[TYPO3-commerce] Usability

[Tom Kleijkers]

Since we have decided to implement a shop in Typo3, we also want to
contribute in developing this extension. My partner, Tom Buskens, has
already asked a question about the bug regarding the dropdown boxes, and I
already experienced the problem that the shoppingcart is empty when using
the commerceExt extension.

Maybe some information can be given so we can help fixing these problems. 

Best regards,


Tom Kleijkers BSc.   
Deviation Media Solutions





-----Original Message-----
From: typo3-project-commerce-bounces at lists.netfielders.de
[mailto:typo3-project-commerce-bounces at lists.netfielders.de] On Behalf Of
Morten Olesen
Sent: maandag 9 juni 2008 15:08
To: typo3-project-commerce at lists.netfielders.de
Subject: [TYPO3-commerce] Usability

Hello everybody!

For some time I've been eying this project since the extended shop we
are currently offering customers just aren't cutting it anymore. What
have kept me from pursuing it seriously has been the feel that it's just
not ready for use yet.

So rather than sit around and wait for it to get ready we decided to
jump into it and see if it would not be possibly to add  or fix what we
needed.

so far this means we've had to create a module to allow paymentlib
support(1) and with that we've managed to set up a shop that allows for
sale of simple products.
While the manual(2) was of some help with this first step it is of no
help for the more advanced usage we wish to explore - attributes and
stock handling.

( for the impatient the questions are marked with *'s )

For stock handling some searching on TER found "commerceExt", how ever
when using version 0.3.2 ( latest on TER ) with commerce version 0.9.6
( also latest on TER ) I do gain the ability to specify stock, but loose
the ability to put products in the shopping basked - no errors, I just
arrive on the shopping basked with no products in it and when clicking
the "basket" link I am sent to the "basket is empty" page

* Any one know what is up with that? or perhaps can suggest another
route to setting up stock handling?

Attributes handling has been quite anoying setting up, when I finally
found out who to at least enable drop down selection the post stated
said ( in reply to another who was as lost as I ) that the typo script
needed was explained in the wiki/manual - the wiki came up blank, but
searching the manual for TS variable I found this 

"Defines if the output should genereate selectboxes as ArticleSelector
or display all articles. Set to 0 for selectboxes. Notice: Javascript is
needed for selectboxes"

so "plugin.tx_commerce_pi1 allArticles=0"
Now the notice about javascript could mean either that a javascript
browser is needed for the select boxes to work or that I need to write
some java script for them to work - more on that later.

Playing around some more with the "attributes" of a "product" I finally
figured out that you needed to put the attributes you wanted as drop
downs in the "select" part ( would be nice with some kind of description
for what each of select/shall/can/product/filter means ), save, select
the article tab, producible articles subtab, and check the ones I
wanted. ( it automatically generated a check box for every combo of the
chosen variables )

now the problems arrise;

The first time I went to a product page after the changes the dropdowns
were populated with the attributes full names ie for color White, Black,
Blue - the second time and ever since only the first letter have been
shown. As you can imagine that makes it rather hard to differentiate.

* how do I make it display the full name again? - and how can I remove
the "all" option, it really does not make sence anywhere outside a multi
select

The drop downs aren't linked so it's possible to choose combinations
that does not exist ... 

* this is properly related to the javascript notice - so where can I
find some more info about what the script needs to do / what information
is available to the script

When adding a product to the shopping basket the attributes are
completely ignored - this means it uses the price of the first article,
so the attributes has no meaning at all

* how can I have the basket understand the attributes ?



As you can see from the above there is a need for better documentation -
I'd offer to help but as you can read above it's painfully obvious that
I simply don't know enough to write it.
Some of you who have been around since the first line was written might
not think that there is a need for better documentation, but without
better documentation you wont attract new users or contributors.

If I come across a little harsh ( I've been told I sometimes do
that ;) ) I apologize - this is mean as constructive criticism for we
truly think that commerce is the way forward and hope that in time we
can even replace our osCommerce shops with it.


Regards
Morten Olsen


(1) see
http://forge.typo3.org/projects/show/extension-idefa_commerce_paymentlib
(2) http://wiki.typo3.org/index.php/EXT/commerce/manual since the OOo
document is little more than a constant list.
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