Here’s how to create URLs that use your site’s Product Filter to make links to common searches.
This is an advanced feature, but by following the instructions (and testing your results), you can link to search results by price range, fundamentals, or keyword. These links can be used on content pages, as menu items, or graphical banners.
note: replace “yourdomain.com” in the samples below
Step 1. start with the default cart URL:
http://www.yourdomain.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse
Step 2. then add each filter option you want. Separate each option with “&” symbol. The ampersand starts
For example, to show products only for AGES 5-6, the option code is “age_id=6”, so your URL would be:
http://www.yourdomain.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&age_id=6
Or let’s say you want to return only products UNDER $25 the option code is “price_id=1”, so your URL would be:
http://www.yourdomain.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&price_id=1
So to return products for AGES 5-6 AND UNDER $25, the URL would be:
http://www.yourdomain.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&age_id=6&price_id=1
Step 3. determine your site’s values:
If you want, you can get the filter values from Firefox. Drag-select the filter options, then “show source code” to see your values.
OPTIONS:
a. filter_status opens or closes the filter.
Sample: &filter_status=open
Use to: open the filter – this lets people know they’re seeing a filtered result.
values:
open
closed
b. price_id shows the price ranges you’ve set in your Shopping Cart > Configuration
Sample string: &price_id=1
Useful for: “Toys Under $20″banner
number values correspond to different price tiers:
1
2
3
4
c. keyword searches by keyword.
Sample string: &fkeyword=truck
Useful for: An “All our Trucks” banner!
d. fundamental_id shows toys for each Fundamental.
Sample string: &fundamental_id=8
Useful For: Cooperative Play or Logical Thought banners
Default Values:
value=””>- Show All –
value=”1″>Independent Play
value=”2″>Cooperative Play
value=”3″>Motor Skills
value=”4″>Visual
value=”5″>Creative Play
value=”6″>Language Development
value=”7″>Logical Thought
value=”8″>Musical
e. orderby sorts the products according to the value.
Sample: &orderby=product_cdate
Useful For: Newest Products banner
Values:
product_priceASC (ascending by price)
product_name (product name, alphabetically ascending)
product_priceASC (Price: low to high)
product_priceDESC (Price: high to low)
product_cdate (Latest Products first)
f. manufacturer_id filters by manufacturer ID #, so you can search within it.
Sample string: &manufacturer_id=44
Useful for: Searching for a brand within a manufacturer
The Manufacturer’s ID is generated by your site. It’s easier to just use keywords!
Popular search strings:
a. shop by age:
http://www._________________.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&Itemid=26&age_id=1&filter_status=open
b. shop by brand/category:
http://www._________________.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&Itemid=26&manufacturer_id=28
c. shop by brand + keyword: (“star” is the example – change it to your own keyword)
http://www._________________.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&Itemid=26&manufacturer_id=23&filter_status=open&keyword=star
d. Newest Products:
http://www._________________.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&Itemid=26&orderby=product_cdate
