layered navigation category => auto set filter

Question

we have several layered categories that contain configurable products

Now for that category we want to "auto-apply" a filter

So say: they open category X, then the page is alread "pre-filtered" for variable SIZE=12

Can this be done through XML update? or other?

many thanks, Sean

Example something like add to collection filter (but then in XML)

Answer 1

We are investigating / debugging this. Must be possible!!

While reading this as a reference: Setting variables, we came up with the following:

1: set data=> Custom Layout Update in category (none working, so that's whye so many calls: WIP)

<reference name="content">
  <action method="setAttributeFilterName"><value>shirt_size</value></action>
  <action method="setAttributeFilterValue"><value>1</value></action>
</reference>

<reference name="product_list">
  <action method="setAttributeFilterName"><value>shirt_size</value></action>
  <action method="setAttributeFilterValue"><value>2</value></action>
</reference>

<reference name="left">
  <action method="setAttributeFilterName"><value>shirt_size</value></action>
  <action method="setAttributeFilterValue"><value>3</value></action>
</reference>

<action method="setAttributeFilterName"><value>shirt_size</value></action>
<action method="setAttributeFilterValue"><value>4</value></action>

<catalog_category_view>
  <reference name="product_list">
    <action method="setAttributeFilterName"><value>shirt_size</value></action>
    <action method="setAttributeFilterValue"><value>5</value></action>
  </reference>
</catalog_category_view>

<catalog_category_layered>
  <reference name="product_list">
    <action method="setAttributeFilterName"><value>shirt_size</value></action>
    <action method="setAttributeFilterValue"><value>6</value></action>
  </reference>
</catalog_category_layered>

2: collection get data=> Influence category collection set-up and picking up the value again as a filter

$f = $this->getData('attribute_filter_name');
$v = $this->getData('attribute_filter_value');
Mage::log('1: '.$f.'-'.$v,Zend_Log::DEBUG,'debug.log',true);

Mage::log('1: '.$this->getAttributeFilterName().' - '.$this->getAttributeFilterValue(),Zend_Log::DEBUG,'debug.log',true);

if (false) {
    $collection->addAttributeToFilter($this->getAttributeFilterName(), $this->getAttributeFilterValue());
}

3: Conclustion=> Not working yet, any help appreciated

Answer 2

Reading this article: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/26050724/magento-setting-variables-via-the-custom-layout-updates-xml-on-a-per-category

We had the idea of just adding this to custom layout update

<catalog_category_view>
 <reference name="product_list">
   <action method="setShirtSize"><value>10</value></action>
 </reference>
</catalog_category_view>

but then we read this and here it states that the SetData command is accessed after the layout generation...

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/9844685/passing-data-from-layout-to-block-controller-using-setdata

(and we need it ofcourse before to apply the layered navigation filter