Multi-value field, passing multiple values to search

[habreu]

We have a non-Miva pages http://allfrom1supply.com/ov/doors.php that links back to items in our Miva store with 'buy now' links

like so http://www.allfrom1supply.com/produc...arch=GRP-401-D

and show items tagged as belonging to this 'system' or group ie GRP-401-D -so when they click a 'buy now' button on that non-Miva page the search shows them the products related to that system.

The problem now is that there are some products that belong to multiple groups - so for example Paint A might belong to GRP-401-D and GRP-1201-D. I don't really want to create a ton of custom fields for every combination and I saw mention of the Multi-value field in Miva documentation. I don't see it as an option when I select 'add custom field' in the admin. I'm not sure if this feature would offer a solution but I am looking for a way to have a product belong to multiple groups via one custom multi select field.

I hope this makes sense. I'm looking for a simple solution and I'm comfortable with custom fields, but if there is another way I'd love to hear about it.

[habreu]

Ahhh.. I think the MultiText field is actually upcoming in Miva 9.8. Unless that's around the corner I'll need to try something different.

[Rick Wilson]

9.8 is right around the corner, it's in final testing and will ship very soon (pre-MivaCon).

[habreu]

In the interim between now and 9.8 I tried creating a custom meta field ie 'group-id' and if I add group1,group2 to the custom meta field I can see it in the body of the page but those keywords 'group1' and 'group2' don't appear to be searchable when I append them to the search string http://www.allfrom1supply.com/produc...&Search=group1 are there template changes and or settings that must by changed to make this searchable?



<meta name="systems" content="GRP-801-D,GRP-401-D" />

[AHerb]

Ghm...
For our site with static product pages we're using a third-party search engine (like google custom search) which works great. Miva standard search is just not enough.

[Brennan]

The meta fields are not searchable but any custom fields are. Instead of using a meta field, use a custom product filed. Here you can put the same comma separated list of values and Miva will search them. You'll need to tell Miva which custom fields are searchable under User Interface -> Search Setting.

[habreu]

I tried that but I think it is search for the values as a single value - not as comma separated values.




so if I search for grp1 or gp2 it will return the items with values 'grp1,grp2' or 'grp1,grp2,grp3' but it will not return an item with comma separated values grp1,grp3

so I have some products that belong to multiple groups, I want to be able to send a link that will show all products tagged with any of the individual comma separated values

http://www.allfrom1supply.com/product-search.html?ProductsPerPage=12&Search=grp2,grp5,grp7

By way of explanation we have some paint products ie primer, base coat, top coat that we sell as 'systems' to deal with particular paint needs ie metal roof, vs SMP door and an individual product ie 'clear coat 500' can be used in multiple systems so when I send them to our Miva store from say 'Paint System 1002-D' I wanted to show them the products I tagged as being members of that system -but some of those products might by members of multiple paint systems.

[habreu]

I'm working around this using subcategories to group items and linking to the subcategories instead.