What is the best way for admins to add PDFs to product pages?

Question

Our client has several specification sheets in pdf format for many of their products. What is the best or easiest way for them to add a downloadable PDF to each product page. (Some PDFs fit many products).

UPDATE: I found a very useful extension for this http://amasty.com/product-attachments.html

Answer 1

A simple way to do this, without much programming, is to take advantage of magento's product attributes. It's very simple to do the following -

1. add a product attribute called "spec_sheets" and allow that attribute to used on the front end. Then add that attribute to the appropriate product attribute sets.
2. have your client FTP the pdf files to a directory under your magento install - say media/specs.
3. edit the product(s) where the spec sheets should be shown and enter the pdf file names.
4. Update the product view template to detect if the attribute has a value by getting it's value, $_product->getSpecSheet(). If a file exists in media/specs directory with the same name as the attribute, display a link to the PDF on the product page.

If there are more than 1 PDF per product, then you can have the admin enter the filenames in a comma separated list and then use php to parse out the individual filenames.

Answer 2

I think just uploading them and using the WYSIWYG Editor to add a link is not enough?

How much PDFs are we talking about?

You could add a new multiselect to the products, add a source model und upload the pdfs (have a nice grid, etc.) and select them in the product.

If there are too much, you can implement your own chooser with a js-grid (incl. search, etc.) and JS magic. I did that once for a product-chooser (Mage_Adminhtml_Block_Catalog_Product_Widget_Chooser)

Answer 3

you can use this extension for product pdf Pdf Extension

This extension allows assigning multiple pdf file to your product, pdf can be uploaded and then assign in product is very easy

Answer 4

I've got a better way.
Install this extension: Etatva Extension

After installing, add this line to view.phtml.

echo $this->getLayout()->createBlock('files/product_view')->setTemplate('files/files.phtml')->toHtml();  

Save it, clear cache, log out, re log in. Go to System>>Configuration, you should see that extension in left panel. Play with settings so that pdf files can be uploaded in backend.
Then add a new product, upload pdf. Then add a custom attribute, make it visible in front end. In backend, use an anchor tag like this for that custom attribute.

<a href="linkwherecustompdfsare stored" alt="pdfdownloader">PDF Downloader</a>  

Save it, refresh front end and Voila!!
You should see a link in front end, clicking on it will download the pdf.
Tested and verified in Magento CE 1.9.0.1 :)

Answer 5

Another possibility is to use an extension which does exactly what you want to do. There exists a free extension for this purpose:

http://www.magentocommerce.com/magento-connect/pdf-for-every-product-8631.html

Another one which is free for up to 1000 products is this one:

http://www.magentocommerce.com/magento-connect/pdf-for-every-product-8631.html

Answer 6

Here's MagDoc Module which helps to manage your PDF or any other types of file on Scribd and display that document on browse by adding few codes. Hope this helps.