EntireSectionList alternative

[SpecTech]

Ok I am trying to set up a block that will display all of my products,

So Far I can get sections to apprear by adding a top block and setting it to entiresectionlist then inside there adding the variable sectionname

however I want to set it up so that the entire product list appears inside a block, I have changed the variable inside to productname and I have changed to type to product list however this is not work. the code I am using at the moment is this

<actinic:block type="ProductList" >
<actinic:variable name="ProductName" />
</actinic:block>

Is there another block type that I could use to pick up all of the products?

[jont]

Depends exactly what you want to do with it but worth checking the sitemap layouts as this can be hacked to great effect and worth a look for ideas.

[SpecTech]

Thanks Jonty I will make sure to have a look at that, and also at the moment I just want to generate a list of all my product names with all my product images. and then have them linking to the product. is there an easier way of doing this compared to the one I am using?

p.s its 5 so im off home now but I will pick up the peices tomorrow morning

[SpecTech]

OK basicly I will explain what I am doing a bit better, I have a section called spalding basketball then inside there another called spalding basketball nets and all the spalding basketball nets are sitting in this section,

however I have another section that is all of the basketball nets.
instead of duplicating the products (which will give me duplicate content) or Making a fragment for each product I was going to make a new layer that displays all the products then add a blockif so that it only picks up the products that I want it to pick up. If anyone knows and easier way of doing this please let me know

[leehack]

When you duplicate a product, setup a layout so that when clicked upon the visitor is taken to the same master page, no matter where they clicked from. So for instance you have a product and a master page for it, everywhere you duplicate that product just links back to the single master page. This is actually good for seo as it improves internal linking IMO. There are auto methods, semi-auto and manual ways of doing this. Using the link tab is the most basic on cut down product duplicates, depends on your ability mainly.

This has also been solved in the past by creating dynamic search strings, so the section name they click on in effect becomes the search term, you can add Norman's hack to the search results also to make it look like a normal product page, this is the closest an actinic store will get to be like a dynamic online database site, although the seo is not so great.

Personally, i have all duplicates pointing to the master SPP page and think this is the best solution there is available.

[pinbrook]

I agree with Jonty - take a look at the sitemap layouts

[SpecTech]

Just had a look at the sitemap and thats all linking to sections, however I do believe leehacks way should work, and has just triggered off loads of ideas in my mind on how I could approach this. I will keep you all updated with how it goes

[SpecTech]

Ok Lee's way has worked perfectly for me I simply made a new product layout made a duplicate of the products and set the new layout to only show the image, name and price then made it link to the product url which is the main product. and to get them to align like sections I went to the parent section and just set the product column count to 3,

Thanks again community

[leehack]

If you have SPP setup, then whether it lists the product or the parent section, it's almost the same usually, but i take your point. You could use a block and select the productlist if this was an issue. Why not create sections that run the product list and filter on a section level variable that you set on each section.

There's lot of ways to skin this cat, just be aware of performance issues when running these lists, if you have a lot of products.

[SpecTech]

hmm..Lee I was just wondering how you were linking to the parent product at the moment my code on the duplicate product layout is

<a href="<actinic:variable name="SectionURL" />"><img alt="<Actinic:Variable Name="ProductName"/>" src="<actinic:variable name="ProductImageFileName" />" border="0" width="130"/></a>

[leehack]

I'd imagine that will link to the section in which the duplicate is sitting, not the parent section of the main product. You will need to query the database to get the master page or setup your own variable in which you set the target page and then use that in the layout instead. Or of course use the link tab.

[SpecTech]

It did link to the top level section, however I have managed to set up a variable that products main section is working from and then put a block around the hole thing so that it reads all the sections on my site.

now its working again cheers