Conquering the Shopify Sorting Dilemma: Unearthing a Liquid Solution for In-Stock Prioritization

Do you remember when we tried rearranging the living room because we wanted the couch to feel like the room’s crown jewel? An afternoon fraught with collision-course furniture. Tall bookshelves mocking us from their stationary stance. Nothing fit right, and somehow the television ended up homeless in the hallway. Much like our rearrangement fiasco, tackling Shopify’s sorting quandaries can feel like juggling mismatched pieces without a manual. But fear not, comrade! We're about to set this room straight.

Now, imagine your beloved Shopify collections. All you want is for the in-stock products to greet your customers with open arms while those out-of-stock rebels sulk quietly in the background. You’re not after third-party apps—your coding hands are itching for a real Liquid challenge.

Igniting the Liquid Flame

Ah, Shopify—the kingdom where paginated arrays become troublesome tricksters. But, don’t fret; it’s challenge accepted around here. Here’s where we arm ourselves with our trusty Liquid sword.

First, let's understand the battlefield. You’ve already made friends with creating two arrays: one for in-stock goodies, another for the out-of-stock rascals. Unfortunately, Shopify has this pesky habit of paginating before your valiant sort can shine across the battlefield. Here’s our battle strategy:

Step 1: Craft Your Arrays

Let’s revisit your array-making prowess. This part you’re likely acing already:

{% assign in_stock = '' %}
{% assign out_of_stock = '' %}

{% for product in collection.products %}
  {% if product.available %}
    {% assign in_stock = in_stock | append: product.handle | append: ',' %}
  {% else %}
    {% assign out_of_stock = out_of_stock | append: product.handle | append: ',' %}
  {% endif %}
{% endfor %}

Step 2: Create a Combined Array

Now, merge those brave soldiers:

{% assign sorted_products = in_stock | append: out_of_stock %}
{% assign sorted_array = sorted_products | split: ',' %}

Step 3: Overcoming the Pagination Trickery

This is where the tale takes an unexpected twist. The cunning plan? Filtering and displaying products on a single page. Shopper impatience is our only enemy here:

{% for handle in sorted_array %}
  {% assign product = all_products[handle] %}
  <!-- Check for collection membership -->
  {% if product.collections contains collection %}
    <!-- Render the product -->
    {{ product.title }}
  {% endif %}
{% endfor %}

Essentially, we sidestep pagination like skipping backlogged traffic by taking the scenic route. By displaying all products on one page temporarily (though Shopify limits would loathe us), we manifest perfection and thwart Shopify’s usual pagination antics.

Aesthetic, Perfection, Limitations

Our friends down at the user interface department might send side-eye our way; we do know this isn’t a sweet serenade. Showing all products on one page someways challenges Shopify’s hard-to-break limits—like cramming a symphony into a neighborhood garage—but we’ve now got orderly musicians: the in-stock maestro leads!

Meanwhile, remember there are always other rabbit holes we can explore—different Liquid solutions, JavaScript enhancements, or even a shifty gaze back towards those once shunned third-party apps.

Parting Words

When code resists our wishes, it's easy to feel like that waylaid living room—a sea of discontented chaos. Yet, by threading through Liquid’s weave, we've found a way—map our own reality, prying away frustrations one line of code at a time. Sharing this journey with you has been like rediscovering that perfect angle for comfort and TV viewing—a revelation!

As we huddle tonight, let’s remember joy is often found amidst audacious tinkering. And who knows? Maybe the perfect solution is one Liquid loop away.

Now, let’s go rearrange that furniture—we’ve totally got this.