Also Bought- need to show full description

[Printerland]

Hi all,

we have been modifying the 'also bought' section in the checkout section of our site. So far we've managed to enable products to be added to the basket from the checkout but we're having trouble finding a way to bring in the 'full description' of the products along with the product description, price etc.

We've made a change so that the report description is brought through to replace the product name (short description) by reading through the following thread;

http://community.actinic.com/showthread.php?t=32720

however, although this works in the basket area of the checkout page, it doesn't seem to have an effect over the 'also bought' products.

Does anyone know of a way we can get the report description to work in the also bought table as well?

if you need to see it all in action so far, we have a test site here http://crmdirect.co.uk/acatalog/Brother_HL-4070CDW.html

if you add the first product ref:HL4070CDWZU1 to the basket and follow it through until you get to the also bought area you can see the effects of our changes etc, appologies for all the missing images etc.

thanks in advance

[TraceyG]

Hi,

I'm afraid that the report description is only supposed to be to used to add to the invoice and packing list reports. The variable cannot be used in the checkout area for the also bought lists. I can't see a way around it.

[Printerland]

Thanks for your reply Tracey,

is there no way we can the normal 'full description' variable to be used in the checkout area at all?

[NormanRouxel]

The checkout uses information stored in the .cat files. Have a look at one that's related to the products in question.

Unless you see the information you require there it won't be possible to access it from the Perl.

If this is essential then you could probably use Actinic's PHP to write a helper file containing a list of product references and descriptions. You add this file to Design / Additional files so it's now available on the server. Some custom Perl could lookup this file and extract the information.

[Printerland]

Thanks Norman,

We've actually used one of your modifications which now alows us to display the 'report description' within the checkout page. this works in the 'shopping cart grid' but not in the 'also bought grid'.

any ideas??

[NormanRouxel]

Hi, Lee

It's always a challenge when Actinic says something cannot be done.

Here's how to automatically substitute the Report Description text for the Product Name in the Related / Also bought lists in the Cart.

Edit ActinicOrder.pm

Look for the line:

	$hVariables{$::VARPREFIX . 'PRODUCTNAME'}	= $$pProduct{'NAME'};

Change it to:

	$hVariables{$::VARPREFIX . 'PRODUCTNAME'}	= $$pProduct{'REPORT_DESC'} ne '' ? $$pProduct{'REPORT_DESC'} : $$pProduct{'NAME'}; # if Report Description available then use it instead of Product Name

[Printerland]

Wow! that worked a treat.

Thank you very much for your help Norman, you're a star!!

[TraceyG]

It's always a challenge when Actinic says something cannot be done.

LOL! I thought that might get someone on the case.