[DrQuietus]

print_r "not allowed by security settings". But looking in webmaster mode/Show variables it appears to now be $cat_products (it works the same as $products too), but there are no extra fields.

this returns only productid:

{foreach from=$cat_products item=product name=products}
  {$product.productid}<br>

  {foreach from=$product.extra_fields item=extra_field}
    REPEAT SOMETHING
  {/foreach}
{/foreach}

So does this:

{foreach from=$products item=product name=products}
  {$product.productid}<br>

  {foreach from=$product.extra_fields item=extra_field}
    REPEAT SOMETHING
  {/foreach}
{/foreach}

It appears the data has been removed...again? Maybe they removed it because like you said database queries shouldn't be in a loop?

So are we back to the original question - how to query the data from the extra_field_values table? Or do you think there is something else to try? Does this apply: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/15262082/add-sql-php-array-to-an-already-existing-array

Why do you suppose in rob's solution they did the extra fields individually?

I forgot to mention, thank you for helping out Cherie.