Fix: Decouple product detail swatches from listing attribute requirement

app/code/core/Mage/ConfigurableSwatches/Block/Catalog/Media/Js/Abstract.php

@@ -120,7 +120,10 @@ public function getImageType()
      */
     protected function _toHtml()
     {
-        if (!Mage::helper('configurableswatches')->isEnabled()) { // functionality disabled
+        // Check if swatches are enabled for either listing or product detail
+        if (!Mage::helper('configurableswatches')->isEnabled()
+            && !Mage::helper('configurableswatches')->isEnabledForProductDetail()
+        ) {
             return ''; // do not render block
         }
 

app/code/core/Mage/ConfigurableSwatches/Block/Catalog/Product/View/Type/Configurable/Swatches.php

@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ class Mage_ConfigurableSwatches_Block_Catalog_Product_View_Type_Configurable_Swa
      */
     public function shouldRender($attribute, $jsonConfig)
     {
-        if (Mage::helper('configurableswatches')->isEnabled()) {
+        if (Mage::helper('configurableswatches')->isEnabledForProductDetail()) {
             if (Mage::helper('configurableswatches')->attrIsSwatchType($attribute->getProductAttribute())) {
                 $this->_init($jsonConfig);
                 return true;

app/code/core/Mage/ConfigurableSwatches/Helper/Data.php

@@ -23,21 +23,24 @@ class Mage_ConfigurableSwatches_Helper_Data extends Mage_Core_Helper_Abstract
     protected $_moduleName = 'Mage_ConfigurableSwatches';
 
     /**
-     * Is the extension enabled
+     * Cached result for isEnabled() check
      *
      * @var null|bool
      */
     protected $_enabled = null;
 
     /**
-     * Swatch attribute IDs from config
+     * Cached result for isEnabledForProductDetail() check
      *
-     * @var null|string[]
+     * @var null|bool
      */
+    protected $_enabledForProductDetail = null;
+
     protected $_configAttributeIds = null;
 
     /**
-     * Is the extension enabled?
+     * Is the extension enabled for product listing?
+     * Requires both general enabled flag and listing attribute to be set.
      *
      * @return bool
      */
@@ -53,6 +56,21 @@ public function isEnabled()
         return $this->_enabled;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Is the extension enabled for product detail page?
+     * Only requires general enabled flag, independent of listing configuration.
+     *
+     * @return bool
+     */
+    public function isEnabledForProductDetail()
+    {
+        if (is_null($this->_enabledForProductDetail)) {
+            $this->_enabledForProductDetail = Mage::getStoreConfigFlag(self::CONFIG_PATH_ENABLED);
+        }
+
+        return $this->_enabledForProductDetail;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Return the formatted hyphenated string
      *
@@ -145,7 +163,7 @@ public function getSwatchesProductJs()
     {
         /** @var Mage_Catalog_Model_Product $product */
         $product = Mage::registry('current_product');
-        if ($this->isEnabled() && $product) {
+        if ($this->isEnabledForProductDetail() && $product) {
             $configAttrs = $this->getSwatchAttributeIds();
             /** @var Mage_Catalog_Model_Product_Type_Configurable $productType */
             $productType = $product->getTypeInstance(true);

app/code/core/Mage/ConfigurableSwatches/Helper/Productimg.php

@@ -389,7 +389,10 @@ public function clearSwatchesCache()
      */
     public function filterImageInGallery($product, $image)
     {
-        if (!Mage::helper('configurableswatches')->isEnabled()) {
+        // Check if swatches are enabled for either listing or product detail
+        if (!Mage::helper('configurableswatches')->isEnabled()
+            && !Mage::helper('configurableswatches')->isEnabledForProductDetail()
+        ) {
             return true;
         }
 

app/code/core/Mage/ConfigurableSwatches/Model/Observer.php

@@ -71,7 +71,10 @@ public function productListCollectionLoadAfter(Varien_Event_Observer $observer)
      */
     public function productLoadAfter(Varien_Event_Observer $observer)
     {
-        if (!Mage::helper('configurableswatches')->isEnabled()) { // functionality disabled
+        // Check if swatches are enabled for either listing or product detail
+        if (!Mage::helper('configurableswatches')->isEnabled()
+            && !Mage::helper('configurableswatches')->isEnabledForProductDetail()
+        ) {
             return; // exit without loading swatch functionality
         }
 
@@ -100,7 +103,10 @@ public function productLoadAfter(Varien_Event_Observer $observer)
      */
     public function loadChildProductImagesOnMediaLoad(Varien_Event_Observer $observer)
     {
-        if (!Mage::helper('configurableswatches')->isEnabled()) { // functionality disabled
+        // Check if swatches are enabled for either listing or product detail
+        if (!Mage::helper('configurableswatches')->isEnabled()
+            && !Mage::helper('configurableswatches')->isEnabledForProductDetail()
+        ) {
             return; // exit without loading swatch functionality
         }