Disable Shipping Method on the

Frontend with a Few Tweaks

Magento, in its default state, does not support the functionality wherein you can
disable shipping method from the frontend, but leave it enabled in the admin
area of your Magento website. Well, while it is not functionally supported by
Magento, you can always add some tweaks to make it possible. Configurations for
the different functionalities are available at global, website and store levels for
Magento, but at a global/website level, you can either enable/disable the shipping
methods. At the store level, you can only edit the title of your store. You will not be
able to enable or disable shipping at store level.

Lets take a simple case to understand the tweak better.

Scenario 1: you have a single website within your Magento system. Go to
sales>order>generate new order.
You will see the please select a customer grid option blinking on your screen from
where you will need to choose the customer for whom you want to create the order.
Scenario 2: You have two websites defined in your Magento system
Go to sales>order>generate new order.
Now, you will see please select a website. Once you have selected the website,
the following line will appear please select a customer.
Now, that you have seen two different scenarios, lets try to understand whats
really happening.
Either you use the default website (as you did when working with single website), or
choose the website you want to create the customer for. In both scenarios, after
reading the website configuration, the shipping data is retrieved from the website.

This simply means that you cannot configure the store to show the shipping method
at the admin side only.
How can we overcome this issue, and configure the shipping method to be shown
only
in
the
admin
area?
Simple!
You
will
need
to
rewrite
Mage_Shipping_Model_Config and Mage_Sales_Model_Quote_Address
Go to app/code/local/Mycompany/Myextension/etc/config.xml
<models>
<shipping>
<rewrite>
<config>Mycompany_Myextension_Model_Shipping_Config</config>
</rewrite>
</shipping>
<sales>
<rewrite>
<quote_address>Mycompany_Myextension_Model_Sales_Quote_Address</q
uote_address>
</rewrite>
</sales>
</models>
Configuring the shipping methods
Go to
app/code/local/Mycompany/Myextension/Model/Adminhtml/System/Config/Source/Sh
ipping/M
ethods

<?php

class
Mycompany_Myextension_Model_Adminhtml_System_Config_Source_Shipping_Meth
ods
{
protected $_options;

public function toOptionArray()

{
$carriers = Mage::getSingleton('shipping/config')->getAllCarriers();

$carriersActive = Mage::getSingleton('shipping/config')->getActiveCarriers();
$carriersActive = array_keys($carriersActive);

if (!$this->_options) {
foreach ($carriers as $carrier) {
$carrierCode = $carrier->getId();
$carrierTitle = Mage::getStoreConfig('carriers/'.$carrierCode.'/title',
Mage::app()->getStore()->getId());
$carrierTitle = trim($carrierTitle);

if (empty($carrierTitle)) {
continue;
}

if (in_array($carrierCode, $carriersActive)) {
$carrierTitle = sprintf('%s (currently active)', $carrierTitle);
} else {

$carrierTitle = sprintf('%s (currently inactive)', $carrierTitle);

}

$this->_options[] = array('value'=>$carrierCode, 'label'=>$carrierTitle);

}
}

$options = $this->_options;

array_unshift($options, array('value'=>'', 'label'=> ''));

return $options;
}
}
The system.xml defines the file source_model
Go to app/code/local/Mycompany/Myextension/etc/system.xml
<fields>
<frontend_hidden_methods>
<label>Hide Shipping Methods on Frontend</label>
<comment><![CDATA[If a shipping method has been enabled under its
settings, you can choose to hide it on the frontend by selecting it here from the list.
This way, the shipping method would be available from the admin area but not from
the frontend.]]></comment>
<frontend_type>multiselect</frontend_type>
<source_model>mycompany_myextension/adminhtml_system_config_source_s
hipping_methods</source_model>
<sort_order>2</sort_order>
<show_in_default>1</show_in_default>

<show_in_website>1</show_in_website>
<show_in_store>1</show_in_store>
</frontend_hidden_methods>
</fields>
The actual config definition has been shown partially as part of the above code
Defining the helper data
Go to app/code/local/Mycompany/Myextension/Helper/Data.php. Paste the following
code here
<?php
class Mycompany_Myextension_Helper_Data extends Mage_Core_Helper_Abstract
{
const CONFIG_PATH_HIDE_FRONTEND_SHIPPING_METHODS = 'some-path-tosystem-xml-field';

public function getHiddenFrontendShippingMethods()

{
$methods
=
Mage::getStoreConfig(self::CONFIG_PATH_HIDE_FRONTEND_SHIPPING_METHODS);
$methods = explode(',', $methods);
return $methods;
}
}
Rewrite Shipping Config
Go to app/code/local/Mycompany/Myextension/Model/Shipping/Config.php
<?php
class
Mycompany_Myextension_Model_Shipping_Config
Mage_Shipping_Model_Config
{

extends

public function getActiveCarriers($store = null)

{
$carriers = parent::getActiveCarriers($store);
if
(Mage::getDesign()->getArea()
Mage_Core_Model_App_Area::AREA_FRONTEND) {

===

$carriersCodes = array_keys($carriers);
$hiddenShippingMethods = Mage::helper('mycompany_myextension')>getHiddenFrontendShippingMethods();

foreach ($carriersCodes as $carriersCode) {

if (in_array($carriersCode, $hiddenShippingMethods)) {
unset($carriers[$carriersCode]);
}
}
}
return $carriers;
}
}
Rewrite quote address. Go to
app/code/local/Mycompany/Myextension/Model/Sales/Quote/Address.php
<?php
class
Mycompany_Myextension_Model_Sales_Quote_Address
Mage_Sales_Model_Quote_Address
{
public function getShippingRatesCollection()
{
parent::getShippingRatesCollection();

extends

$hiddenFrontendShippingMethods
=
Mage::helper('mycompany_myextension')->getHiddenFrontendShippingMethods();
$removeRates = array();
foreach ($this->_rates as $key => $rate) {
if (in_array($rate->getCarrier(), $hiddenFrontendShippingMethods)) {
$removeRates[] = $key;
}
}
foreach ($removeRates as $key) {
$this->_rates->removeItemByKey($key);
}
return $this->_rates;
}
}
With these rewrites, you have created a select option using which you can click on
methods that you want to display at the front end, and the ones that you want to
enable at the admin area. Do not confuse this hide from frontend method with
enable/disable for shipping methods.
Conclusion
With this method, you can hide certain shipping methods from the front end. With
this method in use, you can customize shipping methods such that you can display
certain methods on the frontend, while enable certain others only in the backend.
Author Bio:
Deepa is writer who loves writing blog on Magento Topic. In case if you are looking
for Magento Development Services and Magento Development in UK you may check
for getting the same at https://www.silvertouchtech.co.uk.