Sub-product mapping in Wombat

[eMediaSales]

Hi Miva development team,

We are using inventory variants on a new customer site, with over 1000 products each with 10 to 20 sub-product variants. First - thanks to Rick for helping us get the templates setup right to work with the variants! :)

My problem now is that with thousands of products, I can't reasonably click the auto-generate that many times. So we created a product import that will create all of the main products and sub-products using the product sub-code pattern based on an inventory variant we created with the auto-generate button. Next step - connect the sub-products to the main product.

I understand there is probably a database that maps variant sub-products to the main product. Can the Miva Dev team describe how to manually map sub products to products via the database (and/or API calls) so we can write a quick miva or SQL script to map these imported sub-products?

Thanks,
james

[Mark Hood]

Re: Sub-product mapping in Wombat

I think I will find the answer to this question interesting. For the first time I just deleted a test product in my store that had a bunch of attributes tied to it. I was surprised to find that once deleted the inactive products created from attributes are all still there?

[Rick Wilson]

Re: Sub-product mapping in Wombat

We're implementing provisioning right now to allow for this, we'll post info about it shortly.

[Rick Wilson]

Re: Sub-product mapping in Wombat

I think I will find the answer to this question interesting. For the first time I just deleted a test product in my store that had a bunch of attributes tied to it. I was surprised to find that once deleted the inactive products created from attributes are all still there?

Yes, because those inactive products could be used in other kits. It's not a one to one correlation, a product can theoretically be a sub product (or a standalone product) for many other products.

[eMediaSales]

Re: Sub-product mapping in Wombat

Hi Rick,

Thanks, that's great news.

If you're implementing the code for provisioning - then the hooks presumably would be there for import. Please make this much more user accessible than provisioning - eg: pure spreadsheet import via the standard product import module.

I'm sure you can understand that when it comes to inventory variants, product count can get out of hand. Editing a provisioning file with this many entries can be a nightmare. Creating a spreadsheet for import would be much easier for store owners.

Thanks,
James

We're implementing provisioning right now to allow for this, we'll post info about it shortly.

[lesliekirk]

Re: Sub-product mapping in Wombat

Ditto - I agree - it needs to be a format that most users have already gotten very comfortable using.

Attribute imports have always been a weak point unless you used StoreMan or the EmporiumPlus Import Attributes and Options module. Some product attributes have so many variables using Attribute Templates isn't practical.

Please make this much more user accessible than provisioning - eg: pure spreadsheet import via the standard product import module.

I'm sure you can understand that when it comes to inventory variants, product count can get out of hand. Editing a provisioning file with this many entries can be a nightmare. Creating a spreadsheet for import would be much easier for store owners.

[Rick Wilson]

Re: Sub-product mapping in Wombat

Yes we're building an import tool too. I personally helped configure a friends jewelry store that has only 122 master products but with attributes has just shy of 3,000 products.

It was a big task and we will continue to build all the tools we can to make it as manageable as possible.

[wcw]

Re: Sub-product mapping in Wombat

Did you do a video or "how to" sheet on how to tie the attributes quantities to the main product code quantity so when you have 3 blue and 2 red the product quantity reflects 5? I'm probably going to have to link to that in some of my install docs.

[Rick Wilson]

Re: Sub-product mapping in Wombat

Yeah, here you go: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4H8PA2Xack

[lesliekirk]

Re: Sub-product mapping in Wombat

Thanks Rick, I'm going to have to get me another dev site to play with. This is getting too fun :)

[eMediaSales]

Re: Sub-product mapping in Wombat

Hi Rick,

Any rough time guesses on when we could try out this cool import tool?!?!? Looking forward to seeing it!

Thanks,
james

[Rick Wilson]

Re: Sub-product mapping in Wombat

I don't right now. The last 2 weeks have been held up due to some PA-DSS scanning that turned out to be far more difficult to get working than we could've ever imagined.

If all goes well when we get into the office in the morning the scan will be done and we can get back to wrapping up RC 1 and getting it out the door.

We want to get it out as bad as everyone on the list and I'll keep us posted as I know more.

[Siamese-Dream.Com]

Re: Sub-product mapping in Wombat

Hi there, Rick:

You mentioned:

The last 2 weeks have been held up due to some PA-DSS scanning that turned out to be far more difficult to get working than we could've ever imagined.

With all the difficulties in this area you guys have experienced, it makes me a little nervous that Merchant 4 will be extremely difficult to get compliant. I know you mentioned somewhere that Merchant 4.25 will require some complex scripting between the program and separate sql databases.

Your thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated.

[Rick Wilson]

Re: Sub-product mapping in Wombat

With all the difficulties in this area you guys have experienced, it makes me a little nervous that Merchant 4 will be extremely difficult to get compliant. I know you mentioned somewhere that Merchant 4.25 will require some complex scripting between the program and separate sql databases.

These specific difficulties were about making a scanning program scan that is designed to scan those little machines the stores use to swipe credit cards, be able to scan our entire admin.

So while it found a handful of things, most of this was about the difficulty of making a program work for a purpose that it was not truly intended for. We finally got it down (after building a load balanced server farm for both scanning and scan) to about 50 hours to complete a complete scan of our software. We suspect we can improve that and get it down to just 1 full day in our next pass.

With all of that said, PA-DSS has been much harder than anticipated, not from a technology and rules standpoint (those items were relatively easy) but PA-DSS essentially changes virtually everything we have to do internally from how we release software to how we're even able to support it and get login info to your store.

So how does all of this impact a 4.25 release? It's still on our agenda to get done as soon as possible once this is complete but until 5.5 is fully certified I can't say with any certainty.

[eMediaSales]

Re: Sub-product mapping in Wombat

Bringing this thread back on topic - is there any update on the import capability for inventory variants? <grin>

Thanks,
James