How to Show Different Filters per Category in WOOF (Dynamic Filtering): HUSKY

How to Show Different Filters per Category in WOOF (Dynamic Filtering)

Learn how to display different filter sets based on product categories, create dependent filtering, and customize filters for the WooCommerce Shop page.

The Problem

By default, WOOF shows the same filters across all pages. However, different product categories often need different filter options:

Example scenarios:

Electronics category: Show Brand, Screen Size, Storage, RAM
Clothing category: Show Size, Color, Material, Style
Furniture category: Show Material, Color, Dimensions, Room Type
Shop page (main archive): Show only Categories, Price Range, Featured brands

Current limitation: All filter options remain global, even after a user selects a category, making the interface cluttered with irrelevant filters.

What you’ll learn:

How to enable dependent/conditional filtering (filters update based on selection)
How to show different filters per product category
How to create custom filter sets for the Shop page
How to use Widget Logic for advanced visibility control

Solution 1: Enable Dependent Filtering (AJAX Redraw)

The first step is enabling AJAX form redrawing, which updates filters dynamically when users make selections.

For Widgets:

Go to Appearance → Widgets
Find your WOOF widget
Enable the option “Form AJAX redrawing”

This makes filters update automatically after each selection, showing only relevant options.

For Shortcodes:

Add the ajax_redraw attribute to your WOOF shortcode:

[woof ajax_redraw="1"]

What this does:

When user selects “Wheel” → other filters automatically update
Only shows Sub Types, Materials, Colors available for Wheel
Reduces clutter by hiding irrelevant options

Documentation: https://products-filter.com/shortcode/woof

Solution 2: Category-Based Filter Visibility (Custom Shortcode)

This solution creates a dynamic shortcode that displays different filters depending on the current product category.

Step 1: Create Custom Shortcode

Add this code to your child theme’s functions.php:

/**
 * Dynamic WOOF shortcode that shows different filters per category
 * Usage: [woof_dynamic]
 */
add_shortcode('woof_dynamic', function () {
    // Check if WOOF is active
    if (!function_exists('woof_shortcode')) {
        return '<!-- WOOF plugin not active -->';
    }

    // Get current category
    $term = get_queried_object();

    // Check if we're on a product category page
    if (!$term || !isset($term->taxonomy) || $term->taxonomy !== 'product_cat') {
        return do_shortcode('[woof]'); // Show default filters
    }

    // Get category slug
    $cat = strtolower($term->slug);

    // Define which filters to show for each category
    $filters_map = [
        'wheel' => ['pa_sub-type', 'pa_material', 'pa_colour', 'pa_size'],
        'lingerie' => ['pa_size', 'pa_colour', 'pa_material'],
        'massage-candles' => ['pa_type', 'pa_material', 'pa_brand'],
        'electronics' => ['pa_brand', 'pa_screen-size', 'pa_storage'],
        'clothing' => ['pa_size', 'pa_color', 'pa_material', 'pa_style'],
        'furniture' => ['pa_material', 'pa_color', 'pa_dimensions', 'pa_room'],
    ];

    // If category not in map, show default filters
    if (!isset($filters_map[$cat])) {
        return do_shortcode('[woof]');
    }

    // Build shortcode with specific filters for this category
    $taxonomies = implode(',', $filters_map[$cat]);

    return do_shortcode('[woof tax_only="' . esc_attr($taxonomies) . '" ajax_redraw="1"]');
});

Step 2: Use the Shortcode

Replace your existing [woof] shortcode with:

[woof_dynamic]

Place this shortcode in:

Widget areas (Text/HTML widget)
Page builder blocks (Elementor, Divi, etc.)
Theme template files: <?php echo do_shortcode('[woof_dynamic]'); ?>

Step 3: Configure Your Categories

Update the $filters_map array with your actual:

Category slugs (e.g., ‘wheel’, ‘electronics’)
Attribute slugs (e.g., ‘pa_brand’, ‘pa_size’)

Finding your slugs:

Category slugs:

Go to Products → Categories
Hover over a category name
Look at the URL: ...tag_ID=123&taxonomy=product_cat&post_type=product
Or edit the category and look at the slug field

Attribute slugs:

Go to Products → Attributes
They start with pa_ followed by the attribute name
Examples: pa_color, pa_size, pa_brand, pa_material

Solution 3: Custom Filters for Shop Page

The main WooCommerce Shop page needs different handling since it’s not a category archive.

Combined Solution: Shop Page + Category Pages

This code handles both the Shop page and individual category pages:

/**
 * Dynamic WOOF shortcode with Shop page support
 * Shows minimal filters on Shop, full filters on categories
 */
add_shortcode('woof_dynamic', function () {
    if (!function_exists('woof_shortcode')) {
        return '';
    }

    // Shop page (main product archive) - show minimal filters
    if (is_shop() AND !is_product_category() AND !is_product_tag()) {
        return do_shortcode('[woof tax_only="product_cat,pa_colour" by_price="1" ajax_redraw="1"]');
    }

    // Product category pages - show category-specific filters
    $term = get_queried_object();
    if ($term AND isset($term->taxonomy) AND $term->taxonomy === 'product_cat') {
        $cat = strtolower($term->slug);

        // Define filters for each category
        $filters_map = [
            'wheel' => ['pa_sub-type', 'pa_material', 'pa_colour', 'pa_size'],
            'lingerie' => ['pa_size', 'pa_colour', 'pa_material'],
            'massage-candles' => ['pa_type', 'pa_material', 'pa_brand'],
            'electronics' => ['pa_brand', 'pa_screen-size', 'pa_storage'],
            'clothing' => ['pa_size', 'pa_color', 'pa_material', 'pa_style'],
        ];

        if (isset($filters_map[$cat])) {
            $taxonomies = implode(',', $filters_map[$cat]);
            return do_shortcode('[woof tax_only="' . esc_attr($taxonomies) . '" ajax_redraw="1"]');
        }
    }

    // Fallback - show all filters
    return do_shortcode('[woof ajax_redraw="1"]');
});

What this code does:

On Shop page: Shows only Categories, Color, and Price filters
On category pages: Shows category-specific filters from mapping
On other pages: Shows default filters

Customize Shop page filters: Change this line to show different filters on Shop page:

[woof tax_only="product_cat,pa_colour" by_price="1" ajax_redraw="1"]

Available parameters:

tax_only="product_cat,pa_brand" – Show only these taxonomies
by_price="1" – Show price range filter
by_only="product_cat,pa_brand" – Alternative to tax_only
ajax_redraw="1" – Enable dynamic updates

Solution 4: Widget Logic for Conditional Visibility

If you prefer using widgets instead of shortcodes, you can control widget visibility with conditional logic.

Step 1: Install Widget Logic Plugin

Choose one of these plugins:

Widget Logic: https://wordpress.org/plugins/widget-logic/
Show Widget by Logic: https://github.com/realmag777/Show-WordPress-Widget-by-Logic

Step 2: Create Multiple WOOF Widgets

Go to Appearance → Widgets
Add multiple WOOF widgets to your sidebar
Configure each widget with different filters

Step 3: Add Conditional Logic

For each widget, add visibility conditions:

Show only on Wheel category:

is_product_category('wheel')

Show only on Lingerie category:

is_product_category('lingerie')

Show only on Shop page:

is_shop() AND !is_product_category()

Show on multiple categories:

is_product_category(array('wheel', 'lingerie', 'massage-candles'))

Show everywhere except Shop page:

!is_shop()

Show on Electronics or Computers categories:

is_product_category('electronics') || is_product_category('computers')

Real-World Examples

Example 1: Adult Products Store

$filters_map = [
    'wheel' => ['pa_type', 'pa_material', 'pa_color', 'pa_power-source', 'pa_waterproof'],
    'lingerie' => ['pa_size', 'pa_color', 'pa_style', 'pa_material'],
    'oil' => ['pa_type', 'pa_brand', 'pa_ingredients', 'pa_volume'],
    'toys' => ['pa_category', 'pa_material', 'pa_size', 'pa_color'],
];

Example 2: Electronics Store

$filters_map = [
    'laptops' => ['pa_brand', 'pa_processor', 'pa_ram', 'pa_storage', 'pa_screen-size'],
    'smartphones' => ['pa_brand', 'pa_storage', 'pa_ram', 'pa_camera', 'pa_battery'],
    'headphones' => ['pa_brand', 'pa_type', 'pa_connection', 'pa_noise-cancelling'],
    'cameras' => ['pa_brand', 'pa_megapixels', 'pa_sensor-size', 'pa_video-quality'],
];

Example 3: Fashion Store

$filters_map = [
    'mens-clothing' => ['pa_size', 'pa_color', 'pa_material', 'pa_brand', 'pa_style'],
    'womens-clothing' => ['pa_size', 'pa_color', 'pa_material', 'pa_brand', 'pa_occasion'],
    'shoes' => ['pa_size', 'pa_color', 'pa_brand', 'pa_type', 'pa_material'],
    'accessories' => ['pa_color', 'pa_material', 'pa_brand', 'pa_type'],
];

Example 4: Furniture Store

$filters_map = [
    'bedroom' => ['pa_type', 'pa_material', 'pa_color', 'pa_style', 'pa_size'],
    'living-room' => ['pa_type', 'pa_material', 'pa_color', 'pa_seating-capacity'],
    'office' => ['pa_type', 'pa_material', 'pa_color', 'pa_ergonomic'],
    'outdoor' => ['pa_type', 'pa_material', 'pa_weather-resistant', 'pa_color'],
];

Advanced: Include Price and Categories

If you want to show price range and categories in addition to attributes:

// On category pages, add price and allow category drill-down
if (isset($filters_map[$cat])) {
    $taxonomies = implode(',', $filters_map[$cat]);
    return do_shortcode('[woof tax_only="product_cat,' . esc_attr($taxonomies) . '" by_price="1" ajax_redraw="1"]');
}

Parameters explanation:

product_cat – Shows category filter for drill-down
by_price="1" – Shows price range slider
ajax_redraw="1" – Updates filters dynamically

Troubleshooting

Filters not updating dynamically

Problem: Filters remain static after selection
Solution:

Make sure ajax_redraw="1" is in your shortcode
Enable “Form AJAX redrawing” in widget settings
Check JavaScript console for errors

Wrong filters showing on category

Problem: Category shows incorrect filter set
Solution:

Verify category slug is correct (check URL or category settings)
Use lowercase in $filters_map array
Check if category exists in your mapping

Filters not appearing at all

Problem: No filters visible on page
Solution:

Verify attribute slugs start with pa_ (e.g., pa_color not color)
Check if attributes are assigned to products in that category
Use [woof] temporarily to see if basic shortcode works

Shop page shows category filters

Problem: Shop page showing wrong filter set
Solution:

Verify is_shop() condition is first in your code
Check that !is_product_category() is included
Clear all caches (WordPress, server, browser)

Attribute slugs not working

Problem: Filters not showing for specific attributes
Solution:

Go to Products → Attributes to find correct slugs
Remember to use pa_ prefix (WooCommerce requirement)
Check spelling: pa_colour vs pa_color

Code not working after adding

Problem: White screen or errors after adding code
Solution:

Check PHP syntax errors in error log
Make sure you’re editing child theme’s functions.php
Verify all brackets and quotes are closed
Remove code and add it back line by line

Performance Considerations

AJAX redraw impact:

Each selection triggers AJAX request
More products = longer response time
Solution: Use caching and optimize database

Multiple widgets vs. shortcode:

Widgets: More memory usage (all widgets load)
Shortcode: More efficient (only one set loads)
Recommendation: Use shortcode approach

Large catalogs:

Consider pagination in filters
Use lazy loading for attributes
Implement server-side caching

Alternative Approaches

Using Multiple Shortcodes

Instead of one dynamic shortcode, use multiple static ones:

// On wheel category page
[woof tax_only="pa_sub-type,pa_material,pa_colour,pa_size" ajax_redraw="1"]

// On Lingerie category page
[woof tax_only="pa_size,pa_colour,pa_material" ajax_redraw="1"]

// On Shop page
[woof tax_only="product_cat,pa_colour" by_price="1" ajax_redraw="1"]

Then use Widget Logic to show correct shortcode on each page.

Using Template Files

Add conditional logic directly in your theme template:

<?php
if (is_product_category('books')) {
    echo do_shortcode('[woof tax_only="pa_sub-type,pa_material,pa_colour,pa_size"]');
} elseif (is_product_category('lingerie')) {
    echo do_shortcode('[woof tax_only="pa_size,pa_colour,pa_material"]');
} elseif (is_shop()) {
    echo do_shortcode('[woof tax_only="product_cat,pa_colour" by_price="1"]');
} else {
    echo do_shortcode('[woof]');
}
?>

Summary

Problem: Same filters show everywhere, cluttering interface

Solution 1: Enable AJAX redraw for dependent filtering

Solution 2: Create [woof_dynamic] shortcode with category mapping

Solution 3: Add Shop page handling with minimal filters

Solution 4: Use Widget Logic for advanced visibility control

Best Approach: Combine Solutions 2 + 3 for comprehensive dynamic filtering

Key Code:

add_shortcode('woof_dynamic', function() {
    // Shop page logic
    if (is_shop() AND !is_product_category()) {
        return do_shortcode('[woof tax_only="product_cat" by_price="1"]');
    }
    
    // Category mapping
    $term = get_queried_object();
    if ($term AND $term->taxonomy === 'product_cat') {
        $filters_map = [
            'category-slug' => ['pa_attribute1', 'pa_attribute2'],
        ];
        // Return category-specific filters
    }
    
    return do_shortcode('[woof]'); // Fallback
});

This creates a professional, user-friendly filtering experience tailored to each product category.

Troubles? Ask for Support!

HUSKY - WooCommerce Products Filter Professional

The Problem

Solution 1: Enable Dependent Filtering (AJAX Redraw)

For Widgets:

For Shortcodes:

Solution 2: Category-Based Filter Visibility (Custom Shortcode)

Step 1: Create Custom Shortcode

Step 2: Use the Shortcode

Step 3: Configure Your Categories

Solution 3: Custom Filters for Shop Page

Combined Solution: Shop Page + Category Pages

Solution 4: Widget Logic for Conditional Visibility

Step 1: Install Widget Logic Plugin

Step 2: Create Multiple WOOF Widgets

Step 3: Add Conditional Logic

Real-World Examples

Example 1: Adult Products Store

Example 2: Electronics Store

Example 3: Fashion Store

Example 4: Furniture Store

Advanced: Include Price and Categories

Troubleshooting

Filters not updating dynamically

Wrong filters showing on category

Filters not appearing at all

Shop page shows category filters

Attribute slugs not working

Code not working after adding

Performance Considerations

Alternative Approaches

Using Multiple Shortcodes

Using Template Files

Summary