In this article, you'll learn how to set up Smart Navigation for Stencil themes used in new BigCommerce stores by default. If you use a classic Blueprint theme, you should look for the appropriate instructions here.

Steps:

  1. Go to BigCommerce admin panel > Storefront > My themes > Current theme.
  2. Make a copy of the current theme to create a backup. It will help you revert the changes if necessary. 
  3. Click the Advanced drop-down menu of the current theme to view the list of actions.
  4. Select Edit Theme Files and the Theme Editor will open.
    Note
    If you don't see the Edit theme files option, you have a default theme from the marketplace. To edit the theme code you'll need to make a copy of it and apply the copied theme to your storefront. 
    Copied themes are considered custom themes     and will not receive Marketplace Theme Updates.
  5. Open the templates/pages/category.html file in the Theme Editor.
  6. Find the code for displaying collections between the {{#partial "page"}} and  {{/partial}} tags.
  7. Copy and paste the following Searchanise code instead (you should leave the collection name, collection picture, collection description, and breadcrumbs code untouched):
    <script src="//www.searchserverapi.com/widgets/bigcommerce/init.js?api_key=[API Key]"></script>
<div class="snize" id="snize_results"></div>

<style type="text/css"><!--
/* Load spinner */
#snize-preload-spinner {
    height: 100px;
    width: 32px;
    margin: 0 auto;
    background-position: 0px center;
    background-repeat: no-repeat;
    background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,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);
}
--></style>

<script>// <![CDATA[
(function(window, undefined) {
    var sXpos = 0, sIndex = 0, sTotalFrames = 12, sInterval = null;

    if (document.getElementById('snize_results').innerHTML != '') {
        return;
    }

    document.getElementById('snize_results').innerHTML = '<div id="snize-preload-spinner"></div>';
    sInterval = setInterval(function()
    {
        var spinner = document.getElementById('snize-preload-spinner');
        if (spinner) {
            document.getElementById('snize-preload-spinner').style.backgroundPosition = (- sXpos) + 'px center';
        } else {
            clearInterval(sInterval);
        }

        sXpos  += 32;
        sIndex += 1;

        if (sIndex >= 12) {
            sXpos  = 0;
            sIndex = 0;
        }
    }, 30);
}(window));
// ]]></script>
    Important
    Replace [API Key] with the API Key of the Searchanise engine for your store in the pasted code. You can find it in the Searchanise control panel > Dashboard section. 

    Tips
    • To exclude a specific category from Smart navigation, wrap the Searchanise code into {{#if category.name '!==' '[Category]'}} and {{/if}}.
      Insert the category name instead of [Category]. 
    • The theme code varies from one theme to another. If you are not sure where to paste the Searchanise code, don't hesitate to contact us. We will be happy to assist.
  8. Click the Save & Apply file button and confirm the action to save the changes.
  9. Go to Searchanise control panel > Smart Navigation section. 
  10. Select the Navigating through embedding HTML code into the BigCommerce template option. 
  11. Select the suitable option in the Category Product List depending on whether you want to display products from the current category only or display products from its subcategories as well.
  12. Apply the changes.


That's it. The Smart navigation feature is set up. You can now go to your categories in the storefront if you'd like to make sure everything works as it should.


If you have any trouble setting up Smart Navigation, you can contact us. We will be glad to help.