UI: Backend Catalog -> Manage Products -> edit product (Related Products, Up-Sells, Cross-Sells)

Question

Sorry if I must ask this stupid question, but I cannot figure out the meaning of the following user interface element in the backend (Magento 1.8.0.0):

Under any of

Catalog -> Manage Products -> edit product (Related Products, Up-Sells, Cross-Sells)

the first column of the search fields displays a check box (which is checked by default) and the value "Yes" is selected (the three values available are "Any", "Yes", and "No"). Furthermore when I click the "Reset Filter" button the checkbox disappears and the value of the drop-down menu which contained "Yes" changes to "Any". However I cannot figure out what the checkbox means, and also cannot figure out what the value of the drop-down menu below it from which it is possible to select "Any", "Yes", or "No" means. Could someone please explain to me the meaning of the checkbox field and the drop-down menu field?

Thanks.

Answer 1

The checkbox on each line in the grids is a way to mark if the product listed on that line is in relation with the product you are creating/editing (up-sell, cross-sell, related).
In general a grid in Magento has the following elements.

1. The first row represents the column headers. These headers give meaning to the columns.
2. The second row contains the filter options. It allows you to filter by any column that supports filtering. This row is not mandatory. It can be omitted on some grids (see the Reports grids for example).
3. The rest of the rows represent the entities listed in the grid.

In the case of the relations tabs (and others) the dropdown with the values Any, Yes, No represents a way to filter the grid (because it's on the filter row of the grid).
If you select Any it means that there is no filter on the grid for the column with checkboxes.
If you select Yes and press Search you will see in the grid only the rows that have the checkbox checked. (Of course the rest of the filters apply if you have any). If you select No and press Search you will see in the grid only the rows that have the checbox uncheched.
It's somehow similar to this. The difference is that in this case there are checkboxes not radio buttons. [EDIT]
The purpose of the checkbox above the Any/Yes/No filter is to check/uncheck easier all visible checkboxes.

Answer 2

The idea is creating product relations: simple related products will usually show on the product page or cart page. cross sell is another relation -- across the catalog -- more products like this, up sell means higher value products related to this one. as of the UI change the YES to any and then you see all the products. you change any product to YES and that means it is now related to the product you are editing