Here’s yet another snippet I use on A Piece of Sicily, my Sicilian marketplace, to make sure vendors can only select one product category for a given product. This is to make sure they make the best possible choice and also to avoid confusion and multiple listing.
Of course, the same can be used on your own WooCommerce install, in case you wish to limit the number of categories that can be assigned to each product (inside the snippet, you can even change “1” to “whatever number” and therefore define your own “max” e.g. max 2 categories).
This time I can’t make you “see” the customization as we’re in the backend, so please take a look at the screenshot below. Enjoy!
Here’s what happens with the snippet below if you’re editing a product which has already a category assigned to it. Once you try to select a second category, an error message triggers and the second category is immediately unchecked.
PHP Snippet: Force Max 1 Product Category Per Product @ Product Add/Edit Admin Page
/**
* @snippet Max 1 Product Cat @ Product Edit/Add Page
* @how-to Get CustomizeWoo.com FREE
* @author Rodolfo Melogli
* @compatible WooCommerce 5
* @donate $9 https://businessbloomer.com/bloomer-armada/
*/
add_action( 'admin_head', 'bbloomer_max_one_product_category', 9999 );
function bbloomer_max_one_product_category() {
$screen = get_current_screen();
$screen_id = $screen ? $screen->id : '';
if ( ( 'add' === $screen->action && 'product' === $_GET['post_type'] ) || in_array( $screen_id, array( 'product', 'edit-product' ) ) ) {
wc_enqueue_js( "
$('#product_cat-all input:checkbox').change(function () {
var max = 1;
var count = $('#product_cat-all input:checked').length;
if (count > max) {
$(this).prop('checked', '');
alert('Sorry, you can only pick one category. Please untick current category and pick another one in case you wish to switch category.');
}
});
" );
}
}
Please let me know in the comments if everything went as expected. I would be happy to revise the snippet if you report otherwise (please provide screenshots). I have tested this code with Storefront theme, the WooCommerce version listed above and a WordPress-friendly hosting.
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Rodolfo Melogli
Business Bloomer Founder
Author, WooCommerce expert and WordCamp speaker, Rodolfo has worked as an independent WooCommerce freelancer since 2011. His goal is to help entrepreneurs and developers overcome their WooCommerce nightmares. Rodolfo loves travelling, chasing tennis & soccer balls and, of course, wood fired oven pizza.
4 thoughts on “WooCommerce: Force Max 1 Category Per Product”
Peter
Hi Rodolpfo
I am looking for code to hide several product_cat terms (only on add/edit product – select category field), based on current_user capabilities.
I do not want the change reflected anywhere else, just on the add/edit product.
This is the only post (code) I have found, that actually targets the form.
Is this possible?
Hello Peter, thanks so much for your comment! Yes, this is definitely possible, but I’m afraid it’s custom work. If you’d like to get a quote, feel free to contact me here. Thanks a lot for your understanding!
Hi MArtin, thanks so much for your comment! Yes, this is definitely possible, but I’m afraid it’s custom work. If you’d like to get a quote, feel free to contact me here. Thanks a lot for your understanding!
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Of course this website itself uses the WooCommerce plugin, the Storefront theme and runs on a WooCommerce-friendly hosting.
Hi Rodolpfo
I am looking for code to hide several product_cat terms (only on add/edit product – select category field), based on current_user capabilities.
I do not want the change reflected anywhere else, just on the add/edit product.
This is the only post (code) I have found, that actually targets the form.
Is this possible?
Hello Peter, thanks so much for your comment! Yes, this is definitely possible, but I’m afraid it’s custom work. If you’d like to get a quote, feel free to contact me here. Thanks a lot for your understanding!
That is cool snipet thanks! How about 1 per level ? I think will be more efficient for optimization,breadcrumbs and filters.
Hi MArtin, thanks so much for your comment! Yes, this is definitely possible, but I’m afraid it’s custom work. If you’d like to get a quote, feel free to contact me here. Thanks a lot for your understanding!