Chapter 7 Integrations and Widgets

In the integrations of jCommunity with components which are not from Joobi, basically you need to download and upload it to your site. One thing that we need to set up first so that it can be viewed at the front end is to Create a Menu for each applications integrated with jCommunity.

Here are the following steps to follow:

1. Menus -> Menu Manager

2. Click to create a new menu.

3. After filling up the right informations, click .

• But most of the webmasters used the Top Menu which would be advisable if it's not yet crowded.
• So it's up to you where to put that specific component which makes you more comfortable.

7.1 Photo Gallery

It is the web based photo album organizer in which we can create albums as many as we want. It gives you an intuitive way to blend photo management seamlessly into your own website whether you're running a small personal site or a large community site.

7.1.a RSGallery2

RSGallery and jCommunity integration will display the user's list of galleries on his profile.

Requirements:

1. If you still don't have RSGallery 2.00.0, upload it first.

2. Publish RSGallery widget.

7.2 Contents

It refers to the information made available electronically. These are the various issues, topics, or questions taken cared of in a particular piece of writing.

7.2.a Joomla Articles

Seeing that jCommunity is created through the use of the Joomla! CMS as platform, the incorporation of Joomla! articles to jCommunity is very important to keep us posted on the information that is published on a regular basis and updated as Joomla! progresses. The articles or blogs include programming techniques used in Joomla!, Security, Events and other necessary information. Members on the site who had the access rights (Author up to Super Administrator) to write an article will be able to contribute on a site.

Requirement:

1. Publish the Joomla Article widget

-Just go to the list of widgets:

Components -> jCommunity -> click Tools and publish Joomla Article

Article Writing

1. Go to the Article Manager's page: Content -> Article Manager.

2. Click button. Before you start with the article be sure to choose which section and category it belongs; and the author of the article. The above information would help for an easy retrieval through filtering.

3. After making your article click .

7.2.b Acajoom

Acajoom is integrated with jCommunity to show a user's newsletter subscription on his profile.He can also subscribe from various available newsletters by editing his profile. However, newslettes shown on the Profile Edit will be filtered by the ACL (Access Control Level) set by the Admin. It means that the newsletter is not shown if your ACL is lower than the ACL set by the Admin in the newsletter.Subscription is also possible in the "Registration Form." First time registrant can also subscribe while filling up the registration form. Filtering newsletters also works the same as in the "Edit Profile." Only the newsletters set as available to the public (set as public front end) will be shown.

To know more about Acajoom just click this link: Acajoom Documentation

7.3 Forum

Forum is an online discussion site. It is composed of group of people which forms around a topic's discussion, subjects dealt with in or around sections in the forum. This group includes community members, Joomla! Core members, and of course Working Group members as the problem gets more technical and complicated. For now we don't have forum application, so we'll be integrating agora and fireboard in order to have a post for each profile or member to be able to send queries to a forum within your site, and to display the list of user post. Agora and Kunena (formerly named fireboard) forums are native Joomla component. For this reason it is much easier to integrate and no bridge required for these two components.

7.3.a Agora

Agora is the first forum to natively support Joomla 1.5+. It is integrated to provide means for useful information for both new and well-experienced users. The integration of Agora forum and jCommunity users will enable the user's list of submitted post shown on his profile.

Requirement:

1. Download Agora at their site.

7.3.b Kunena

Kunena is formerly known as the Fireboard. Kunena, translated from Swahili meaning "to speak", arose out of a fork of the former Fireboard forum with a new team and some of the previous developers, including several Joomla core developers. http://www.kunena.com/The synchronization of Kunena Forum and jCommunity users let a user's submitted post shown on his profile.

Downloading Kunena (formerly Fireboard):

As long as the Kunena application is not installed it's impossible to publish its widget on your site. For this reason we need to download Kunena first and these are the steps:

A. At Kunena's site

1. Go to Kunena to view its own site.

2. Click the top menu: "Download Kunena 1.0.9 &1.5.1b" .

3. On the table of the package release for Kunena, select the file you want to download and click it.

The Kunena file has been saved at the desktop.

B. At Joomla

It is also included in joomla.org wherein we can also do our downloading for Kunena but it's more laborious than going directly to its site.

1. On Joomla site, click Extensions to view the extensions listed by categories.

2. Look for the category "Communication" and click Forum under it. You'll be redirected to the page listing the available forums.

3. Find the component Kunena Forum and click Download button. Then you'll see the table of package release for kunena.

4. At that table you can pick out which file you want to download and click it to complete the process.

Uploading and Installing Kunena:

After downloading Kunena, you are now ready to upload and install it on your site.

First, go to the back end and do the following:

1. Hover Extensions => click Install/Uninstall

2. On the Extension Manager's page, click the sub-menu Install.

3. Click Browse button under the text field "Upload Package File."

4. On the File Upload screen, choose Desktop to find the file you want to upload and click it to insert it on the file name's box.

5. Click the Open button to go back to the Extension Manager's page.

6. Click Upload & Install button. As the process is completed, a success message will be displayed.

7.4 eCommerce

Electronic Commerce or eCommerce is an electronic marketing which consist of the buying and selling of products or services over electronic systems such us the Internet and other computer networks. It includes electronic funds transfer, supply chain management, Internet marketing, online transaction processing, electronic data interchange (EDI), inventory management systems, and automated data collection systems. It is considered to be the sales aspects of e-business.

7.4.a jStore - jMarket

jStore is a web shop or an online electronics store. When jStore is combined with jCommunity, the members can purchase any products available on the site; needless to register to any other site for that particular purpose. It is secure because it's only them can see their own orders and subscriptions. The user's orders list will be shown on his profile.

Requirements:

1. Publish "jStore Placed Order" widget

-Go to the widgets list: Components -> jCommunity -> click Tools.

2. Products List at jStore

Just go to jStore - jMarket documentation to learn more about it.

7.5 jTickets

The integration between jCommunity and jTickets works by showing the tickets submitted by a user on his profile.

For this reason, every members can make a ticket directly without logging in once more.

Ticket title, status, type, and the date submitted are the information shown on the list.

Requirement:

• Install jTickets

To learn more how to set up jTickets just go to its documentation.

Chapter 6 Advance Features

On the university website, the possible users are the teachers, students, and even the administrative staff.
For this reason it's necessary to have a multiple registration. As the user create an account, he will be redirected
to another registration form depending on what type of user he is.

6.2 Badges - How to Link to other Social Website

You can easily go to the other social websites by just clicking the badges you had created.But before creating a badge we need to publish the badge widget first.

Enabling the Badges:

2. On the list of widgets, look for Badges and click the under the Publish column to turn into to publish it.

Creating a Badge:

3. Click to view the form for the new badge. Fill up this form and click the Wizard if you need guidance.

4. After filling up the for, click . Then you'll see the success message as you completely save it.

Internet Protocol or IP defines addressing methods and structures for datagram encapsulation.

It defines the basic unit of data transfer (IP datagram) and performs the routing function.
It provides a way for the sender to dictate a path through the internet.

IP reporting helps the site's admin to get some of the user's information or important details; particularly his location .
To keep track of all your users, it's important to enable the your site's IP reporting to get all the users' GPS (Global Positioning System) coordinates which will then be placed on a world map.
With the user's IP, you can get his GPS coordinates to connect him to the Internet or Cellular (Mobile) phone which empowers the satellite to track him down.
Thus, whenever the admin wants to locate a user, he just log the user's IP so each time he logs on, a world map can be drawn to locate that user's place or country which also includes information on currency, ISO codes for country's name (and other related details) and language, and time zone or local time.

This is also essential in marketing because you'll be able to know the number of clients on every places; thus letting you think of ways to improve or advertise your site or anything necessary.

To be able to use the IP reporting we just simply publish its widget. Here are the steps to follow:

• Components --> jCommunity --> click Tools to directly go the list of widgets.
  

• On the list find the widget for ''IP Reporting'' and click the under the Publish column to turn into to publish it.

Then a success message will be seen.

Power Search Tool is designed to find searchable information within your web site which is available on the front page.
The results include web pages, wonderful images, information and other types of files.

The other Search engine located below an article is used to find out topics or posts on comments.

Chapter 5 Connection and Personal Lists

5.1 Send to All my Connection

An automated email can be sent to all your connections. On a university site, there will be a group created by a teacher whose members are his students. In this way he can easily disseminate information or announcements to his students to keep them updated.

 

(Coming soon)

5.2 Send Messages within a Group (Forum and Admin)

1. Under the Menu Members click Members to view the Members list.

2. Choose the person you want to send a message, and click his 'send a message' icon.

3. After writing your message with its title click , then a success message will be viewed.

As you click under Menu Members, a list of your messages wil be displayed.

If you are the initiator of the conversation you can view the same message on the two filters:

* At the filter, you as the sender.

** On filter, you can see your message' receiver.

Chapter 4 Groups

4.1 List of Groups

The list of groups can be generated by the admin for the user to choose.
If ever he did not like any of the available groups, he is free to create a new group without the administrator's approval.
He can also have a multiple groups as long as he will be accepted by the group admin.

A user can only view those list of groups accessible by him in which he can select to join.
Thus, he can join a group depending on its defined access level of users allowed.
For example, the group's access level is 'Editor' the lower access level (Author down to Visitor) can not view this group.
Only the Editor up to the Super Administrator can see and have the right to be admitted in that group.
That's the reason why a user can not view all the groups on a list.

The group articles posted and profile are only accessible within the group.

4.1.a An Admin can Create a Group

The Administrator of the site can create group he wants at the backend for the user to choose or the admin himself to invite members to a group.

Creating a Group

You can create groups of members which is very convenient to generate social links among members.
Out of these groups, you can make a list derived from a group of members to limit the number of possible entries on the official list.

1. Components -> jCommunity -> click Members to display the Members' List.

2. Hover Members -> Click Groups. The list of groups appears.

3. Click on button.

A Group's form

4. After filling up the form, click on and a message below will be received.

Editing a Group

Some of the entries in a group need to be changed or add necessary information.

1. Components -> jCommunity -> click Members.

2. Hover Members -> click Groups

3. Click on the check box beside the group and click button.

The Group edit page will be ready for revising or correcting.

4. If you are done, click on the a success message emerges.

Deleting a Group

An existing group can be deleted if you find it undesirable or unnecessary.

1. Components -> jCommunity -> click Members.

2. Hover Members -> click Groups

3. Click on the group’s check box you wish to remove.
4. Click on .

A confirmation message will emerge and click OK to end the task.

• The group’s ID # will always be its own though it will be removed from the list. So the new group will have its own ID #.

4.1.b The Members can also Create a Group

Creating a Group

A registered user can create his own group but he needs to log in first before he can do so.

1. Under Menu Members, click the sub-menu MyGroups.

2. On the groups' list, click to see the fill-in form for a new group.

3. As you complete the information, click on .

 

 

Deleting a Group (frontend)

 

Only the group's creator can delete its group but the Admin can delete any group at the backend.

 

1. On the list of groups, click the group's name to view its profile.

 

2. Click on and then a confirmation message appeared.

Just click OK and a success message appeared.

 

 

4.2 Group Creator can Invite Users to his Group

The admin can also have control on who will join in a certain group specially those groups created by him.
He can assign members, but to be more clear he can only invite members because it's all up to the one invited if he is really willing to join in that group.

Requirement:

 

• Add an element "invite in a group" to the Members List which is searchable and link to profile.

 

1. Under Menu Members click Members to see the Members List.

2. Click corresponding to the member you intend to invite.

3. Click to view the List of groups to choose from.

You can invite a person to as many groups at one time by "CTRL" while clicking the desired groups.

4. If you're done click .

A message for a successful invitation will emerge with the number of groups a person is invited.

 

 

 

Accepting the Users' Request to Join your Group:

As group creator, you can check each of your groups if there are any requests to join your group/s.

You can either accept or delete them.

 

1. By clicking Groups at the Menu Members you can view all your groups including the groups you had joined.

 

2. Check each groups for users' request by clicking its name to view the group profile. Then click to see who are those users wanted to be in your group.

 

 

 

3. Click the box beside the user/s and click .

 

A confirmation message will be shown after accepting the request.

 

• The number of users who requested is shown at the button.

• Delete all the refused requests to clean off the Pending Members page so that all you need to check is the latest requests and not be bothered with the old ones.

 

4.3 A User can Request to Join a Group

As you view other users' groups and you want to join, you can request the group's moderator to accept you in his group.

 

• First, go to the Menu Members and click Members.

 

• On the Members List, click the user's name to view his groups at his Profile show.

 

Click the Groups' tab and select the group you wanted to join by clicking its name to view the Group's information.

 

• Then click at the top right corner of the page and the group you had requested will be automatically listed but still needs to be accepted by the group Administrator. A success message will also pop up.

 

4.4 Group Topic

Each groups can also have their own forum which is called group topic.

Only members of the group can create and view the topics to be discussed.

Topics can be made by every member without any limits.

A member can reply or post comments under each topics as many as he wants.

Although different persons have access to edit and delete a topic, still the Super Administrator has the privilege on it.

 

4.4.a. Group Topic Creation

 

Each members of a group can submit topics as many as he can.

 

1. Click 'Groups (0)' under the Menu Members.

 

 

2. At the list of groups, click either the Group's name or under Action column.

3. On the group's profile click Topics tab.

 

4. Click on button.

5. There at the 'Post a Topic' page, provide the required information and then click .

A success message will be displayed.

 

4.4.b. Editing a Topic

 

Only two persons can edit a topic: the topic's author and of course the Super Administrator.

 

1. Menu Members -> Groups (0) to see the list of groups.

 

2. Click the group's name to view the group's information where you can select the topic.

3. On the 'Info' column, click of the topic you want to edit.

4. After editing just click and a message for a successful edition will come up.

 

 

4.4.c. Deleting a Topic

 

Group's moderator, the topic's creator, and the site's admin have the access to delete a topic.

 

1. Go to Menu Members and click Groups (0) to see the list of groups.

 

2. Click the group's name to view the group's information.

3. On the 'Info' column, click corresponding to the topic you want to delete.

Two confirmation messages will emerge; just click OK.

Then a success message will be displayed.

 

 

4.4.d. Rating of Topic

 

Any members of a group can only rate once per topic.

 

1. Go to the groups' list, then click the group's name to view its profile.

 

2. Click Topics tab and look for the topic you want to rate.

 

'Topics' tab will appear once created a topic.

3. Once finish assessing the topic click the desired star.

After a few moments you'll see the latest rating for that topic.

 

 

 

Chapter 3 Managing Roles and Access Level

3.1 Creating Roles

In creating new roles, it's important to consider the 'default roles' for these will be used as origin to the newly added roles.
The positioning or the level of accessibility of the new role will depend on the parent which can either be set as 'Nested' or 'Parallel.'
The first one is done by substituting the parent's position or the level of accessibility on the site with the new role.
The former's new role will be listed next to the parent element.
Thus, the 'Nested' element is equal to parent and 'Parallel' element is higher than the parent.

The Default Roles:

1. Go to Components -> jCommunity -> click Members

2. Hover Members (horizontal menu) click Roles.

3. On the Roles’ page, click on .

A profile for a new role is on display.

>If you choose ‘Nested’ as the position of the role compare to the parent element, the parent will be substituted by the new role.

>But if you select ‘Parallel’ for the position of the role, the newly created role will be listed at the end which means a higher access level.

4. Click on .

Editing a Role

1. Components -> jCommunity -> click Members.

2. Hover Members, then click Roles.

3. Click on the role’s name.

Role edit page will come into sight.

• On this page, you can only edit the name and the description of the role.

4. Click on to accomplish.

Deleting a Role

It is applicable if you desire a new position of the role and the parent role since these two fields are unchangeable once created.

1. Components -> jCommunity -> click Members.

2. On the Members page, hover Members -> click Roles.

3. Click the radio button beside the role you will delete.

4. Click on .

A confirmation box will emerge with a message whether to continue deleting or not.

Just click OK to finish the task.