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Magento Price and Stock Availability No Longer Showing

May 26, 2011

Encountered an error in Magento when price and stock availability no longer displayed in product view using Hellowired template.

After upgrading to 1.5, prices would show in the catalogue and grid views but on the product view the price and stock availability was not showing.

Found a fix for simple products after files have changed between Magento 1.4 and 1.5, Template/catalog/product/view/type/ simple.phtl is now deprecated and default.phtml used instead. Older templates need to be changed:

  • Located in /app/design/frontend/default/YOURTEMPLATE/layout
  • You need to change all instances in the file catalog.XML that point to simple.phtml and make it read default.phtml

I only have one instance around line 285.

Change template=”catalog/product/view/type/simple.phtml”>

to template=”catalog/product/view/type/default.phtml”>

While this needs to be done it made no difference for me and the price was still not showing. Ah, the joys of Magento!

Hopefully the above will fix your issue. If it didn’t carry on reading.

After a lot of digging around comparing two different templates I found a fix.

In Hellowired there was a slight difference in a file so I changed \hellowired\template\catalog\product\view.phtml

  • around line 61 <?php echo $this->getChildHtml(‘product_type_data’) ?>
  • to:                     <?php echo $this->getChildHtml(‘product_type_data_side’) ?>

 

I have yet to figure out why but it does work.

Removing Coupon Code from Magento Checkout

If you don’t use coupon codes then to remove the field at checkout edit

/app/design/frontend/base/default/template/checkout/cart/coupon.phtml

Delete the whole <form> section around lines 27-44.

The primary reason to remove the code is to prevent customers from leaving checkout when they wonder why they don’t have a code.

Am I missing out?

Should I Google for a code?

Is someone else buying things cheaper than me?

If customers follow this train of thought they will leave so remove the code and let them proceed.

 

 

 

 

Fix Magento Error Cannot add the item to shopping cart

May 20, 2011

Currently trying out multiple websites function in Magento, which is unfortunately not a straightforward process.

Kept encountering the error Cannot add the item to shopping cart with the second website. It works in the catalogue grid but in the product view it will not add the item to the cart.

After a lot of digging around the problem seems to be that the second website cannot access the cache.

Fix:

  • Create a new directory called tmp in the home directory of the second website.
  • Edit /lib/Zend/Cache/Backend/File.php
  • change ‘cache_dir’ => null, to ‘cache_dir’ => “tmp/”,
  • ensure there it a directory tmp in your original root installation also.

Update

There is a better way to do it and one which does not involve editing core files. It is also simpler:

  • System->Configuration->Web->Session Cookie management
  • change value from 3600 to 86400

What is QR Code and how can I use it?

May 17, 2011

Generated at http://quikqr.com/

What is QR code?

QR code is a small graphic that contains a website URL that can be read by a barcode reader, such as a camera on an Android or iPhone – there are reader/converter apps for those available free. It can contain ISBN, email contacts or plain text. For this article I am just looking at web links.

What does it do?

If you convert a link, such as your website homepage, into a graphic you can then print this out on your invoices. Rather than typing it in, smart phone users can scan it, go straight to your homepage and bookmark it. Very user friendly and no room for typos too.

It is popular in Japan, for example in printed advertising, business cards, billboards and flyers, but uptake is slower in the USA and Europe.

How might I use it?

Here is an example I thought of recently: I purchased a few packets of seeds from an online retailer who print and stick on their own labels to foil packets. Why not include a QR code on each sticker incorporating the URL to that product on their website.  When I run out of seeds I simply pick up my phone, scan the packet and I’m at the buy page for that product.

From a customer service viewpoint how about including a code for instructions, care, propagation, pictures or anything else that might be useful. If a customer is likely to scan for information, chances are high they will return and scan your shopping cart link.

Where could you benefit from using QR codes?
Click Here!

Fix for Magento Error in IE9 Additional Information tabs not working.

May 16, 2011

I noticed the additional information tags in Magento stopped working – the lightbox opened over the page when clicked upon.

I removed Magento Easy Lightbox Community Module but now the information tab does nothing.

The pages work fine in Firefox but IE9 doesn’t appear to like the part of the javascript  and the developer console gives an error.

I was not able to fix it so as a work around used:

<meta http-equiv=”X-UA-Compatible” content=”IE=7″/>

in the head section of the page. From memory this is located in \app\design\frontend\base\default\template\page\html\head.phtml

Back to working properly again.

Introducing Cats to Dog: update

May 3, 2011

After only 4 days I am happy for the cats to roam about the house when I am here.

The cats are a little wary, one more than the other, but they have been getting along ok. The dog now takes little notice of them.

Hopefully they will settle in well.

 

This is one of the articles I  have read about introducing new pets, although I don’t really belive cats and dogs are natual enemies. Perhaps I’ve just been lucky.

Introducing Cats to Dogs Step 1

May 1, 2011

After leaving the cats in a room of their own for a couple of days they were allowed out for an explore of the house.

Dog was walked, calmed ,sitting on her bed and given lots of treats. She was very good as she is used to cats and took an interest but didn’t move towards them (on the lead just in case).

Cats did not really approach her and were more wary of the dog. One got close but hissed a little but that was all. Over all I think it went well. Just need to repeat the exercise and give them more time together.

The only drawback is that the cats now have a taste for exploring and want to be let out their room so I hope they get on well soon.

 

One thing  I have noticed is that pet shops stock way more items for dogs than for cats. Not sure why that is and have never really noticed before. Think I will have to work on the cat side of my website now!

New Pets: Introducing cats to dogs.

April 29, 2011

Just this morning I collected a pair of rescue cats from Cats Protection and now have the task of settling them in and introducing them to my dog ( in a few days).

There is much literature written about this task and, although the cats are an unknown quantity, I do know my dog is fine with cats.

The cats are currently confined to one room with the dog taking an occasional look through the glass paneled door – all seems fine so far.

I will keep this updated and hope everything is as straightforward as cat experts suggest.