Multiple feature values - Looking for testers

[datakick]

Hi everyone,

if you update your store to bleeding edge (main) branch, you will be able to test new functionality: Multiple feature values. It would be great if you could help me test this functionality before it is released in the next major release (1.3.0).

Note that for this to work, you will need to go to core updater DB schema, and fix the primary key index in tb_feature_product table:

In the future, Core updater will do this automatically during shop upgrade. At the moment this needs to be done manually, though.

What this new functionality offers?

In the Product features, you can now select two new options:

If you enable 'Allows multiple values', you will be able to select multiple feature values, or enter multiple custom values, in product edit page:

If you keep 'Allows multiple values' option unchecked, features will behave as before -- only one feature value will be allowed.

Please test, and if you find any bugs or have some functionality enhancement request, please write here or file github issue. Thank you all

PS: I have updated my test shop to latest bleeding edge, so you can test the functionality even if you don't have your own test server. Just go to https://demo.getdatakick.com/admin561wkvz9k/

[netamismb]

will do!

[haylau]

I already use a multiple features module (prestamodule’s - makers of advanced search 4) . I’ll see if i can set up a test, I wonder if your system will ‘see’ the module multiple features or if they wlll all need to be re-created. And whether then they will work with the advanced search module. I will also be able to see if it works with storemanager

 

I will report back

[haylau]

First thoughts:

Looking good - a great start

1) It does not interfere with the multiple feature module i have

2) works with Advanced search 4 and block layered navigation

3) I did not need to change the table indiex so guess the module I have had already done that

4) Works with store manager

 

Suggestions, while I understand you do not want to 'copy' the multiple features module perhaps what it does will help tidy things up

1) Do you really need to indicate which features are allowed multiple features? If all were allowed then there would be no need for extra columns in the features table. So make it so all are multiple value then just not use when you don't need to for each individual feature

2) We have lots of features so finding them is tricky. Lot's of scroll and ctrl / select to choose. Not easy to see what is selected:

The current module has a search feature  (narrows down the list as you type and also shows the list of currently selected ones to the side

 

3) With lots of features the front looks not good

 

Where as the current module sepearates the multiple features with a comma (Seperator symbol can be changed in module) rather than line break making it much easier to see

4) Possibly need a sort by position rather than numerical / alpabetical / index

Overall a great start - well done. Now all we need is Block Layered Navigation to allow multiple selection and perhaps ranges (sliders) and all will be near perfect 😉 

[datakick]

Thank you @haylau, really appreciate your input.

ad 1) This feature exists for backwards compatibility, to have more compact back office entry form, and also to prevent data entry issues. If you don't want to use it, you can just allow it for all features, and be done with it. Features are rarely created, but feature values are created more often. 

ad 2) I totally agree that native multiselect is not very UX friendly. Some more advanced UI element for pre-defined values selection would be nice. I added this to the backlog. Low priority, though

ad 3) I believe this should be responsibility of the theme. But... because it's a new feature, theme do not solve this issue. So maybe we could implement it in the core. Into the backlog.

ad 4) Good idea

[musicmaster]

Is there some flag in the database that indicates that multifeature? I would like to support it in Prestools like I do it for PS 1.7.3+.

I assume other people building for Thirty Bees will face the same question.

[datakick]

55 minutes ago, musicmaster said:

Is there some flag in the database that indicates that multifeature? I would like to support it in Prestools like I do it for PS 1.7.3+.

I assume other people building for Thirty Bees will face the same question.

Of course. Here you can see the db differeces:

https://github.com/thirtybees/thirtybees/commit/ee852aef81420882a7a042e2d7978a790c8c37dd#diff-2a48baaddf0416cfb05978271a4ca9a83881e6f54ac663389063ba1d59c28135

[led24ee]

How is this different from combinations ?

[haylau]

58 minutes ago, led24ee said:

How is this different from combinations ?

Combinations is essentially about displaying different products where as this is more about the features of a single product. Features do not have any weight / price attributes

For an example, we sell u-bolts and backing plates. Our backing plates have slotted holes rather than round holes. Now, if we consider a feature of ‘Distance between legs’ of the ubolt. Then for any given u-bolt that is fixed. We might have 1 ubolt with 50 mm between the legs another with 51 between the legs and another with 53 between the legs, etc

Because the base plates have slotted rather than round holes, they can accommodate all three of those u-bolts, so the base plates need to have the feature ‘distance between legs’ of 50, 51, 52, 53 

We then have filters (advanced search 4, or block layered navigation) on the base plate so that a customer can choose 50, 51, 52 or 53 and they will be directed to the single product

[led24ee]

I still don't get it very well. In TB there is also possibility for "related products" where You can directly "bound" the base plate "or plates" for specific ubolt. No need to search anything. But maybe my english is not good enough to understand.

[musicmaster]

11 hours ago, datakick said:

Of course. Here you can see the db differeces:

https://github.com/thirtybees/thirtybees/commit/ee852aef81420882a7a042e2d7978a790c8c37dd#diff-2a48baaddf0416cfb05978271a4ca9a83881e6f54ac663389063ba1d59c28135

Thanks.

I see that you allow settings per feature and you have also added a flag for custom values. Nice to see extra options compared to Prestashop. But I am I am not yet sure how easy it will be to implement for me.

[datakick]

10 minutes ago, musicmaster said:

Thanks.

I see that you allow settings per feature and you have also added a flag for custom values. Nice to see extra options compared to Prestashop. But I am I am not yet sure how easy it will be to implement for me.

At the start, you can simply reuse the same functionality you already have for ps17, and assume all features have these two flags enabled. 

[aujlaakaran0]

I’ll see if i can set up a test, I wonder if your system will ‘see’ the module multiple features or if they wlll all need to be re-created. And whether then they will work with the advanced search module.  get-mobdro.com

Edited May 7, 2021 by aujlaakaran0

[haylau]

9 hours ago, aujlaakaran0 said:

I’ll see if i can set up a test, I wonder if your system will ‘see’ the module multiple features or if they wlll all need to be re-created. And whether then they will work with the advanced search module.

See my report above - all OK with me

[Mark]

I tried and it worked. But then I used a third party module that adds Features and I was unable to add features that I has selected in the Product Features menu as being "Multi".

 

They were there to be selected, but I couldn't add them

 

 

[wakabayashi]

I just wanted to try this. Is it no more possible to update to bleeding edge? At least I cant get this on my teststore...

[veganline]

My core updater > database tab didn't mention features.
My catalog > product features > add a new feature doesn't change to the one on the datakick demo; there are no new switches.

Same on a fresh demo site as on my real site.

Maybe this doesn't matter. When the new module updates the database automatically, it will do it better than me.

[led24ee]

I still don't understand what is the point of this. Is it really so hard to make combination where you can specify all things ? For combinations there is missing possibility to change package dimensions. So far there are only impact for prices and for weight, but not for dimension.

[veganline]

I can see a purpose for customer-selectable features: an alternative to customisation. Belt lengths for example, when belts are cut to size and there's no need to track stock by length. Then you can use stock control for the buckles and have a drop-down menu for the length feature. 

Anyone who customizes stock has this problem.
Silver cups for example. You want to have stock-control turned-on for silver cups because they're expensive and take time to get delivered and you can't make them up as you go along. But the lettering on a silver cup has ka-zillions of combinations, so the database would fail if you tried to make every combination of letters into a product, and you don't need that anyway because you just wait for an order and then carve the cup.

But maybe I am missing the point.😀

 

12.02.2022
I missed the point!
"Ingredient" or "Material" is the kind of feature that often comes in bunches.
It is not selectable; it shows-up on the "data sheet" bit of a product page and searches.

If I'd read the thread carefully I would have seen that the fourth post has a screenshot of "inside diameter".  The picture is headed "3) with lots of features the front looks not good", but I could try work-arounds if needed.

If selling food I could have a feature called "Ingredients" with a value of "see below" and a feature called "-" shown just below it, repeated for each ingredient, so customers see a clear heading on the left with a blank or "see below" value, then lines beginning "-" and then the ingredient in the next column

Edited February 20, 2022 by veganline
I missed the point

[Acer]

So.... What happened with this? 

Is it now part of 1.3 and activated by default? 

[cienislaw]

On 9/18/2021 at 7:41 PM, veganline said:

I can see a purpose for customer-selectable features: an alternative to customisation. Belt lengths for example, when belts are cut to size and there's no need to track stock by length. Then you can use stock control for the buckles and have a drop-down menu for the length feature. 

Anyone who customizes stock has this problem.
Silver cups for example. You want to have stock-control turned-on for silver cups because they're expensive and take time to get delivered and you can't make them up as you go along. But the lettering on a silver cup has ka-zillions of combinations, so the database would fail if you tried to make every combination of letters into a product, and you don't need that anyway because you just wait for an order and then carve the cup.

But maybe I am missing the point.😀

yeah, I have a quite similar case when I want to add a choice for customer, but not to track it as variant. I have product X packed in a box, and the box can have a different picture on it. no price change, nothing, and I don't need to track a stock of boxes, because I can print image and put it on the box on demand. now I need to do it with variants, which complicates product stock tracking.

[datakick]

18 hours ago, Theo said:

So.... What happened with this? 

Is it now part of 1.3 and activated by default? 

Yes

[datakick]

10 hours ago, cienislaw said:

yeah, I have a quite similar case when I want to add a choice for customer, but not to track it as variant. I have product X packed in a box, and the box can have a different picture on it. no price change, nothing, and I don't need to track a stock of boxes, because I can print image and put it on the box on demand. now I need to do it with variants, which complicates product stock tracking.

This sounds like a customization. We should think about enhancing current customization feature to allow for these kind of attributes.

Also, it would be beneficial to have the customization saved on the fly, and not force visitors to save customization before they order. 

How about we start a new thread and discuss our needs in this area? Once we brainstorm the requirements, I can plan this into the backlog

[Acer]

19 minutes ago, datakick said:

Yes

Hi @datakick

 

I also created this post

So just to clarify: there's nothing to activate, it's on by default? 

[datakick]

3 hours ago, Theo said:

Hi @datakick

 

I also created this post

So just to clarify: there's nothing to activate, it's on by default? 

That's correct. If you migrate from 1.2, just make sure the db is migrated properly, see the first post in this thread.

Then, you can enable multiple values for individual features, and that's all.