Chapter 2: Installing and Using NetStores

Creating an interface for configured products

If you sell products that are normally ordered as combinations of several items (for example, a typical computer purchase includes many components and options), you can use NetStores's gen-conf interface. This interface helps customers select an appropriate combination of items.

"Order configured products (gen-conf)" For an online example of this interface, see http://www.netstores.com/dwos-bin/gen-conf?sws5.html+integrix (use "1" for the account number and "captain" for the password. This page helps customers configure a workstation. They can choose things like the CPU speed, monitor size, and whether they want additional options like a floppy drive and cables.

To create a configured interface:

1. First create the item files necessary for the Search interface (gen-srch). See "Setting up the search (gen-srch) interface" for details. NetStores uses the same file structure for the gen-srch and gen-conf interfaces.
2. Create a HTML file in your ./dwos/data/store-abbrev directory similar to the example provided in the ./dwos/data/integrix/sws5.html file. Use whatever HTML you want to format the page, while following these rules:
   • Form tag: Use this tag to begin the form:

         <FORM METHOD="POST" ACTION=/dwos-bin/post-form>
     
     

   • Required hidden fields: Include these fields at the beginning of the form:

         <INPUT TYPE=hidden NAME=func VALUE=frontend>
         <INPUT TYPE=hidden NAME=mmcust VALUE=store-abbrev>
     

     where store-abbrev is the directory name for your store in the ./dwos/data directory.

   • Submit button: Use this tag to create the button the customer clicks to submit the order request:

         <INPUT TYPE="submit" VALUE="Submit Request">
     
     

   • If customer must select only one of several options: Create a radio field by creating a series of tags like this:

     <INPUT TYPE="radio" NAME="category" VALUE="item1_no" checked> item1_description
     <INPUT TYPE="radio" NAME="category" VALUE="item2_no" > item2_description
     <INPUT TYPE="radio" NAME="category" VALUE="item3_no" > item3_description
     

     Add the "checked" attribute for the item you want to be checked when the customer first sees the page. category is a name you give all the items in the radio field. (You might want to match these name to the name in a list file (.lst) you use for your gen-srch interface. item#_no must be the unique key value for the item the customer will receives if they select this field. item#_description can be any text you want to use to identify this item.

   • If customer may either select or not select an option: For options that are independent of other options, create a check box field with a tag like this:

         <INPUT TYPE="checkbox" NAME="category" VALUE="item_no" > item_description
     

     category is a name you give this individual checkbox. All checkboxes should have different names. item_no must be the unique key value for the item the customer will receives if they check this field. item_description can be any text you want to use to identify this item.

NetStores Administrator's Guide
1: About NetStores 2: Installing and Using NetStores	3: Troubleshooting 4: Technical Reference
Copyright © 1996 NetStores