Searching for a new Attribute with Simple Search

[CarlSaunders]

In the Product Properties tab I have created a new Attribute called "Product Code", (which I want completely separate from the Actinic product reference).

I want to be able to use the Simple Search box (displayed on every page) to enter a Product Code and display the matching result.

For some reason Actinic doesn't want to index my custom property and consequently no results are ever found.

Any ideas??

[cdicken]

Make sure you select 'Searchable' when you edit the details of the product code variable. You can then go into 'Settings | Search Settings | Searchable Properties' and create a drop down list or something like that containing all the different product codes of the products in your store.

This is how Actinic generates search tools by default. What you then need to do is upload the site - see the code that Actinic has generated for the drop down list and convert it into a text search.

The code will look this

<select size="x" name="y">
...
</select>

Copy this code to the clipboard, and then edit it so it looks like this...

<input name="y" value="" />

Then paste this code into Actinic in the layout called 'Search Page Bulk Area' - you'll find this within the 'Web Page Inner Layout' group in 'Design | Library | Layouts'. This will then create the text field as you need it.

[CarlSaunders]

Simple Search

Thanks Chris, although I think you've misunderstood my question. I was asking about the Simple Search box not the Search Page Bulk Area / search.html.

I can successfully add a drop-down to the search.html and this works fine, but I do not want to use search.html, I want to be able to search for a Product Code using the simple search box only.

I've tried entering the following line of code (sort of as you suggested) to the "Standard Quick Search Bar" template but this does not work:

<input type="hidden" name="S&#95;Product Code0&#95;0" value="" />

Any suggestions?

[cdicken]

Hi Carl - I would have thought that should work - the code certainly looks OK.

Does that extra field work in the main search page then?

[CarlSaunders]

Well, I'm totally confused now! I've just played around with the code and I've lost myself. Can I just clarify that the code should look like:

<input type="hidden" name="S_Product Code0_0" value="" />

and not

<input type="hidden" name="S_Product Code0_0" value="111222" />
<input type="hidden" name="S_Product Code0_0" value="111223" />
...
<input type="hidden" name="S_Product Code0_0" value="999999" />

??

[cdicken]

I've managed to get this working with an example 'Author' variable by editing my quick search bar layout and replacing

<input type="text" name="SS" size="15" value="Quick Search" onfocus="this.value='';" class="actxxsmall" />

with

<input type="hidden" name="SS" value="" /><input type="text" name="S&#95;Author0&#95;0" value=""/>

Hope that helps

[CarlSaunders]

Extended Question

Thanks Chris - that works fine.

Now what I need to do is incorporate that new variable "Product Code" with the order when it is downloaded.

Basically, the despatch department need a product code to be able to pick the order efficiently. An order that doesn't contain the product codes will be a nightmare to fulfill.

Can you help with this one?

[CarlSaunders]

Not Correct

Actually Chris,

I've just noticed that the Simple Search now ONLY searches on the variable "Product Code". This was not what I wanted. I needed the ability to search for keywords AND Product Code not soley Product Code.

My code looks like:

<input type="hidden" name="SS" value="" />
<input type="text" name="S&#95;Product Code0&#95;0" size="20" value=" Keyword(s) / Code" onFocus="this.value='';this.style.background='#FFFFFF'" value=""/>

[wjcampbe]

If you revert to the standard simple search, your product codes are probably suppressed by the list of 'not indexed' words and characters - an edit of that list, and a check of the valid characters field on the same Settings | Search Settings - Search Options tab may well allow successful use of the standard.

[CarlSaunders]

Tried that originally

Thanks for your input, but I had a look at what you suggested when I originally came across the problem and that doesn't resolve it.

[cdicken]

Hi Carl

The text box I am setting you up with with ONLY do values in the 'Product Code' field. If you want to search for other things as well you need to have a standard simple search box visible as well.

[CarlSaunders]

Extended Question

That's a shame, but thanks for clearing that up Chris.

Can you please see my previous post "Extended Question" and let me know if you have a solution?

[cdicken]

Now what I need to do is incorporate that new variable "Product Code" with the order when it is downloaded.

Basically, the despatch department need a product code to be able to pick the order efficiently. An order that doesn't contain the product codes will be a nightmare to fulfill.

User-definable variables are not included in the shopping cart by default, so I suggest you:

• Export your site using 'File | Export'
• In the export file, rename the 'Product Code' column heading to 'Report Description'
• Rename the other 'Report Description' column heading to something else.
• Re-import the export file - making sure you update your store rather than replace.

This should then add all your 'Product Code' fields into the 'Report Description' field - which will appear on the reports and invoices for the downloaded orders.

Make sure you take a snapshot before doing this though.

[CarlSaunders]

Problems

Come across a couple of problems with your suggestion.

Once exported, I opened the file in Excel and there was only one instance of "Report Description" so I replaced that with "Chris Dicken". Fine. However, I then found quite a number of fields containing "Product Code". There was not an obvious 'column header' field, so I tried (i) just replacing the first instance with "Report Description" and then (ii) replacing all instances with "Report Description". Both resulted in the same error once imported back to Actinic - Every single product produced a duplicate of itself in the Content Tree (with different Actinic reference no.s and no sign of product code in the properties, and now with an author field!?!).

There were some screens that I didn't fully understand when I imported, so I just clicked Next everytime. See attached image for example.

[cdicken]

OK - try another approach.

Just export the store as before and then import it straight away.

When you re-import it, do a 'Hierarchical' import making sure you choose to 'Update' the store. When you get to map the 'Product Fields', map the 'Product Code' field to both the 'Product Code' field and the 'Report Description' field.

Also, you need to select 'Allow Extended Description In Reports' in 'Business Settings | Options' to see this data in Actinic.