Best Sellers Snippet

[wfl]

I have been trying to create the external files for Best Sellers and New Products using the method in the AUG but when I upload it does not create the file. I am just left with the "Best Seller List Inserted Here" text.

The AUG says;

Note: There is a condition embedded within the 'BestSellersSnippet' layout selector that says 'PageType = "Search"'. This just means the 'bs-snippet.html' file only gets generated by one page in the store – the search page

but I cannot see where this happens or where Actinic would have known about this selector before it was created.

The other thing I notice, and I have tried to create it several times, is that the Edit Layout Details box does not show the File Extension as shown in the AUG.

[cdicken]

Hi Alistair.

Can I take a look at your code you are using please? Drop me an email to cdicken /@/ actinic... and I'll give you some FTP settings to bung a snapshot up to.

[wfl]

Chris

This morning I applied HFUA.

Then just before I sent you the snapshot I realised that I had only tried this method in the Brochure and not the Catalog so I applied that but got side tracked and forgot to test it.

One of these two things has made it work.

[wfl]

I have just noticed today the bs and np snippets stopped working a few weeks ago, i.e. the files have not updated since then.

The marketing options update every upload and I know this works because the home page, the best sellers and new products pages are OK and the search page is current.

If I replace the standard best seller list on to the page it works fine so it must be the variable <actinic:variable name="BestSellersSnippet" if="%3cactinic%3avariable%20name%3d%22PageType%22%20%2f%3e%20%3d%3d%20%22Search%22" /> that isn't working.

I have been through the set up process again several times and it all looks OK.

So what can have stopped it working?

[cdicken]

Hi Alistair.

Please check the content of the 'bs-snippets.html' file on the server (or whatever the name is) and see whether the contents of that file are current.

This will establish whether the problem is with generating the files, or with displaying the files.

[wfl]

Hi Chris

The problem is definitely with generating them.

The local file in SiteHTML was 30 July as is the one on the server.

I have been back through the set up of the snippets step by step and recreated them. I used a fixed layout to make sure it used the correct one. And I repasted all the code from the AUG into the page layout (inc the variable to tell it to create the snippet).

A new search.html is being created every time I upload (actually generate web site because there aren't enough hours in the day if you get my drift) but not the snippets.

I have replaced the snippet code with sidebar list layout and that works fine so the only thing not working is the generation of the snippets.

Oh.. and it did work for 6 weeks around the original dates of this thread and I can't see or recall anything that I did at the end of July that might have changed things. Also we update from one of 3 PCs so it can't be PC related.

[dave_finlayson]

Have you tried deleting the local bs-snippets.html and seeing if an upload recreates it?

Might not cure the problem but should help narrow it down!

[wfl]

Have you tried deleting the local bs-snippets.html and seeing if an upload recreates it?

Oh yess... several times

[wfl]

OK Chris - problem solved and a small clarification update to the AUG would probably be in order.

I had the variable and the include on the brochure and catalog pages. The change I made at the end of July was to wrap the code in a Block If to remove it from checkout pages to avoid distracting the customer. Quite simply the variable that generates the snippet will not work inside another block statement and only works on catalog pages.

Now I have the variable outside the block it works fine. The include remains inside the block.

All other includes in brochure, extended info single product and elsewhere on the site outside Actinic all work because the variable on the catalog page is generating the snippet.

[cdicken]

Well done for figuring this out. I'll add this change to the advanced user guide and help docs.