How to: Filter from Taxonomy (Catalog 2.0.0 beta1)

[valentin]

Me again. I´m sorry.
I´m not sure, whether this is a bug in 2.0.0 or if I´m doing something wrong. If never build such a filter before and therefore I can´t say.
Anyway, I´ve seen that around a lot but haven´t found anything in the forum.

What I´m trying to achive:
I have different products (Type 1 and Type 2).
Each type has different qualities (1A, 1B, 1C,... and 2A, 2B, 2C). Now I want to give the user the option to use a filter to find the right item.
First a user can choose between Type 1 or Type 2.
Depending on that decision the next filter shows 1A, 1B, 1C,... or 2A, 2B, 2C.

Look here what if achieved so far and hopefully you can point out what I´ve done wrong.

I´m on a brand new Installation (TL 2.8.3) with the latest Catalog 2.0.0 beta1.

1.) I´ve created a very simple site structure with a Root and a "Home" page with a hidden "Item" page.


2.) I build a very simple Taxonomy with which I later want to filter my items.


3.) I create a new Catalog with 4 fields.
The first two fields are a Text (Title) and Alias Field.


The last two are the Select Fields.

Select Field 1:


Select Field 2:
The second Select Field uses "Select 1" as Parent Filter.


This is how my fields look like:


Now I create all possible Items in the following way:


This gives me that items:


Now I create two modules and put them on the Home Page.
One Module is a simple catalog List.

The other one is the Catalog Filter Module and looks like this:


I checked "reveal tree view sequentially."

But in the frontend it still looks like this.



Is this a problem of the new catalog or did I just not execute things right? You´re help is very appreciated! Thanks and have a good day!

[thyon]

Valentin, Valentin, Valentin! <sigh>

Firstly, you can use the [ x ] Include blank option in the select field definition, instead of what you're doing by adding a blank option in the Taxonomy - duh!

Then you simply forgot to add the 2 selects to the tree. Look, you never checked the boxes to make them "Tree View". You can't reveal the tree sequentially, if no fields are in the tree view - duh!

PS. You double-posted, so I removed the 2nd duplicate post...

[valentin]

Hey Thyon,

thanks again for the quick response.
Wow, I´m a bit embaressed now. ops:

I´ve never actually thought about this "blank field" option.

And to click the tree view thing would have never, really never crossed my mind. Aaarrrgh, why is it that I´m so resistant to logical solutions...

Off topic: I´ve recently come over your furniture website. I really liked the outdoor couch! I designed and build a kitchen a few weeks ago. I think I do better crafting this kind of things than websites! ;-)

[valentin]

Oh, I forgot to ask another question.
Now, after checking the "Tree View" I achieve what I was looking for.
BUT:
Is it also somehow possible to define at which point the Catalog List shows the choosen Items?

In other words: Now the Catalog List shows a list of all Items.
-->1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 2A, 2B, 2C

When I choose the first filter (Type 1) all "2" items disappear.
-->1A, 1B, 1C, 1D

After the next Filte (1A) all except "1A" disappear.
---> 1A

What If i want to show a certain content instead of the Catalog List (Maybe a short description about the differences between Type 1 and Type 2) and when eventually the last filter is selected, the item "1A" shows instead of that info text.
Can that be done?

[thyon]

You could be referring to the Conditional Listing in the Catalog List Module --- only if ALL the filters you have checked have been applied, will the Catalog List show any items. This also allows you to do special things, like present a special description (e.g. Please select the Area), etc. until they have chosen all the filters correctly. I used this to do an Area, City filter and only then it will show any dealers in that area and city, before that instructions. This is explained in DETAIL in the Templates Tutorial near the end...

http://code.google.com/p/typolight-cata ... esTutorial

[thyon]

PS. Embarrassed again, as I don't design furniture, those are sample sites.

[valentin]

Okay, that was easy. I didn´t expect this option to be in the List Module.
But - of course - if makes sense (and works great).

Since I´ve reached my daily level of embaressment already, I thank you a lot for the help, shut down the computer and go to the basement sawing some wood or something.
Thanks!

[thyon]

:idea: Maybe just saw your head off... its pretty much useless like you said...
:mrgreen:

[valentin]

Hi Thyon,

thanks for the straight tip!
A new day, a new opportunity:

I´ve been playing around again and stumbled over two more problems:

1.) "Jump to" when conditions are met.
Thanks to your help this works now. But just partly.
Regarding to my above example:

When you enter my "Home" page there´s the filter on the left (select_1: Type 1/Type 2) and in the main is an Article with an Textelement (General Information).
The URL is: .../index.php/home.html
The Filter Module on the left has a "Jump To" for the page "Item".


Now I click on "Type 1" and the additional filters pop up below (select_2: 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D,...). The Article with the general Information is gone instead it says: Please first select the following filter(s): Select 2
The URL is: .../index.php/item/select_1/type-1.html


When I click the Filter 1A now the Item 1A is displayed.
The URL is: .../index.php/item/select_1/type-1/select_2/id-1a.html


Is it somehow possible, that the general Information (Textelement) stays until the last condition is met?

2.) How to handle the conditions when one Type has no children

In my above example I have a TYPE 1 category with x (1A, 1B, 1C, 1D,...) children and a TYPE 2 category with y (2A, 2B, 2C, 2D,...) children.
I can click through the filters and when the last condition is met, the item will be displayed.
Now, what if my taxonomy looks like this:

Type 1
--- 1A
--- 1B
--- 1C
--- 1D
--- Type 2
--- 2A
--- 2B
--- 2C
Type 3
--- (no children)

How can an item that has "TYPE 3" in SELECT_1 selected but nothing in SELECT_2 (only blank available) be displayed?
Shouldn´t there be some sort of fallback? Meaning, that if you set 2 conditions to be met, but only one is available to choose in the backend, the second condition will be ignored.

Okay, my questions are not that stupid today and I´m curious to hear your awnsers!
thanks and bye,
Valentin

[thyon]

1. The conditions can be setup to display whatever you need. I'm not writing the condition for you for free. I'd you need help I'm happy to bill you. The template tutorial is good enough to understand how yo achieve this...
2. This is not possible with the catalog. The tree is hardcoded. Make a custom module or try isotope

[valentin]

hi thyon,

thanks for your response.
1.) I will give that tutorial a go. If I don´t succed I´ll be happy to come back to your offer. I appreciate the time you and the catalog-team have put into this.
2.) Thanks. I wasn´t sure if that works anyway.