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Web Design Solutions

For many years, I have been using Easy Profile, a component that extends Joomla's user management by adding custom fields, front-editing, configuring ACL for search/viewing and so forth.

One missing feature is a notification email sent automatically whenever a user updates one of their fields on the front-end.

There is a solution posted on the Easy Profile support forum, but the information is scattered across several posts and is not entirely consistent.

Basically the documented steps are:

  1. install a blank JSN plugin called 'skeleton'
  2. replace the code in the skeleton.php file with a function and parameters (see download link belkow that contains everything).

Be sure to replace the dummy email addresses. You can add more emails to the array - just observe the syntax (enclosed in single quotes, separated by comma outside quote).

The plugin will send a bare bones email with the updated field.

I am working on a version that will show all the fields including the updated field.

You can download the plugin with the code here:

skeleton.zip

Just install it via the Joomla installer. This has not been tested in Joomla 4.

For many years, we relied on a wonderful Joomla plugin, SWK2 Tabs Pro, by Styleware that displayed K2 Extra Fields in tabs. This is a huge advantage over the default display which just stacks the Extra Fields in a verical layout. If you have a lot of Extra Fields and/or they have a lot of content (Images, maps, or other media), then the page becomes long and hard to navigate, especially for mobile devices.

Unfortunately, this plugin has not been updated for quite a long time and no longer works in the latest versions of Joomla and K2. There is, nonetheless, a handy alternative for Joomla sites that use the Bootstrap platform in their template. Joomla was the first CMS to integrate Bootstrap into both the front- and back-end views. Joomla 3's default template, Protostar, is built on Bootstrap, and there are many template developers who take advantage of Bootstrap's robust and thoroughly tested library of responsive components, including tabs.

Converting content to tabs using Bootstrap simply requires adding classes and attributes to the html of the tab headers (the names that users click on to open a tab) and their corresponding content.

I have had the opportunity to meet and connect with many excellent developers over the years. My personal approach is to keep an open mind - after all, being part of a community should involve sharing knowledge, right? Since I have worked with many CMS platforms (Joomla, WordPress, Drupal, CMS Made Simple, ModX, Magento, etc.), I am always curious to learn how these platforms continue to evolve (or not - some CMS platforms have withered on the vine due to lack of ongoing  development and support).

All these platforms share certain features:

  • They are coded in PHP (the world's most popular web application language), CSS, and javascript for a dynamic presentation layer.
  • They are powered by relational databases that typically run on MySQL or some other SQL flavor.
  • They have a secure administrator portal, also know as the backend view, which allows site owners to make various kinds of edits and revisions to content, images, product listings, deisgn, etc.

Working with Joomla 3.6.5 and K2 2.7.1, I have run inrto a persistent error after importing older content from Joomla articles. When trying to access one of the K2 itmes, a JSON syntax error message appears and forces the user back to the main panel.

The solution is easy to implement as long as you have access to PhpMyAdmin in Cpanel (or some other Mysql database control panel GUI).

Looking at the 'metadata' column in K2_items table, I saw that the imported articles had a value of:

{"robots":"","author":"","rights":"","xreference":""}

While K2 items created 'natively' had a value of:

robots
=author=

Solution: in the SQL panel of PhpMyAdmin, run the following:

SELECT * FROM `prefix_k2_items` SET `metadata` = 'robots=author=' WHERE `metadata` = '{"robots":"","author":"","rights":"","xreference":""}'
Note: BE SURE TO REPLACE 'prefix' with the actual prefix used in your database.

 

SELECT DISTINCT ( `sul4t_jsn_users`.`id` ), `sul4t_jsn_users`.`firstname`, `sul4t_jsn_users`.`lastname` FROM `sul4t_jsn_users` JOIN `sul4t_newcardsame` ON `sul4t_newcardsame`.`memberName` = `sul4t_jsn_users`.`id` JOIN `sul4t_newcardmultiple` ON `sul4t_newcardmultiple`.`memberName` = `sul4t_jsn_users`.`id` JOIN `sul4t_newcard_sundays2016` ON `sul4t_newcard_sundays2016`.`id` = `sul4t_newcardsame`.`weekEnding2016` AND `sul4t_newcard_sundays2016`.`id` = `sul4t_newcardmultiple`.`weekEndingMultiple2016` WHERE NOT EXISTS ( SELECT `memberName` FROM `sul4t_newcardsame` WHERE `sul4t_newcardsame`.`memberName` = `sul4t_jsn_users`.`id` AND `sul4t_newcardsame`.`weekEnding2016` = '1' AND `sul4t_newcardmultiple`.`memberName` = `sul4t_jsn_users`.`id` AND `sul4t_newcardmultiple`.`weekEndingMultiple2016` = '1') ORDER BY `lastname` ASC

One of my clients uses FeedGator, a wonderful rss feed component for her large Joomla 2.5 site. Using FeedGaror's integration with K2, we have set up the feeds to display on the home page using the K2 Content Module, which shows an introtext and a "read more" for the first batch of feeds.

Our challenge has been finding a solution to exclude those feeds from site search results. In a way, the enhanced search capabilities of Joomla 2.5 work a little too well, since indexing the site content makes internal searches extremely accurate and thorough. Displaying news feeds in search results is obviously counterproductive since those links will take visitors off-site. There were some other issues with the default search due in part to the very complex nature of the site functionality (several hundreds of K2 items, Community Builder with all the bells and whistles, Kunena, etc.).

Judging from the threads in K2 and Joomla forums, there is widespread demand for some kind of K2 category exclusion feature. Our solution requires adding one line of code. Here's how we did it.

Custom  Joomla Web Design

We work closely with you to create a web design that reflects your company's unique identity. Our Joomla websites feature customized navigation, interactive features, and many more options, give you flexible, innovative web design.

Joomla Puts You in Control

Our Joomla CMS (content management systems) put you in control. Imagine web updates when marketing needs them; news when your clients want it; sales, specials and discounts when they happen. That's what we call responsive (and responsible) business web design.

Joomla Offers High Page Ranking and Visibility

The Joomla CMS combines powerful search engine features that yield excellent search engine visibility. Higher visisiblity means more web visits and more opportunities for your company.

Do you want your business or organization to be represented by a dynamic, professional web design? We work closely with clients to create an innovative web design that reflects your company's unique identity. Customized navigation, interactive features, and many more options, give you flexible, innovative web design.

Do you want complete control over your website so that you are free of expensive website maintenance plans? Our Joomla CMS (content management systems) put you in charge of your website. Just imagine: web updates when marketing needs them; news when your clients want it; sales, specials and discounts when they happen. That's what we call responsive (and responsible) business web design.

Do you want your web design to achieve high visibility and page ranking? Joomla CMS combines powerful search engine features that yield excellent search engine visibility. Higher visibility means more web visits - and that's a winning formula for your business.