| Merged Attribute Pictures |
Merged Attribute Pictures
Merged Attribute Pictures (MAPs) are an alternative type of Linked Attribute Picture which - like LAPs - allow you to display as the selected image a separate image in response to the currently selected
combination of two or more pictures from different attribute sets. However, the image displayed using MAPs is not a separately-uploaded image as it is
with LAPs, but instead is an image produced on-the-fly by merging the currently selected individual attribute images by layering them
on top of each other. Using this method, no extra images need to be uploaded as the originally uploaded attribute images are the ones that are used to
create the merged picture. Before setting up MAPs, please bear in mind the following points:
- The first attribute picture set that you upload will always be the 'base' or 'bottom-most' image in the stack of image layers processed by PAPs.
It can include .jpg, .png or .gif files.
- The second - and any other subsequent - attribute picture sets uploaded will be layered (superimposed) on top of the base layer in the order they have been uploaded in.
This means that they must be transparent images in order to not totally cover up the base layer and any other layers beneath them. It is IMPORTANT therefore to use only transparent .gif or .png images, and NOT .jpg's for any layer other than the base layer.
- For best results, the images used for all attribute sets (ie in this sense, layers) should all be the same size.
MAPs can be set up as follows:- Firstly, make sure you have either set up all attribute groups that you want to link together in the 'Product Attributes' section of admin, or checked the
'Create Native Attribute' checkbox when uploading the attribute images.
- Then scroll down to the upload section in PAPs admin and select from the 'Existing native attribute:' dropdown. You will see the file upload section with the value
(name) of each attribute picture filled in. Upload images depicting the individual attributes (uploading the linked pictures comes later). Repeat this process for the other
attribute groups you want to link together.
- You will now see lists of the attribute groups in PAPs admin. Set 'Enable Linked Attribute Pictures:' to 'Yes' and save.
- Scroll down and you will now see the Linked Attribute Pictures upload area. It contains all the possible combinations which can be made between the various
attributes from each attribute group. Since you are using Merged Attribute Pictures there is no need to upload any files so simply click 'Submit' here.
- You should now see the same list of possible attribute combinations again, this time with the words 'NOT SET' next to each one. Just above the list
you will see a couple of radion buttons labelled 'Linked attribute images from:'. Select the 'Merged Existing Images' radio button.
- The attribute combination list should now show 'Auto-merged from attribute images' in the 'filename' column for each combination.
Setup of MAPs is complete. You should now test the results in your product page.
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Documentation 