I have asked this before but the answer was somewhat convoluted and dissatisfactory.
I am looking to achieve the following:
- A shoe is sold in many colors and many sizes
- The shoe should show up in layered nav filters for sizes that the simples represent, but when filtered the image should change to the corresponding image
- Ideally it should be represented by only one configurable product
Currently there are two solutions we have implemented:
Solution 1:
- Set one size of each color of the shoe to be visibility
Catalog
and the configurable to beCatalog, Search
- When these simples are displaying in the category we have a plugin which gets the correct URL from the parent configurable and pass the current color/size in the querystring to pre-load the selection when the customer navigates
Solution 2:
- Create multiple configurables, each representing a different color.
- Each configurable points to the same set of child products
- Gallery images take care of the color/image view requirements in catalog
I think that each of these solutions is viable, but I have a feeling that there must be a better way. Any workable suggestions welcome.
Best Answer
Some time ago, I found this module:
http://www.webguys.de/magento/adventskalender/turchen-04-configurable-products-und-die-basis-artikel-nummer/#more-3005 [Text in German]
It doesn't work with configurable products at all, but uses simple products and applies a "base_product_number"; then it overrides the product collection and thus achieves by a SQL GROUP statement that products with the same base_product_number are shown as one in product lists. Of course, as soon as you filter, only the simple product with the correct color/size/whatever will be shown, and also its picture.
I think it didn't make it to github, maybe you can contact the developer and ask him to provide the alpha-version on github for community contribution.