Hi!

I'm new here, new in K2 subject and I don't have much time to browse your forum, so if I have posted my topic in wrong place, please move it for me. I have a problem, that I need to be solved as fast, as possible.

I need to build a catalogue/directory of books, e-books, audio books and all other types of books with possibility to search, browse and filter positions by additional fields like ISBN, category, publisher, author, title, publishing date and so on, depending on book type. I think, that additional fields assigned to categories in K2 are made for that, but is it possible to build separate templates for each category? If it is possible, how difficult it is? I want to get category listing with boxes for each product, containing title, short description, thumbnail, table of parameters loaded from additional fields, views, rating, social icons and read more button.

Is it possible to build templates for each item detailed view, that is containing items as in category listing + detailed description and user reviews with custom field, a.e. age?

I know, that I can accomplish that task with SobiPro, but it's quite complicated (xsl templates are black magic for me) and their club membership concept is beyond my imagination (and beyond my budget too). Normally I would just pay somebody wise to make those templates for SobiPro, but my budget for this project is barely enough for server and domain :) Target of this project is to encourage children to read books by helping them and their parents to choose proper books, that are valuable and interesting for children.

You can do these templates with K2.
You need to read this tutorial on overriding the template files:
getk2.org/documentation/tutorials/174-templating-with-k2-and-the-concepts-of-sub-templates

In order to properly setup your categories and customize their settings these videos will help you get started: getk2.org/documentation/k2class2012

You're my hero! I have looked in documentation section and my motivation gone away with those spanish tutorials... Now I know where to start and I'm feeling the force again. Please don't close this thread yet. I'm sure, that I will have a lots of questions for you... :)

Ok, I have proceeded from wishes to actions, so I have first bunch of problems. I feel, that this topic will be great educational material for future generations :)

I have prepared a group of additional fields and category for test. I have assigned this additional fields group to my test category.
I haven't found proper additional field type for rating, but I believe, that built-in article rating will be used.

I have also prepared the files in my template catalog, as described in link you have posted. Now I have prepared new template "books" and I have to customise it.

I have started with item.php, which I believe is a single item view. I have found sections commented in code as item image section, intro text, full text and extra fields. Now what's next? I suppose, that now I need to alter some CSS.

BTW: When I have tried to attach a file, whole forum disappeared and only top section with logout button was visible, so I have to override this problem somehow:

mastertec.webd.pl/foty/k2/item_view.png
mastertec.webd.pl/foty/k2/category_view.png

Edit:

I have noticed, that my item view looks quite nice as it is, so I can proceed to category view.

Edit:

After some changes in settings of category view everythings looks acceptable, but I still need some changes. I wish to have additional fields displayed like on schema I posted above.
Can I just copy and paste extra fields section from item.php? Anybody tried that?
I have some boring job to do with categories and additional fields to do and it will take some time, but I will try that, when I finish.

BTW: At this point I can show you how it looks mastertec.webd.pl/czytamy

Your workflow is spotless.

The category_item.php has the extrafields code so you don't need to c/p any code. Just make sure you have enabled the extrafields in the category settings.

If you want to push it bit forward as well, you can read this blog post about extrafields as well (I don't know if it applies to this project. but it is a life saver for me).
getk2.org/blog/1068-k2-v262-now-available

Just be careful where $item and $this->item is used.

Thanks! It will be helpful in closest future, cause I still don't have the extra fields displayed in category view. I have small problems elsewhere in my project, so this subject will have to wait a little bit.
I will be back soon.

Edit:
Modifications described by me are possible, but I think K2 isn't best solution for this kind of use (it is still my nr. 1 for news portals, blogs and similar). Sorting by additional fields is possible through additional, commercial modules, that can be found via extensions.joomla.org. I have bought one of those modules, but finally I decided to add additional tags and use built-in functions, because of some limitations of this additional module.

Vision of this site evolved in meantime. Modification of templates was unnecesary, so I didn't modify anything. There's still one thing to do, but I didn't mention it here.

I'm finishing my project right now. You can see it here (it's in Polish language).

Thank you for help, Krikor! You helped me a lot.