Quick Seach Dropdown List Brand/Clothing Type!?

[Classix]

Hi, i see this functionality on many site ie. www.attitudeclothing.co.uk and have seen it discussed alot throughout the forum, but can't seem to get my head around it for my own purpose.

I'm wanting a simple dropdown menu, which shows brands, when selected brings up a results page which can then be navigated to the actual products. Sounds simple enough, but i don't know what to do?

Anyone got some simple instructions to put me in the right dircection, the simpiler the better Cheers FrAz


example

dropdownlist:

Criminal Damage
Iron Fist
TUK Shoes
Madfish Shoes
ect..

www dot classixshop dot com

[grantglendinnin]

I know John at StinkyInk has this on their site - and it's a fantastic adjustment to the site, whether or not it has been hardcoded or using Actinic variables, I don't know. If you know what you're doing with Actinic variables this is quite a simple job to implement, unless you want it as complicated as Stinky Inks which has some rather mind boggling javascript to control the search feature (seriously, try it out - it's neat!)

[RuralWeb]

There is one method detailed in the aug

[Classix]

What's it listed as under in the AUG please?

[cdicken]

Hmmm - I'm not sure where this one is in the AUG. I've done this recently for a customer though. What you need to do is edit the quick search layout to include the following code:

<table>
<actinic:variable name="SearchablePropertyList" />
</table>

You then need to create a new variable called something like 'Brand' (check the help for assistance with adding a new variable) and then enter a Brand value for every product in your store.

Also check the help for 'Searchable Properties'. That explains how it all works.

[RuralWeb]

you can create a drop down search by section as per the aug but the method chris posted is better. You must have posted this before somewhere chris as it seems to ring a bell. Anyway it should also go in the aug.

[Classix]

I'll have a tinker with things and get back to you with my findings, thanks for the pointers. I'm sure they'll come in handy

[Classix]

Right here's how far i've got, if you consider it a going forward.

I've inserted the quicksearchbar variable into my primary layout as that's where i am wanting it to appear. I did generate an old search layout that had been used way back in v7, so i removed it and just added chris's

<table>
<actinic:variable name="SearchablePropertyList" />
</table>

obviously there should be something else to go with that, but i'll put that aside.

I've created a variable called 'brand' and then selected it though 'searchable properties' in the search settings and given it a dropdown functionality. Now the menu appears, but only shows one of the list of choice i created in the variable.

Any pointer or advice?

I've attached two pics: one of the menu on my overall layout and the second is the 'brand' variable settings.

[Goz]

The Brand variable is setable only at Site level. Should it also settable (if that's a word and I've spelt it differently!) at Product level (or even Section level as well if you want to allow "Use Parent" stuff)

[Classix]

i've emmended the variable to have products and sections in it's place of setting.

[Goz]

...and, does it work?...

[Classix]

Nah, well on the variable type i chose 'list of choices' then adding the various brand names on our site, but the dropdown list only shows the first branded added, how do i get it to show the rest of the brands, or am i going about it the wrong way?

Also as i only have this code in the quicksearch variable how would i get it to excercute the search for that disired brand ie. a go button!?

<table>
<actinic:variable name="SearchablePropertyList" />
</table>

[Classix]

Right, well i've changed the 'brand' variable to section as place of setting and selected it in searchable properties and it appears in my overall layout.

i've assigned sections to there various brands and they have added themselve to the dropdown list.

My question now is how do i get the dropdown list to then search the desired brand and display the result. Where about within the quick search am i putting the search code?

ie:

href="http://www.classixshop.com/cgi-bin/ss000004.pl?RANDOM=NETQUOTEVAR%3ARANDOM&PAGE=SEARCH&SS=BRAND NAME&TB=A&PR=-1&GB=A">

[cdicken]

1. Insert the following code into your overall layout and adapt as necessary:

   <form name="simplesearch" method="get" action="<actinic:variable name="OnlineScriptURL" value="Search Script URL" />">
            <input type="hidden" name="page" value="search" />
            <input type="hidden" name="SS" value="" />
            <input type="hidden" name="PR" value="-1" />
            <input type="hidden" name="TB" value="A" />
   <table>
   <actinic:variable name="SearchablePropertyList" />
   </table>
            <input type="image" value="ACTION" name="search" src="button_search_button.gif" alt="<actinic:variable name="QuickSearchButtonText" />" />
   </form>

2. The drop down list of searchable properties will only show the values that have been actually been assigned to your products, so get busy and set a value for 'Brand' for every product in your store.
3. You should then be all set.

[Classix]

Cool i'll get i put in and see if that does the trick, thanks for your attention to my neverending list of problems. haha