How to create custom attribute source type?

Have you ever need to create custom attribute source type? This is small example which will help you to create custom source type. I hope that it will be helpful.

Let’s go….
First of all you need to create sql setup file which will add attribute to your system with custom source type. Source type is defined in array : ‘source’ => ‘sourcetype/attribute_source_type’.

startSetup();
 
$installer->addAttribute('catalog_product', 'product_type', array(
        'group'             => 'Product Options',
		'label'             => 'Product Type',
		'note'              => '',
        'type'              => 'int',	//backend_type
		'input'             => 'select',	//frontend_input
		'frontend_class'	=> '',
		'source'			=> 'sourcetype/attribute_source_type',
        'backend'           => '',
        'frontend'          => '',
        'global'            => Mage_Catalog_Model_Resource_Eav_Attribute::SCOPE_WEBSITE,
		'required'          => true,
        'visible_on_front'  => false,
        'apply_to'          => 'simple',
        'is_configurable'   => false,
        'used_in_product_listing'	=> false,
        'sort_order'        => 5,
    ));
 
$installer->endSetup();

After that you need to create custom source type or php class with name: “Inchoo_Sourcetype_Model_Attribute_Source_Type“. Take a look at my example below.

class Inchoo_Sourcetype_Model_Attribute_Source_Type extends Mage_Eav_Model_Entity_Attribute_Source_Abstract
{
	const MAIN = 1;
	const OTHER = 2;
 
    public function getAllOptions()
    {
        if (is_null($this->_options)) {
            $this->_options = array(
                array(
                    'label' => Mage::helper('sourcetype')->__('Main Product'),
                    'value' =>  self::MAIN
                ),
                array(
                    'label' => Mage::helper('sourcetype')->__('Other Product'),
                    'value' =>  self::OTHER
                ),
            );
        }
        return $this->_options;
    }
 
    public function toOptionArray()
    {
        return $this->getAllOptions();
    }
 
    public function addValueSortToCollection($collection, $dir = 'asc')
    {
        $adminStore  = Mage_Core_Model_App::ADMIN_STORE_ID;
        $valueTable1 = $this->getAttribute()->getAttributeCode() . '_t1';
        $valueTable2 = $this->getAttribute()->getAttributeCode() . '_t2';
 
        $collection->getSelect()->joinLeft(
            array($valueTable1 => $this->getAttribute()->getBackend()->getTable()),
            "`e`.`entity_id`=`{$valueTable1}`.`entity_id`"
            . " AND `{$valueTable1}`.`attribute_id`='{$this->getAttribute()->getId()}'"
            . " AND `{$valueTable1}`.`store_id`='{$adminStore}'",
            array()
        );
 
        if ($collection->getStoreId() != $adminStore) {
            $collection->getSelect()->joinLeft(
                array($valueTable2 => $this->getAttribute()->getBackend()->getTable()),
                "`e`.`entity_id`=`{$valueTable2}`.`entity_id`"
                . " AND `{$valueTable2}`.`attribute_id`='{$this->getAttribute()->getId()}'"
                . " AND `{$valueTable2}`.`store_id`='{$collection->getStoreId()}'",
                array()
            );
            $valueExpr = new Zend_Db_Expr("IF(`{$valueTable2}`.`value_id`>0, `{$valueTable2}`.`value`, `{$valueTable1}`.`value`)");
 
        } else {
            $valueExpr = new Zend_Db_Expr("`{$valueTable1}`.`value`");
        }
 
 
 
        $collection->getSelect()
            ->order($valueExpr, $dir);
 
        return $this;
    }
 
    public function getFlatColums()
    {
        $columns = array(
            $this->getAttribute()->getAttributeCode() => array(
                'type'      => 'int',
                'unsigned'  => false,
                'is_null'   => true,
                'default'   => null,
                'extra'     => null
            )
        );
        return $columns;
    }
 
 
    public function getFlatUpdateSelect($store)
    {
        return Mage::getResourceModel('eav/entity_attribute')
            ->getFlatUpdateSelect($this->getAttribute(), $store);
    }
}

If setup has finished properly you would need to have attribute in Magento admin with drop-down menu with two options, take look at the next my screen shoot:
Go to Magento admin -> Catalog -> Product and create new simple product, you will see new tab with name “Product Options”.