Categories confusion

Hello Bob, unfortunately I can't see your screenshots. Make sure your filenames have no spaces or special characters.

User Categories are indeed separate. They belong to the Personalization feature of Cobalt. They do not extend the usual section sub-categories. Hence the respective section parameters tab.

I don't recall the initial use case and purpose. It's also hard to describe in theory. I would suggest to setup a demo section with personalization and user-categories turned on. The actual categories are displayed on top of the homepage, you can see a little counter on the first tab. Somewhat hidden. If you click on the tab it reveals the categories/folders.

Hope this helps.

Pepperstreet - thanks for your response, and sorry about the pictures - Yes, I used a '#' in the filename without realising the restriction. Here is Categories#0 and here is Categories#1

Yes, I see your point that there are effectively two types of category - system and user, and I had been thinking they were the same. OK, so the question I have is.....

Looking at Categories#0, the four categories showing on this screenshot were set up by adding categories at the Section level. Is there a way to allow the user to add a category from the front end? You will note that just below that part of the page is 'Dote Type' - this is a 'multiselect' field set up under 'Type', and it has been configured to allow a user to pick one or more items. Importantly, it also allows the user to add an option by clicking on 'Your variant', and it is this functionality I wanted to add to the Categories.

You know what, having written this down, I think it might be better for me to abandon the use of Categories and simply add a second 'multiselect' field as that should get me what I need. I can try and better understand Categories at a later time.

Many thanks for your time. Regards, Bob

PS I am unclear on what the full purchase price for Cobalt 8 gets me. Is it a one time fee for an unrestricted licence? What is the situation on bug-fixes and updates? Thanks

Guest Is there a way to allow the user to add a category from the front end?

No, as far as regular section sub-categories are concerned.

Yes, for so-called user categories. An independent category system of the "Personalization" feature.

Guest You know what, having written this down, I think it might be better for me to abandon the use of Categories and simply add a second 'multiselect' field as that should get me what I need.

Might work for certain use cases. The optional user variant input in frontend is a nice feature.

I believe, regular Categories might have a better performance with very large amount of data.
FYI – Categories have a special category-index template for navigation and there is an additional module.

Guest PS I am unclear on what the full purchase price for Cobalt 8 gets me. Is it a one time fee for an unrestricted licence?

There is a 6 and 12 months subscription. You will get download access to all cobalt files.
"Everything" package includes more fields and modules, payment processors etc. (see grey highlighted names in screenshot listing on right side)
Additional templates plus Gallery List and Module, Calendar …

What is the situation on bug-fixes and updates?

If there is a serious bug, Sergey is going to fix it ASAP.
I am just a fan and user, so I can't tell something about support/development...
Here is a related topic and comments for Cobalt and for Emerald.

Maybe @Sergey can answer those questions more reliably.

user can add categories from frontend if you enable user categories in personalization parameter.

But user categories do not become part of main category tree. User can create only onle level categories, and those categories are visible only on user personal home page within a section. Article is added into to categories. Into main category tree and readers may descover that article through that tree, and into user personal category.

It is like Alibaba.com. You add products into global category structure but you can organize the same products into your own category structure withing your own shop.