Products in compact rows

[anf1y]

I am trying to implement the code in the "Getting Started with Design" manual, p24, to lay out product info. in compact rows. It works fine, EXCEPT the suggested coding to remove "Quantity" doesn't work (does nothing!) The manual says goto (-1, 2173) in Design ¦ Text and replace %s with <--%s-->. I've done that and nothing happens. I don't want to remove the word Quantity globally, so what now?

[jont]

You could remove the text globally and then add it back into Act_Primary template using a NETQUOTEVAR set to read "Quantity"

[anf1y]

Sorry, don't understand the answer... Surely I can't just type in NETQUOTEVAR=QUANTITY in Act_Primary? Or can I? Please forgive me - I'm only on day 3, and the pain is immense!

[jont]

It is a 3 step process:

1. under Advanced | Custom Properties click the + symbol and add a value QTY | type = TEXT

2. in Design | Options | Site Defaults | Properties click the + symbol and a new line appears - click the drop down box and select QTY , add the value of Quanty and check the use as CUSTOMVAR box

3. in the Act_ProductLine template add CUSTOMVAR:QTY into the template where you want the phrase "Quantity" to appear.

For the compact row template save the Act_ProductLine temple as something like Act_ProductLine_Compact and remove the CUSTOMVAR:QTY so it will not appear on the page

[jont]

Ignore my previous mention of Act_Primary - was not thinking straight - mind was on lunch

[anf1y]

Hope lunch was good...

Thanks for the idea, but back to the drawing board - I added QTY as in (1), but when I tried (2), the system says I cannot add any more CUSTOMVARS (7 have been defined) so I've come to a grinding halt again !!! I'm using Catalog... (using is a very relative term right now!!!)

[jont]

Bizarre - I have just manged to add 11 into mine !!!!

Lunch was fine but now a distant memory - tea is now my next goal

[jont]

With Tea in mind.... it would always be possible to remove the Quantity description globally and just addthe text "Quantity" into the ProductLine template and leave out on the new ProductLine_Compact template

[NormanRouxel]

replace %s with <--%s-->. I've done that and nothing happens.

That should be

replace %s with <!--%s-->

Alternatively just deleting the %s should work as it's allowable to have empty format strings.

[anf1y]

Two answers: First, apology to Norman - I did have the ! in the string. (Just tried it again to prove it!) Just can't type when tired... Second, when you get back from tea John, I'm getting really worried about my 30-day trial of catalog as so many things don't seem to do what they should... Any ideas about the limit of 7 CVs? Is it because it's a trial? (Intend to buy it next week when I'm booked on a course with Actinic)

[jont]

There is nothing in the Help file which suggests a limit so this may be a restriction in the trial version - may be worth making a note to ask Actinic during your training day

[anf1y]

It's a problem with using a trial version - I'm never sure whether problems are because (a) I'm an idiot or (b) it's a limitation. My money is on (a) every time, because the implication is certainly that there is no difference between the trial version and the real thing. The way I feel right now, Actinic ought to be PAYING ME to trial this - I keep finding "funnies" that don't do what they say "on the box" !!! Need a cuppa... FAST !!! (I used to be a technical author, so I know how hard manuals are to write, but this one is sooo frustrating!!! I shouldn't need to be asking for a work-round - maybe the manual was written for version xx, not version 7?)

[anf1y]

That should be

replace %s with <!--%s-->

Alternatively just deleting the %s should work as it's allowable to have empty format strings.

I tried just removing the %s and it made no difference - still shows Quantity. So I guess the reference 2173 must be wrong...

[anf1y]

The plot thickens - having removed the %s (after NAME because that's what the book says) I now get a quantity value of 400000 plus in the quantity boxes (instead of minimum 1)!!! Methinks it must be April 1st...

[jont]

Actinic has the added fun of compiling the finished pages from numerous sources - it is a case of slowly learning and understanding how the bits and pieces slot together, after a while you will see how things work and can change them in a jiffy - this is in addition to the usual HTML syntax of every comma, and quotation mark needing to be in exactly the right place to work properly.

Actinic is very customisable if you don't like the out-of-the-box settings and is certainly worth hanging on it with it and becomming familiar with the in's and out's of the templates etc.