Hide or remove “category” filter from the layered navigation

Question

I'm struggling to remove the Category filter from the layered, because I already have a category dropdown menu in my new website, so it will be only a waste of space (and confuse my customers)

I know that this issue was already asked many times and already solved, but I tried every solution without success. I believe that this is related to the custom template I use for the website.

After looking at my local.xml file (found in my template folder) I believe that I should work around these lines:

<reference name="product_list">
        <block type="core/text_list" name="category-right" as="category-right" translate="label">
            <label>Right Column</label>
            <block type="catalog/navigation" name="catalog.category" before="-" template="catalog/navigation/category_nav.phtml"/>
            <block type="catalog/layer_view" name="catalog.leftnav" after="catalog.category" template="catalog/layer/view.phtml"/>
            <block type="filterproducts/bestsellers_home_list" name="bestseller" template="catalog/navigation/best_sellers.phtml"/>
            <block type="core/template" name="right.permanent.callout" template="callouts/right_col.phtml">
                <block type="cms/block" name="cms_images_block">
                    <action method="setBlockId"><block_id>category_right_block</block_id></action>
                </block>
            </block>
        </block>
    </reference>

The first -block type- should be the category menu (and I'm fine with that). The second -block type- builds the "filter by" menu, just below the category menu, and I'm pretty sure that the problem is here.

I believe that I should unset something inside the "catalog.leftnav" but even if I try to add this code :

<catalog_category_layered>
     <reference name="product_list">
        <action method="unsetChild"><child>category_filter</child></action>
    </reference>
</catalog_category_layered>

nothing happens. What am I doing wrong?

Answer 1

Based on stackexchange.com answer:
If you want to do it via XML you should edit catalog.xml

replace:

<block type="catalog/layer_view" name="catalog.leftnav" 
    after="currency" template="catalog/layer/view.phtml" />  

with this:

<block type="catalog/layer_view" name="catalog.leftnav" after="currency" template="catalog/layer/view.phtml">  
    <action method="unsetChild"><alias>category_filter</alias></action>
</block>

Answer 2

Try this code first. Here we are trying to remove this via layout xml update

File : app/design/frontend/<package>/<theme>/layout/local.xml

<layout>
    <catalog_category_layered>
        <reference name="catalog.leftnav">
            <action method="unsetChild"><alias>category_filter</alias></action>
        </reference>
    </catalog_category_layered>
</layout>

This will solve your problem.

If it didn't worked, then you need to do a block rewrite. For this you need to create a module. The block that you need to rewrite is Mage_Catalog_Block_Layer_View.

Module's activation file looks like this

File : app/etc/modules/Avoid_CategoryFromLN.xml

<config>
    <modules>
         <Avoid_CategoryFromLN>
             <active>true</active>
             <codePool>local</codePool>
         </Avoid_CategoryFromLN>
     </modules>
</config>

This is how rewrite configuration looks like

File : app\code\local\Avoid/CategoryFromLN/etc/config.xml

<config>
    <modules>
        <Avoid_CategoryFromLN>
            <version>1.0.0</version>
        </Avoid_CategoryFromLN>
    </modules>
    <global>
        <blocks>
            <catalog>
                <rewrite>
                    <layer_view>Avoid_CategoryFromLN_Block_Layer_View</layer_view>
                </rewrite>
            </catalog>
        </blocks>
    </global>
</config>

Now your rewrite block should posses this content

File : app\code\local\Avoid/CategoryFromLN/Block/Layer/View.php

<?php
class Avoid_CategoryFromLN_Block_Layer_View exteds Mage_Catalog_Block_Layer_View
{
    public function getFilters()
    {

        $filterableAttributes = $this->_getFilterableAttributes();
        foreach ($filterableAttributes as $attribute) {
            $filters[] = $this->getChild($attribute->getAttributeCode() . '_filter');
        }

        return $filters;
    }
}

Here getFilters() is the method that actually includes category filters inside layered navigation filter. We just remove that code by rewriting the core class. That's it.

Big Note: : You should keep capital letters as it is. Dont make them small letters. If you do, it will not work. Magento is strict in these things :) So revise all folder names, file names multiple times. Make sure you keep all names contents as it is

Now try again.

Answer 3

I will post down what it worked for me as a reference for others

adding this :

<reference name="catalog.leftnav">  
<action method="unsetChild"><alias>category_filter</alias></action>
</reference>

in the custom design tab of every categories does the trick.

Remember especially to add it in the parent category, thats what did it for me.

Answer 4

The unset-child solution in local.xml works well. Please note, that if you are working with enterprise edition the reference is called "enterprisecatalog":

<reference name="enterprisecatalog.leftnav">
    <action method="unsetChild">
        <alias>category_filter</alias>
    </action>
</reference>

Side-note: You may not find any corresponding child-block definitions in any of the core XML. This is due to the fact, that children like "category_filter" are created (hard-coded) in _prepareLayout function of the corresponding catalog layer view. By using unsetChild you can, however, remove the hard-coded added child.

Answer 5

This is works https://magento.stackexchange.com/a/45249/9951

BUT

Also need add changes to app/design/frontend/rwd/default/template/catalog/layer/view.phtml

like this

if($_filter != '' && $_filter->getItemsCount())

and also need changes to /app/code/core/Mage/Catalog/Block/Layer/View.php

copy /app/code/core/Mage/Catalog/Block/Layer/View.php

to /app/code/local/Mage/Catalog/Block/Layer/View.php

and change method canShowOptions()

need change

if (&& $filter->getItemsCount())

to

if ($filter != '' && $filter->getItemsCount())

and try

Answer 6

This is what worked for me (on Magento 1.9).

Add these lines on your local.xml file:

<layout version="0.1.0">

  <default>

    <reference name="left">

      <!-- Remove layered navigation block form catalog page -->
      <remove name="catalog.leftnav"/>

      <!-- ... -->

    </reference>

    <!-- ... -->

  </default>

  <!-- ... -->

  <catalogsearch_result_index>

    <!-- Remove layered navigation from search result page -->
    <reference name="left">
      <action method="unsetChild">
        <child>catalogsearch.leftnav</child>
      </action>
    </reference>

  </catalogsearch_result_index>

  <!-- ... -->