How can I determine which product features match each other?
In K3, the validity of characteristic combinations is defined in tables.
| handle | decor | series |
|---|---|---|
| Long | Birch | Smart |
| Arch | Birch | Smart |
| Birch | Smart | |
| Long | All values | Smart |
| Sheet | All values | Smart |
| All Values | All Values | Modern |
This rule for a wardrobe system states that
- in the "Smart" range, every handle works for "Birch", and only "Long" and "Curved" for all other decors
- while any combination is valid for the "Modern" range.
There can be any number of such tables, which allows for any number of complex validity rules.
Prerequisites
- You have created a configurator.
- All necessary characteristics and their values have been created.
Create rule
- In the editor, click on Loading...in the sidebar
- Click on Loading...
- Enter a name and optionally a description
- Click on Loading...
- Click on Loading...
- Select "Conditions > Characteristics"
- Under Characteristics, select all the characteristics that are to appear in the table (i.e. the columns).
- Click on Loading...
- You can now enter the valid combinations. You can always select the "All values" option.
- Problems with your rule system are displayed at the top right.
How do I use numerical characteristics?
If you have a numerical input, for example a "length", then you can also specify the validity, by simply writing down intervals.
| length | number of columns |
|---|---|
| 1-10 | 2 |
| 10-20 | 3 |
| 20-100 | 4 |
This rule determines the number of columns depending on the length.
The following problem arises: What if the user enters the value "10". In this case, both 2 and 3 would be valid as the "number of columns". If you want to formulate this more precisely, you can define exclusive interval limits:
| length | number of columns |
|---|---|
| [1;10) | 2 |
| [10;20] | 3 |
| (20;100] | 4 |
Here, only the value 3 would be valid for the number of columns for 10 and 20.
If a numerical characteristic is used in a rule, this also limits the validity range of the input, this is an alternative to specifying the minimum and maximum in the
If you do not want this, you can leave one side of an interval completely open:
| length | number of columns |
|---|---|
| ;10) | 2 |
| [10;20] | 3 |
| (20; | 4 |
What are "error messages" aka blacklisting?
The rules normally list all valid combinations of characteristic values. This is also called whitelisting. If invalid values are not blacklisted and then clicked, a standard message is displayed, which explains to the user which other characteristics must be changed in order to make this value valid.
However, there are situations in which you want to prevent the selection of a value completely and inform the user the user individually.
For example, if a maximum of 5 modules can be placed on top of each other in a modular furniture system and you have a calculated characteristic that counts the modules. Then you can display an "error message". To do this, you enter the characteristic and the invalid value range in a table:
| Modules |
|---|
| (5- |
Then click on
| Modules | Error message |
|---|---|
| (5- | Add message |
Now you can click on
In this way, K3 supports not only the whitelisting of validity rules but also the blacklisting of certain value combinations of certain value combinations.