Showing Barcode for Each Variant in Shopify's Dawn Theme

Oh, the joys of running an online store! I remember this one time, while setting up our own whimsical little Shopify store, I was in the thick of it—like being neck-deep in quicksand, except the quicksand is made up of product variants. We were knee-deep in setting up our beautiful storefront, reveling in the satisfaction of customizing each and every detail to perfection—except for one pesky little thing. We couldn’t get the variant barcode to show up on the product page in the Dawn 2.0 theme. Our SKU was there, loud and proud, changing like a chameleon with every variant switch. But the barcode? It stayed put like a stubborn mule.

It's like dropping a mint into a can of cola—seemingly simple but chaos ensued. Every flick of the variant toggle left the barcode as rigid as my old granny's fruitcake. But, ah! Fear not, for we’ve cracked the code—or rather, the liquid code—and here’s a handy dandy guide to transform your barcode-viewing dreams into reality.

The Barcode Conundrum

Picture this: You're in your Shopify Admin, and you're staring at the beautiful chaos of numerous product variants. SKUs, prices, and everything else seem to happily do a little jig whenever you choose a different option. But you've come to realize that the barcodes, much like a stubborn teenager, refuse to budge. I felt like we'd been given a jigsaw puzzle with a missing piece. But patience, my friends! Let’s get down to brass tacks and tackle this step-by-step.

Step 1: Inject Some Liquid Courage

First off, start by duplicating your theme. Trust us, there’s a certain peace of mind that comes with knowing you've got a backup—just in case you accidentally make your store look like a Picasso painting. Once you've got your trusty duplicate ready, it's time to roll up those sleeves.

Navigate into your theme editor. We'll sprinkle some liquid magic by going into product-template.liquid or possibly the main-product.liquid file, depending on your theme structure. Now, don't lose heart—it can be tedious, like assembling a piece of IKEA furniture, but we'll get there.

Add this cheeky snippet of code where you want your barcode to appear (usually right next to that well-behaved SKU):

<p>
  <strong>Barcode:</strong>
  <span id="VariantBarcode">{{ product.selected_or_first_available_variant.barcode }}</span>
</p>

Step 2: Sprinkle Some JavaScript

Coding is never complete without a dash of JavaScript—like adding an extra candy cane on a Christmas tree. Now, open up your main-product.js file (or wherever the JavaScript for handling variants is housed in your particular setup) to add a little script magic to make that barcode dance with the variants.

Within your variant change function, update the barcode display to make the stubborn rascal switch:

document.querySelectorAll('.product-form__input').forEach((input) => {
  input.addEventListener('change', function () {
    const selectedVariant = this.getAttribute('value')
    const barcodeElement = document.querySelector('#VariantBarcode')
    barcodeElement.innerText = this.options[this.selectedIndex].dataset.variantBarcode
  })
})

Step 3: Light a Candle and Take a Look

Now, hit save, and with bated breath, hold your breath like it's the final scene of a telenovela. Head over to your product page on your Shopify store and put it to the test. Now when you switch a variant, that barcode should spring into action like a magician’s rabbit.

If all goes according to plan, the barcode should now dance along with its sibling, the SKU. If it doesn’t—dab a tissue at those tears of frustration, summon a deep breath, and check your JavaScript console for any errors. Debugging can be more satisfying than a cold shower in the middle of a heatwave once you crack it.

Celebrating the Victory

So there we have it! A simple tweak, a sprinkle of code—it's like bringing life to a marionette. Whether you're managing your virtual bakery or selling handcrafted tchotchkes, having the right variant data show up on your product page can turn that frustrating experience into one of triumph. Plus, a little code dabbling makes us feel like tech wizards—not unlike a digital Gandalf wielding a PHP staff.

Remember, in the digital world, patience and persistence go hand in hand with curiosity and innovation. If there's one thing we've learned, it's to embrace the quirks and revel in the satisfaction of having tackled a challenge head-on. Cheers to us and to our dancing barcodes!