New Type Of Vendor?

I run a car shop, and I currently have one of the usual vendors where you flip through things one at a time. However, with five different models, a dozen different colours for each, and extra option packages on a few of them, it takes a LONG time to scroll through.

What I'm looking for is a two-stage vendor system. Have one option to select model, and another to select colour/options. Does anything like this exist? If so, where can I find it? And if not, any tips/help on making it myself? I have some scripting experience, but not much, and writing code from scratch is something I've never been good at.

Thanks!

I've been writing a menu-driven vendor, since I can't stand the flip-book style, and while it doesn't work exactly as you describe, I see no reason why one couldn't have a two-stage llDialog system. You touch and get a menu of model type - select one, and you then get another menu for the options for that model. Select one of those and the vendor is set to that particular object, and you can pay it to get the item. All you need to do is have a listen() that launches another llDialog when it hears a first-menu command.

You might want to check out the Luskwood Creatures vendors. They sound similar to what you're looking for, and you might be able to figure out how they work by playing with them.

Also try checking out the vendors at KDC. Might be what you're looking for. There's others out there too prolly, but that's the one I know of. Not sure on prices of it or any others though.

Briggi Bard used to have such a vendor system, I'm not sure if she still does.

Suggestions for modes: I'd suggest multiple notecards, one per "category" and no other cards in there, or a system such as all the category name cards start with _ or similar and none of the others do.

You can then scan the inventory for notecards (maybe with the correct leading character if you go down that route) to find the number of categories. You scan the contents of each card for price info, etc.

There must be other ways too - coding the textures for category, name, price rather than the mvg system of name, price for example might actually work out faster. You could combine methods - have a notecard that lists the various categories so you can preload that information for example.

Use llSetPayPrice with the entry box hidden and one entry with the right price in it on the fast pay buttons, it makes your code relatively simpler. There are still ways to break it, but it's neater that way. I make a vendor system that works this way, so far without complaints and with some moderately high sales turn over in some places. (For what it's worth my system offers only a single 'category' but the vendors can easily be copied so you could have multiple vendors, one per category, and a notecard system because more people get notecards with csv lists right than texture coding right and it's just easier for them to read and check! If you're doing it for you, then that's less of an issue)

As another thought, as your inventory in a single vendor gets bigger it's often nice to split into several vendors (without necessarily going the whole hog of one item per box that is common in clothing stores for other reasons) - however you organise one vendor total potentially means people waiting for the vendor to be free so they can look at what they want, or (more likely) going somewhere else.

If you'd rather not code it from scratch I'd be willing to have a hack at both systems for a consideration.

I have a category based vendor that sounds like what your looking for. The categories would be the models of the cars, then the items inside that category would be the different options. I have a demo vendor up in my main store at Bruin(85,55,108). It's also used by Jakkal Dingo to sell her avatars if you want another example of it in use (her main store is across the street from mine). I would also be willing to modify it however needed if it's not exactly what you want. Feel free to IM me inworld for more info.

Ok, I talked to a few people, and I think I found a solution that will work. Thank you all for your help!