Proposal To Provide An Interim Joomla Package

[SimpleSi]

As a lot of time has passed without any posts by aloneBFG I'm proposing to provide a modified and simplified version of the edugeek Joomla package.

 

 

It will be based upon my own modifications of the main edugeek Joomla 1.5 package and will have the possible contentious gallery module and advanced JCE editor removed.

 

I'm looking for a volunteer (please PM me if you wish to volunteer) to go through alpha testing and intend to try to only distribute the package to "pucker" educationalists in case the gallery/JCE editor are not the contentious items!

 

If you like to see what it could look like, have a look at St Leonards to see the site it will be based on.

 

The package will in no way approach the excellent standards of Sysman and aloneBFG but I just want to help out others get started with Joomla as its a reasonable way to get a nice looking site without TOO much effort

 

To repeat: The package will in no way approach the excellent standards of Sysman and aloneBFG but has been tweaked to make it easier to keep up to date from the frontend rather than having to modify the much more complicated backend

 

If anyone objects to me doing this - please let me know sooner rather than later so as not to disappoint any "customers"

 

regards

 

Simon

[edit]Already realised that St Leonard's had a flash video on the front page that was inserted by the paid for advanced JCE editor - so if you want things like that - you'll have to pay for them ($20 last time I looked ) [/edit]

Edited January 8, 2009 by SYSMAN_MK

[GrumbleDook]

Time has not been nice to many of us over the last few months and this is the same for aloneBFG.

 

I know Russ has previously been in contact so I would suggest that Russ is the starting point at the moment, but yes ... a fresh package for 1.5 would be good. Remember that we can always have more than one version of the package as long as we know where it has forked, etc.

[EduTech]

I have also spoke to aloneBFG, let me assue you he is still around he is just very busy.

 

he is currently working on things in the background, but unfortunatly he has been ill for a few weeks.. he is over the worst of it now. he will be back in due time. just give the man time

 

alonebfg just finished updating but missin componantes he said he will have it out by end of week. will keep everyone updated if it helps.

 

Cheers

 

James.

Edited January 4, 2009 by EduTech
More info

[kmount]

Nothing wrong with forking, can always merge changes back in later.

 

Might I suggest a version control system to make it easier?

[SimpleSi]

Have been thinking about this aswell. Currenty have a J1.5 site that would be ideal for packaging up.

 

Well, if you'd do it - that would be much better than me doing it as I've stripped out a fair bit (such as front-end template changer)

 

 

Have you spoken to AloneBFG for his thoughts?

I don't think AloneBFG and I communicate very well and I thought it better not to

 

The contentious items are the JCE editor and the flash banner module

 

That's what I suspected - I use the JoomlaFCK (free/donation ware) as the editor for users to use (does evething its says it does in all browsers - unlike JCE ) - so I plan on just removing JCE advanced plugins and just tell users they can't easily insert videos.

 

And I already just use Simple Image gallery and not the pro version as I accidently removed it once and only put the free version back - seems to do what I want so I never bought the Pro version.

 

 

As for your demo site, looks great. Is it running in legacy or native?

Legacy - its all based on AloneBFG's 1.5 package with my own modifed latest news module that auto generates menu items so that me and my teachers and heads don't need to go into back end to add a new article to a menu

 

I don't know what problems the legacy mode causes but it seems to work OK for me

 

And I started again with the 1.5 Rokwebify template and modified that to give me the layout you see.

 

The header is just one image so that makes it simpler to modify for each of my schools (at the expense of load time as its bigger than the original )

 

regards

 

Simon

 

I've two others that are using it but St Leonard's is my latest variation

 

Whitefield Primary School (with the rounded modules type theme)

 

and

 

Hoole St Michael CE Primary School

 

St Leonard's looks the best as it only went live 2 days ago and the look and feel hasn't been hacked to bits by the school yet (I just pop back to them occasionally and correct any gross visual errors )

Edited January 4, 2009 by SimpleSi

[SimpleSi]

I can't seem to edit my last post so just ignore Simple Image Gallery guff [/edit]

 

and replace with

 

I'll need to find a replacement for the slideshow module or just ditch it for a static image then.

 

regards

Simon

[daboroe]

try RokSlideshow Overview. that works nicely. I have issues with the standalone version but the Joomla version is free.

 

SimpleSi, please pm me on the JP Support Forum and I will try to beta test stuff out for you. Let me rephrase that, I would be glad to alpha test it.

 

On a side note, I know there are some legal issues that happened with the 1.5 package. I Have always been a believer that free if you can get it is usually better. The RokSlideshow is a great replacement for the slideshow it is free. I do not know what other ones are out there that would replace some of the other paid components, plugins or modules.

 

Thanks

Edited January 5, 2009 by daboroe

[SimpleSi]

With regard to the WYSIWYG editor so far I have been using the default one included with J1.5 without any issues. Seems somewhat improved over the 1.x version.

 

I'll need to look at it again then - AFAIR it didn't do what i needed (type in text and insert pictures )

 

This is just my feeling but any new J1.5 really should be native.

Would seem to way forward

 

Echo dabore on using RokSlideshow. Works a treat.

Ta - will try it

 

From experience what made the old J1.0 package was the choice of themes. This is also what took the most time to develop.

 

Agreed but I've taken that options out of mine

 

One option I think the J1.5 package should have is a theme with the option of a drop down menu structure. This is always one of the biggest request from those members with large sites to run.

 

Yes - but I've not found a free one that works OK in IE6, IE7 and FF though

 

I am currently looking onto such a theme but other things have taken priority recently.

 

The site I would use as a base for a package has the minimal of add-ons and has some gallery features hard coded into the theme itself.

 

Its all good and I realise how much time something like this can take which is why I was offering to offer a simple package without bells and whistles until an official Edugeek updated package comes available.

 

It may be an option to create the package in its most basic form giving people site that can be up and running with minimal fuss. Then more advance users can choose their own add-ons and discuss their choices and recommendations on the forums?

 

That would seem to be a very good way forward

 

I recommend my own automenu mod

 

regards

 

Simon

[HodgeHi]

I can't seem to edit my last post so just ignore Simple Image Gallery guff [/edit]

 

and replace with

 

I'll need to find a replacement for the slideshow module or just ditch it for a static image then.

 

regards

Simon

 

I have been looking for an image gallery for some time until i found this one:

 

Expose Gallery Module

 

I have emailed the guy who develops it and he says that it can be used by schools for free since they aren't a business. I have tried it out and it works pretty well. The back end of it is really good to use. You will need the Alpha version if using it with 1.5 though as it warns that the Register_Globals is on but in fact it is turned off by default in Joomla 1.5.

[SimpleSi]

You will need the Alpha version if using it with 1.5 though

 

I wouldn't want my teachers anywhere near alpha software

 

 

regards

 

Simon

[HodgeHi]

Teachers wouldn't really use this software to be honest as most of the work is done in the admin side. This is the problem with most image galleries i have found. They all have back-ends in the admin side.

 

What does stand out from this one though is there is a thing called a bucket. This is basically an FTP share where users can upload images to and it uses this bucket to add them to galleries. I haven't tested this out yet though so am not sure how it works in its entirety. I would recommend at least looking at it as it is a very nice implementation, all flash-based, including the back-end.

[SimpleSi]

Teachers wouldn't really use this software to be honest as most of the work is done in the admin side. This is the problem with most image galleries i have found. They all have back-ends in the admin side.

 

The Simple Image Gallery (which I know you never got to work ) is fine for me - I haven't got time/effort to work with something that requires backend work

 

Although it would be nice to have a simple way of uploading a few pictures at a time - uploading one at a time in exactly the same way as a single picture keeps the learning curve down for my teachers

 

They mostly only do one article /half -term so the simpler the better

 

regards

 

Simon

[daboroe]

Simon

 

I would like to alpha/beta test this for you. I can not get to pm you through this website. Please try to contact me through the JP forum about any information.

 

thanks

 

p.s. my name on the jp forums is mbrown

[Edu-IT]

Sounds good and would be useful for sure.

[SimpleSi]

JFI for all volunteer alpha testers - just trying to get to grips with building an installation package - soon as I can do it - I'll send it off to you

 

regards

 

Simon

[daboroe]

JFI for all volunteer alpha testers - just trying to get to grips with building an installation package - soon as I can do it - I'll send it off to you

 

regards

 

Simon

I thought you were using JoomlaPack to do this? If so and you have issues just let me know and I will try to help you since I am a member of the team over there.

 

 

 

Well I have bitten the bullet and have started to put something together.

 

See screenshot below for how the theme will look.

 

Currently has a mootools dropdown menu, greybox and highslide image scripts hardcoded into the theme.

 

I do like it. I would try to help out but i suck at doing templates. lol

[SimpleSi]

I thought you were using JoomlaPack to do this? If so and you have issues just let me know and I will try to help you since I am a member of the team over there.

 

I'm not even sure JP will do the job and I found a website that gave 5 easy steps to producing an installer so I'm giving that a go.

 

(just running out of grey matter multitasking many jobs at the moment - should have started this out at start of holdays )

 

regards

 

Simon

[daboroe]

do you have msn, aim or yahoo or even skype> i would like to talk to you about this. i am interested in this website that you found.

 

thanks

[SimpleSi]

Joomla Bamboo - Create your own Joomla installer

 

I have skype - 5 1 w @ L t 3 r 5

 

(remove spaces and replace everything with best guess letters lower case )

 

Currently uploading my 1st zipped attempt - the package itself isn't ready but I just need to know if I can package my test site up - 15mins to go till its finished

 

regards

 

Simon

[SimpleSi]

ok

 

v0.1 uploaded for alpha testers - lets keep discussions here as to why it doesn't work rather than PM

 

This is really just a test to see if i can distribute a package - not intended in any way to be used on a public facing site -if you can't comply with these T&Cs then don't take part in the alpha testing please

 

regards

 

Simon

[danIT]

So i presume I upload the zip extract and away i go?

[daboroe]

regular install. simon can you please pm me your skype name. i can not decipher it from what you told me.

 

thanks

[danIT]

For info:

 

Fatal error: Call to a member function get() on a non-object in /home/edumood/public_html/edugeek/DD Simple/templates/rhuk_milkyway/index.php on line 23

 

perhaps it doesnt like the space 'DD Simple/'

[Edu-IT]

regular install. simon can you please pm me your skype name. i can not decipher it from what you told me.

 

thanks

Replace the numbers with letters; for example the number 5 looks like an S.

[SimpleSi]

perhaps it doesnt like the space 'DD Simple/'

 

I got the zip wrong

 

Unzip and then move all the files in the DD Simple folder down one level using FTP - i didn't intend for the DD Simple folder to be in the zip file

 

regards Simon