Add to Cart alternative button link

-- HikaShop version -- : 4.6.1
-- Joomla version -- : 3.10.10
-- PHP version -- : 7.4.32
-- Browser(s) name and version -- : Chrome

Hi guys,
let me say,, for example, that I have a site based on User Subscriptions, like:
- Registered A > free site registration
-- Registered B > paid subscription
--- Registered C > paid subscription

I'd like to add a "virtual" "Registered A" product for guests, so when they surf they can see listed the "Registered A" product with its description and when Guest click on that "Add to Cart" button he should be simply redirected to the registration page.

Please, Do you have any tricks or tips suggestion for it ?
I thought about this simply solution that would be a good improvement for HikaShop also in others use cases:

In Configuration > Features > Main > Catalogue Mode: ... we can set the catalogue mode that will hide the "Add to Cart" button on all products.
If we leave it set to "No", we can reach the same result by product, adding "Product > MAIN OPTIONS > Quantity: 0" = very well.

Now, considering that would be very good to maintain the "Add to Cart" presence in the Product list layout, Why not to add the possibility, when "Configuration > Features > Main > Catalogue Mode: Yes" OR "Product > MAIN OPTIONS > Quantity: 0", to enter a "Product > Main Options > Add to Cart alternative URL link" ?
Where, if added, clicking on the Add to Cart button I will be redirected to the linked page instead of to add the item to the Cart Checkout.
That would be good also for list products of other sites (we have clients that propose discounts codes into description to buy items directly from other partners external eCommerce included Banggood, AliExpress, Amazoon, etc. ... ).
Then, if we need to change the Add to Cart button style and / or to change the Add to Cart language string, we can do it by using CSS and / or creating a new "Product > DISPLAY > Page layout: ..."

Do you agree ? Please, Can you help with the code ? Do you have any suggestion for a better solution ?

Hi Nicolas,
in first of all really Many Thanks for your super precious suggestions, now:

A - Force canonical URL - good solution, but, in this case:
- AA - we are going to loose the Product page with product description that we are used to fill with instructions, tutorials etc.
- AB - ...and What about Force canonical URL & Multi language ?

B - Language String - good solution, but, as you mentioned, it is a "one product" solution. It could solve two things at the same time (the message shown and the URL redirection), but in this way we are loosing the standard NO_STOCK message feature for others products.
Maybe, Do you have any tricks to call different languages strings like NO_STOCK_XXX / NO_STOCK_YYY depending on situations ? (I'm thinking on something like you done the Translations for the Canonical URL field)

C - Display Views - good solution, but it would force us to create a layout for each URL, which is impractical for Vendors.
- To add this feature by default would need to create an URL field to be called in the new View Layout and, maybe, by calling a personalized ADD_TO_CART_XXX language string.
- If not by default, we could use the Product Custom Filed for it, What do you think ?
Can you help with the code to invoke the Custom Field (URL) into your code suggestion ?

Hi Nicolas,

so, C - Display Views
- The $this->row->xxxx is precisely there to "invoke the Custom Field (URL)" = Thanks!
- Instead of the "Add to cart" we can create and call a personalized ADD_TO_CART_XXX language string

But

1 - I cannot find any if($add_to_cart) into the .../components/com_hikashop/views/layouts/tmpl/quantity.php file
(I checked also into the button.php) Please, What am I missing ?

2 - HikaShop is using as quantity value conditions:
- "0" for Catalogue mode
- "-1" for Unlimited

As far as I understand in your suggestion you are looking for "Quantity" field when is empty: if(!empty($this->row->xxxx))
So when we'll need to add a different link to the new "Add to Cart" button we should:
- To add the URL into the Product Custom Field
- To leave "empty" the Product > Quantity field
Am I right ? That is very good because instead of contaminating / using existing functions.

I'm asking because right now when trying to save Product with Quantity: empty field, Hika by default is replacing it with -1 (Unlimited)...

PS - "...there are already too much options in HikaShop overwhelming newcomers..." = Got it, I understand you and I'm agree with you. I believe that simplicity is a key to success. Anyway, in the way we are describing it, I despite everything I think it is an excellent solution, to be considered, for the needs of eCommerce today (in the forms I described at the beginning)

Hi Nicolas,

C1 - Got it, thanks:
Product Listings - …/components/com_hikashop/views/product/tmpl/add_to_cart_ajax.php - line 169
Product - …/components/com_hikashop/views/product/tmpl/quantity.php - line 134

C2 - "...No. My code will replace the normal add to cart button with the "fake" one as long as the vendor provides the URL in the custom product field..." = Got it, doesn't matter what is the Quantity field value...

if(!empty($this->row->xxxx)) {
echo "<a href='".$this->row->xxxx."' class='hikacart hikabtn' target=”_blank”>Add to cart</a>";
}elseif($add_to_cart) {

Language String
Add to cart - Instead to create another Custom Field to just add the button text, it would seem more logical to me to use a new dedicated language string (even better for Multi language). Do you agree ?

I created a new ADD_TO_CART_ALT language string …/language/en-GB/en-GB.com_hikashop.ini
And I tried to call it into your code by using:
<?php echo JText::_('ADD_TO_CART_ALT')?>
<?php echo ADD_TO_CART_ALT ?>
But I'm not been able to reach the goal...

Custom Field
Now, connected to the Language String there is the question: Which Custom Field to use?
I had to use the Text type, because by using the Link one I have back some issues and it is not running.
Be able to use the Link Custom Field would allow us to configure quite everything via the Custom Field (apart from assigning a Class to the Custom Field), like: to open in a new window and in special the Link Text shown that will avoid the Language String creation...

Hi Nicolas,

Language String
by replacing Add to Cart with <?php echo JText::_('ADD_TO_CART_ALT'); ?> does not run, the language string is not shown

I have to rewrite the entire code in this way to have back running the language string:

if(!empty($this->row->cart_url_button)) {
$contentalt = JText::_('ADD_TO_CART_ALT');
echo "<a href='".$this->row->cart_url_button."' class='hikacart hikabtn' target=”_blank”>$contentalt</a>";
}elseif($add_to_cart) {

Please, Is it the right way ?

Custom Field
Got it, thanks!