Adding text to individual products

[Jam00dle]

Hey there,

I am trying to add some text to individual products without success.

How would i go about doing this?

My client wants me to add some text to all products in a single section below the images of the products but when i try this it appears on every product in every page throughout the entire site.

Please help, iv been stuck for hours!


Thanks.

[leehack]

If you add text to the product layout, then all products using that layout will show that text. If certain text is to go on certain products, then add the text directly to the product ie within the product description field is one way. There are more intricate and cleverer ways, but you'll need to understand variables and layouts to do that.

[Jam00dle]

Php?

Would it be possible to use a PHP variable?

Eg,

If ($productName = XXX){

echo "Desired text here?";

}

[leehack]

It would be yes, just a very long winded way of doing things. Learn how to create a variable and understand the use parent cascade and you'll see that you can apply something to a section and all within that section will take that setting via the use parent facility. Much simpler and easier to maintain.

[Jam00dle]

Also im still a bit of a noob at Actinic9, i have been given a pre made store by my client and he wants me to jump in at the deep end.

as is, on the products list there are the following,

Name
Code
Price
Quantity
More info button
Add to cart button


How would I add an extra option called "Extra text" to the layout so that i can leave it blank where its not needed and fill it in when extra text is required?

If you could give me the steps in, Step1>Step2>Step3> etc. it would be a big help.

all help is greatly appreciated, i'v been stick all day on such a tiny problem

[leehack]

Step 1 - RTFM on variables
Step 2 - RTFM on layouts

or

Step 3 - don't work as an actinic designer if you haven't got any knowledge of it, you'll go bald in 2 days flat

[Duncan Rounding]

Or...

Create a new variable called ExtraText scoped to Product. Then in the layout code place the variable with a BlockIf around it testing if not empty.

[Jam00dle]

Okay, last question as I clearly don't have the required Actinic knowledge to continue without reading a tutorial or 2. :P

Please could you give me some links to helpful Actinic Tutorials so I don't have to bother you with silly questions without any prior knowledge

Specifically ones that will help with editing a pre made store. (although id image there arnt any)


Thanks again

[Duncan Rounding]

Take a look at the Advanced user Guide on the downloads page on the Actinic website.
Lee's also got some good tutorials on his site - see his signature above.

[Jam00dle]

I have created a variable in the library under Sections.

Then I created a content category,

Then I linked the variable and category together via the advanced place of settings tab in the Library,

Then I inserted the variable into the code,

Then i changed the category of the desired section to the desired category in the general tab. (in content view)

According to the tutorials and in program help this should now work.

However, the text I in-putted into the variable still appears on every page of the shop.


Sorry for the long post, i'm just trying to make sure I didn't miss anything out.

Any thoughts? I followed a few tutorials to the letter and still nothing, it shows the desired text, just not in the right places. (right place being on 1 section now ALL)

Thanks in advance.

[leehack]

Sounds like you've filled out the variable with a global entry, you need to fill it out on the product or section itself, so just that part has that setting. The variable should be empty when you create it.

[Jam00dle]

Please elaborate,

I just deleted it all and tried again 3 times over with the same effect,

I also notice that it doesn't matter if i have the desired section set to the right category or not, the text still appears all over the site in every section.


To create the variable i do the following,

Design > Library > Variable Tab > Expand Sections > Right Click Sections > New Variable.

[leehack]

Design > Library > Variable Tab > Expand Sections > Right Click Sections > New Variable.

And what are you putting in the variable at this stage?

[Jam00dle]

Name: InStock
Description: InStock
Prompt: InStock
Place of Setting: Section
Top Level Value: IN STOCK

The rest is left as default.

Defaults being:

Group: Section
Allow: <use parent> as an option (Checked)
Panel name: Properties
Type: Text
Allow Empty Value (Checked)
Initial Value: Use Parent ()


Also in the advanced place of settings tab in the sections drop down i unchecked default and checked HIGHGLOSS (which is the category i made)

[leehack]

So you are creating a variable and filling it out like i mentioned, by putting 'in stock' into the variable, you are effectively setting 'in stock' against everything with that variable set against it. DO NOT fill it out if you want to fill it out where you want, you're filling it out, look at it on any section and you will see your mistake.