Filter by Product's Custom Options or set diffrent options for each products from Attributes Sets

Question

I don't know what is the best way of doing this. The idea is that I have about 500 products. I created 11 Attribute Sets (to cover 11 product categories). These attributes are filterable. But I need to set different options for each product's attributes. So custom options are the only solution I see (I can't create different attributes for each product).

My questions:

1. How can I set different attribute options for each product?

2. If 1 is not possible, how can I make Custom Options Filterable? (like attributes "Use In Layered Navigation")

Answer 1

There is no direct connection to the "Custom Options" in a product and an attribute. You would have to simulate this manually. Follow these steps to do that:

Lets say you have a Category called Electronics. And an Attribute Set called Electronics.

Create a new attribute called whatever your Custom Option is, such as Extended Warranty.

When creating the Attribute, under Attribute Properties set Catalog Input Type for Store Owner and select either Dropdown, Multiple Select, or Price. Those are the only ones usable for filterable search.

Then in Frontend Properties select "Use In Layered Navigation".

Then click Manage Label/Options and input the options you would have in the Custom Options of the product.

Add this Attribute to the Electronics Attribute Set.

If you selected Dropdown as Catalog Input Type for Store Owner, then do the same for your Custom Options in the product. So if you had an Electronic, it now has the dropdown attribute for Extended Warranty or whatever attribute you want to use.