Thread

Gree-eetings,

Very green EE user here looking for clarity. My confusion is likely a result of some of my view on channels, so first some context.

I am using EE to create a web store that will populate a product catalog through imports of distributor data. I ultimately would like to have a channel of “product”, which contains a channel group of “product offered” and then store distributor product in other vendor specific channel groups for “product available”. Ultimately building the “product offered” channel group from best prices available across one or more vendor’s available product stored in the “product available” channel groups.

First question would be “Is this a sound architectural approach?”

Assuming that is a reasonable approach, I need to create a “product” channel which contained “product offered” channel group. I’m thinking of channels in terms of tables in a database, which may be why I am confused.

Associated with the “product” channel, I would like to create an “inventory” channel which contains channel groups for “inventory available” and use a relationship between the SKU field_name that should exist in both channel groups in the product/product_offered channel/channel group. The problem I have run into here is that creating a relationship field in the inventory/inventory_available channel/channel group will not allow me to create a field_name with the same name.

Second question would be “What am I doing wrong here?”

I’ve created a “Products” channel, a “Products Offered” channel field group, and then have created fields_names in the group for each column name in the database I am going to import.

I then have a separate Inventory table that I need to import which has a common key of SKU. I assumed I could create another group in the “Products” channel I have created and then create either a “reference” to the shared data between the two tables (or field_names in EE terms), but it will not let me create a field_name that is already in use in a different group.

I’m confused. Can you explain?

Thanks in advance for the help.

EE’s channels are much like database tables, but not to that extent.

You can create relationships between channels, but there is a specific fieldtype for it, and the name must be unique (as you’ve experienced).  EE’s built in relationship field is a 1:M arrangement, but you create the field on the side of the many, and choose the parent from it.

Another possible point of confusion: you can also only assign one field group per channel. One field group can be assigned to more than one channel however.

Hey there RandyT,

I am glad to see that Mike was able to help you out.

What do you think of his feedback?

Does it make sense and do you have any more questions or concerns?

Cheers,