Hidden products...too hidden?

[TraceyHand]

No ,seriously!
Budget Bumps has a couple of ranges of products in more than one colour.
So, I had a master product and then added the same below, with different colour (listed on "buy now" button) and selected "hide on website" for them.
This them created a list of buttons giving the different choices yet allowed me to maintain individual stock levels for each.
Trouble is, in V7 (now that I have started the upgrade) it doesn't show the buttons and only lists the first product.
The subsequent "choices" are completely hidden.
So, am I right in thinking that V7 itself has a way of giving the product choices (colours/sizes etc) and being able to specify price and stock control for each choice individually?
If so, can someone just give me an idiots guide, please?
Oh, and has anyone else had trouble with catalog crashing when deleting components? Just wondered
Ta Tracey

[Nadeem]

Hi Tracey

I'm afraid that method is no longer available in Version 7. This was a relic from version 3.

Here is the correct way of doing component and attributes using a test product.

Here is the process for components and attributes
 
1. Add a new product called Test Product
The price should be set to zero
 
2. Add a new product called Test Product 1
Set the price to be £10.00 and make it hidden

3. Add a new product called Test Product 2
Set the price to be £20.00 and make it hidden
 
4. Add a new product called Test Product 3
Set the price to be £30.00 and make it hidden
 
5. Highlight Test product and right click on it
Select the option of  New Component. Call the component Link.
 
6. Right Click on Link and select Attributes
7. Call the attributes – Choice
8. Right click on Choice and select New Choice
9. Call the first choice – Test Product 1
10. Right click on Choice and select New Choice
11. Call the second choice – Test Product 2
12. Right click on Choice and select New Choice
13. Call the third choice – Test Product 3
14. Once you have done this, then simply double click on “Link” and select the Permutation tab
15. Click on Fill List, and you will get the 3 test products. Where it says Products – Select the individual products, (Ie the first one will be Test Product 1)
16. Select for pricing  “Associated Products” on all three of them
17. Once you have done this, simply double click on Test Product, Click on Advance and on the Component tab select “Sum of Component Prices”

Kind Regards

[TraceyHand]

ok, now that's just about what I've done in theory! (see post above for link of page I'm working on)
I still have the problem of it duplicating the line and deducting 2 from stock instead of one though.
You only have to add to cart and veiw the cart after adding one to see what I mean.
I have it with correct stock levels listed on the hidden items (and choices referring to these hidden options) what do I do about stock levels with the "master" item (the one which shows on website with description/image etc)?
Ordering online obviously has to be checked or else I get no "buy now" button, what do I do about stock monitoring? Do I have it switched off? (seems most obvious option) If so, will this stop it deducting 2 from stock each time? I cannot see how?
I'm sure I'm doing something very simple wrong but I can't see the wood for trees!
Any ideas?
Thanks
Tracey

[cdicken]

I still have the problem of it duplicating the line and deducting 2 from stock instead of one though.

You need to stock monitor the hidden products and not stock monitor the main 'master' product. That will stop two from being deducted from stock.

In order to only have the one line appearing in the cart, you need to do the following:

1) Go into the component and select 'component as separate order line'.

2) Go into the 'master' product and in the 'General' tab set the 'Pricing Model' to 'Sum of component prices' and select the 'No Order Line for Main Product' option.

If you do this, you need to make sure that you have got the correct prices coming in for your choices within the component - as the main product price will no longer be taken into account. Either enter a price for each choice within the 'Permutations' tab of the component, or set the 'Pricing' field for each choice in the grid to 'Associated Product Prices' (so they use the prices of the hidden products).

[TraceyHand]

Thanks,
that's better.
Still shows as 2 lines in the order in Actinic but doesn't in the cart and doesn't in the printed packing lists or invoices so I'm ok with that!
AM beginning the get to grips with it now (have got quite proficient at adding components, attributes and choices having had to go through the whole catalogue and do them how they should have been done!
Looks much neater!
Now I can't wait to use the offline ordering!
THanks Actinic
Tracey (about to upload the "real" site after 48 hours of playing!)

[doug selby]

Hi,
I'm having a problem with this too, in that all my dulcie angel products are set-up as optional components, so that

2) Go into the 'master' product and in the 'General' tab set the 'Pricing Model' to 'Sum of component prices' and select the 'No Order Line for Main Product' option.

this is automatically set to false.
Is it possible to lose the 'Order Line for Main Product' without forcing a component choice?

[Bruce]

Hi,

It will not be possible to loose the Order Line for main product if you do not have at least one component that is not forced.

Kind regards,