Add Attributes To Products In Magento

As usual with Magento, it is very easy to do... once you know how.

1 - Add the attribute as usual, selecting the type "list".

2 - Save the attribute. Before saving can proceed, you are required to give these labels from the tab "manage labels/options".
There, you will have to define these labels for each of the "stores":
- the admin "store", so this is the label set used when entering products in the back-office
- the front-office stores, so this will be the text displayed to visitors/ customers

NOTES:
- If no text is defined for the front-office stores, then the (required) values from admin will be used
- If you have different stores for different languages, this allows you to have labels in each language.
- When you define the attribute, there are as usual several important "decisions":
-- will the attribute be displayed by default when displaying product properties
-- which "attribute sets" will this attribute be part of?
-- will this attribute be used for "layered navigation", as is possible with any list attribute.

Be sure that you have at least one store enabled when creating the attribute.
Let me know of any other problem with this.

I am terribly sorry but I just cant understand how to do this. I have set up everything as you have said but I still cannot see the drop down list which will allow users to choose size and colour before checking out.

this is really frustrating as my client is relying on me to fix this!

OK. Let's proceed step by step

0 - Can you confirm that you have defined 1 web, 1 store and 1 view (at least one of each).
If not... this is the problem... first define them!

DO NOT reuse any attribute you have previously defined.

Let's define a new attribute "the_Size" with three values "low" "medium" "high".

1 - Define the new attribute from the admin panel "catalog" / "attribute"
Type the_size almost everywhere you are asked for the attribute name
Define type as option list.
NOW: make a screen capture that you will paste here if needed.

2 - SAVE the attribute. This should fail with an error message asking you for labels.
IF it does not: make a second screen capture.
if it "fails", you should be presented with a screen for defining labels. if not, select in the leftmost column the tab "labels".
Once you have the screen, you should be done.

If you are not, please paste here the images you captured

That's true @fibo, don't forget to add the attribute to an attribute set though for it to show in products.

If you need to keep a track of stock levels of each size, the solution above is not, unfortunately, the way forward.
For stock level control,

Create an attribute called 'sizes' or something similar and fill in the relevant details, make it a 'dropdown' and 'Use To Create Configurable Product' is set to 'YES' fill the other details in as required and set the labels as per fibo's instructions. Save the attribute and add it to an attribute set.

Create a seperate simple product each with the attribute set containing your 'size' attribute for each size and set them to 'Visibility - Nowhere'

When you've created all of the simple products create another product with the same attribute set but make it configurable and fill in the details as appropriate, calling your product something like

' A biggish hat available in 3 sizes'

make sure you set the visibility to 'Catalog, Search' fill in all the details as per the simple product but then 'Associate' the simple products with the configurable using the button on the left called 'Associated Products'

Make sure all the simple products are set with a value in the 'qty' section of 'inventory' and set 'In Stock' - all simple products and the configurable one must be 'enabled' in each store you want it to show in.

You should now have the product showing in the front end, and you are able to manage the stock of each size.

Just a word of caution: until you have got your attribute creation fine, avoid any potential source of trouble.
Naming the field 'size' or 'sizes' might create problems with existing attributes/ fields. Hence my suggestion to call it 'the_size'...

Also, please proceed one step at a time:
- first get the option list with the simple example I gave,
- then, when it works, proceed to the more complete (and in most cases more useful) example from DaymoH.


This is the safest way to reach your destination

Here's the screen shot before saving
screen-shot.png

@rafique12

If you are going down the configurable route you need to set the scope to 'Global' and I would set unique to 'no' When you have global set you should see 'Use To Create Configurable Product' appear. (sorry forgot that)

:-)

Error Message after saving
screen-shot2.png

This is too confusing! Could I ask one of you to do the configuration for me in my magento backend?
PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I would hapily, but It is better for you to do it. I will post step by step instructions so bear with me.

Daymoh: please hold on until the simple option is reached. Then we will all be happy to let you lead the next steps. OK?

In the Admin panel go to

Catalog>Attributes>Manage Attributes

Click <Add New Attribute>

and make the settings like the attachment


conf1.png

Sorry fibo, will do.

Rafique:

- starting from your last screen capture: YOU ARE DONE!

It is just begging you for the labels!

So:
- in "manage titles": give the name of the attribute, or more precisely the label of the field. In your case, looking at your first screen I would probably select
Dress Size
in the Admin box (and this will also be used as a default in the "default store view"

- in "manage options": click on the button "add option" 3 times, since we want (for example sake) 3 values
This will add 3 lines of boxes.
-- The first one would be "admin": small / "default store view": leave empty, will reuse "small" / "Position": leave empty / "Is Default" : leave empty
-- Second line: "admin": medium / "default store view": leave empty, will reuse "medium" / "Position": leave empty / "Is Default" : Yes
-- Third line: "admin": large / "default store view": leave empty, will reuse "large" / "Position": leave empty / "Is Default" : leave empty

And now "Save attribute" ... it's OK.

Additional info:

- we have typed here the options in the correct order. If we had to change the display order, we would use the column "position" for this
- "is default": select the option you want as a default.

Additional remarks:
1 - as per your screenshots, you have defined the attribute to be "per store view". THIS IS NOT WHAT YOU WOULD DO NORMALLY, it should more probably be "Global" (ie: all web sites, stores and store views) or "Per Site" or "Per Store". In these cases, instead of having the 2 "store views" columns you have (ie "admin" and "default store view") you would get extra columns.
2 - As I asked previously: have you defined at least one web site, one store and one store view? your screens seem to hint that no.. Not a big problem, but LOTS of Magento features do in fact rely on this...

Rafique: please confirm when you are done with this simple example, so that, if you want to, Daymoh can lead
you to the next step.

I have followed the steps with a fine tooth comb: I have no idea why this won't work! I'm thinking that maybe this version contains bugs and errors as it is the latest release. I don't know what to do!?!?!?!?!?

http://zetarose.com

Select allOpen in new window

My notes were aimed to be resumed from your last "error" screen which, as I said, is not really an error, but just tasking you do add the missing labels.

If you resume from where you stopped last time (or starting with a fress new attribute), what do you get?
paste the screen capture of your next ferror step

there is no errors! It just doesn't show the attribute i.e sizes for the products on the front page...

OK. So you are not complete on the front office, but the back office works.

Just before proceeding further: go to admin/ system / cache and update / refresh all of them! Then check again your front page.


Making attribute visible on the front office now require to things:
1 - Check your declarations of the attribute: are they configured to be displayed or not (cf infra)
2 - Edit some products so that the values are present and have some chance to display on the front-end (so you have to edit these products in the back-office, check that the options are available and select one of them).

1 - Using as a reference your first screen shot: some values need to be changed.
- scope: change it to store
- unique value: select NO
- value required: it says yes, change it to no. yes means that most of your existing products are "wrong" since they do not have a value for this attribute!
- used in search results validation: say yes (might help making things more visible) for now, although in this precise case this is probably meaningless
- save attribute.
- switch to "attribute sets", select the one used for a product like dy1509. if this is not the case, copy the attribute currently in the rightmost column to the center column, preferably at the top of this column: now your attribute is part of this "attribute set".
- save.
- open the product dy1509 from catalog/ product (still in back-office)
- you should see this attribute in one of the tabs, eg the one where you dragged the attribute. IS IT THERE? somewhere else? if you don't din it in any of the tabs... look again!
- once you have it displayed, select one of the values, save the product
- back to system / cache. again, refresh all the options here
- just in case: still in the back office, display again product dy1509: is your value still there? if NO, paste here a screen capture
- if yes: now go to the front office, CLEAR THE CACHE IN YOUR BROWSER, and display product dy1509. If it not there... just tell here, we'll be able to check the page

Oops, some paset failed. Here is the correct text

1 - Using as a reference your first screen shot: some values need to be changed.
- scope: change it to store
- unique value: select NO
- value required: it says yes, change it to no. yes means that most of your existing products are "wrong" since they do not have a value for this attribute!
- used in search results validation: say yes (might help making things more visible) for now, although in this precise case this is probably meaningless

- Visible on product view page on front end: change from no to yes... for now (normally no would be fine)
- used in produt listing: say yes

- save attribute.

Sorry fibo but this just isn't working for me! I don't understand why Magento has made this so complicated.
I have followed your instructions to the letter, every seem okay in the back office but nothing shows on the front for the size attributes

please, show me a screen capture of the product DY1509 page where the attribute is defined.

Magento is complicated at time. However, I feel that you should succeed. So something is going bad. Since I'm not looking at your screen, I need the captures

Please send me also a capture of your system/ cache page

Please send me also a capture of the page where you have defined the labels and options for the attribute

This image shows the current configurations...
screen-shot3.png

This first screen seems fine. A look to the next one should clarify the situation for the options

Hmmm... I see trhat you are using Chrome as a browser.

Not sure if this has any effect here, but I have had problems with Chrome displays of some Magento pages.

When we will have checked everything for any option we might have left wrong, displaying thru IE (7 or 8) or Firefox will have to be tested.

We are within 10 minutes to get the display you want... tell me when you can block 15-20 muinutes so that we reach success asap.

Sorry I had a break. What needs to be done? you say i need to test in firefox which i have done but there is no change there!

I may just change the software to something more simple like open cart or presstashop!!!

this is very time consuming for all of us

Okay I have tested in all browsers and there is no change. Could it be that version 1.3 has bugs?
Let me know and will downgrade to the previous version

No. Bugs should notbe our main suspects for now.
Please provide me with screen captures for:
- labels description of your attribute (this is the current version of the 2nd image you sent me)
- the page/tab of the product dy1509 in your back-office that shows which option you have selected
- the page system/ cache
Thx.

We have been here for hours! I cant deal with this it just doesn't work the way it should. Magento cant be serious if they want to release software that is so complex to use for something so simple. I dnt want to waste anymore of your time or mine!!

OK. Decisioon is yours.
However, on this precise function, things are really close. If your client has been waiting that for some time... why not give it a try?

We have not been here for hoiurs, because we have been leadinf=g some other tasks as well. Again, if we block our time it will be done within 20 minutes

Are you here?

Okay could you log in to the admin and make sure everything is okay?
I just dont want to be here till tommorrow.

yes, but I can't login to admin without a password. create a TEMP admin profile, send me the details by PM to bernard.savonet@gmail.com
You will later disable this user from any privilege, OK?

sorry I just launched a compare in your front-end, and it crashed. should not have broken anything

thanks

if you want me to connect as an admin, you must create a user for me, that you disable later and delete afterwards. Any problem there?

.. but I don't need that access if you paste me the the screen captures I requested...

Okay thanks alot!

just to be sure: I'm waiting for some material from you, either the screen  captures or anything that helps to progress and close the case!

I sent a temporary password and username to the email you provided...

not arrived yet, whether is the regular mailbox or in the spam box

just create a new client on your store front-end. confirmation mail did arrive fine. you can find all the info in the admin panel

sorry: "just createD a new client..."

I am here my friend!

Can anyone help me to resolve this issue please!?!?

No that's the client email: you can message me here:
catchmel8r@googlemail.com

Thx for the grade and points. Glad we could help.
We had direct access to the site and worked in chat with Gmail. However some of the items that were exchanged will be useful for others, so I will post a summary here.

Since we had direct access to the site and worked in chat with Gmail, the corresponding items were not visible here on EE.
However some of the items that were exchanged will be useful for others, here is a small summary of the main points:
- Being logged as an admin, I created an attribute and its label and options labels. The option labels were not created in the proper order, thus had to use the fields "order" to adapt.
- Selected a "default" option... but in fact this is not useful if the attribute is not defined as "must have a value"
- Then switched to Catalog / Attributes / Manage attributes set. Select the attribute set(s, one at a time) for which you want to add the newly-created attribute.
- In the chosen selected attribute set, select which main area (tab) you want to add the attribute, then drag it there from the rightmost column.
- Now go to catalog / products and select a product for which you want to add data for the newly created field / attribute. Select data, save product.
DONE!

We have also created 2 subcategories to the default root category.
- Catalog / Manage categories. Then select the default root category, and click on the button "add subcategory"... fill in the fields.
- There are 3 "names" for the (sub)category:
-- field name (letters, - and _ but no space; I personally use all lower case),
-- url name (letters, - and _ but no space; I personally use all lower case, words separated by dashes - if they are meaningful)
-- and page title (properly capitalized nouns and names, separated by spaces).
- Place also, at least for now, some relevant keywords in the metatags keywords box, and a small relevant sentence in the box "meta description".
The subcategories to the root categories will display automatically on the menu of the page, needing no special action!