Get Product Collection based on brand parameter from cms page

Question

I'm creating custom block to get products based on the brand name

I'd like to pass the brand name parameter from the cms page like below

{{block type="core/template" template="catalog/brand/brandprod_listing.phtml"  brand_name="mybrandname2"}}

However not sure how would i load my product collection in Block Model file dynamicallay receiving the brand_name parameter

Here is my model.

$collection = Mage::getModel('catalog/product')->getCollection();
$_productCollection = $collection->addAttributeToFilter('brand','mybrandname');  

However as can be seen, how to get the parameter passed from cms page and load the results ?

Answer 1

This should help you:

{{block ... my_var="value here" ... template="catalog/brand/brandprod_listing.phtml"}}

If you want to get the my_var in php block directly in php block file then try this:

$my_var = $this->getMyVar();

Did you notice **capital M and V? This is magento default magic method.

Or you simply want to display $my_var value in your phtml file catalog/brand/brandprod_listing.phtml

$my_var = $this->getData('my_var');

For example:

$collection = Mage::getModel('catalog/product')->getCollection();
$_productCollection = $collection->addAttributeToFilter('brand', $my_var); 

Note

Is attribute name is really brand? I believe it should be manufacturer for brands.

[UPDATE 1]

How are you calling product collection? Are you calling in .phtml file? If you are, I would suggest to call it in block files.

[UPDATE 2]

To have this $my_var in your model you need to call it from block.

1. In .phtml call a function

   $myProducts = $this->foo($my_var);
   

2. In .php, block file, write this function:

   public function foo($my_var)
   {
      $model = Mage::getModel('myExtension/myModel');
      return $model->getProductCollectionByBrand($my_var);
   }
   

3. and now in model file:

   public function getProductCollectionByBrand($my_var)
   {
      $collection = Mage::getModel('catalog/product')->getCollection();
      $_productCollection = $collection->addAttributeToFilter('brand', $my_var);
      return $_productCollection;
   }
   

Answer 2

Add bellow code in your file

app/design/frontend/your_package/your_theme/template/catalog/brand/brandprod_listing.phtml

If your product attribute brand input type text then add bellow code.

<?php $brand = $this->getBrandName();?>
<?php $_productCollection = Mage::getModel('catalog/product')->getCollection()
                ->addAttributeToSelect('*')
                ->addAttributeToSelect('brand')
                ->addAttributeToFilter('brand',array('eq' => $brand));
?>
<?php 
    if(count($_productCollection)) {
        foreach($_productCollection as $product) {
            echo ($product->getName());
        }
    }
?>

If your product attribute brand input type select then add bellow code.

<?php $brand = $this->getBrandName();?>         
<?php
$attribute = Mage::getSingleton('eav/config')->getAttribute('catalog_product', 'brand');
$optionId = '';
if ($attribute->usesSource()) {
    $options = $attribute->getSource()->getAllOptions(false);
    foreach($options as $option) {
        if (trim(strtolower($option['label'])) == trim(strtolower($brand))) {
            $optionId    = $option['value'];
            break;
        }
    }
}
?>

<?php $_productCollection = Mage::getModel('catalog/product')->getCollection()
                ->addAttributeToSelect('*')
                ->addAttributeToSelect('brand')
                ->addAttributeToFilter('brand',array('eq' => $optionId));
?>
<?php 
    if(count($_productCollection)) {
        foreach($_productCollection as $product) {
            echo ($product->getName());
        }
    }
?>