Changing the order of permutation choices

[Quantum]

Does anyone know if there is a way of altering the order of choices in the drop down box?

You can alter the order in the content tree but the order in the list given to the customer is that set by the first time you 'Fill the List' in Permutations. I can't alter this order and any new choices are added at the bottom.

It seems the only way is to delete the whole list and re-fill it after you have ordered the list as you want in the Content Tree, which is not great when you have long lists such as here :-
http://www.quantumelectronics.co.uk/...m_Builder.html

Any work arounds or ideas would be appreciated

[TraceyHand]

I have the same problems, Andrew
I've not found a way round it so would be very interested to know if anyone else has!

[Quantum]

Support seem to think it can't be done but have added it to the Wish List.

[gabrielcrowe]

it can be done, but we're talking some serious javascript.

my approach would be to create an array using the items normally used to build the list, then sort this array, then use it to write out a drop down.

norm used to have a sweet hack for swapping images on dropdowns, by appending the image name to the dropdown with a pipe delimiter at the end.

i suppose you could use such a delimiter to choose the order too.

[TraceyHand]

it can be done, but we're talking some serious javascript.

my approach would be to create an array using the items normally used to build the list, then sort this array, then use it to write out a drop down.

norm used to have a sweet hack for swapping images on dropdowns, by appending the image name to the dropdown with a pipe delimiter at the end.

i suppose you could use such a delimiter to choose the order too.

Gabe, I love you but you lost me at "serious javascript"

[Sean Williams]

Me Too!
(The serious Javascript part )

[NormanRouxel]

Serious Javascript - I heard that!

Here's a way to do this.

Drop-down Choices will be sorted alphabetically if a variable SortedChoices is set for that Attribute.

Create an Attribute level Variable as per the attached screenshot.

In the Drop Down list layout / Start of List replace all code with:

<select <actinic:block if="%3cactinic%3avariable%20name%3d%22SortedChoices%22%20%2f%3e">id="<Actinic:Variable Name="UIWidgetName" />" </actinic:block>name="<Actinic:Variable Name="UIWidgetName"/>" class="form_input_general">

In the Drop Down list layout / End of List replace all code with:

</select>
<actinic:block if="%3cactinic%3avariable%20name%3d%22SortedChoices%22%20%2f%3e"><script type="text/javascript">sortoptions('<Actinic:Variable Name="UIWidgetName" encoding="perl" selectable="false" />');</script></actinic:block>

And put this into the HEAD area of your overall layout

<script type="text/javascript">
function sortoptions(selid){
	var opts = document.getElementById(selid).options;
	var optbits = new Array();
	for (var i=0; i<opts.length; i++)optbits.push(opts[i].text + '||' + opts[i].value); 
	optbits.sort();
	for (i=0; i<opts.length; i++)
		{
		var bits = optbits[i].split('||');
		opts[i].text = bits[0];
		opts[i].value = bits[1];
		} 
	document.getElementById(selid).selectedIndex=0;
}
</script>

So choices whose Attribute has SortedChoices set to true will display sorted and others will remain unaltered.

[TraceyHand]

Norman, can I just confirm, before I try this, what it's supposed to do?
Is it re-ordering the dropdown based on the order of the choices in the content tree rather than the order of the permutations list or have we deviated off track?

(I feel like I fell into an alternate reality when Gabe wandered in LOL)

[fergusw]

Could you not also tackle this client site within the actinic database?
Not on Actinic machine at present, but I'm sure the ProductProperties table has permutations (have typeID of 8) ordered by a field called nSequence.

It would take some wiggly SQL but the psuedo logic would be something like:
Loop through product table
For each product get permutations for product into array, sort, then update new nSequence back to database

[NormanRouxel]

what it's supposed to do

Fair Question. It automatically sorts the Choices in a drop-down list alphabetically.

I've updated my post #7 to allow us to turn this capability on or off via a variable SortedChoices that you can set for each Attribute. The default being to leave things as they were - you have to enable this for specific Attributes before anything happens.

[gabrielcrowe]

For each product get permutations

each permutation is stored in a rather contrived manner. this type of script has the possibility of screwing up the database table related to permutations.

all this really needs, is a 'display order' in the permutation.

perhaps its time actinic catalog got rid of those windows 3.1 style plusses in the top left of lists?

[gabrielcrowe]

hah, and as per usual, norm has the code

you're a star mr norm.

[TraceyHand]

Fair Question. It automatically sorts the Choices in a drop-down list alphabetically.

I've updated my post #7 to allow us to turn this capability on or off via a variable SortedChoices that you can set for each Attribute. The default being to leave things as they were - you have to enable this for specific Attributes before anything happens.

Thanks for the clarification, Norman.

[NormanRouxel]

Note that post #7 is for simple Drop Down Choice Lists.

If you want to use this on Drop Down Permutation Lists then follow this post instead.

Drop-down Choices used within Components / Permutations will be sorted alphabetically if a variable SortedChoices is set for their Attribute.

Create an Attribute level Variable as per the attached screenshot.

In the Drop Down Permutation List layout / Start of List replace all code with:

<select <actinic:block if="%3cactinic%3avariable%20name%3d%22SortedChoices%22%20%2f%3e">id="<actinic:variable name="PermutationAttributeList" value="Attribute IDs" />" </actinic:block>name="<actinic:variable name="PermutationAttributeList" value="Attribute IDs" />" class="form_input_general">
<actinic:BLOCK if="%3cactinic%3avariable%20name%3d%22ComponentIsOptional%22%20%2f%3e%20AND%20%3cactinic%3avariable%20name%3d%22IsUsedNoneChoiceLabel%22%20%2f%3e%20AND%20%21%3cactinic%3avariable%20name%3d%22IsSelectedByDefault%22%20%2f%3e" >
<option value="-1">
	<actinic:variable name="NoneChoiceLabel" />
</option>
</actinic:block>

In the Drop Down Permutation List layout / End of List replace all code with:

<actinic:BLOCK if="%3cactinic%3avariable%20name%3d%22ComponentIsOptional%22%20%2f%3e%20AND%20%3cactinic%3avariable%20name%3d%22IsUsedNoneChoiceLabel%22%20%2f%3e%20AND%20%3cactinic%3avariable%20name%3d%22IsSelectedByDefault%22%20%2f%3e" >
<option value="-1">
	<actinic:variable name="NoneChoiceLabel" />
</option>
</actinic:block>
</select>
<actinic:block if="%3cactinic%3avariable%20name%3d%22SortedChoices%22%20%2f%3e"><script type="text/javascript">sortoptions('<actinic:variable name="PermutationAttributeList" value="Attribute IDs" encoding="perl" selectable="false" />');</script></actinic:block>

And put this into the HEAD area of your overall layout

<script type="text/javascript">
function sortoptions(selid){
	var opts = document.getElementById(selid).options;
	var optbits = new Array();
	for (var i=0; i<opts.length; i++)optbits.push(opts[i].text + '||' + opts[i].value); 
	optbits.sort();
	for (i=0; i<opts.length; i++)
		{
		var bits = optbits[i].split('||');
		opts[i].text = bits[0];
		opts[i].value = bits[1];
		} 
	document.getElementById(selid).selectedIndex=0;
}
</script>

So Permutation Choices whose Attribute has SortedChoices set to true will display sorted and others will remain unaltered.

[Quantum]

Guys, thanks for the suggestions.

One question though - If you want to order by something other than 'alphabetical' what would you do?

Is there a simple way of simply sorting it by the order they are in the content tree? As then you would have the flexibility to order it any way you want. The list I used as an example above is ordered by Range and then Price which is easy to do in the content tree.