K2 2.6.9
Catalog Mode
Joomla 3.3.6

Hello.

We are trying to find a solution to adding a Read More link to a Category or Subcategory page - not to Items within a category.

For example (see image-1) , there will be text supporting the Items in a category/subcategory, but the text is quite lengthy, so requires a teaser and then a Read More link.

The Read More needs to link to a new page, with the full Statement (see image-2) . This page needs to show in the breadcrumbs. The breadcrumbs will be the navigation back to the subcategory page.

We've tried this workaround:

Created a new Item. 'Hide' item image (Item view options in category listings). Input full statement text. Create a link on the subcategory page after teaser that takes viewer to 'Statement' page. This retains correct breadcrumbs navigation.

But even though can I 'Hide' the image for that Item it still takes up a position in the grid on the subcategory page. This is that empty space circled in the grid in image-1 .

I could arrange the ordering of that Item to be at the end of the grid. But that seems a somewhat clunky solution.

Is there another way to address with this?

You can override the category template and manually implement a word limit (the forum has many solution for limits which can implemented in various ways). Then you can create a button that has a hardcoded link, that of the subcategory.

More on overriding can be found here: getk2.org/documentation/tutorials/174-templating-with-k2-and-the-concepts-of-sub-templates

Thank you Krikor.

We'll investigate the template overrides further. Sorry still working on understanding.

From the CMS point of view, if we create a template override for that single K2 Item (the Statement), to behave differently than the other items that have also chosen that same category (Subcategory 1234), will the client/admin be able to choose the override when they need to create a new Statement item for the next subcategory they create? Screenshot . Does that make sense? I'm confused/concerned about how that works.

I think we have a workaround that will work instead of an override for the 'Statement' Item.

By choosing the 'Ordering' option for Item ordering in the subcategory (we were using this setting already) we can arrangement it so the Statement Item is last on the list and then it's positioned at the end of the grid. It doesn't seem to interfere with anything else. So this might be a reasonable workaround.

And this should be easy enough to instruct the client/admin to do so that is ok.

The real solution might be to override the Item template so that when 'Hide the Item image' is chosen (Item view options in category listings), it disables the item from staking a position on the category page. Which I'm surprised it didn't do - unless we've overlooked something???

Thanks again for the assistance Krikor!

The real solution might be to override the Item template so that when 'Hide the Item image' is chosen (Item view options in category listings), it disables the item from staking a position on the category page. Which I'm surprised it didn't do - unless we've overlooked something???

Double check that category's settings and make sure that it is not inheriting its settings from another category. If your settings are correct, then you do not need override this category. This is a template issue which can be fixed. Just compare your overrides to K2's default templates.

Ok thanks, we'll check those settings over.

Let me know on your findings.

Hi, sorry this response has gotten so lengthy.

I've gone through the category settings and they don't appear to be inheriting any settings.

It is a Subcategory, so its Parent category is our Main Category.

'Inherit parameter options from category' is set to - - None - -

In 'Category item Layout' a template (created by our developer) is selected - could that be where the issue is? If I change the setting to 'Use default' the results are the same though. The Statement Item still stakes a position in the grid (a blank space), even though it's manually set to 'Image: Hide'

If I'm not mistaken nothing else can be Inherited by this Subcategory(?)

The Statement Item itself inherits all of its 'Item view options in category listings' except for the Image, which I've manually set to Hide.

I also tried manually setting all the 'Item view options in category listings' settings for the Statement Item to Hide and there was no change. The Statement Item still staked a position in the grid.

There is no image in the Image Tab, so that rules out a possible conflict there(?)

I've gone over the main category as well and can't see anything that points to affecting the display of items on the category page.

Also, another issue with this current work around is that the "Statement Item" is still part of the item navigation. So even though I can theoretically Hide the image from showing on the Category page, when the viewer navigates through the Items using the previous/next buttons, the Statement item appears at the end of the Items.


Is there another way of approaching this?

I'll restate the objectives: (see screen shots examples at beginning of this post)
To have category description text at the top of the category page (catalog), but with a word limit(?), and then a link (hard code a read more link) that takes the viewer to a page that contains the full text (many paragraphs), and when the viewer is on that page of full text, the bread crumbs show it as follows:

Home / Main Category / Subcategory / Statement Item

So do we need just a destination page, that's maybe not an Item(?), that is connected to the Subcategory. Or one Item, within a subcategory, that can be made to behave differently than the other items, i.e. not appear within the grid layout on the category page and also not appear when navigating through the catalog Items.

Krikor, in your first response to this thread, you pointed to setting a word limit and then to hard code a button. I see where to set the word limit in 'Item view options in category listings' but, I'm speaking of the category description text and not a K2 Item. In the 'Category view options' I only see the option to either Show/Hide the Description. No text word limiting. Is there somewhere else I can set that?

To have category description text at the top of the category page (catalog), but with a word limit(?), and then a link (hard code a read more link) that takes the viewer to a page that contains the full text (many paragraphs), and when the viewer is on that page of full text, the bread crumbs show it as follows:

Yes the hardcoded link should point towards a K2 item.
Also since you have a hardcoded link you do not need to limit the text. Simply enter the amount of text you need and the rest should be put in the item.

If the Home / Main Category / Subcategory / are all menu items then you can add a child called Statement.
It will appear on the breadcrumbs (if you are using mod_breadcrumbs) and the url as / Main Category / Subcategory / alias even if it belongs to another category.

Thank you Krikor for the quick response.

" Yes the hardcoded link should point towards a K2 item.
Also since you have a hardcoded link you do not need to limit the text. Simply enter the amount of text you need and the rest should be put in the item. "

Ok great, this keeps it nice and simple!

" If the Home / Main Category / Subcategory / are all menu items then you can add a child called Statement.
It will appear on the breadcrumbs (if you are using mod_breadcrumbs) and the url as / Main Category / Subcategory / alias even if it belongs to another category. "

Ok, we'll look into how this is set up and give it a try!