It’s not possible, I’ve just been told by support after a support ticket that has gone on close to a month now, to have more than 100 variants for a product option. Their solution was to import them from a csv file. Well, I don’t know how to create a csv file. Is this supposed to be common knowledge for the layperson? Their previous versions were fine with this but now 4.x.x can’t do it? Why?
It took close to a month to finally find out I can’t create this many option variants the normal way. Now I have to spend MORE time trying to learn how to create a csv file that will import correctly. Either that or greatly change the product I have offered to my customers since I started my business by cutting their options in half.
You said you had created a few already (variants for a product)?
You can export them out and that should create you a .csv file.
Those can be edited with Excel or Libre office(free)
They also sent you an example file you can look at.
Hope this helps
Oh my gosh that's a great idea, thank you! Their sample file wasn't helpful because it's for a product, not a product option. But your idea is very helpful thank you!
EDIT: ok I spoke too soon. I don't see how to export a global option. There's just products with the ability to export the option within the product. Does this mean I will export then import all of my products and will it override my existing products?
I just need a global option.
To create a csv file in Excel
create the columns and rows you need in Excel.
File->Save As->use drop down to select “Comma Separated Values (CSV)”
That will save your data in .csv format.
Hope that helps
Ok what I did was create a test product, added the option, and exported. Opened the csv file, added the rest of the option variants, and saved. When I try to import it, I get this error:
Warning Your CSV file has incorrect data formatting (incorrect delimiter, missed/missing fields, etc.) in the following lines: 2
when importing there is a box that asks…delimiter, use the same de limiter in the .csv file. I always use comma, I import hundreds of products with options like this every day…You will of course have to disable your global option or you will have both showing
I do have the same delimeter. I found the issue was I needed "; at the end of my last option variant in the csv file. This time it went through the process without an error, however there is nothing new added. Not the test product, not the new option, nothing.
Well I guess this is my end solution, which takes me back to the topic of my post. It's not possible to have this many option variants (actually I believe 100 is the max). Here's my latest response from support:
[quote]Thank you for your time and patience. I apologize for the delay in answering.
I am really sorry to hear that you have faced the issue. 300 option variants is quite a large amount. When you operate the option with such an amount of variants, CS-Cart sends a very heavy SQL queries to the database. That is why I noted that the performance can be affected significantly. Not all servers can support such heavy operations and sometimes they can terminate the process. This you can see when you add extra variant to the problem option.
I should add that the architecture of CS-Cart v.4.0.X has been changed significantly in comparison with CS-Cart v.3.0.X. A lot of new features were added. Now CS-Cart is quite a complex software which may require a little bit more resources from the server, especially when you add so many variants for the feature. In this situation server configuration is a key point of CS-Cart work-flow.
In your situation when there is no way to add variants in the administration panel, I suggested you a workaround with CSV file.
I hope this explains the situation.[/quote]
Note they didn't even comment on the fact that I told them I tried the csv file and it didn't work, & I uploaded my csv file to this ticket. Why didn't they address that part of the issue???
So I guess I have to change what I've been offering to my customers for the past 4 years by cutting it in half, OR MOVE to another cart. Those are my only options now.
Alan, the sample csv file support gave me doesn't have pricing for the options.
[quote name='Alan' timestamp='1382716365' post='170382']
Hi
I know this is a bit of topic, but does anyone actualy have a sample of the product option CSV file with pricing.
I am well able to import and export products with the relivant field etc. but the issue is that exporting products exports the product options.
But does not export the associated pricing.
I can not find a sample product import with option pricing.
If I export the products and then use exactly the same file to import again, most of the product option prices are deleated.
[/quote]
option price variants (modifiers) cant be imported-exported…
crazy I know
[url=“AT LAST, option modifiers import - Configuration - CS-Cart Community Forums”]AT LAST, option modifiers import - Configuration - CS-Cart Community Forums
Does anyone know where the global options/variants are stored and what filename? Maybe I can edit that file directly to include my additional options? This is a problem because new options come out for me all the time and I can't add anything new. Or is it possible to edit the database directly in php.my admin?
[quote name='Brennie369' timestamp='1403804032' post='186500']
Does anyone know where the global options/variants are stored and what filename? Maybe I can edit that file directly to include my additional options? This is a problem because new options come out for me all the time and I can't add anything new. Or is it possible to edit the database directly in php.my admin?
[/quote]
You should correct DB tables not files. Add new records to these tables:
cscart_product_option_variants
cscart_product_option_variants_descriptions
cscart_ult_product_option_variants
Also we can offer you to rework the interface of adding / editing option variants (e.g. add pagination ). If you are interested, contact us
Thank you.
ok thank you. Another question - I have my very long list of option variants numbered in increments of 5 (i.e. #5, #10 is next, #15 is next and so on - I did this to make room for adding new ones). Could this be the cause of not being able to add more variants? Does the cart count the variants by the number I assign or does it count actual?
[quote name='Brennie369' timestamp='1403974366' post='186589']
ok thank you. Another question - I have my very long list of option variants numbered in increments of 5 (i.e. #5, #10 is next, #15 is next and so on - I did this to make room for adding new ones). Could this be the cause of not being able to add more variants? Does the cart count the variants by the number I assign or does it count actual?
[/quote]
Give it a try
[quote name='Brennie369' timestamp='1403974366' post='186589'] ok thank you. Another question - I have my very long list of option variants numbered in increments of 5 (i.e. #5, #10 is next, #15 is next and so on - I did this to make room for adding new ones). Could this be the cause of not being able to add more variants? Does the cart count the variants by the number I assign or does it count actual? [/quote]
It cannot be a reason. If you update options from the admin panel, at first check max_input_vars and max_post_size server settings. I am almost sure that it can fix the problem.
The max_post and max_input variables have already been changed. All potential solutions have been tried except the csv. I gave up on and editing the database I've yet to try. I looked in there at the tables you said to edit but I don't know what to do with those and I don't want to cause damage.
So I simply cannot have very many option variants, which is a big issue because I have to drastically change the product I offer to my customers. Apparently the maximum variants is 100 or something which means I have to cut mine by 2/3.
[quote name='johnbol1' timestamp='1404028077' post='186597']
Give it a try
[/quote]
johnbol1, I did try this and it worked BUT for only 155 variants (I stopped there to finish later). But when going back to add the rest, it wouldn't take them. However an interesting point I'd like to share here in case others don't know this - if you create your option variants and DON'T number their order (leave it blank) it DOES sort them alphabetically in the live store (not in the option in the back-end, but at least where the customers use it).
[quote name='Brennie369' timestamp='1404492538' post='186991']
johnbol1, I did try this and it worked BUT for only 155 variants (I stopped there to finish later). But when going back to add the rest, it wouldn't take them. However an interesting point I'd like to share here in case others don't know this - if you create your option variants and DON'T number their order (leave it blank) it DOES sort them alphabetically in the live store (not in the option in the back-end, but at least where the customers use it).
[/quote]
I did start to try it myself but got side tracked and never went back…good to know though
John
[quote name='Brennie369' timestamp='1404492538' post='186991']
However an interesting point I'd like to share here in case others don't know this - if you create your option variants and DON'T number their order (leave it blank) it DOES sort them alphabetically in the live store (not in the option in the back-end, but at least where the customers use it).
[/quote]
I have realized that when you initially set up the option variants and don't number them, it does sort them alphabetically, however if you add to the variants later, it adds them to the end of the list and not in their alphabetical position.
have you reported this bug?
No I didn't realize it was a bug. I'll report it.