UX improvement: allow showing first product variation that is in stock

yes I agree this would be a great addition but not the easiest to implement, we get around this issue by setting an out of stock msg "out of stock - try another size or colour'

I had another look at this and all indications are that the core commerce product add to cart from dosen't support a 'selected' product, even when I managed to change it, in the combo box it showed the details for the wrong product.

It is also possible to add the msg only if out of stock.

A few options are available:

• You can configure the standard stock action to say something like "Out of stock try a another size"
• You can try and use the advance cart configuration action to re write the form action and add a text msg.
• You can look at the hook_form_alter module (in sandbox) this integrates with commerce stock and you can add a second action from the same stock event.

And my favorite:
You can use the new "Commerce Stock Decimal formatter" (you will need to enable the module under the commerce stock section)
To configure:

1. Enable the module
2. go to the product display i.e. products/types/product/display
3. select the format "Show stock display as message" for the stock field
4. Configure the formtter to:
   If stock <= 0 Message: "Currently out of stock - try a different variation"
   make sure the stock field is positioned above or below your cart form

Thanks @MrPaulDriver to pointing the following #2084869: Option to direct buy button to 'in-stock' variations. :

In the following post, https://drupal.org/node/1637786#comment-7551813 Ryan suggests that the stock module could be modified to point the buy button to a variation that is in stock and I ask whether this improvement could be incorporated into the stock module

The stock message formatter is a very good tool in it's own right and helps somewhat with this problem.

Ideally, Commerce should not default to the first variation but instead should have a normal select function with a prompt saying 'Please select an option' or whatever.

As an interim workaround, if the stock module could be made to point the buy button at the first variation in stock I think this would be really positive move forward.

Above my paygrade I'm affraid, just listening to Ryan at https://drupal.org/node/1637786#comment-7551813

marktheshark, MrPaulDriver
If this hook works than its perfect for the Stock module, will look into it when I get a chance.

For anyone trying to solve this. Here is a nice little module - https://www.drupal.org/project/commerce_stocked_default

We're using the hook mentioned. Something like this:

/**
 * Implements hook_commerce_product_reference_default_delta_alter().
 */
function MYMODULE_commerce_product_reference_default_delta_alter(&$delta, $products) {
  // Check whether the default is in stock.
  $stock = field_get_items('commerce_product', $products[$delta], 'commerce_stock');
  if ($stock[0]['value'] == '0.00') {
    // Find the first product in stock.
    foreach ($products as $key => $product) {
      $stock = field_get_items('commerce_product', $product, 'commerce_stock');
      if ($stock[0]['value'] != '0.00') {
        $delta = $key;
        break;
      }
    }
  }
}