Magento: Display sub-category list

Question

I'm building a Magento store and want to be able to display a list of categories and have each category link to its own page.

I have a 'Brands' category with an ID of 42 and I want to display a list of the sub-categories and ensure that each one links to the designated URL key in the CMS.

Has anyone had experience of doing this with Magento?

Solution 1

If you're comfortable editing your theme, this code snippet will bring you a list of all sub-categories of the current category (from the session, so this should work anywhere in your theme). I typically use this in app/design/frontend/default/theme_name/template/catalog/category/view.phtml

<?php
$_category  = $this->getCurrentCategory(); 
$collection = Mage::getModel('catalog/category')->getCategories($_category->entity_id);
$helper     = Mage::helper('catalog/category');
?>

<ul>
    <?php foreach ($collection as $cat):?>
            <?php if($_category->getIsActive()):?>
                <?php 
                     $cur_category = Mage::getModel('catalog/category')->load($cat->getId());
                     $_img = $cur_category->getImageUrl();  
                ?>
                <li>
                    <a href="<?php echo $helper->getCategoryUrl($cat);?>">
                         <img src="<?php echo $_img?>" title="<?php echo $cat->getName();?>"/>
                         <cite><?php echo $cat->getName();?></cite>
                    </a>
                </li>
            <?php endif?>
    <?php endforeach;?>
</ul>

Solution 2

If You want to Display top level categories and subcategories U can do Like This..

<?php $_helper = Mage::helper('catalog/category') ?>
<?php $_categories = $_helper->getStoreCategories() ?>
<?php $currentCategory = Mage::registry('current_category') ?>
<?php if (count($_categories) > 0): ?>
<ul>
    <?php foreach($_categories as $_category): ?>
        <li>
            <a href="<?php echo $_helper->getCategoryUrl($_category) ?>">
                <?php echo $_category->getName() ?>
            </a>
            <?php $_category = Mage::getModel('catalog/category')->load($_category->getId()) ?>
            <?php $_subcategories = $_category->getChildrenCategories() ?>
            <?php if (count($_subcategories) > 0): ?>
                <ul>
                    <?php foreach($_subcategories as $_subcategory): ?>
                        <li>
                            <a href="<?php echo $_helper->getCategoryUrl($_subcategory) ?>">
                                <?php echo $_subcategory->getName() ?>
                            </a>
                        </li>
                    <?php endforeach; ?>
                </ul>
            <?php endif; ?>
        </li>
    <?php endforeach; ?>
</ul>
<?php endif; ?>

For Displaying Top Level Categories and Current Categories SubCategories you can Do like ....

<?php $_helper = Mage::helper('catalog/category') ?>
<?php $_categories = $_helper->getStoreCategories() ?>
<?php $currentCategory = Mage::registry('current_category') ?>
<?php if (count($_categories) > 0): ?>
<ul>
    <?php foreach($_categories as $_category): ?>
        <li>
            <a href="<?php echo $_helper->getCategoryUrl($_category) ?>">
                <?php echo $_category->getName() ?>
            </a>
            <?php if ($currentCategory && $currentCategory->getId() == $_category->getId()): ?>
                <?php $_category = Mage::getModel('catalog/category')->load($_category->getId()) ?>
                <?php $_subcategories = $_category->getChildrenCategories() ?>
                <?php if (count($_subcategories) > 0): ?>
                    <ul>
                        <?php foreach($_subcategories as $_subcategory): ?>
                            <li>
                                <a href="<?php echo $_helper->getCategoryUrl($_subcategory) ?>">
                                    <?php echo $_subcategory->getName() ?>
                                </a>
                            </li>
                        <?php endforeach; ?>
                    </ul>
                <?php endif; ?>
            <?php endif; ?>
        </li>
    <?php endforeach; ?>
</ul>
<?php endif; ?>

Solution 3

This question requires a long answer. I will point you to the right places.

1) Best solution is to use the free extension. I haven't tried it, but it will suit the purpose. You will have to do some CSS to achieve the right look and feel.

http://www.magentocommerce.com/extension/1562/magento-easy-catalog-images Demo: http://extension01.templates-master.com/gb/electronics.html

2) I do not trust in modules as it might become difficult to upgrade if the vendor decided to stop supporting it. I have used the information from the following forum thread to create a vew sites. Have a look... Might not be straight forward. You might have to make some copies of core files to the local directory.

http://www.magentocommerce.com/boards/viewthread/3770/P30/

Hopefully this will be of help to you :)

Solution 4

after looking at all the solutions on the magento site, i found that wookiehangover's solution above worked and took about 8 seconds to implement.

creates a UL that you can style. thanks.

Solution 5

After creating static block you can get any list of the subcategories by this script:

        $_helper = Mage::helper('catalog/category');
        $_category = Mage::getModel('catalog/category')->load(5);
        $_subcategories = $_category->getChildrenCategories();

        if (count($_subcategories) <= 0) { return; }

        $count = 0;

        foreach($_subcategories as $_category) {     
                                                      $category = Mage::getModel('catalog/category')->load($_category->getId());

                                                      $ret->{"object_".$count} ->url  = $_helper->getCategoryUrl($_category);
                                                      $ret->{"object_".$count} ->name = $_category->getName();
                                                      $ret->{"object_".$count} ->id =  $_category->getId(); 
                                                      $ret->{"object_".$count} ->image =   $category->getImageUrl();
                                                      $count++;
                                                   } 

        return $ret;                                          

        } 


$list = list_subcategories(5);

echo "<pre>"; print_r($list); echo "</pre>";
?>

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