Section 4. Manage properties

Overview

Property is the main real estate object within this script. This section discusses various actions that can be performed in the context of property management. It contains the following topics :

• Accessing the property management tasks
• Add a new property to the current language
• View the list of existing properties for the current language
• Edit the existing property for the current language
• Manage additional images of the property
• Delete the existing property for the current language

Accessing the property management tasks

Use the Properties menu to access property management tasks. From the drop-down menu choose one of the following options:

• Add
• View / Modify

See picture 12 .

Choose Add to add a new property to the current language. Choose View/Modify to view the list of existing properties for the current language, as well as edit or delete them.

  Picture 12.

Add a new property to the current language

Choose Properties > Add to add a new property (see picture 25).

  Picture 25.

This form contains four pinned fields:

• The Category field of Multiple type is used to select categories that contain new products. A product doesn't have to be placed in several categories, but you must choose at least one category.
• The Featured checkbox determines whether a property appears in the featured list of properties. If you select this checkbox, then properties you create will automatically be added to this list.
• The Available checkbox determines whether a property is displayed in the front-end interface. If this checkbox is not selected, then property does not appear in the list of categories it belongs to. This feature allows you to temporarily hide a property, if its information is not ready yet or requires to be changed.
• The Image field is used to upload images that are displayed in the list of properties in the front-end interface.

All fields and checkbox groups located below are editable. The Integer and Float type fields are mandatory.

If the values are set correctly, then after you click the Add new button you will receive a message notifying that new property has been added.

View the list of existing properties for the current language

Choose Properties > View / Modify to see the list of existing properties of the current language. Properties are displayed in a table ( see picture 26).

  Picture 26.

The first column of the table contains property ID. The second column lists property's attributes, such as property creation date, featured status, and availability status. The third column contains detailed information about a property. You can change this information. The last column of the table contains action buttons that allow you to edit and de lete any property in the list.

The list of properties supports the following functions:

• Limit the list by a particular category. To do this use the Category drop-down list (see picture 27). This menu contains a list of all categories for the current language. Categories are displayed in a tree hierarchy. Selecting a category from the list displays properties that belong to this category only. To view the list of all properties for the current language, select All .
• Edit details displayed in the property information column. Click > to expand Property display settings (see picture 28). You will see the list of fields available for display. Textarea and Multiple type fields, as well as all checkbox groups are not available. Select a checkbox next to the field which should be displayed in the list of properties. Deselecting a checkbox removes the field from the list of displayed fields. If you have a lot of fields, then the Property display settings area may occupy a lot of space on the page, so you might want to collapse the list by clicking the \/ symbol.
• Change featured and available statuses for every property. The Change link is displayed next to the property status (see picture 29). By clicking this link you can change the status of the appropriate attribute.

  Picture 27. Categories menu

  Picture 28. Property details

  Picture 29. Featured and Available status

Edit the existing property for the current language

After clicking the Edit icon next to any property in the list a form for editing this property is displayed. This form contains the same fields as the form for adding new properties. If all of the values are set correctly, then after you click the Save button you will receive a message notifying that changes have been accepted.

Manage additional images of the property

Except for the image displayed in the list of properties, you can add images that you want to display on the property's detailed page in the front-end interface. To manage additional images, click on the Edit icon next a property in the list. Under the form for editing property settings you will see a form for adding additional images, as well as the list of existing images (see picture 30).

  Picture 30

The form for adding additional images has two fields:

• Image description field contains image description which is displayed in the front-end interface. This field is optional.
• Extra Images field allows you to upload new images.

After you click the Add new button, a message is displayed notifying you that new image has been added. When a new image is added three files are automatically created. Two of them contain the image thumbnail and the actual image. These images, as well as images for the lists, are automatically resized depending on the image settings (see Section 9 - Settings ). The third file is a text file with the image description.

Existing images are displayed in a table. The first column contains image thumbnail, the second column contains image description, and the third column contains the Delete action button.

Delete the existing property for the current language

After clicking the Delete icon next to any property in the list a delete confirmation window is displayed (see picture 31)

Picture 31

Click OK to delete the selected property, or Cancel to keep the property.