I'm running VirtueMart 2.0.20b on Joomla 2.5.8.
I've checked the "Use as catalogue" option in the configuration and all the "Add to cart" buttons disappeared from the product listing's view but the detailed view still has it. Does that have to do with template? I managed to do a override (at least i think I did. I followed online instructions) and uncomment the button but i feel that is a very clumsy way to do it. Does somebody know how to do it properly? Like how it made the others disappear?
The use as catalogue switch on my 2.0.20b test installation does remove the quantitiy and add to cart buttons. Were you already using a template override for product datails? I have seen more than one commercial template where the code to check for the catalogue setting was omitted, so it could not be turned off, except by editing the override template (which is OK to do, anyway.)