[ic] matrix options editor description

Schuyler W Langdon interchange-users@icdevgroup.org
Fri Sep 6 12:19:01 2002


>     I have been using the matrix options editor (single widget) in 4.8.x
an
> apparently bizarre way.  I do not create any options or choices.  I
manually
> create each variant by entering each one into the bottom right area.  When
I
> press "OK", they appear at the top.  This allows me to maintain separate
> pricing and inventory (with other minor mods elsewhere) for different
sizes
> of clothing.  Today I discovered that one is ideally supposed to create an
> option named size and then choices for each size.  Once this is done, you
> press "create all possible combinations" and the variants are all created.
> I am not entirely certain that my terminology is correct for the elements
I
> am calling "options", "choices", and "variants", so correct anything that
is
> erroneous.
>     The problem I am having is that, if I create variants the "proper"
way,
> I do not understand the relationship between the variants and the option
> choices.  For example, I can go to the top and delete the "medium"
variant.
> However, I do not see any way to delete the "medium" option choice.  Also,
> the inventory and price fields that appear on the bottom right when I move
> the select box for the option do not seem to be tied to the inventory and
> price that appears when I click on the SKU for one of my variants (which
is
> my actual price and inventory).  I do not seem to understand the
> relationship between the choices at the bottom with their corresponding
> prices and inventory and the variants at the top with their corresponding
> prices and inventory.  If I can understand better what the theory is
behind
> the design then perhaps I can produce some sort of enhancement (if an
issue
> even exists) instead of just posting two paragraphs of blabber.
>
> Jeff
>

If you take a look at the options table, there will be an entry for "color"
and "size" with a sku that corresponds to a sku for a particular product in
the products database which I'll refer to as the "master sku". The "o_value"
field for this "color" or "size" entry will contain the available options.
Each variant existing in this same options table willl have a sku which is
also keyed on this same "master sku" in the products table. The primary key
in the options table is the "code" field. This will correspond directly it's
entry in the inventory table which is keyed on "sku". The sku in the
inventory either corresponds to "sku" in the products table or "code" in the
variants table.  This is how things are related, but as far as how
interchange handles inventory, I don't know. I've been told it will do your
inventory variants correctly -- ie if you sell a large/black Tshirt it will
decrement the inventory for large/black Tshirts. However, it will not
decerement the inventory for the master product, which would be Tshirt. This
is not really a problem because the item T-shirt, without a size and color
does not really exist in the physical sense.

Schuyler