generic child variant - 1st child doesn't refresh info 2.0.7.e

[Parsimonious]

I just downloaded 2.0.7.e to try out and I see when using generic child variants the parent is not longer in the drop down list (which I know many people have been yelling for that change)

But there's a bit of a problem. It seems to have only visually been removed. You are still defaulted into the parent which is fine, but it creates a problem.
Say your parent is $220, the 1st child listed is $174, and the second $119. A customer will see the 1st child in the dropdown list and may think this is what they're choosing, but if they add to cart that are adding the parent to the cart. Also they can't even choose the first child without first clicking one of the other children first and then choosing the 1st child because the 1st child is unclickable when you are first brought into the product details view. Also the add to cart button is shown in the product list view so you are also there just adding the parent.

The first thing in the list needs to be a message like " Please Choose One" and there should not be a way to add to the cart until a child is chosen.

EDIT: removed link showing issue because I reverted back to 2.0.6 for now.

[dsrpmedia]

well... progress I guess

I need the change to go a bit further - like the way it was in VM 1.1

You should be able to use the parent as a template - eg set the parent price to '0.00', which removes the 'add to cart' option for the parent ONLY,  and have the ability to only add the cildren to the cart.

I know, having tried to get this working since Dec. that MANY people in the forums have made this request.

[Milbo]

The problem is just that some people use the parent as a "parent" product, which is like a category, others just start with a parent and want to add later a variant as child.

So we need both, with parent and without. I changed the core so, that normal customfields can store parameters (before that was only working for plugins). Openglobal is now writing a dynamic child variant, which should also work like the stockable variant, but with more options. You may assist him.

[dsrpmedia]

This is good news.

I really do appreciate all the work you have put into this.

I`m not a programmer, about all the assistance I can offer is in the testing phase - but I`m glad to do that.

[Milbo]

more info maybe here http://forum.virtuemart.net/index.php?topic=103067.0

[lindapowers]

Well guys Im having this same issue with the price and the first child product. We use the generic child variant and although the first child product appears in the list the price shown is the one of the parent (also the URL) + in order to select this first child product visually pre-selected you have to select another one and then come back to the first one.

Regards

[dsrpmedia]

the only fix I`ve ever found is to give the parent no price at all - don `t select 'make parent orderable' in the custom fields tab - then give the children their own pricing / images / descriptions etc

[lindapowers]

Thanks for the info, however that solution doesnt seem very nice since there wont be any price shown in the parent product and the issue of the first loading child product would still be present.


As the guy that created the topic says the solution in theory is just that the "please select cart variant first" appears as first result and in the same dropdown as the child products. That way you make sure that customers are forced to choose a child product which gets the URL, price etc correctly shown.

In case the parent product can be chosen should be the first result shown.

Either way pls we need a solution for this. I've seen the openglobal plugin but that manages stock and is a different method, we are speaking of pure simple parent/child products.

Regards

[dsrpmedia]

I know - back in the days of VM 1 it was easily done

my solution isn `t elegant - but I haven `t found anything else that even comes close

[lindapowers]

I know - back in the days of VM 1 it was easily done

my solution isn `t elegant - but I haven `t found anything else that even comes close

Dont get me wrong thanks for your solution, I'm just pissed cause I never though a bug posted in June 2012 will still be there.

I mean, how many shop admins using child products? only a few noticed this?

I though it may be a template issue or something else but I tested in default beez and get the same error.

Let's hope they fix it.

Regards

[lindapowers]

I think I have read every post related to this issue in the forum and all what I found in google, tested all the different combinations and I just can't find a solution to make really simple child products work.

If you make your parent as an option in the list which shows first you have to name that parent "please select" or something like that which doesnt really make much sense.

The only thing we want is a simple parent/child:

Example:

Parent product: Jam

Child product 1: - Strawberry jam
Child product 2: - Blackberry jam
etc

A dropdown box which first result says "please select".

[dsrpmedia]

hmmm

I guess if you need to have these variations 'stockable' then things get tricky

I use a simple 'integer' option for the custom fields on this site http://epowerscooters.fyica.com/e-store/helmets/eps-202-detail

if all you need to have is an option to pick a flavour this would work (imagine, on this demo site the 'sizes' or 'colors' options being 'Flavours' or whatever

[lindapowers]

Hi, we use custom fields in a dropdown with "cart attributes" as here currently:

http://comenaranjas.com/es/tienda/productos-artesanos/mermelada-400-g-detail.html

Those are simple and work really well however we now need different descriptions, images etc

So our idea was to make that same thing with child products, something that as you can see has become more than frustrating.

Also child products seem to take the full name as a unique product while cart attributes appear as variants of those product not included in the product name itself.. a bit messy with order export in CCVAOM and sales analytics software.

That's why we though child products would be the solution - If they are possible to set up somehow

[Milbo]

Dynamic child products offer this. What you want is "Display parent as option" enabled and "Parent orderable" disabled. Your main product acts then like a mini category.

[lindapowers]

Thanks Max

Did exactly as you mention:

- by this method your parent product has to be named something like "please choose you favourite jam" or so, since this appears as the first chosen result.

- Although parent product is set to not ordeable - it can be added to the cart by clicking the text "first select cart variant"

- The child product with setting "apply generic rules" doesnt apply any rule.

This happens cause we use tax per category and since there is no category chosen for child products (so that it doesnt get displayed in the category).



Regards