X-Cart forums

[ADDISON]

Over years a lot of you requested having Manufacturers listed in a drop down list in Customer area. This customization will allow you to keep default XC behavior, but having the drop down list too.

All you need is configuring as you want Manufacturers menu in Modules -> Manufacturers with a few clicks. This one is a very easy customization.

Steps you have to do:

1) Edit [XC_Dir]/skin/common_files/modules/Manufacturers/menu_manufacturers.tpl

2) Create 2 new configuration settings for using them in Manufacturers module settings

3) Create 2 new language Labels

STEP 1 - File menu_manufacturers.tpl

original (default XC Gold+ 4.5.4)

PHP Code:

{*
$Id: menu_manufacturers.tpl,v 1.1.2.2 2010/12/09 14:00:53 aim Exp $
vim: set ts=2 sw=2 sts=2 et:
*}
{if $manufacturers_menu ne ''}

  {capture name=menu}
    <ul>

      {foreach from=$manufacturers_menu item=m}
         <li><a href="manufacturers.php?manufacturerid={$m.manufacturerid}">{$m.manufacturer|amp}</a></li>
      {/foreach}

      {if $show_other_manufacturers}
        <li><a href="manufacturers.php">{$lng.lbl_other_manufacturers}</a></li>
      {/if}

    </ul>
  {/capture}
  {include file="customer/menu_dialog.tpl" title=$lng.lbl_manufacturers content=$smarty.capture.menu additional_class="menu-manufacturers"}

{/if} 


modified

PHP Code:

{*
$Id: menu_manufacturers.tpl,v 1.1.2.2 2010/12/09 14:00:53 aim Exp $
vim: set ts=2 sw=2 sts=2 et:
*}
{if $manufacturers_menu ne ''}

  {capture name=menu}
  
      {if  $config.Manufacturers.manufacturers_menu_drop_down eq 'Y'}
      <ul>

          <select name='manufacturers' onchange="javascript:if (this.value) self.location=this.value;">
          <option value="">{$lng.lbl_manufacturers_drop_down}</option>
                          
          {foreach from=$manufacturers item=m}
              <li>
              {if $m.manufacturerid neq 0}
              <option value="manufacturers.php?manufacturerid={$m.manufacturerid}">{$m.manufacturer|amp}</option>
              </li>
              {/if}
          {/foreach}
      
      </select>
            
            {if $config.Manufacturers.manufacturers_menu_view_all eq 'Y'}
        <li><a href="manufacturers.php">{$lng.lbl_manufacturers_view_all}</a></li>
      {/if}

    </ul>  
        
        {else}
        
            <ul>
    
        {foreach from=$manufacturers_menu item=m}
          <li><a href="manufacturers.php?manufacturerid={$m.manufacturerid}">{$m.manufacturer|amp}</a></li>
        {/foreach}

      {if $show_other_manufacturers}
        <li><a href="manufacturers.php">{$lng.lbl_other_manufacturers}</a></li>
      {/if}

        </ul>
    {/if}
  {/capture}
  {include file="customer/menu_dialog.tpl" title=$lng.lbl_manufacturers content=$smarty.capture.menu additional_class="menu-manufacturers"}

{/if} 


STEP 2 - Create 2 new configuration settings for using them in Manufacturers module settings

- manufacturers_menu_drop_down - by default it is checked. It will group all Manufacturers in a drop down list. If you uncheck it you will see the default XC behavior, using Manufacturers list limit value.

- manufacturers_menu_view_all - by default it is checked. It will show "View All" link at the bottom of drop down list. If you uncheck it you won't see this link.

Here are SQL statements for creating these 2 new options.

insert into `xcart_config` (`name`, `comment`, `value`, `category`, `orderby`, `type`, `defvalue`, `variants`, `validation`) values('manufacturers_menu_drop_down','Group all manufacturers in a drop down list','Y','Manufacturers','5','checkbox','N','','');
insert into `xcart_config` (`name`, `comment`, `value`, `category`, `orderby`, `type`, `defvalue`, `variants`, `validation`) values('manufacturers_menu_view_all','Include \"View All\" option when drop down list is used','Y','Manufacturers','6','checkbox','N','','');

STEP 3 - Create 2 new language Labels

- lbl_manufacturers_drop_down - this is for first option in drop down list set to "Please select".

- lbl_manufacturers_view_all - this label is for "View All" text.

Here are SQL statements for creating these 2 new options.

insert into `xcart_languages` (`code`, `name`, `value`, `topic`) values('en','lbl_manufacturers_drop_down','Please select','Labels');
insert into `xcart_languages` (`code`, `name`, `value`, `topic`) values('en','lbl_manufacturers_view_all','View All','Labels');

Once you do these small changes cleanup your website cache (in my case it worked without cleaning up). If you visit again you should find the new results (see the attachments).

Do not forget to backup the data before starting modification. And create a few Manufacturers in Back End (XC is not coming with any Manufacturers created).

>> If you like this customization please click [Thanks] button for this post. Having lots of [Thanks] hope Qualiteam will take in consideration inserting this customization into future versions

[tartaglia]

Addison,

This is an awesome modification. I have not tried it yet but it make sooo much sense. Thank you Thank you for sharing.

One question...I only have manufacturers some of my more important products but it still is a list of about 30 manufacturers. How does having these in a dropdown on the left side compare to the default static links when it comes to SEO. One of the main reasons I created the manufacturers pages was for SEO purposes (and to help customers), but I struggle with only showing a reasonable number of them (about 10) on the left hand side using the default display. Especially since the same 10 are always displayed, so crawlers only see those 10.

I wondered (briefly) if there was an easy way to make the 10 displayed random from the list of 30+ as a potential SEO solution.

But if the crawlers can find the links in the dropdown that you've provided here just as easy, then I think you have the BEST solution.

Thanks again, great post!

[ADDISON]

If you want to edit the texts I added in Manufacturers module settings using Webmaster Mode you have to insert in your DB the following data:

INSERT INTO `xcart_languages` VALUES ('en', 'opt_manufacturers_menu_drop_down', 'Group all manufacturers in a drop down list', 'Manufacturers');
INSERT INTO `xcart_languages` VALUES ('en', 'opt_manufacturers_menu_view_all', 'Include \"View All\" option when drop down list is used', 'Manufacturers');