Dynamic view per taxonomy term

Question

I'm really stuck on a problem that I'm seeking assistance on. I currently have 3 content-types (Article, Photo and Video) and all of them use the same Taxonomy Vocab I've called Category. I've configured the PathAuto module:

• for Category terms: [term:name] --> CCK Field created and shared across content-types called: field_category
• for Articles: [node:field_category]/articles/[node:title]
• for Photos: [node:field_category]/photos/[node:title]
• for Videos: [node:field_category]/videos/[node:title]

The problem I'm experiencing is having to create a dynamic View page for each term. Basically, if from the root I navigate to a particular category (eg: /politics), I expect to see a page with all content under that term, plus allow me to then filter by content-type.

Similarly, if I navigate to articles under a particular category (eg: /politics/photos), I expect to see a page showing me all photos under that category.

I don't know if I've chosen a very elaborate (and unnecessary!) organisation of content, but this makes sense to me. I'm probably going to kick myself, for I feel that there is a simple solution to this! This is my first time using Views-3 UI, having only minor experience with Views-2 in D6. I'm currently using Views 7x-3.5.

I thank you much in advance for any assistance you can provide!

EDIT: I'm going through whatever online documentation I can find for Views-3, and so far it's quite overwhelming. I do know that I need to use contextual filters and view page paths with %.

Answer 1

Okay, I have figured out a solution, although its a bit crude. Before I continue, I should mention that my aim was to also to create hackable URLs.

Installed the Taxonomy_Display module. Created a Content View, and immediately added a contextual filter Content: Has taxonomy term ID with the following configuration:

WHEN THE FILTER VALUE IS NOT IN THE URL:

Provide default value 
    --> Type = Taxonomy term ID from URL
    --> Load default filter from node page, that's good for related taxonomy blocks
    --> Vocabularies = Category

WHEN THE FILTER VALUE IS IN THE URL OR A DEFAULT IS PROVIDED

Specify validation criteria
    --> Validator = Taxonomy Term
    --> Vocabularies = Category
    --> Filter value type = Term Name converted to term ID (got this from the Taxonomy_Display module)
    --> Transform dashes in URL to spaces in term name filter values = Checked
    --> Action to take if filter value does not validate = Show "page not Found"

I then added a relationship: 'Content: Taxonomy terms on nodeon my vocabulary, to give me access to the Taxonomy filters, and added a field filter onTerm = Category` through the relationship created.

Finally, I cloned 3 pages based off the above config, with a page path to categories\%\articles, categories\%\photos, and categories\%\videos, and on each of these added a further filter by the respective content-type.

Well, it does what I want it to, but it somehow still doesn't strike me as an ideal solution ... I think it could be simpler, whilst also allowing for dynamically identifying the content-type from the URL. Therefore, I won't mark this yet as the answer, until someone can critique my approach. :)