alternative product page (PROD2)

**Bruce - PhosphorMedia** · 12-12-13, 05:31 PM

Re: alternative product page (PROD2)

Well...what you say you want to do is easy enough.

If your site uses SEO links, then in the Category product list, look for something like this:

Code:

<div class="product-thumbnail">
	<mvt:if expr="NOT ISNULL l.settings:product:thumbnail"><a href="&mvte:product:link;"><img src="&mvte:product:thumbnail;" alt="&mvte:product:name;" /><mvt:else><a class="thumbnail-not-available" href="&mvte:product:link;" title="&mvte:product:name;"></mvt:if></a>
</div>
<div class="product-name"><a href="&mvte:product:link;">&mvt:product:name;</a></div>

and replace it with

Code:

<mvt:if expr="l.settings:category:code NE 'UsedProducts'">

	<div class="product-thumbnail">
		<mvt:if expr="NOT ISNULL l.settings:product:thumbnail"><a href="&mvte:product:link;"><img src="&mvte:product:thumbnail;" alt="&mvte:product:name;" /><mvt:else><a class="thumbnail-not-available" href="&mvte:product:link;" title="&mvte:product:name;"></mvt:if></a>
	</div>
	<div class="product-name"><a href="&mvte:product:link;">&mvt:product:name;</a></div>

<mvt:else>

	<mvt:assign name="g.UsedProdLink" value="glosub(l.settings:product:link, 'product', 'newproduct')">
	<div class="product-thumbnail">
		<mvt:if expr="NOT ISNULL l.settings:product:thumbnail"><a href="&mvte:global:UsedProdLink;"><img src="&mvte:product:thumbnail;" alt="&mvte:product:name;" /><mvt:else><a class="thumbnail-not-available" href="&mvte:product:link;" title="&mvte:product:name;"></mvt:if></a>
	</div>
	<div class="product-name"><a href="&mvte:global:UsedProdLink;">&mvt:product:name;</a></div>
	
</mvt:if>

Then, in your .htaccess file, where it has this:

Code:

RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-s
RewriteRule ^/product/([^/.]+).html$ /mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_code=$1 [QSA,L]

add this

Code:

RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-s
RewriteRule ^/product/([^/.]+).html$ /mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD-USED&Product_code=$1 [QSA,L]

If your not using short links, you'd do the same, just swaping our the SCREEEN= values

HOWEVER, this won't work for SEARCH. There, you'd have to rely on some other method of detecting the Used Part. (Usually a custom field is used for this although there are tools to look up a category code for product.)

**KNewbrough** · 12-12-13, 05:47 PM

Re: alternative product page (PROD2)

If your product links on CTGY-USED Category Display Layout are default, they probably look like this:

Code:

<a href="&mvte:product:link;">

Just replace all instances of that link with this:

Code:

<a href="/mm5/merchant.mvc?Store_Code=LP&Screen=PROD-USED&Product_Code=&mvt:product:code;">

Edit: Looks like Bruce got here at the same time I did. His response is more thorough. Short links would complicate things and you'll indeed need to consider how to flag the products for links from the search page. You may ultimately find it easier to use a flat file import to flag the individual products to use the alternate display product page so that the store's dynamic links can adapt everything for you.

**nottheusual1** · 12-12-13, 11:22 PM

Re: alternative product page (PROD2)

If your changes really are just some HTML otherwise the pages are the same, test for the category and write appropriate header/footer:

Code:

<mvt:if expr="g.category_code NE 'YOURCATCODE'">
the HTML for the standard product header or footer
<mvt:else>
the HTML for the special category code product header or footer
</mvt:if>

No new page required. Again, if all you're doing is substituting some header/footer HTML.

**neuroticartist** · 12-13-13, 06:02 AM

Re: alternative product page (PROD2)

all good info, although Im a little surprised with the ease of other things, that this would be more complicated. @nottheusual1, correct, the only difference is some html additions in the header and the footer so that may be the best approach. Thanks for thinking outside of the box on that one! I will try all of these and post here on what worked the best. thanks again everyone for your assistance!

Roz

**Bruce - PhosphorMedia** · 12-13-13, 11:03 AM

Re: alternative product page (PROD2)

Its not that complicated at all...but if you mean you just don't have a "point and click" option for this, then yes, its more complicated than that, but systems can't really be made to offer an unlimited number of point and click options, without being VASTLY complicated underneath...and even then, there are severe limitations to what one can offer in choices. Merchant tries to strike a balance between simple choices with good, common options and unlimited expansion with a little 'under-the-hood' effort.

As you can see, you can get good ideas from this forum on how to do under the hood stuff (you can't expect full copy/paste solutions most of the times...but usually a good start). And there are always independent third party integrators who can do these changes for you (see the For Hire forum) so you can focus on other parts of your site/business.

P.S., I'd use nottheusual's approach if the changes are that minimal...much easier to maintain.

**neuroticartist** · 12-13-13, 11:51 AM

Re: alternative product page (PROD2)

thanks, I dont expect simple point and click solutions any more but there seems to be a lot possible with the <mvt:X statements, so I thought it would be a change in 1 call to the product display page, which in this case, nottheusual1 had a clever solution. Either way, Im learning as I go and I appreciate all the feedback!

**neuroticartist** · 12-16-13, 09:47 AM

Re: alternative product page (PROD2)

using this bit of code"

Code:

<mvt:if expr="g.category_code NE 'YOURCATCODE'"> the HTML for the standard product header or footer <mvt:else> the HTML for the special category code product header or footer </mvt:if>

And adding my 2 different header or footer html worked like a charm, thank you very much for this outside the box answer! Its exactly what I hoped for :)

**nottheusual1** · 12-16-13, 10:04 AM

Re: alternative product page (PROD2)

You are welcome. Always glad to help out.

**neuroticartist** · 12-16-13, 10:28 AM

Re: alternative product page (PROD2)

so, if you dont mind, Id like to see if I can stretch this some. Theoretically, what if I wanted to show a different HTML section in the header of each category? would this work?

Code:

<mvt:if expr="CATCODE1>
HTML For Category 1 header section
<mvt:if expr="CATCODE2>
HTML For Category 2 header section
<mvt:if expr="CATCODE3>
HTML For Category 3 header section
<mvt:if expr="CATCODE4>
HTML For Category 4 header section
<mvt:else> the HTML for the special category code product header or footer </mvt:if>

**nottheusual1** · 12-16-13, 11:04 AM

Re: alternative product page (PROD2)

This should work:

Code:

<mvt:if expr="g.category_code EQ 'CATCODE1'">
HTML For Category 1 header section
<mvt:elseif expr="g.category_code EQ 'CATCODE2'">
HTML For Category 2 header section
<mvt:elseif expr="g.category_code EQ 'CATCODE3'">
HTML For Category 3 header section
<mvt:elseif expr="g.category_code EQ 'CATCODE4'">
HTML For Category 4 header section
<mvt:else>
the HTML for the GENERIC category code product header or footer 
</mvt:if>

The else:if is appropriate for multiple conditionals, plus you'd want your final "else" to show the generic/standard product header/footer - anything that wasn't in your 4 category codes. Plus, it's important to pay really close attention to the structure of SMT or you will be perpetually frustrated when you forget a -- " -- or a -- ' --. That's all it takes to break stuff.

**neuroticartist** · 12-16-13, 11:08 AM

Re: alternative product page (PROD2)

Really good info. Thanks!!

**neuroticartist** · 12-20-13, 01:10 PM

Re: alternative product page (PROD2)

dude you have been a great asset to me in these forums and I really appreciate it. Ive managed to use this and another one of your helpful tips together to do several customizations depending on whether its the used gear category or not. this but of code has worked for me in multiple tabs of the cat page. it has been really good information :)

Roz

**nottheusual1** · 12-20-13, 01:32 PM

Re: alternative product page (PROD2)

Glad to help.

alternative product page (PROD2)

alternative product page (PROD2)

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