EasyPopulate & Auto Attribute Creation?

[AngstyG]

I think the internets ate my thread, so I'm typing this out again

I was wondering if EP has the capability to automatically create attribute values that aren't already present in the database.

Say my attribute is "Color" and I want to add "Green" into the spreadsheet, but "Green" isn't yet listed as a value in the database. Ideally, EP would create it upon .csv upload. Is this possible at all?

The items in my store have sometimes funky or non-traditional colors (Gingham!), but they might only be used once. So to input every color possibility seems like a horrific task. There could be hundreds, you know?

I tried testing this out, but it seems as though EP presently ignores it if it's not already in the database.

Is there a workaround for this, or maybe a more efficient method I'm not thinking of?

Tons of thanks in advance.

[ridexbuilder]

AFAIK, if the attribute exists (colour), then the attribute value (green) should load OK.
Maybe it just doesn't like bad American spelling.
I may get a chance to test soon - I'll post back.... just dinnae haud yer breath.

[AngstyG]

BAHHHHH!

Okay. I'm seeing now that you MUST, at minimum, give the attribute value an ID and set the values_price. It's not as easy as slapping a name in there (derp).

But now I'm kind of sad, because well... giving values manual IDs seems like a recipe for utter disaster, yes/yes?

[ridexbuilder]

Yep, it ain't easy, more so where more than one language is used.

[AngstyG]

I haven't taken a good enough peek at the database structure to tell, but maybe... auto-increment key column for IDs? Then, IDs could be blank and auto-incremented? But I'm sure if it was that easy, the dev would have done it in the first place :-/

Drats.

Thanks for the help, Ridex. You're super.

[ridexbuilder]

One of my hosted clients uses attributes (and EP) regularly - I'll ask if they could get in touch, if you're serious/desperate for a working solution in 'Max. I can only ask - no promises. (A little 'research' of your own might discover which client).

Re: auto-increment - be very careful and fully check the consequences, particularly with multiple attribute names and multiple products.

EJ

[AngstyG]

See, I had all good intentions of proving my stalking--I mean, research--prowess by figuring the client out, but then I didn't.

But yeah, I'd be totally appreciative if you can get us in touch. Really, "serious/desperate" is my middle name. But my mom always was a bit of drama queen.



Again, you, with the being super. XD

[ridexbuilder]

Email sent - don't appear to be online at present.

[AngstyG]

As a note, Auto-increment does nothing. Apparently, the whole blank-id-makes-the-value-not-get-entered-at-all thing happens pre-sql.

I might dig around, since that narrows it down considerably.

[TreasureBin]

I think the internets ate my thread, so I'm typing this out again

I was wondering if EP has the capability to automatically create attribute values that aren't already present in the database.

Say my attribute is "Color" and I want to add "Green" into the spreadsheet, but "Green" isn't yet listed as a value in the database. Ideally, EP would create it upon .csv upload. Is this possible at all?

The items in my store have sometimes funky or non-traditional colors (Gingham!), but they might only be used once. So to input every color possibility seems like a horrific task. There could be hundreds, you know?

I tried testing this out, but it seems as though EP presently ignores it if it's not already in the database.

Is there a workaround for this, or maybe a more efficient method I'm not thinking of?

Tons of thanks in advance.

Yep, you can use new attributes in the EP spreadsheet - you just need to make sure you give a different number to each attribute, and always use that number for that attribute. If you use the wrong number, EP will allocate the attribute for that number, no matter what name is typed into the attribute cell.
I keep a separate note of the numbers and attributes, as I am currently using 350+ attributes!

Hope that helps.
TB