course.

[Jan]

You can't do this with the Actinic feed, each variable added has it's own row in the spreadsheet (but I guess you could easily combine the rows manually), but you can do this with the Mole End product mash using macros, if you want to know more about this and have the Mole End product mash, contact our support desk.

Where did you want to add the review details to?

Regards,

[chickenhouseman]

Whilst on the subject.. Is it possible to have one variable that equals another or to be able to apply a mathematical function?

I'd like to make it easier to add the product feedback from soapbox to the google feed. I can do it manually at the moment in the spreadsheet.

The soapbox and google feedback quantity variables have different names so the google one needs to be the same as the soapbox one. The google average score needs to be halved as it's out of 5 and soapbox scores out of 10. And the variable name is different again.

[Duncan Rounding]

You can create you're own variables (if you don't already have them) and then check 'Include in Google Product Search Data Feed' in the Basic Definition tab of the variable in Design Library - Variables.