ce-1.8.1.0filtered-navlayered-navigationmagento-1.8
I have the attributes correctly configured to be displayed for layered navigation. The attribute names are showing but the "attribute values" are not. $_filter->getHtml() simply returns empty strings (see pic).
I have an multi store and on my other stores the layered navigation is showing just fine. Magento 1.8.1.0
As I said, solution was quite easy once I realized what the problem was.
I followed this Magento Wiki to setup attributeSets and attributes, only I didn't realize my attributes had to be of 'int' backend-type to be eligible for layered navigation.
So, in order to create an attribute for layered navigation you must have into consideration:
Frontend-type must be price, select or multiselect
Backend-type must be decimal (like price), int (for selects), varchar (for multiselect). There's no need to worry about this unless you are, like me, creating attributes programmatically.
That it must be marked as 'use in Layered Navigation'
That there should be at least two products with different values for this attribute (this seems to be not mandatory, but gives sense to use the attribute in Layered Navigation)
The answer is: It's the fault of the Lesti Full Page Cache - Lesti FPC Module.
In System -> Configuration -> Advanced -> System the new URI Parameters for the filters must be added!
I hadn't thought of that and actually thought it would add these or any new filters automatically - but it does not.
As for the '38-FR40' Problem .... I may ask that in a seperate question to avoid confusion with the title.
Best Answer
I would recommend that you enable Template Path Hints AND Add Block Names to Hints in the developer menu in the magento configuration.
This can be seen if you select the website (not the default configuration) as your scope.
This will allow you to see, on the front end what block is being referenced, and possibly what is overwriting what you are expecting (e.g. magento's default functionality).
I experienced the same issue recently, and it turned out that the theme was being overwritten by a badly written plugin, this maybe the same for you.