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kiwi_steve's picture
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I'm having a headache trying to design a catalog properly. Its for an automotive site, and while I can create a catalog with everything I need, there are many many double-ups, triple-ups, and so on.

I've had a look at the advanced catalog module, and the replacement catalog module... and read heaps... but I'm going around in circles. It seems there have been a few other people ask similar questions, but none have been answered (that I have found).

What I have at the moment is as follows:

Jeep Cherokee
-XJ Cherokee
-- Suspension
-- Drivetrain
-ZJ Cherokee
-- Suspension
-- Drivetrain
-- etc...

...but I would prefer to have the ability for the site user to select suspension and get a list of vehicles with suspension products available - or alternatively to choose their vehicle and get a list of categories available (ie: suspension, drivetrain, etc). There is the potential for around 10 different makes and hundreds of different models so its important I get this right, or I am going to end up with a mess that will be a nightmare to fix later on. Normally I just start designing and fix as I go - but for once I stopped to think... and I think I will be glad I did... I foresee some problems down the track.

I had the idea that I could use another vocabulary (or more than one). Ie: Have the catalog just listing the supercategories and have a new taxonomy vocabulary with each of the next level in it, and another vocabulary for each of the third level, etc - then I could use a views page to create some drop-down filters - but is this the right way to go about it? I'm struggling to get my head around this properly so any help will be much appreciated.

Cheers

Steve

--- There are no personal problems that can not be overcome with the liberal application of high explosives ---

kiwi_steve's picture
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Joined: 01/14/2008
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-bump- Anyone? I know its

-bump-

Anyone? I know its probably been asked before - but I've had a troll through, and googled it, and come up short. Failing all else I'll just do it the hard way.

Cheers in advance

Steve

--- There are no personal problems that can not be overcome with the liberal application of high explosives ---

xl_cheese's picture
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Joined: 04/01/2010
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Re: Is there a correct way to design a complex catalog?

Try creating taxonomy terms. Then uses views taxonomy_view to create your catalog pages. That's what I did and it gives me the flexability to create many filters based on taxonomy to narrow the products down.

www.pinkgorillacycles. Austin, TX motorcycle sales. Online parts, accessories, and apparel.

kiwi_steve's picture
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Joined: 01/14/2008
Juice: 131
Re: Re: Is there a correct way to design a complex catalog?

Thanks - that was one of the options I was looking at, I just didn't want to go off half-cocked without some advice first. I like your menus for products - did you do that using suckerfish and making a menu item for each product group? It looks nice.

--- There are no personal problems that can not be overcome with the liberal application of high explosives ---

xl_cheese's picture
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Re: Is there a correct way to design a complex catalog?

I used taxonomy menus to generate the menus from the taxonomy structure. Then dhtml menus to create the expanding collapsing effect.

www.pinkgorillacycles. Austin, TX motorcycle sales. Online parts, accessories, and apparel.