[JLynn]

For your first point...mine was just a General Option statement...meaning you can set up Global options that are common for certain Category/Sub-Categories, but that you may have product specific options that need to be set up through a "master grouping option" or single option as well.

Thanks for the tens or hundreds tips!

Not being able to duplicate an option is a killer. For people like me (and I know I'm not alone...) who know a little html, comfortable doing basic things with the codes, very proficient with a variety of software programs...pasting the code probably would be a lot quicker for you than me - I would have to analyze my moves and triple check to make sure I wasn't messing something up = time lost again. Whereas if you had an Option program (similar to Auctiva - auction software), setting up Master Options, Category specific options, and even down to setting up product specific options would be a breeze (e.g. if you sold clothes....say lace tops or T-shirts...or in my case a certain style earring that's all crystals versus one that is gemstones - each set of similar products would probably require a different set of options - material/bead, available lace colors as opposed to available T-shirt colors or sleeve styles - all things that are specific to the group and wouldn't work in a global option setting).

Copy/duplicate...if it was possible to duplicate an option (similar to the way we can create a new product by simply clicking on the 3D program "copy" button), as opposed to inserting code within the template...in my opinion, having a one click/one-step is a win-win all the way around - a real time saver with no worries or stress.

I think that this might be already possible in a way. just create an option template with all your options, and then copy it to your product and delete/hide the options you dont want. this may work for you, but for most stores, having a list of all options would be impractical....

This is exactly how I did my first run of creating my templates and having to individually delete each option you don't want from a global or single insert is extremeley time consuming, especially when you factor in that you may be going into hundreds of products to do this (or utilizing the import) - lots of wasted time. On the flip side, the way the program is set up, choosing individual options from your option area for a category or specific product is also a huge chunk of time because you cannot select multiple options and designate sort numbers in ONE step (this is why I suggested a one list with upper level assignments OR added columns for selection/sort numbers). Due to the time involved, that's why I eventually went to setting up as many Masters as I could for my Global options, and then individual options that are product specific. It's still time consuming but not as bad as either deleting or selecting things one a time.

So my point about having ONE list of options is simple - and it's about streamlining and better managing the options, in order for the Masters to function effectively - but you need an upper level above the options. Everyone could benefit by this and it doesn't really matter what you sell. You simply enter ALL of your options in one place and then assign them to a Master Option up one level (the benefit...only type options once, pick & choose to assign to a Category or product master...no time wasted deleting extra options you don't want, no time wasted picking options one at a time and for imports...just one option is needed - you just pick your Master for the Lace shirts, T-shirts, Crystal or Lampwork Earrings - instead of having to pick a global option, and several single options). Maybe a better way to explain this is to think of how we import our images to various folders we have set up...or the way we assign our products to certain categories - it's the same thing. You would simply create your options (type in or do an import), title your Masters (name them and place them in the next level up whether it's for a category or product specific), and then assign your options to these upper level Masters (and like Categories - you could have as many needed).

i implemented something like this: http://demos.mootools.net/Tips
but since there are limits to how the data is pulled in 3dcart, i decided to scrap it. again, would be resolved with HTML AREA.

You nailed it - there are definitely limits and although I thought I had the correct code for doing what I wanted to do in several cases...it never completely worked out as I thought it would. Since I'm not a programmer, I'm not sure if this was due to the mix of html and script, my browser, or a combo of all of them - but I know that I trust 3D and if they say it's a no-go...then I scrap because I don't want to inadvertently mess up something that will hurt how things are viewed, crawled, etc. With that in mind, this is why I always prefer to first work within program parameters without jumping immediately to the html section.

these are good subjects for another post, and i agree. but...if given a choice, i would prefer them to spend more time developing the software itself than creating more templates which we already have the freedom to change on our own

Ahhhh....I agree totally with improvements in the software - but tweeking the basic things may make a difference of retaining middle of the line user and also attracting a variety of new users for 3D in the future. I don't know the ratio between people with absolutely no experience (that are depending completely on 3D templates and would not even consider opening up an html template), to people like me with some programming, html knowledge and enough comfort level to try/research codes (even if it takes DAYS/WEEKS...) to the cream of the crop that have a boatload of programming/html/script knowledge and can re-arrange the templates and re-write codes in minutes. So - I would hope not only to see software improvements, but some of the little things like layout options for the product listing, amongst other things in the updates.

Yup - another long post