Showing a clickable image containing a matrix of choices

Daily tasks.
Post Reply
norman
Site Admin
Posts: 1252
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2004 9:55 pm

Showing a clickable image containing a matrix of choices

Post by norman »

> Is it possible to have a swatch grid with Norcat? So that every product
> that has different colours and different texture can be shown on a
> grid. I know there is away around this, by placing the with the product
> image, but I just want to know if Norcat can do it or not?

If you use 9 digit product images (1st 9 of T2T barcode) these are colour specific. The first 6 for the product and then 3 for the colour. This lets you place the correct image against each colour's buy matrix (usually on the left).

If you use 6 digit images (1st 6 digits) this is a general image for that product and will be placed aboVe the Buy matrix. You could use that to show a matrix of texture by collaging images.

These are the easy methods.

However Norcat can create another one that may be most appropriate for you. Here's the bit from the Options and Flags readme file.

M Use Image Map instead of Table for product size-colour matrix.

Will create a big image where parts can be clicked on to choose colour/ size combinations.

Needs a 6 digit product image filename (jpg or gif). Product will be shown for all colours and from minsize to maxsize. The image will be divided into the appropriate number of clickable regions. You can adjust the percentage of each cell that is clickable with the Norcat / Config / Advanced feature “Focus”. Out of stock entries will not be clickable and will display an “Out of Stock” message.


L Create Image Map (as above) but with map representing single List of choices.

List of choice names must be added to notes field (see (...) below).

H Only used with Image Maps. Will create a set textual links below map. This is useful if you want text to search on for sub-products.

(…) Comma separated list of choices to use with List option L. First item is description of attribute. Must be followed with exactly same number of choices as the Image Maps width * height.



So lets say we have something that has 3 colors and 4 sizes, with product ref: 001234. If we create a big image 001234.jpg containing 12 texture or item images laid out in a in a 3 x 4 grid and set the T2T options field (usually Rem1 or Rem2) to contain "M" then Norcat won't generate the usual matrix of Buy buttons but will make regions of that big image clickable to buy that item.

Try that on a spare product and see what happens.

This can be extended further. Say these 12 choices aren't really colour / sizes but 12 types of texture. Use "L" as the option (instead of M) and start the note field with

(Texture, Barley1, Wheat1, Corn1, Barley2, Wheat2, Corn2, Barley3, Wheat3, Corn3, Barley4, Wheat4, Corn4)Normal notes text follows.....

Then you'll get an image map as above but when it's clicked it will pass an attribute called "Texture" with a choice from the Barley1, Wheat1, etc; depending on the area clicked.

If you add an H to the options field then Norcat will add a set of text links below the image that also Buys these items. This also helps get these items into the Actinic search capability, and meets disability access requirements.

You can see this happening live on http://www.snowlines.co.uk/acatalog/Sno ... YMPHS.html - hover the mouse over a fly and the name will pop up.
Note that there's some extra custom code in there to extend this capability.
Norman
Post Reply