Viart seems to have every feature imaginable- except for one big one. If I have more than one option, ie: size and color, is there any way to automatically connect them so I can track the stock status of each color-size combination with 2 option menus so that the customer can pick a size and based on that size the system will display the colors available for that size? I've browsed through the live sites and none seem to have more than one option menu.

I think I understand your question, and I believe ViArt is the only one that is able to do this.
 
Goto a product add your first option. The first option obviously is mandatory and will always show. Whilst adding in this option you will note 'Option Values' a section below, enter some values there, these will be the choices that you will provide to your buying customer.
So for instance:
 
Shirt Size: (in a list box) S,M,L,XL,XXL,XXXL
These values go into the option value boxes.
 
After you have added the first option.
 
Add then next option say Colours?
 
The beauty is right here. Whilst adding this option you will now note a new prompt :
 
Parent Option?
 
Click on this option an you will see the label of your first option: Shirt Size
 
Click on this Parent option and you will be prompted with all those values from your first option S,M,L,XL,XXL,XXXL
 
Choose on value. Lets say S
 
On this Colour option goto the 'Option Value' choices at the bottom and add values like Red, Blue,Green,Yellow
 
Add the option.
 
On the shop level, the customer sees the following:
 
Select Shirt Size (in a list box or radio buttons) S,M,L,XL,XXL,XXXL
Once he click on one, say in this case he clicks on 'S', then the next prompt appears
 
Select Shirt Colour? Red,Blue,Green,Yellow
He then chooses his colour.
 
If he were to have picked a different size, then different colour choices would be prompted.
 
If the colour is size dependent, then keep adding new option for each shirt size 'Option Value' from the first option.
 
So add 'Option' Size, in it add 'Option Values' of different sizes.
 
For each Size 'Option Value', add an option. In here the 'Option Values' will have the colour choices for that particular size.
 
I know this is a bit long winded, but I prefer a step to step guide rather then assuming you know it.
 
This actually works for as many options as you like. I am currently in the building process and I have at least 50 options in one of my products.
 
Hope this helps. Let me say without an ounce of bias, I have found this software, their support staff and this company probably one of the best out there. They just released their latest version 3.6.

Thanks for your response. Until now, I've been using Volusion which automatically creates all possible color-size combinations based on the different options you assign the product. With Viart, you're saying I would need to actually create each combination for each product manually?

Yes, but once you create a configuration that works, you can use the copy feature to add those options to any other product you would like.
 
Also, it has to be changed on each and every product, if that need arises. (and it will)

foxtrotdomains, that's magic.
 
All these years of using Viart I had not seen this update - this transforms options.
 
It is one of my greatest frustrations - knowing all the magic things this program can do. Oh! How I wish there was a decent manual that could help me to see the magic in the program
 
Chris
 
 
 
"you're saying I would need to actually create each combination for each product manually" ... I have to say that this is a small thing for all the creativity of Viart.

It's not really such a small thing. Each brand I carry has its own set of options; some have sizes A,B,C,D, some AB, CD, EF, some S/M, M/L, L/XL, etc. With Volusion, I was able to enter all the possible sizes and all the possible colors at once, and then for each product, I would just select the applicable ones and the system would create the combinations for me. Viart has every other feature I could think of, which is why I am thinking of switching, but for me, this one is really a big one.

Yes but you are only considering 2 level deep tables. With this option and parent option you can go as deep as your logic dictates. I am not sure I follow the other software setup.
 
I have a real complex scenario, where each choice they make will determine the next set of questions. I manufacture products based on the clients requirements. They decide what shape, size, colour, position, style they want and I build it accordingly. Each option choice they make will determine the cost. And my minimum qty to order is 50 units. From there they choose 100, 250,500,1000,1500,2000,2500. Also within each qty break the price varies. I have not found this logic in other software. When I have finished my shop, i will let you look at it. Perhaps you can suggest a better way.
 
Also here you have the ability to have an if-then-else situation. You can segregate the options to as many levels as you wish.
 
With regards to your case ys, I believe you can set up the original choices in another table and have them used in new products, so you are not entering them repeatedly for every new product. Once you have entered the options in a table you can call on them in the various products where you need them. They may not work in the way you describe in your existing software, but they certainly eliminate repetition of entering the options.
 
I hope this makes sense.

BestFit is referring to this in the Admin part. If you were to go to Admin>Product>Product Type> here you can enter you options and use them with new products. I think this is what you might be looking for.

I have set up two levels option for my products. However, I can't seem to get the right stock level for the combination option, i.e. I can see the stock level for color: R, B or Size: S, M but not color x size combination. Anyone has similar problems?

I don't use stock in my shop, so I am not sure how it is setup, but I am so sure it can be done. Perhaps you can generate a support ticket.

tw - I haven't tried it yet but it seems to me that when you select a parent option from the drop down menu, ie: Small, and then you populate the fields for the dependent option, ie: red, blue, etc., the stock status field for each of those colors should refer to the stock status of that color-size combination, in this case, Small-Red, Small-Blue, etc.
Is that not the case?

foxtrotdomains- I imported all my products. Now I'm trying to set up the options. How would I call up the options that I set up in 'Product Type?'

tw- Now that I actually tried doing it, I see what you mean. It looks like you can't use the list of options if you want to track status.
 
Seems like you'd need to put in the options one by one on each product in order to track the stock status.

That is correct, as the stock would have to be specific to the product and not the type.
 
Previously, when I was referencing the copy of options, it was for each product and NOT the product type.
 
You can do that by product type, at the admin level, but then you lose some of the product specific If..Then.. else functionality.
 
We have done all of ours at the individual product level and have it such that if you select option A (first Level), then sub option F (2nd Level) shows; if you select Option B (1st Level) then sub option G (2nd level) shows. And so on.
 
You can take this to as many levels down as you want.
Example: select Option B (1st Level) then sub option G (2nd level) shows. Then once option G shows (2nd level) then option t (3rd level) shows.
 
This allows you great granularity, but is time consuming to set up. I would recommend that you lay all this out on paper first if you have complex requirements, because it is easy to get lost when you get much beyond the 2nd level.

I have done exactly as BestFit. I have so many options and options values and so many levels deep that it go to me mentally.
 
But then I did a couple of things that made it much easier. First I gave the option labels a descriptive name, so it was not just colour or qty. I actually gave it a name in full that was a mini description to that option. The sub options that followed the parent was also given a descriptive name that made logical sense.
 
Although all this did not look well on the storefront, it was just so I could get the logic in place. After it is done I will just change the description to a shorter name.
 
Anyway, when I have it ready I will let you take a look at it if you are interested. It is crazy complex. I mean n one product I have more then 80 options. Of course not all show up, they are displayed depending on the choices the customer makes.

foxtrotdomains - I found the same an used naming this way also.
 
There appears to be one small problem in checkout.
 
Example: I have level one option:
 
Colour:
- option 1 Standard Colour
- option 2 Special Colour
 
Level two options are the colours in each of these.
 
Customer selects Option1 in products page and get choice of Option1 colours.
 
But - in checkout, whilst Option1 show as selected BOTH the choices is shown. I realise that in checkout the customer can then decide to change to Option2 and select from the appropriate drop down but it is confusing to a regular customer!
 
Chris

On mine there is no choice to change, only because we have too many options.
 
So they can either change none or all, and if they are to change all of them then might as well be at the product detail page.
 
We manufacture products that have many choices, so decide at product detail level and you are done. At checkout there is no changes to be made not even qty.

http://www.a2zscraplets.com.au/products.php?category_id=12
We are using two options here. Maybe this is what you are after. Hope this is helpful.

Wayne - do you track stock status?

Watch out for the progressive option selections in version 3.6.
They broke the functionality in the latest version.
 
Now all options display at once!!!!!
 
So, if you have an sub-option set to display when the parent option value is selected and any sub-option is required. Then you can not get the product into the cart without selecting ALL the required ones first. Even if they are not related to the value in the parent option.
 
What was working well yesterday, is not working today.

We are Manufacturers and don't need to use stock control. We also found out since upgrading to v3.4.7 we started to get problems if we use stock control. I am a bit hesitant this time to upgrade to the latest version, It seems one can of worms gets fixed and another opens. One of the major problems when we upgraded was the options under discussion now, We had to go and re enter all the options again manually. With over 2500 products this was a little daunting. Oh and we paid Viart to do the upgrade for us.
Getting back to the subject, even though we have turned off stock control we can see how many we have sold as they show up as -12 or minus however many have been ordered.
Hope this helps

Wow, I cannot believe that the Options are not working as they should. I am on vers 3.5.35 and so far they seem ok.
 
Viart options is one of their powerful features. If it does what BestFit says it does now is something they have to address immediately. I am sure they will.