The Joomlashack Blog
How to change your default images directory in Joomla! 1.5
- Published: 26 September 2008 26 September 2008
One of the most annoying things about Joomla! (in my opinion) is that the default images directory (or folder, whatever you want to call it) is yoursite.com/images/stories, and the default directory for the media manager is yoursite.com/images. That makes no sense to me. Read on to find out why this makes no sense, and how you can easily fix it.
Read more: How to change your default images directory in Joomla! 1.5
Fresh Install - Template Messed Up?
- Written by TJ Baker TJ Baker
- Published: 25 September 2008 25 September 2008
One of the most asked questions we get in our support ticket system, is why a particular template is 'messed up, broken, not right, etc etc' upon first installation.
The following is taken from a tutorial on how to set up the Onyx template with Joomla 3, however, there are some concepts that might help a user of any Joomlashack template understand why a template does not look like the demo right out of the box.
This information is not designed to help you set up any particular template besides Onyx (for that please see the template documentation in the demo of the template you are seeking help with) but it is important as a user of Joomla to grasp some concepts that will make life a little easier as you learn how to use this sometimes confusing system.
Default Template installed
This is how our Onyx template with demo content looks, within the style variations.
So you've installed Joomla successfully, and now you want to us a profession template. First you need to install your template. For help with installing that template, see the tutorial 'How do I install a Joomlashack Template'
Joomlashack Template installed
This is how Onyx template looks without the demo content.
You've successfuly installed your template and set it as the 'default', and gone to view your wonderful new template... and WHOA! It looks like something went terribly wrong!
...it's not all that bad - you just need to do some simple template setup now. Keep reading and it will all look good in a time.
First Things First - know your available module positions!
Before you can put things where they belong (or where you want them), or move things from where they don't belong, you need to know what module positions are available with your particular template. Each template demo contains a 'Module Map'. The module map will outline your available module positions. This is the Module Map for Onyx, to view the module map for your particular template, see the Demos.
Where is my menu?
You'll notice in the default template (Protostar), that menu module is published nicely to the 'position-1' position. When you change the default template to the Onyx template (in this example), you need to change that menu module to the 'menu' postion.Know your available module styles
Just as you need to know what module positions are avaialbe if you want to put things where you want them - you also need to know the styles that are available for your particular template. And just as each demo contains a Module Map ... guess what?.... they also contain info on what styles are at your disposal!
The above image shows the 'Module Class Suffixes' and corresponding formatting for the Onyx template (for your template's available suffixes, see the demo).
Add the suffix.
The module itself will gain styles based on the Module Class Suffix, which is added in the module's parameters as seen in the screenshot below:
Remember, if you need help further assistance after viewing this information and the documentation for your template, please submit a ticket (only available for purchased templates and Template Club customers).
Thanks for using Joomlashack's template, and Have Fun!
How to create a Joomla sitemap
- Written by Steve Burge Steve Burge
- Published: 22 September 2008 22 September 2008
I recently read an articlenthat shared an ingenious method for creating a site map in Joomla using your existing menus, menu modules. We recommend OSMap:
Video introduction to OSMap
Urgent Joomla 1.5 security vulnerability discovered
- Written by Tom Elliott Tom Elliott
- Published: 13 August 2008 13 August 2008
From the Joomla.org website:
The Joomla! community is pleased to announce the immediate availability of Joomla! 1.5.6 [Vusani]. This is a quick turnaround security release to address a high level security issue and it is recommended all users upgrade immediately.
A flaw in the reset token validation mechanism allows for non-validating tokens to be forged. This will allow an unauthenticated, unauthorized user to reset the password of the first enabled user (lowest id). Typically, this is an administrator user. Note, that changing the first users username may lessen the impact of this exploit (since the person who changed the password does not know the login associated with the new password). However, the only way to completely rectify the issue is to upgrade to 1.5.6 (or patch the /components/com_user/models/reset.php file).
For more information about this exploit, click here to visit the Joomla Security Blog.
Our latest Joomla 1.5 ready template: Earthblog by Joomlashack
- Written by Tom Elliott Tom Elliott
- Published: 05 August 2008 05 August 2008
The "Earthblog" Joomla! template is a great template for technical sites, blogs, communities, churches, portals, and so many more.
This template has a variety of time saving extras such as matching JCalPro themes and a super-lightweight mootools slider module to attract readers to your featured content!
When you purchase the Earthblog template package, you'll get all the preset styles shown in this demo as well as the Fireworks graphic source files used to create this template. To make things even easier for you, we've separated the entire CSS structure from presentation in a separate commented file that can easily be modified.
EarthBlog is a Joomla 1.5 native template only. Check it out today!
Read more: Our latest Joomla 1.5 ready template: Earthblog by Joomlashack
Our latest Joomla 1.5 ready template: Earthblog by Joomlashack
- Written by Tom Elliott Tom Elliott
- Published: 05 August 2008 05 August 2008
The "Earthblog" Joomla! template is a great template for technical sites, blogs, communities, churches, portals, and so many more.
This template has a variety of time saving extras such as matching JCalPro themes and a super-lightweight mootools slider module to attract readers to your featured content!
When you purchase the Earthblog template package, you'll get all the preset styles shown in this demo as well as the Fireworks graphic source files used to create this template. To make things even easier for you, we've separated the entire CSS structure from presentation in a separate commented file that can easily be modified.
EarthBlog is a Joomla 1.5 native template only. Check it out today!
Read more: Our latest Joomla 1.5 ready template: Earthblog by Joomlashack
Joomla 1.5.5 Released: Duplicate Title Bug Squashed
- Written by Tom Elliott Tom Elliott
- Published: 05 August 2008 05 August 2008
The pace of improvements to Joomla 1.5 seems to be quickening this summer, as we're seeing new versions in weeks now.
The latest is Joomla! 1.5.5 [Mamni]. The Joomla Project refers to it as a "quick turnaround release to address the Duplicate Title error from 1.5.4
This release also contains "important SEF URL improvements and fixes for com_content in addition to a number of bug fixes and improvements."
Be sure to upgrade today, especially if you upgraded to version 1.5.4.
Need a template for your Joomla 1.5 site?
Joomla Training in New England
- Written by Barrie North Barrie North
- Published: 31 July 2008 31 July 2008
Our own Barrie North is running Joomla Training and education across New England. If you want:
- Expert instructors with teacher certification AND deep Joomla expertise
- One-on-one hands-on time to implement what you learn
- Optional ongoing education and support to create a successful Joomla website
- Small class sizes so you can ask questions one-on-one
- An included copy of the best selling "Joomla - A User's Guide"
.... then you need to attend this training.
Joomla 1.5 rolls on to to version 4
- Written by Tom Elliott Tom Elliott
- Published: 24 July 2008 24 July 2008
The Joomla Project recently announced the release of the latest version of our favorite CMS, Joomla 1.5.4, codenamed "Naiki."
Quoting from the news item on Joomla.org, here are some of the bug fixes announced with this release:
- Several Search component fixes, including the removal of HTML tags as possible search results
- Banners can handle Flash items
- Polls and Latest and Most Popular articles listed in the Administrator now support GMT dates
- Several OpenID improvements
- Several critical security improvements
The Joomla Project recommends upgrading your version asap. Download and upgrade today!
Need a template for your Joomla 1.5 site?
Creating a Parent / Child Relationship in a Menu
- Written by TJ Baker TJ Baker
- Published: 24 July 2008 24 July 2008
In order to use a Suckerfish Dropdown menu, or Dropline menu, it is first necessary to set up your menu to have 'Parent / Child' relationships. The 'Child' item is the one that you will see 'drop down', or as a 'sub menu' item.
This tutorial covers how to make it happen.
(this example uses Joomla 1.5 - although the backend looks a bit different in 1.0, the concepts are the same)
Step 1: Access the Menu Manager
Select the menu you wish to set up parent / child relationships in. In this example, we are going to use the Main Menu
No parent / child relationships
This image shows a menu with no parent / child relationships.
Access the Menu Parameters
Once you've accessed the menu, click on the menu item you wish to make a 'child' item in your menu. You will see the 'Parent Item' parameter on the left side of the screen. This is where you will assign a parent item, thus making the menu item we are editing the 'child' item.
In this case, we are going to set the parent item to be 'What's New in 1.5?" - see below
Select the 'Parent Item'
Select the item you wish to be the Parent Item. In this exaample we are setting the 'What's New in Joomla 1.5?" link to be the parent of the 'Joomla! Overview' link.
Save the Changes
Click on Save to apply the changes.
Parent / Child relationship is set!
You'll see after saving that the parent / child relationship has been set. Child items are shown indented with a connection to the parent item. You can do this for as many links as you need, as many levels deep as you need. Although, the template must accomodate the levels. Joomlashack's templates will accomodate up to 3 child items.
Step 2: Set up the Menu Module
Access the menu module by going to the Extensions -> Module Manager, and select the menu module you wish to use. In our example, we are using the already existing 'Main Menu' module. So we click on the module name to open it.
Setting it up.
Upon opening our menu module, you will see some parameters that must be set properly for the menu to operate as a suckerfish or dropline menu.
Set the 'Details'
In the Details area of the module settings (top left), set the parameters as seen above, and listed here:
Show Title = No
Enabled = Yes
Position = Whatever position you are setting up the suckerfish / dropline menu to be displayed in. Check your template documentaiton, found in the template demo, for the location to use suckerfish / dropline menus in.
Set the 'Parameters'
In the Parameters area of the module settings (top right), set the parameters as seen above, and listed here:
Menu Name = mainmenu (choose the name of the menu you wish to use to populate the suckerfish / dropline menu with -- in our case, we've set up the 'mainmenu' to have the parent / child relationships and will be using that menu)
Menu Style = List
Always show sub-menu items = Yes
You do not need to change any of the other parameters, unless otherwise noted in the docuementation for the template.
Preview your site to see your work!
If all settings have been done properly, you should now have a fully functional Suckerfish or Dropline menu set up, with the Joomla! Overview being the child item of the What's new in 1.5? parent.
Repeat the First Step to set up more items for the menu.
As stated above, this tutorial uses Joomla 1.5, however, the concepts are the same for Joomla 1.0 - it's just a bit different in where and how you do things.
If you have any questions or need further assistance, please visit the Community Forum and post to an appropriate thread.