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Using Joomla

Using Joomla

by Kenneth Crowder, Ron Severdia
Publisher: O'Reilly Media, Inc.
Release Date: December 2009
ISBN: 9781449377434
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Book Description

Why use Joomla? Because with Joomla you don't need to have anytechnical expertise or web design experience to create effectivewebsites and web apps. Whether you're creating your first websiteor building a multi-function site for a client, this book providesstraightforward, hands-on instruction that makes it easy to learnthis open source web content management system.

Written by members of the Joomla Leadership Team, Using Joomlahelps newcomers quickly learn the basics, while developers withJoomla experience will pick up best practices for building moresophisticated websites. You'll also find more than a dozen ways toextend the functionality of existing Joomla-built websites. Startbuilding with Joomla in minutes!

  • Get guidelines for planning, creating, and organizing yourcontent

  • Understand how to create and use Joomla templates to buildwebsites quickly

  • Explore how components, modules, and plug-ins can extend yoursite's functionality

  • Increase your site ranking by using Joomla best practices

  • Use built-in components such as banners, news feeds, polls,search, and web links

  • Set up an online store, calendar, photo gallery, discussionforum, and more

  • Learn important security precautions to safeguard yoursite

    •

    Table of Contents

    1. Using Joomla
      1. Foreword
      2. Preface
        1. Who Should (and Shouldn’t) Read This Book
        2. How This Book is Organized
        3. Conventions Used in This Book
        4. Using Code Examples
        5. Safari® Books Online
        6. How to Contact Us
        7. About the Technical Reviewers
      3. 1. An Overview
        1. Using a CMS: Static Versus Dynamic
        2. A Brief History of Joomla
        3. Why Open Source and the GPL?
        4. The Future
          1. Joomla 1.0.x: End of Life
        5. Summary
      4. 2. Quick Start
        1. Quick Install
          1. Installing Joomla Using Fantastico
        2. System Requirements
        3. Add Sample Content or Not
        4. Some Basic Terminology
          1. Frontend Versus Backend
          2. Extensions
            1. Components
            2. Modules
            3. Plug-ins
            4. Templates
            5. Languages
          3. Site Content
            1. Sections, categories, and articles
        5. Summary
      5. 3. A Tour of the Administrator Panel
        1. Control Panel
        2. Administrator Menus
          1. Site
          2. Menus
          3. Content
          4. Components
          5. Extensions
          6. Tools
          7. Help
        3. Administrator Modules
        4. Main Toolbar
        5. Article Filtering and Display
        6. Summary
      6. 4. Global Configuration
        1. Site
          1. Site Settings
          2. Metadata Settings
          3. SEO Settings
        2. System
          1. System Settings
          2. User Settings
          3. Media Settings
          4. Debug Settings
          5. Cache Settings
          6. Session Settings
        3. Server
          1. Server Settings
          2. Local Settings
          3. FTP Settings
          4. Database Settings
          5. Mail Settings
        4. Summary
      7. 5. Preparing Your Content
        1. Planning, Creating, and Organizing Your Content
        2. Sections, Categories, and Articles
        3. Section Manager Overview
          1. Creating Sections
          2. Publishing and Unpublishing Sections
          3. Copying Sections
        4. Category Manager Overview
          1. Creating Categories
          2. Publishing and Unpublishing Categories
          3. Copying Categories
          4. Moving Categories
          5. Uncategorized Sections and Categories
        5. Summary
      8. 6. Creating Content
        1. Articles As Building Blocks
        2. Creating Articles
          1. The WYSIWYG Editor
          2. Customizing Articles
        3. Article Publishing and Unpublishing
          1. Scheduled Publishing and Unpublishing
        4. Article Parameters
          1. Article Parameters Hierarchy
          2. Global Article Parameters
          3. Basic Article Parameters
          4. Advanced Article Parameters
          5. Page Functions: Print PDF, Email to a Friend, and Print Page
          6. Prevent Code from Being Stripped Out of the Editor
          7. Global Check-in
        5. Article Manager Filtering and Ordering
          1. Filtering Articles
          2. Ordering Articles
        6. Permissions
          1. Section Permissions
          2. Category Permissions
          3. Article Permissions
        7. Archiving Articles
          1. Archiving an Article
          2. Unarchiving an Article
        8. Trashing Articles
          1. Trashing an Article
          2. Restoring Trashed Articles
          3. Permanently Delete Trashed Articles
        9. The Front Page Manager
          1. Ordering Front Page Articles
          2. Removing Front Page Articles
        10. Frontend Versus Backend Editing
          1. Edit an Article on the Frontend
        11. Submitting Content on the Frontend
          1. Submit a New Article on the Frontend
          2. Submit a New Web Link on the Frontend
        12. Summary
      9. 7. Menus
        1. Menu Structure Versus Content Structure
        2. Menu Manager
        3. Menu Item Manager: Menu Item Types Explained, Controlling Layout
        4. Menu Item Parameters
          1. Menu Item Details
          2. Parameters (Basic)
          3. Parameters (Advanced)
          4. Parameters (Component)
          5. Parameters (System)
        5. Menu Modules: Parameters
          1. Module Parameters
          2. Advanced Parameters
          3. Other Parameters
        6. Menu Module: Split Menus
        7. Built-in Site Map
          1. Create the Site Map
          2. Add Your Site Map to an Article Using the Content—Load Module Plug-in
        8. Using ItemID to Create Internal Links
        9. Menu Trash
          1. Restore Menu Items
          2. Permanently Delete Menu Items
        10. Summary
      10. 8. Components
        1. Extending Joomla with Extensions and Compatibility
        2. Built-in Components: Banners, Contacts, News Feeds, Polls, Search, and Web Links
          1. Banners
            1. Categories
            2. Clients
            3. Banners
          2. Contacts
          3. News Feeds
          4. Polls
          5. Search
          6. Web Links
        3. Other Built-in Components in the Extension Manager
        4. Third-Party Components: How to Install
        5. Summary
      11. 9. Modules
        1. The Module Manager
        2. Built-in Frontend Modules
          1. Article Modules
          2. Component Modules
          3. Feed Modules
          4. User Modules
          5. Other Modules
          6. Creating Modules
          7. Assigning Modules
          8. Duplicating Modules
          9. Deleting Modules
          10. Moving Modules
        3. Creating a Menu Module
        4. Creating a Custom HTML Module
        5. Built-in Administrator Modules
          1. Navigation Modules
          2. User Modules
          3. News Modules
          4. Other Modules
        6. Showing a Module Inside an Article
        7. Installing Third-Party Modules
        8. View All of the Module Positions
        9. Summary
      12. 10. Plug-ins
        1. The Plugin Manager
        2. Plug-in Types
        3. Built-in Plug-ins
        4. Third-Party Plug-ins: How to Install
        5. Summary
      13. 11. Templates
        1. The Template Manager
        2. Installing and Assigning Templates
          1. Installing a Template Package File
          2. Uploading Template Files
          3. Removing a Template
          4. Assigning the Default Template
          5. Assigning a Template to Specific Site Sections
        3. Template Folder Structure
        4. Editing Templates
          1. Editing with the Template Manager
          2. Edit Using an External Editor
          3. Adding Images
        5. Anatomy of a Template File
          1. JDOC Statements
          2. Template Conditionals
        6. Module Chrome
        7. Template Parameters
        8. Template Overrides (MVC)
        9. Summary
      14. 12. User Manager
        1. User Manager
        2. Adding and Editing Users
          1. User Details
          2. Parameters
          3. Contact Information
        3. User Registration
          1. Login Module
          2. Creating an Account
          3. Forgot Your Password?
          4. Forgot Your Username?
        4. Recover Your Admin Password
          1. The Easy Way
          2. The Hard Way
        5. User Permissions
        6. Summary
      15. 13. Media Manager
        1. The Media Manager
        2. Navigating Views and Managing Media
        3. Uploading and Deleting Media
          1. Uploading Media
          2. Deleting Media
        4. Using Media in Your Articles
          1. Adding an Image
          2. Changing an Image
          3. Removing an Image
        5. Summary
      16. 14. Languages
        1. The Language Manager
        2. Finding and Installing Languages
          1. Installing Other Languages
          2. Assigning a Language Pack to the Site or Administrator
          3. Assigning a Language Pack to a Single User
        3. Creating a Language Pack
        4. Other Language Options
          1. Joom!Fish
        5. Summary
      17. 15. Extension Manager
        1. Installing Extensions
          1. Upload Package File
          2. Install from Directory
          3. Install from URL
          4. Troubleshooting
        2. Uninstalling Extensions
        3. Upgrading Extensions
        4. Summary
      18. 16. Tools
        1. Global Check-in
        2. Clean Cache
        3. Purge Expired Cache
        4. Read/Write Private Messages
          1. Write Private Messages
          2. Read Private Messages
          3. Private Messaging Configuration
        5. Mass Mail
        6. System Info
        7. Summary
      19. 17. Hands-on: Converting a Site to Joomla
        1. Designing Your Website
        2. Finding Zones in Your Design
        3. Preparing the HTML and CSS
        4. Hands-on Walkthrough
          1. Insert the Joomla Tags
          2. Set Up the Template XML File
          3. Uploading Your Template
        5. Summary
      20. 18. Extending Your Site: Recommended Solutions
        1. E-Commerce: Set Up a Simple Online Storefront Using VirtueMart
          1. Store Frontend
          2. Administrator Backend
          3. Creating a Product Category
          4. Adding a Product
          5. Other Extension Options
        2. Blog: Blogging Functionality Built In
        3. Calendaring/Event Management: Manage and Share Online Calendars with JCal Pro
          1. Creating a Calendar
          2. Creating a Calendar Menu Item
          3. Creating Event Categories
          4. Adding an Event
          5. Adding a Mini-Calendar
          6. Other Extension Options
        4. Forms: Create Custom Forms to Collect and Store Information with bfForms
          1. Field Types
          2. Submit Actions
          3. Layout
          4. Final Thoughts
          5. Other Extension Option
        5. Photo Gallery: Set Up an Online Photo Gallery Using Phoca
          1. Adding a Category
          2. Uploading an Image
          3. Other Extension Options
        6. Document Library: Create Online Document Storage Using RokDownloads
          1. Creating a Folder
          2. Uploading a File
          3. Creating a Menu Link
          4. Latest Downloads List
          5. Other Extension Options
        7. Reviews: Create an Online Review System Using JReviews Express
          1. Setting Up Review Sections and Categories in Joomla
          2. Setting Up Review Criteria
          3. Setting Up a Review Category in JReviews
          4. User Reviews on the Frontend
          5. Configuration and Access Options
          6. Other Extension Option
        8. Building a Community: Extend User Profiles and Functions with Community Builder
          1. Creating a User List
          2. Adding a Profile Tab
          3. Adding Profile Fields
          4. Other Extension Option
        9. Podcasting: Publish Podcasts on Your Site and on iTunes with the Podcast Suite
          1. How a Podcast Works
          2. Setting Up Podcast Suite
          3. Create a Podcast Category
          4. Create a Podcast Menu Item
          5. Upload Your Podcast Audio File
          6. Publish Your Podcast
          7. Setting Up Your iTunes Channel
          8. More Parts
          9. Other Extension Options
        10. Discussion Forum: Set Up an Integrated Discussion Forum Using Kunena
          1. Synchronize Your Users
          2. Create a Menu Link to Your Forum
          3. Setting Up a Forum Category
          4. Add a Moderator
          5. Integration
          6. Other Extension Options
        11. Site Backup/Migration: Perform Backups and Migrate Your Site Using JoomlaPack
          1. Getting to Know the Interface
          2. Backing Up Your Website
          3. Restore Your Website
          4. But Wait, There’s More!
            1. JoomlaPack: eXtract Wizard
            2. JoomlaPack Remote
          5. Final Thoughts
          6. Other Extension Options
        12. Power Search: Powerful Site Searches with JXtended Finder
          1. Set Up a Search Filter
          2. Adding a Search Box
          3. Search Options
          4. Reindexing Your Content
          5. Other Extension Options
        13. Content Tagging: Organize and Connect Related Content Using JXtended Labels
          1. Planning and Creating Your Labels
          2. Labeling Your Articles
          3. Creating a Tag Cloud
          4. Other Extension Options
        14. Comments: Set Up User Comments Using JXtended Comments
          1. Other Extension Options
        15. Summary
      21. 19. SEO and SEF
        1. What Is SEO and SEF?
          1. Search Engine Optimization
          2. Search Engine–Friendly URLs
          3. Blocking Search Engines
        2. Lowering Your Page Rank
        3. Keywords and Metadata
        4. SEF URLs and Creating Custom URLs
        5. Error Pages
        6. SEO and SEF Resources
        7. Summary
      22. 20. Security
        1. Importance of Security and the JSST
        2. Best Practices
          1. Keep Joomla Updated
          2. Subscribe to Security Update
          3. Backup Often
          4. Stay on Top of New Vulnerabilities
          5. Uninstall or Unpublish Unused Extensions
          6. Strong Passwords
          7. Create a New Super Administrator User
          8. Do Not Use jos_ As Your Database Prefix
          9. Database and Super Administrator Passwords Should Not Be the Same
          10. User Permissions
          11. Help→System Info
            1. System Info
            2. PHP Settings
            3. Configuration File
            4. Directory Permissions
            5. PHP Information
          12. Do Not Use PHP 4
          13. Register Globals
          14. .htaccess
            1. Prevent directory browsing
            2. Deny access to view XML files directly from the Web
          15. SEF URLs
          16. robots.txt
          17. Directory Permissions
          18. Backup Often
          19. More Information
        3. Summary
      23. 21. Joomla 1.6 and Beyond
        1. Changes and Improvements
          1. Article Manager
          2. Extension Manager
          3. Menu Manager
          4. Interface Enhancements
          5. ACL and User Permissions
          6. Other Improvements
        2. Extension Compatibility
        3. Migrating to Joomla 1.6
        4. Summary
      24. 22. Getting Involved
        1. Write or Translate a Tutorial or Documentation
        2. Test or Add a Comment to an Issue Report
        3. Develop an Extension or Template
        4. Join a Joomla Working Group
        5. Help Out at a Joomla Event
        6. Contribute in Other Ways
        7. Summary
      25. A. Installing and Upgrading
        1. Requirements
        2. Database Setup
        3. FTP (File Transfer Protocol)
        4. Web Installer
        5. Local Web Servers
        6. Upgrading
      26. B. Choosing the Right Extensions
        1. Which Extension Is Right for Me?
          1. What Do I Want the Extension to Do?
          2. What Do Others Say About the Extension?
          3. Am I Willing to Pay for the Extension?
          4. License
          5. Is It Secure?
          6. Can I Get Support if I Need It?
          7. Is the Extension Encrypted?
        2. Where Can I Find an Extension Used in This Book?
      27. C. Developing for Joomla
        1. Joomla Framework
          1. JDatabase Example
          2. JRequest Example
          3. JDocument Example
        2. Developer Resources
      28. D. Tips and Tricks
        1. How to Tell if a Website Is Running Joomla
          1. generator meta tag
          2. /administrator
          3. tp=1
          4. Check for Default Joomla Template
          5. View a Core XML File
          6. View the robots.txt File
          7. View Their configuration.php-dist File
        2. What Is Key Reference Anyway?
        3. Showing Component Area Without Modules
      29. Index
      30. About the Authors
      31. Colophon