Custom fields per ordered item

-- HikaShop version -- : 2.6.1
-- Joomla version -- : 2.5.11
-- PHP version -- : no idea
-- Browser(s) name and version -- : Edge
-- Error-message(debug-mod must be tuned on) -- : This isn't an error...?

Hi,

I've just upgraded to HikaShop Business to take advantage of the custom field features during product purchase.

I've followed a few threads on the forum and have created custom fields of the "Item" type, and assigned them to a dummy category (not published) [sidenote: Edge doesn't repopulate the category widget when you create new categories - and I had to use Chrome instead]. I've then assigned the dummy category to the product I want to capture the additional data on.

However...

I want to capture the information for EACH item - not just against the order line. i.e. If I order 4 "wibbles" I need to capture a piece of data against EACH "wibble". I thought I could restrict the number ordered to be 0-1, but that only appears to apply to an order, and not to a single order line. I think multiple products of the same type in the shopping basket would be ok, but I can't force clients to make multiple orders/purchases if they want more than one item.

Is there a way around this?

Also, I'll be hooking this up to HikaSerial (which I've been using for a while now) and I'd like to make use of the custom field data in that - is there a How To on that you could point me to please?

Many thanks,
Oliver

Hello Oliver,

1. To do what you want the solution will probably be to directly set the "Quantity input method" option to none through the configuration page of your "unpublished category" via "Hikashop->Products->Categories".

2.

Also, I'll be hooking this up to HikaSerial (which I've been using for a while now) and I'd like to make use of the custom field data in that - is there a How To on that you could point me to please?

Can you give us more information about how you exactly want to use your custom fields with the HikaSerial extension ?

Thanks.

Hi,

Thanks - I'll look at the input method.

For hikaserial, I need the custom field values to use in the creation of my serial code (I've written a custom generator plugin).

Thanks again,
Oliver

Mohamed Thelji wrote: Hello Oliver,
1. To do what you want the solution will probably be to directly set the "Quantity input method" option to none through the configuration page of your "unpublished category" via "Hikashop->Products->Categories".

Hi Mohamed,

I've tried this and it makes no difference whatsoever. I noticed that the documentation also doesn't detail what this option does/is for/what impact it has on the shop. I've noticed that there is quite a lot in HikaShop that has very "light" documentation - would it possible to request more time is devoted to the help/example docs? I'm sure it would lessen the load on the support forum.

In addition, I've noticed another issue with required "item" custom fields.

In the product listing (products listed under a category) the "Add to cart" button allows the product to be put into the cart without the required custom fields, and the they also don't appear at checkout. So the required & validation checks are being skipped. I could really do with this working as (a) it's the whole point I bought HikaShop Business and (b) we can't release our product without it working.

[edit]I still believe the paragraph above is a bug, but I have worked around it by disabling the "Add to cart" button in the product listing module - why do there have to be SO many places that things can be/need to be changed? I appreciate this may be a Joomla thing...[/edit]

I hope you can help,
Oliver

Hello Oliver,

I've tried this and it makes no difference whatsoever. I noticed that the documentation also doesn't detail what this option does/is for/what impact it has on the shop. I've noticed that there is quite a lot in HikaShop that has very "light" documentation - would it possible to request more time is devoted to the help/example docs? I'm sure it would lessen the load on the support forum.

We are actually trying to improve our documentation every day but you're right, we'll try to add more information about this option.
Also, are you sure that your products were part of your "unpublished category" ? You can check it through the "Category" option of your product configuration page.

In the product listing (products listed under a category) the "Add to cart" button allows the product to be put into the cart without the required custom fields, and the they also don't appear at checkout. So the required & validation checks are being skipped. I could really do with this working as (a) it's the whole point I bought HikaShop Business and (b) we can't release our product without it working

Can you show me some screenshots of how you configured your custom fields via "Hikashop->Dispay->Custom fields" ?
Also, you should check that the "Custom item fields" option is set to YES through your product listing content menu/module configuration page.

Hi Mohamed,

Docs - thanks - I know it's hard to devote time to documentation!!

The product was definitely in the category (otherwise the fields wouldn't have shown up). I've managed to remove the "Add to cart" option from all product listing pages now (more by trial and error than anything!)

Apologies - I hadn't seen the "Display custom fields" option on the modules! It was set to Inherit (though now I've removed the "Add to cart" this is now a moot point.

The only issue I have now is that, on the product detail page, I need to restrict the "quantity" for the "Add to cart" operation to 1. It's ok to have more than one in the shopping cart, but they must be on separate order lines so that the custom fields are unique to that single item.

How do I hide the input quantity box? I've tried the Quantity Input Method set to None, but it still appears!

I can do some screen shots but would it be easier if I just give you access to our backend?

Many thanks for the help,
Oliver

P.S. I've also sorted the question about custom fields in the HikaSerial generator - I just dumped the entire order object and I found the fields quite easily.

Hello Oliver,

I didn't succeed to reproduce your issue on my end, so as you said the best solution will be to give us a temporary back-end so that we can directly test and debug it.

Note that you can send it through our contact form :
www.hikashop.com/support/contact-us.html

Thanks.

Thanks Mohamed - I'll do that now.

Hello,
You have some files of the "Product" view of your front-end template that are edited, can you try it with one of default Joomla templates so that we can be sure that it's not coming from your customization ?

If you still have that issue, can you also give us a temporary FTP access through our contact form (by specifying the link to that thread) so that I can directly debug it ?

Thanks.

Hello,
When I use your FTP access I only have access to a "/" Folder so I can't check your Hikashop files with it.

Apologies!!! I've fixed that - I think! would you be able to try again please?

Hello,
Can you try it with the "Display the quantity field on the product page" option set to "Ajax Input" via "Hikashop->System->Configuration->Main".

Hi Mohamed,

That has removed the quantity field, though I must admit I don't know why it would! The only thing is, it's removed it for ALL products. That's actually ok for now, but we may - in future - need to switch this on and off by product.

Anyway - Thanks for the help! I've just asked another question about coupons