The main focus of being able to customize the content in Magento category pages was to add the ability for me to be able to have an introductory paragraph of content, but also add additional content after the product listing. Thus I was able to add a foundation of custom content to main category pages without pushing the products further and further down the page.

First you will want to create a static block that will become the footer content for a category. Once created you can then update your category to call this static block. Navigate to the Category you want to include the content below the product listing and update the display settings. Under ‘Display Settings’, select ‘static block and products’ from the Dsiplay Mode dropdown. Then select the name of the static block you created under the CMS Block dropdown.

This display the static block as well as the cateogry products on that category page. Currently most templates add the static black to the top of the category, we will update this.

While you are editing the category go ahead and add a description under the General Information tab for that category which we will leave as the introductory paragraph for the category.

Now we must simply update the layout of the product listing so that the CMS Static Block displays under the category listing.

Navigate and edit /public_html/app/design/frontend/blank/theme_folder/template/catalog/category/view.phtml

Find the line of code that reads:

<?php echo $this->getCmsBlockHtml() ?>

Currently it should be some where above the call to the Product List:

<?php echo $this->getProductListHtml() ?>

Move <?php echo $this->getCmsBlockHtml() ?> below, save, upload and refresh cache if necessary.

You should now see the category description above the product listing. Then when you scroll down the update to the category view.phtml file adds the static block content we added under the Display Settings tab.

<block type=”page/html_pager” name=”product_list_toolbar_pager”/>

You will want to locate the reference to the Product List Toolbar and updated to match the following:

<block type=”catalog/product_list_toolbar” name=”product_list_toolbar” template=”catalog/product/list/toolbar.phtml”>
<block type=”page/html_pager” name=”product_list_toolbar_pager”/>
</block>

Just place the pager reference inside the Product List Toolbar and you are set. Rememeber to refresh your cache before trying to view the live changes.

In continuing to develop and learn Magento I have made a number of discoveries that help clarify how to work within the setup of Magento. In most cases when looking to customize a given page, I was directed to making updates to the Layout .xml files.

However if I was looking to simply add a static block to a specific section of a template file, creating a static block to the appropriate .xml file would simply add the static block above or below a given area.

The following code for example, would add the contact_intro above my contact form, but in the setup of that page, I wanted the contact_intro to integrate into a specific section of the fonrm.phtml template. This was not possible by updating the contacts.xml file as follows:

<reference name=”content”>
<block type=”cms/block” name=”contact_intro”>
<action method=”setBlockId”><block_id>contact_intro</block_id></action>
</block>
<block type=”core/template” name=”contactForm” template=”contacts/form.phtml”/>
</reference>

Instead I needed to update the form.phtml file directly. Where I could place the contact_intro directly into the setup of the contacts page html:

<?php echo $this->getLayout()->createBlock(‘cms/block’)->setBlockId(‘contact_intro’)->toHtml() ?>

Now I do not have two seperate blocks, when trying to add a block to the layout file. I have placed the static block exactly where I want it to be called within the contacts page.

I hope this helps clear things up as it has for me when trying to accomplish certain Magento layout updates.

<reference name=”right”>
<action method=”unsetChild”><name>cart_sidebar</name></action>
<action method=”unsetChild”><name>catalog.compare.sidebar</name></action>
<action method=”unsetChild”><name>right.reports.product.viewed</name></action>
<action method=”unsetChild”><name>right.permanent.callout</name></action>
</reference>

The line in page.xml that seems to cause the problem is

<block type=”core/profiler” output=”toHtml”/>

Magento now uses an updated call:

<block type=”core/profiler” output=”toHtml” name=”core_profiler”/>

This should be one of the initial changes that can get your site live and updated when upgrading to Magento 1.4.1.0

This is not currently the case but I still find that there is not enough control over the category / subcategory display within the layered navigation. This custom navigation block could be used above some of the other build in features such as price, manufacturer etc. that is simple to accomplish with the layered navigation.

Also of note, I have found including other SEO centralized developers, that the layered navigation simply refreshs that page, so should you have content on the main category page, the layered navigation link creates confusion becuase the page content continues to display.

Overall the layered navigation should be used for non-search engine targeted categorization as mentioned – price, size, etc.

To create the custom navigation simply create a new file, such as custom-navigation.php. I uploaded by custom navigation into the following directory:

app/design/frontend/blank/template/template/catalog/navigation

I adapted the following navigation area from a Magento tutorial. However I have updated the navigation to include a number of specific features that work very well. The example below will give you an idea of how the custom navigation area is laid out.

Products

• subcat 1
• subcat 2
• subcat etc.

Currently Browsing

• current category

Categories

• main category 1
• main category 2
• main category 3
• main category etc.

Because I wanted to create a robust navigation bar I wanted to have control over what information was displayed and make both browsing and bouncing around within the site very affective. The following navigation code allowed me to accomplish this and works great in conjunction with main body category navigation.

Custom Navigation Code:

<?php

/**
* Custom Nav
*/

?>

<?php
/* Get the categories that are active for the store */
$_main_categories=$this->getStoreCategories();

/* Get the current category the user is in */
$_current_category=$this->getCurrentCategory();

/* Get the current category path */
$_categorypath = $this->getCurrentCategoryPath();
?>

<div>
<div>
<div>
<h2>Shop by</h2>
</div>
<div>
<?php
if ($_main_categories):
/* This bit cycles through the categories – setting the next one to current */
foreach ($_main_categories as $_main_category):
if($_main_category->getIsActive()):
$cur_category=Mage::getModel(‘catalog/category’)->load($_main_category->getId());
$layer = Mage::getSingleton(‘catalog/layer’);
$layer->setCurrentCategory($cur_category);
?>

<?php
/* Check the category variable loop against the current category path if it is – print sub categories */
if (in_array($this->getCurrentCategory()->getId(), $_categorypath)): ?>
<?php $_maincategorylisting=$this->getCurrentCategory()?>
<?php $_categories=$this->getCurrentChildCategories()?>
<?php if($_categories->count()):?>

<dl>
<dt><?php echo $this->__(‘Products’) ?></dt>
<ol>
<? foreach ($_categories as $_category_link):?>
<? if($_category_link->getIsActive()):
$cur_subcategory=Mage::getModel(‘catalog/category’)->load($_category_link->getId());
$layer = Mage::getSingleton(‘catalog/layer’);
$layer->setCurrentCategory($cur_subcategory);

?>
<li><a href=”<?php echo $this->getCategoryUrl($_category_link)?>”> <?php echo $_category_link->getName()?></a></li>
<? endif;?>
<?endforeach?>
</ol>
</dl>

<?php /* This resets the category back to the original pages category
****     If this is not done, subsequent calls on the same page will use the last category
****    in the foreach loop
*/   ?>
<?php $layer->setCurrentCategory($_current_category);  ?>
<?endif;?>

<dl>
<dt><?php echo $this->__(‘Currently Browsing’) ?></dt>
<ol>
<? /* Current Category */  ?>
<li><a href=”<?php echo $this->getCurrentCategory()->getUrl()?>”><?php echo $this->getCurrentCategory()->getName();?></a></li>
</ol>
</dl>

<?endif;?>

<?php
endif;
endforeach;?>

<?php $layer->setCurrentCategory($_current_category);  ?>
<?else:
?>
<p>Continue Broswing</p>
<?php endif; ?>

<dl>
<dt><?php echo $this->__(‘Categories’) ?></dt>
<ol>
<?php
if ($_main_categories):
/* This bit cycles through the categories – setting the next one to current */
foreach ($_main_categories as $_main_category):
if($_main_category->getIsActive()):
$cur_category=Mage::getModel(‘catalog/category’)->load($_main_category->getId());
$layer = Mage::getSingleton(‘catalog/layer’);
$layer->setCurrentCategory($cur_category);

/* Write the main categories */
?>

<li><a href=”<?php echo $this->getCurrentCategory()->getUrl()?>”><?php echo $this->getCurrentCategory()->getName();?></a></li>

<?php /* This resets the category back to the original pages category
****     If this is not done, subsequent calls on the same page will use the last category
****    in the foreach loop
*/   ?>
<?php $layer->setCurrentCategory($_current_category);  ?>

<?php
endif;
endforeach;
else:
?>
<p>Continue Broswing</p>
<?php endif; ?>
</ol>
</dl>

</div>
</div>
</div>

Next you will want to call the custom navigation from either a static block or layout file. Personally I usually do both because I may need a static block in the left sidebar for a number of reasons. In order to have control over easily adding content I simply call a static block from the left layout block

app/design/frontend/blank/theme110/layout/catalog.xml

<block type=”cms/block” name=”custom_navigation” before=”-”>
<action method=”setBlockId”><block_id>custom_navigation</block_id></action>
</block>

If you have not already done so, create a static block with the identifier – custom_navigation. Within the static block you can now easily reference the custom navigation template file:

{{block type=’catalog/navigation’ name=’customNav’ template=’catalog/navigation/custom-navigation.phtml’}}

Save the changes and view the custom navigation.

Now should you want to update the custom navigation static block to include sale information or something of that nature you have a more robust area already created to customize.

Navigate to – app/code/core/Mage/Checkout/Block/Onepage/Billing.php

To update the default shipping option to ‘Ship to this Adress’ simply edit the core magento file located on your server:

Replace:

public function isUseBillingAddressForShipping()
{
if (($this->getQuote()->getIsVirtual()) || !$this->getQuote()->getShippingAddress()->getSameAsBilling())
{
return false;
}
return true;
}

With:

public function isUseBillingAddressForShipping()
{
if (($this->getQuote()->getIsVirtual()) || (!$this->getQuote()->getShippingAddress()->getSameAsBilling()))
{
return true;
} else {
return false;
}
}

/app/design/frontend/base/default/template/catalog/product/view/description.phtml

Edit the line nl2br($_description) to $_description, removing nl2br.

The added line breaks were causing issues in Firefox when creating unordered lists and such as the list code would have an added line break, <br>, or what appeared to be line spacing added to each item within the list.

You will want to edit the following file:
app/code/core/Mage/GoogleAnalytics/Block/Ga.php

…And add this simple line of code to line 179 in order to resolve the issue.

var _gaq = _gaq || [];

This issue has been reported and resolved already by the Magento Team through Issue #21456

In app/code/core/Mage/Adminhtml/Block/Catalog/Product/Grid.php around line 253 ad:

$sets = Mage::getResourceModel(‘eav/entity_attribute_set_collection’)
->setEntityTypeFilter(Mage::getModel(‘catalog/product’)
->getResource()->getTypeId())->load()->toOptionHash();

array_unshift($statuses, array(‘label’=>”, ‘value’=>”));
$this->getMassactionBlock()->addItem(‘attribute_set’, array(
‘label’=> Mage::helper(‘catalog’)->__(‘Change attribute set’),
‘url’ => $this->getUrl(‘*/*/massAttributeSet’, array(‘_current’=>true)),
‘additional’ => array(
‘visibility’ => array(
‘name’ => ‘attribute_set’,
‘type’ => ‘select’,
‘class’ => ‘required-entry’,
‘label’ => Mage::helper(‘catalog’)->__(‘Attribute Set’),
‘values’ => $sets
)
)
));

And then in app/code/core/Mage/Adminhtml/controllers/Catalog/ProductController.php (anywhere in the class) add a new function:

public function massAttributeSetAction(){

$productIds = $this->getRequest()->getParam(‘product’);
$storeId = (int)$this->getRequest()->getParam(‘store’, 0);
if(!is_array($productIds)) {
$this->_getSession()->addError($this->__(‘Please select product(s)’));
} else {
try {
foreach ($productIds as $productId) {
$product = Mage::getSingleton(‘catalog/product’)
->unsetData()
->setStoreId($storeId)
->load($productId)
->setAttributeSetId($this->getRequest()->getParam(‘attribute_set’))
->setIsMassupdate(true)
->save();
}
Mage::dispatchEvent(‘catalog_product_massupdate_after’, array(‘products’=>$productIds));
$this->_getSession()->addSuccess(
$this->__(‘Total of %d record(s) were successfully updated’, count($productIds)));
} catch (Exception $e) {
$this->_getSession()->addError($e->getMessage());
}
}

$this->_redirect(‘*/*/’, array(‘store’=>(int)$this->getRequest()->getParam(‘store’, 0)));
}

Once you have added the two snippets of code you will now be able to select products from teh Manage Products list and update any products Attribute Set from the actions dropdown menu.

Simply Select ‘Change Attribute Set’ and select the appropriate attribute set from the new dropdown menu that appears to the right of Actions.