Custom Field checkbox to add free sample

[OliviaH]

I have been trying to no avail to create a button for a free sample of many of the products on my site.
I first went down the route of making an edited 'add to cart' button that added a set 'Free Sample' product, however I can not figure out how to make it show what product it has come from; I tried to make the 'Free Sample' product's customfield the name or SKU of the main product, however I could not figure out how to. The inner workings of how the data is sent and stored for the cart is beyond my level of knowledge/detective skills.

I am now trying, the perhaps simpler method, of adding a cutomfield to the main product that simply sets the price to 0.00 (0.0001). However so far I have only been able to make the option a radio button that deducts the price from it.
What I want is a checkbox (rather than a radio button) that simply sets the price to 0.0001 (rather than deducting let's say 9.999). This is because I have hundreds of products and setting all those prices will take a very long time and is prone to errors.


So my questions are:

• How can I make the Custom Field a checkbox rather than radio button.
• How would I make the custom field a set price rather than it adding/subtracting a value from the price.

Joomla 3.4.8
Virtuemart 3.0.12

[GJC Web Design]

its a bit hard to understand what you want to do?

2 buttons? 1 product, 1 free sample?

[OliviaH]

Ideally, one button to add a free sample of the product to the cart; so basically another add to cart that would add eg: 'Free Sample: Product 1' to the cart.

[GJC Web Design]

I do something similar on adding say gift wrapping ..
In your case  link the free sample in some way to the product

e.g. by sku

product sku xxxx
free sample sku free_xxxx

then add a 2nd add to cart button and a query to find the correct product id to use in it

e.g.

Code Select Expand

$database = JFactory::getDbo();

$queryfindorders = $database->getQuery(true);
$queryfindorders
->select('virtuemart_product_id')
->from($database->quoteName('#__virtuemart_products'))
->where($database->quoteName('product_sku') . '="free_'.$this->virtuemart_product_sku.'"');
$database->setQuery($queryfindorders);
$database->execute();
$freeid = $database->loadResult() ;

code not checked but the idea will work

[OliviaH]

Yeah that's the only way I can figure to do it currently. However adding another 800+ products is using up space that I wanted to avoid using.
There must be a way of changing the data sent to the cart via code. I have a generic 'Free Sample' product with a textinput custom field, wondered if anyone knew how to change what the value of that was with a button and while not on that product. Big ask I know.

[GJC Web Design]

If u don't want to config the free samples as products you just need to flag in the cart that it is a freebie, not the actual

so as u tried, some sort of custom field.. maybe a hidden chk or radio that is set by JS when the free add to cart is clicked?

or by JS change the pname same to something that tells you he wants the sample -- you need to experiment

[OliviaH]

I hadn't thought of doing the code in the cart, I shall have a play with that.
Cheers

[GJC Web Design]

no - I meant when it gets to the cart I assume you just need something to tell who ever does the orders that they are requesting a free sample

[OliviaH]

Well I could do that, the problem I am having is making the product price 0 with a custom field, without making each of them deduct the sales price.

[OliviaH]

I have no idea how to change what data is sent to the cart as I don't know how the data is sent, too advanced for me.

[GJC Web Design]

as I suggested

if he hits the free sample add to cart change the pname by JS (add "free sample" to it) and submit
in the cart and emails etc display this

or some similar method

[OliviaH]

What I'm saying is I don't know how to change the pname.

[GJC Web Design]

 I would try by javascript - its just a text in a hidden field.. then submit

[OliviaH]

Oh that yeah, I have tried changing that in the php file, didn't change what was in the cart.

[GJC Web Design]

FFS, u said u didn't want the cart changed?

you just want to FLAG that they hit the free add to cart button!
so u change something .. detect it at the cart .. render it or display something else so who ever deals with your orders knows its a freebie...