extra fields

[charleshuff1953]

I enabled four extra fields and gave them names. How do i put them on my products for customer input? It would be nice if the order options could show or hide the required number of fields 1,2,3,or 4....

your search only gives me the first page then crashes.... sorry if this is asked already. I looked at custom templates but don't know which file to try to modify? classy_pr_template.sst ???

[ShopSite Lauren]

The extra product fields are available for merchants to add additional information. If you want to setup fields for customers to add additional information to be included with their purchase, you will want to use the customer text entry field. You can enable this field under Products > Edit Product Info, and it is a checkbox in the Ordering Options section. This is only for one text entry field. If you want more than 1 field, I would suggest you create (or modify) a custom template so that you can use the merchant definable fields. More information on using these fields can be found at the following URL:
http://www.shopsite.com/templates/cookbook/product16-textentryfielddivided.shtml

[charleshuff1953]

Sorry, you are exactly correct. I do not have Pro version... so, I want to split the info into several lines using the one text field available.
The very first part of example one seems to fit my needs. I am using the classy_pr_template.sst on my page. What form do I need to modify (what is it's file name?). That seems to mean that I will need a form for each product type that varies depending on how many lines of text I need to capture...

[ShopSite Lauren]

The first option with the merchant definable fields is only available in ShopSite Pro. If you have ShopSite Manager, the only option you will be able to setup is the Custom Text Entry Example 1 (for version 11 and earlier).

1. Find out what product template you are using (Products > Edit Product Layout). Then go to Merchandising > Custom Templates > Page/Product > Copy ShopSite Product Template, and make a copy of that product template. You mentioned the classy_pr_template.sst, if that is the template you are using for your products, then make a copy of that one, and I would suggest name it with the number of extra customer text entry fields you need. For example, you might make 3 custom templates and name them:

classy_pr_template_2_customer_fields.sst
classy_pr_template_3_customer_fields.sst
classy_pr_template_4_customer_fields.sst

You wouldn't need to create a custom template for 1 customer text entry field, because that is the default format. One thing to note is that the classy product templates, awesome orange product templates and elite product templates are the most difficult product templates to modify, so if you can use a different product template than those, I would suggest to do so.


2. In the custom template, find where you want the extra fields to appear (probably just above the add to cart button, so find where there is code for an add to cart input field) and paste the code below. You can modify the text such as "line 1" to say whatever you want it to say.
2 customer fields:
Line 1 <input name="[-- PRODUCT.RecordNumber --]:freeopt" type="text" id="[-- PRODUCT.RecordNumber --]:freeopt" value="here is line 1" size="15"><br>
Line 2 <input name="[-- PRODUCT.RecordNumber --]:freeopt" type="text" id="[-- PRODUCT.RecordNumber --]:freeopt" value="here is line 2" size="15"><br>

3 customer fields:
Line 1 <input name="[-- PRODUCT.RecordNumber --]:freeopt" type="text" id="[-- PRODUCT.RecordNumber --]:freeopt" value="here is line 1" size="15"><br>
Line 2 <input name="[-- PRODUCT.RecordNumber --]:freeopt" type="text" id="[-- PRODUCT.RecordNumber --]:freeopt" value="here is line 2" size="15"><br>
Line 3 <input name="[-- PRODUCT.RecordNumber --]:freeopt" type="text" id="[-- PRODUCT.RecordNumber --]:freeopt" value="here is line 3" size="15"><br>

4 customer fields:
Line 1 <input name="[-- PRODUCT.RecordNumber --]:freeopt" type="text" id="[-- PRODUCT.RecordNumber --]:freeopt" value="here is line 1" size="15"><br>
Line 2 <input name="[-- PRODUCT.RecordNumber --]:freeopt" type="text" id="[-- PRODUCT.RecordNumber --]:freeopt" value="here is line 2" size="15"><br>
Line 3 <input name="[-- PRODUCT.RecordNumber --]:freeopt" type="text" id="[-- PRODUCT.RecordNumber --]:freeopt" value="here is line 3" size="15"><br>
Line 4 <input name="[-- PRODUCT.RecordNumber --]:freeopt" type="text" id="[-- PRODUCT.RecordNumber --]:freeopt" value="here is line 4" size="15"><br>

[charleshuff1953]

I first copied the product templates as you suggested. Then I pasted in the code above the <!---Add to Cart button---> and it did not work for me. Then I tried switching themes. That made the Customer Text Entry Field go away entirely. I then played around with the Default template and it too seems to lose the Customer text entry box. I am sorry to be so dense, but I can really benefit from a working example. could you send me just one working template that has two lines? I am willing to switch themes. Update follows... I pasted the lines you gave me shortly after the <form action and the <input type lines.... and got it sorta working. Now I can move it down by trial and error until I get it just before the add to cart button. I wonder if it is possible to change the delimiter to something not likely to go on a name plate? commas are often used in address fields and name fields... The advice to avoid the Classy theme was very sound. Thank you Lauren for all your help...

[ShopSite Lauren]

What product template are you using now, if I know the template you are using, I can add the code in for you and send you the working template(s)?

As far as the comma separated fields, in ShopSite Manager there isn't a way around this unless you create your own custom JavaScript to combine the fields before submitting them in the form (I might be able to set this up in the example template I said I could setup for you if you let me know which product template you are using). The commas between fields with the same name (which is what is available in ShopSite Manager), is not a ShopSite specific feature, it is the way forms work, it can't be changed in ShopSite. In ShopSite Pro there are merchant definable fields which wouldn't have commas between them, that is because the fields have different names instead of the same name.