Product kits - again raising topic

[maxispin]

Hi,
I have made a short research among webstores what comes to product kitting feature (kitting meaning that products are combinations of subproducts).

Magento has so far the best core functions. Each product component has own inventory. However, Magento is a unusable brick for a novice - and templating is a nightmare.

My key point is that please please add in the core of VM product kitting with inventory. This feature seems to be part of many main stream stores even not so perfectly executed.

I have to say that after testing different shops, I love VM even its "a project in ever ending progress". This is a feature I could pay for ( in the core ).

[Milbo]

yes, interesting topic. There is a nice extension doing it. http://extensions.virtuemart.net/products/product-bundles-detail
I think there was also another extension.

[maxispin]

Max, I have went through the extensions available.  (ProductBundle & Catproduct). They are nice extensions but not working for this purpose. I have spoken with developers of those and I can't see they could solve this need. PB's problem is that it is not utilizing current products, you kind of have to recreate everything, and that is not very handy if the whole store is full of product Kits (combined from VM Products). CP instead is handling products individually not combined.

In order to get what I need, I don't see any other option than trying to create it by my self (with help of You all guys and gals). However, it is Really difficult for a noobie.. The Major problem is understanding the file structure and what should be where. (of course coding is another issue, but its minor without understanding the whole system structure.

Basically I need to:

- Create DB table for Kits
  - KitId, KitName
  - ProdIds
  - ProdIdAmounts
- Print kits as products in the FrontEnd (getting already here tricky, some easy example needed)
. > puts me think if it would be wiser have Kits in the VMProducts (in the category Kits), and "sub"products in the category Components.
. > thus there is no need for recreating product page. Simply print with it Kit products.

I am thinking aloud, Could this feature be simplier than first thought? I understand that the idea is simply adding one layer above products and working with Kits as current products.

If there is someone who is interested this "project", please inform or hint me. I tried to install svn + tools but seems that it would require weeks for studying so I stick to Aptana / Notepad++    - I have wampserver, so I can test things freely.

Thank you.

[PRO]

https://breakdesigns.net/extensions/vm-product-builder

[Milbo]

" and that is not very handy if the whole store is full of product Kits (combined from VM Products). CP instead is handling products individually not combined."

There is a function exactly doing that, it works mainly via stockhandling, but forgot the name, should be also on our store.