Importing a product into multiple sections

[advwebsys]

i'm trying to create a catalog from an existing database. thus far, i've been able to create product records for hierarchical import. but here's the problem:

each sku has a 'category' and a 'model'.

we want to organize the catalog so that there are two main sections: category and model. each sku would appear in the appropriate place in each hierarchy.

eg:

section "skus by category"
section "a"
product sku1
product sku2
end section
section "b"
product sku3
product sku4
end section
end section

section "skus by model"
section "model101"
product sku2
product sku3
end section
section "model102"
product sku1
end section
section "model140"
product sku4
end section
end section

when i do the import what happens is when trying to import the skus by model, every product (i guess) has the following error message:

There is already a product with that name.

so... what do i put in the import file to tell the import program 'copy sku1 here'?

[Jan]

Not sure about this but I think you say

Section "skus by category|a"
product "sku1"
end section
Section "skus by category|b"
product "sku2"
end section

etc

Regards,

[advwebsys]

jan - not sure that this will work.

after further reading (i'm new to actinic) it appears that a product reference (what i'm calling sku1, sku2, ect) must be unique. so, once it's imported the first time, it cannot be imported again at a different place in the hierarchy.

it also appears that one CAN duplicate a product elsewhere using a component. HOWEVER, products with components can't have attributes, and that's a show-stopper here.

if any of the developers are reading this what i think is required is a 'link' attribute which basically says duplicate this product reference (in it's entirety) here.

[Jan]

Sorry, I took sku1, sku2 to be the unique product references for the same product, I read your problem as being unable to define subsections in the import file.

As you say you cannot have the same product (reference) in several sections (without using components), I have a tool to make it easier to duplicate products but it is only available for business or developer. (See http://www.mole-end.biz/acatalog/Solutions.html for more details)

Regards,

[NormanRouxel]

... HOWEVER, products with components can't have attributes, and that's a show-stopper here.

That's not quite the limitation it appears to be.

You can have a zero priced, non optional component attached to a product that contain all the attributes and choices that the product needs. Now you can have any number of additional "real" components (with their own attributes if required).

I usually call such a component "Info" or "Options" or whatever suits.

Norman

[Jan]

If you are getting a message saying that you can't add a component because an attribute exists that is because you have to add the attribute after the component. If you attributes have already been created, the trick is to use CTRL-X to cut the attribute, then add the component and then use CTRL-C to paste the attribute back in.

Regards,

[advwebsys]

jan - re your two replies:

1. as far as your tool is concerned, right now i'm trying to generate an initial import file to convert this customer from a linux berkeley-db file application to actinic. i'm certainly interested in this tool as a way to do maintenance, but first things first.

2. thanks. i understand the cut/paste scenario.

[advwebsys]

norman - i think you've got it!

i just tried this manually and exported the result. the program i've written (only about 50 lines of perl) to create the import file can easily be modified to include this structure and create new product references.

i'll give this a shot.

credit my not knowing this to my 'newbie' status with actinic.

jan - if i can create and import this file sucessfully, and now have duplicate products with different product references, will my customer be able to use your tool to maintain the catalog? OR does the initial import have to be done with your tool?

[Jan]

All you have to do to use the tool is link the product references via an external database, so you could use it for maintenance - it is limited to the fields available to external database linking, from looking at your earlier messages it looks as if you have the skills to write something similar to create an import file for Actinic to replicate the changes across the duplicated skus.

Regards,

[advwebsys]

TADA!!!!

finally got a completely successful import.

my only concern now (haha) getting everything else in the catalog organized an configured correctly.

thanks to both of you for the help.