Toolkit randomcat function

[lesliekirk]

Is there a native replacement for the Toolkit randomcat function?

[Kent Multer]

There's nothing that does it with one line of code. But the template language can read products and make random selections, so it's possible to do it with a "paragraph" of template code.

[lesliekirk]

There's nothing that does it with one line of code. But the template language can read products and make random selections, so it's possible to do it with a "paragraph" of template code.

Thanks - I wonder if it will ever be a Sort Method selection? I think I may have asked for it years ago, guess it's time to beg for it again. I know of a number of store owners who have asked about it.

[Bruce - PhosphorMedia]

its a rather short paragraph

<mvt:do name="l.settings:category_count" file="g.Module_Library_DB" value="Runtime_CategoryList_Load_All( l.settings:all_categories )" />
<mvt:assign name="g.category_count" value="miva_array_max(l.settings:all_categories)" />
<mvt:assign name="g.category_index" value="random(g.category_count)" />

<mvt:comment> ### Debug ### </mvt:comment>
all index: &mvt:global:category_index;<br>

specific index:<mvt:eval expr="l.settings:all_categories[g.category_index]:id" /><br>

<mvt:do file="g.Module_Library_DB" name="l.success" value="Category_Load_ID(l.settings:all_categories[g.category_index]:id, l.settings:random:category)" />

<mvt:comment> ### Debug ### </mvt:comment>
&mvt:random:category:name;<br>

[Kent Multer]

Bruce: I don't think that's what randomcat does, according to the documentation in the Miva app store: https://apps.miva.com/emporium-plus-tool-kit.html

Leslie: I'm curious why your clients think that a random product order would be useful. I've always figured that randomcat was just for smaller things, such as a "You may also like ..." display at the bottom of a product page.

[ids]

After reading the description from the UTILS TK page I am fairly sure the "randomcat" function is partially a confusing function name because it deals with the category product listing and is able to randomize the product selection in the targeted category. After glancing at Bruce's snippet, I think the logic is applicable. It's simply finding the range of indexes the array holds and randomly chooses. The only piece of code that may be missing is a method to prevent a repeat index chosen.

Scott

[lesliekirk]

Bruce: I don't think that's what randomcat does, according to the documentation in the Miva app store: https://apps.miva.com/emporium-plus-tool-kit.html

Leslie: I'm curious why your clients think that a random product order would be useful. I've always figured that randomcat was just for smaller things, such as a "You may also like ..." display at the bottom of a product page.

For places like the home page where you want to display 4 products from a category but not the same 4 products each time you visit the page. Not every layout is a slider so being able to randomize the display keeps it fresh.

[lesliekirk]

its a rather short paragraph

<mvt:do name="l.settings:category_count" file="g.Module_Library_DB" value="Runtime_CategoryList_Load_All( l.settings:all_categories )" />
<mvt:assign name="g.category_count" value="miva_array_max(l.settings:all_categories)" />
<mvt:assign name="g.category_index" value="random(g.category_count)" />

<mvt:comment> ### Debug ### </mvt:comment>
all index: &mvt:global:category_index;<br>

specific index:<mvt:eval expr="l.settings:all_categories[g.category_index]:id" /><br>

<mvt:do file="g.Module_Library_DB" name="l.success" value="Category_Load_ID(l.settings:all_categories[g.category_index]:id, l.settings:random:category)" />

<mvt:comment> ### Debug ### </mvt:comment>
&mvt:random:category:name;<br>

Where are the product codes? The randomcat function randomizes products from a specific category.

[Bruce - PhosphorMedia]

Bruce: I don't think that's what randomcat does, according to the documentation in the Miva app store: https://apps.miva.com/emporium-plus-tool-kit.html

who reads documentation :)

[Bruce - PhosphorMedia]

The only piece of code that may be missing is a method to have a repeat index chosen.

Scott

true, but if the array is at least 10 or so items deep, chances are you don't really need it in practical terms...otherwise, you have to do something like save the initial array in a basket field, load the initial array from there, and once a cat is displayed, remove that item from the arrary and stuff it back into the basket field.

[Bruce - PhosphorMedia]

Where are the product codes? The randomcat function randomizes products from a specific category.

oh, then i read the request wrong. if you want x random products from a specific cat, you can still use the basic concept. i can post code for that specific function...but will have to wait until monday. its fly fishing day tomorrow.

[habreu]

Not sure if this is relevant but in case it is useful Matt Zimmerman answered a question for me a few years ago regarding randomizing products in a product listing and it works well.

https://www.miva.com/forums/forum/de...fnt#post691053

[lesliekirk]

Not sure if this is relevant but in case it is useful Matt Zimmerman answered a question for me a few years ago regarding randomizing products in a product listing and it works well.

https://www.miva.com/forums/forum/de...fnt#post691053

That looks like EXACTLY what I am looking for. I'll give it a show and let you know if it "works for me". Thanks!

[lesliekirk]

FYI - it WAS/IS exactly what I needed. Thank you!

[lesliekirk]

That looks like EXACTLY what I am looking for. I'll give it a show and let you know if it "works for me". Thanks!

I'll go to the linked post but the problem I have encountered is that it only randomizes the number of products displayed. For example, if Number of Products is set to 4, it only randomizes the same 4 products even though Products To Display is set to All Products.

I am trying to use the function in a Product Listing Theme Component.