Including variables into product description

[jmedinger]

Hiya

We've created a new variable which we've (inventively) called 'Reviews'

What this does is place some text into the design to call up a popup window that allows a user to enter a review of an item which is then emailed off to the site owner for checking and posting onto the site.

We've referenced this variable in the product description area as

!!<<actinic:variable name="Reviews" />>!!

When we apply this, Actinic changes this to read

!!<[Reviews]>!!

and correctly adds the layout content into the generated page.

Why can't we then just insert what Actinic converts the variable into (i.e. [Reviews]) into the description for it to work?

If we do this, it simply outputs that word with the square brackets round it into the description.

Any ideas?

Thanks

[NormanRouxel]

Try it without the !!< and >!! - i.e. just [Reviews].

[jmedinger]

Norman

I tried that to start off with and it just included the source code from the layout.

I put the 'HTML include' comments in which prevented this and made it display correctly.

I guess the question is "Why does it convert the code to [Reviews] going one way - but not the other"?

[NormanRouxel]

If I (using 8.5.0) just put a Variable name within square brackets e.g. [CartButtonText] into a product description with no surrounding !!< or >!!, then it is replaced with the contents of that Variable (Add to Cart appears). Try it and see.

Is your Reviews item a Variable or a Layout?

[jmedinger]

It's a layout containing the following content

<a href="javascript:popUp('http://www.sitename.com/acatalog/review_popup.php?ref=<actinic:variable name="ProductReference" />&item=<actinic:variable name="ProductName"/>', 430, 430)">Click here to write your own review of this item</a>

[graphicz]

This seems to no longer work in v18. Has anyone any ideas or similar experience?

Thanks

[NormanRouxel]

Works fine in my 18.0.4. E.g. I put [ProductID] into a product description and it displayed the ID. And works the same for user defined variables.

It works with or without !!< and >!! around the text.

If you're putting a Layout in you have to use the layout selectors name and enclose it in !!< and >!! as you want the raw HTML to be included.

[graphicz]

Ah ha.

It works in product descriptions but not in section descriptions


Thank you Norman

[NormanRouxel]

Yes. Only in Product Description. Not in Product Name, Section Name, Section Description, Extended Info Text, etc. That's been the case since V8 came out.