[ic] Modular options

Scott Kennedy interchange-users@interchange.redhat.com
Sun Sep 30 10:02:00 2001


I've searched the list archive trying to determine if modular options
work or not.  It isn't clear to me if this feature is usable.  Also,
are matrix options usable?  What precisely is the difference between
modular and matrix options?  I'm kind of confused regarding the
differences.  It would be nice if the documentation showed actual
examples of what it looks like to setup modular/matrix options in the
options database and how to implement this in a store (code and all
that).  The docs for IC are pretty good for the most part in my
opinion, however, it seems like in some cases they should more fully
elaborate on things such as this where confusion can happen.

Basically, what I'm trying to do is to create a set of product
attributes that can be applied to multiple products.  Setting of some
of these options would cause the product price to increase.  I was
doing what I wanted using Interchange 4.6 but when I recently upgraded
to 4.8 everything got messed up.  I wasn't using the options database
to accomplish this.  Instead, I was the products database, pricing
database, and UseModifier setting in catalog.cfg to make the price
adjustments.  In the flypage and on the basket page I am using the item
accessories tag to display/set product attributes as follows,

     [item-accessories installation]

Here is a sample entry of what I have in the price field in the
products database,

      292.00, ==installation:pricing, ==color_frames:pricing,
==low_e_glass_with_argon:pricing, ==grids:pricing,
==foam_filled_frames:pricing, ==double_strength_glass:pricing

The URL for the store is,

     http://neatway.com/cgi-bin/neatway/index.html

Here is the line for UseModifier in catalog.cfg,

     UseModifier installation, woodgrain, color_frames, v_groove_glass,
low_e_glass_with_argon, grids, foam_filled_frames,
double_strength_glass, double_hung

When I attempt to set one of these product attributes, the price isn't
affected at all.  For a while there this wasn't a problem.  The first
problem I had was that the Perl code I wrote in the order receipt files
failed to show what attributes were selected.  I don't know what I did
to cause this to not function at all.  Anyway, I was unable to correct
either one of these problems so I decided to use the options database
instead.  Right now I am testing this out with a sample storefront that
I've setup.  I've accomplished what I've wanted with simple options,
however, I'd like to use modular options for this task as I feel that
method would be a more appropriate choice.  Any help or pointers
someone could give me would be greatly appreciated.  By the way, I'm
fixing to write some code for PayPal on IC.  My intention is to
construct a payment module that is portable and reusable as possible. 
I'll share my results with the list once I'm done with it.

Thanks in advance,
Scott



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