Joomla! 3.6 is Here

The #Joomla! Project and the Production Leadership Team are proud to announce the release of Joomla! 3.6 as the latest in the 3.x series. 
Joomla! 3.6 introduces more than 400 improvements, including many features which make administration of #Joomla! Web sites easier and more feature-rich, as well as many UX (user experience) improvements.

Joomla! 3 is the latest major release of the #Joomla! CMS, with 3.6 the seventh standard-term support release in this series. Please note that going from 3.5 to 3.6 is a one-click update and is not a migration. The same is true for any subsequent versions in the 3 series of the CMS.

What’s new in #Joomla! 3.6

Here are some highlights of the 3.6 release:

• Joomla! Update has been improved and now allows you to reinstall #Joomla’s core files at the click of a button, overwriting any modified file(s) and reverting them back to the default.
• Joomla! 3.6 contains a lot of UX improvements. Now you can find your modules faster, have tasks done by dropdown, improved user management and so much more…
• With the new Sub Form Field function in #Joomla! 3.6, we added some extra additional functionality next to Repeatable fields. Now you can nest XML forms inside each other or reuse your existing forms inside your current form.
• Create categories on the fly: It can get frustrating when you create a new item, and you realise that you haven’t created a category yet. #Joomla! 3.6 now lets you create a category on the fly for articles, contacts, newsfeeds and banners.
• Menu type ACL: ACL in the backend did not exist at the menu level, now we have improved that. Give or block certain user groups access to a specific menu, and therefore also all menu items of that menu.
• See what’s in your menus with All Menu Items: The new option to show all items from all menus gives you a quick overview of what is displayed where on your website. It has never been easier to spot duplicated links, missing menu items or just get an overview of every menu on your site.
• And much more… To have a full list of the 3.6 features, please visit our GitHub Repository.

Download

New Installations:

Download #Joomla! 3.6.0
English (UK), 3.6.0 Full Package

New installation instructions and technical requirements

Upgrade Packages:

Upgrade Packages
Joomla! 3 upgrade packages

Note: Please read the update instructions before updating.

Please remember to clear your browser’s cache after upgrading.
If you find a bug in #Joomla! Please report it on the Joomla! Issue Tracker.

GitHub project joomla-packager allow rapid application development of Joomla extensions

RAD

Rapid application development (RAD) is a software development methodology that uses minimal planning in favor of rapid prototyping. Something that was really slowing me a lot and making any builds or changes in my extensions a real pain to maintain was the packaging of code spread in the joomla tree. I did create numerous custom Phing builds to automate and reduce these pains (Phing is heavily derived from Apache ANT) and  2 months ago  Joomla-packager was born!

My Joomla-packager is a generic Phing build script to build any #Joomla 3rd extension, being a set of components, modules, plugins and or libraries, packages in a simple way.

Audience

Developers of 3rd party extensions for Joomla

Convention over configuration…

• A single script to rule all your need of Joomla packaging: multi modules/ multi plugins/multi components/multi library is supported,
• If you respect Joomla conventions, this packager will be able to create a build of any of your extensions or set of extensions,
• just configure one file (like for example in buildCedThumbnails.xml), mainly listing what your extension is made of and run with minimal efforts,
• Packaging #Joomla extensions will always look look the same = repeatability = convention over configuration

Usage

1. Download https://raw.github.com/cedricwalter/joomla-packager/master/joomla-packager.xml locally
2. Download a copy of buildCedThumbnails.xml You only need to rename and touch this file, it is self documented.
3. Download a copy of pkg_cedthumbnails.xml You only need to update this file if you alter the structure. (later Joomla-packager will create this file on the fly)
4. Run the main target build of buildCedThumbnails.xml

How it is working?

This script implement ALL standard Joomla conventions to perform the packaging, and offer reusable Phing targets to package any number of extensions. Here is what is implemented:

Modules

• 1. Code is located in /modules/mod_${xxxxx} and self contained
• 2. Languages files are optional but if they exist are located at /language/xx-yy/mod_${xxxxx}.ini /language/xx-yy/mod_${xxxxx}.sys.ini
• 3. Media files (css,js,images) are optional but if they exist are located at /media/mod_${xxxxx}
• 4. name of zip files as follow:
  • mod_{yourextension1}.zip

Plugins

• 1. Code is located in /plugins/${type}/${xxxxx} and self contained
• 2. Languages files are optional but if they exist are located at /plugins/${type}/${xxxxx}/language/ or anywhere else in directory at step 1.
• 3. Media files (css,js,images) are optional but if they exist are located at /media/plg_${type}_${xxxxx}
• 4. name of zip files as follow:
  • plg_${type}_{yourextension}.zip

Components

• 1. Code is located in /administrator/components/${xxxxx} and /components/${xxxxx} and is self contained
• 2. Languages files are optional but if they exist are located at /administrator/language/xx-yy/${xxxxx}.ini and /language/xx-yy/${xxxxx}.ini and
• 3. Media files (css,js,images) are optional but if they exist are located at /media/${xxxxx}

Packages

• 1. one zip file which contains 1 to n other zip file + a manifest file named pkg_{yourextension}.xml
• 2. manifest file named pkg_{yourextension}.xml has to be written manually for now and place beside your build{yourextension}.xml
• 4. name of zip files as follow:
  • com_{yourextension}.zip

You can browse numerous examples (for Joomla 2.5/3.0/3.1 at the project page (GitHub)

Add2Home 1.7.5 for J2.5 / J3.0 / J3.1 Released

This small plugin for #Joomla! add a message inviting iPhone/iPad users to add the web application to the home screen.

Add2Home has been updated to version 1.7.5 correct 1 bugs for #Joomla 2.5 /3.0 / 3.1. For existing users the update will display in the Extensions Manager under Updates. If you do not have this currently installed, you can click the link below and install as normal via the Extensions Manager.

New ideas/features/bugs are always welcomed either through forums or by using feedback

This release contains the Last code update: 2013.08.17 – v2.0.8 of Add To Home Screen

NEW iOS 7  Support
NEW Improved CSS
NEW new installer build and packaged with my Joomla RAD packager (GitHub)
Bug Portuguese translation correction

See in action on your iOS device at  http://demo-joomla-2.5.waltercedric.com or http://demo-joomla-3.0.waltercedric.com/

Schema Validation for Joomla 3.1 Extensions

Full support for Joomla 3.1 has been added to the project “Schema Validation for #Joomla Extensions” (GitHub), tested with all 113 manifests of Joomla 3.1.5! (components, modules, plugins and templates)

Without them, #Joomla accept any entry in manifest xml and never complains about

• Mistyping, like a valid xml but that the #Joomla installer do not understand or only partially,
• Wrong constructs, xml tag child misplaced,
• Invalid data type, like a path not being a valid path, an expected integer being a text and so on…

Joomla just silently die during install or install only partially extensions. These days are over and all developers with any decent IDE will be able to

• Validate while typing,
• Enjoy auto completion.
• Have an up to date documentation of all possibilities in #Joomla’s manifest.

What’s new

see https://github.com/cedricwalter/joomla-xsd/commit/8b315332e8c0fa515da19f15a4c547f446850024

component / module / plugins

• add in <menu> support for attribute value img="class:banners">
• add in <menu> support for attribute value view="anyString"
• add in <menu> support for attribute value alt="anyString"
• add to type="cmsVersionType" version 3.1
• add support for <menu link="option=com_finder">COM_FINDER</menu> (finder.xml)
• In <extension> attribute valuemethod="" is now optional
• add new <help key="ANY_STRING" />
• add in <field> support for attribute value first="anyNumber"
• add in <field> support for attribute value last="anyNumber"
• add in <field> support for attribute value step="anyNumber"
• add in <field> support for attribute value published="" (mod_articles_category.xml)
• add in <field> support for attribute value format="%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S"
• add in <field> support for attribute value disable="separator" (mod_login.xml)
• add in <fields> support for attribute value addfieldpath="validPath" (mod_finder.xml)
• in <field> validate css class names class="btn-group" or class="btn-group btn1 blue" orclass=""
• Allow empty without fieldset (vote.xml) <fields name="params"> </fields>
• In <authorEmail> consider N/A as a valid email
• Attribute 'label' now optional on element 'field'. <field name="spacer3" type="spacer" hr="true" />
• Support for validate <field> type="url" (sef.xml)
• in <fieldset> allow Attribute value label="" to appear in element (debug.xml)
• allow <field> to have type attribute value category (contactcreator.xml)
• allow <field> to have new attribute extension=com_* (contactcreator.xml)
• In <media> attribute destination value is now optional
• In <fieldset> add optionaladdfieldpath="" and validate that it is a valid path
• In “`<option value="" empty values are now allowed
• <updateservers> is now available in plugins manifests
• In <field> type now support type="modal_article" or from enum (using xsd union)

Plugins only

• in <file plugin="weblinks">weblinks.php</file>

Template only

• In <extension> attribute value method="" is now optionnal
• In <extension> addattribute value client=""
• add <languages></languages>

These files will be hopefully soon merged into Joomla CMS  (GitHub project) and officialy supported by #Joomla

• Joomla tracker http://joomlacode.org/gf/project/joomla/tracker/?action=TrackerItemEdit&tracker_id=8549&tracker_item_id=30358

• GitHub issue https://github.com/joomla/joomla-cms/issues/838

CedThumbnails 2.6.4 for Joomla 2.5/3.x available

cedThumbnails has been updated to version 2.6.4 for #Joomla 2.5/3.0/3.1. For existing users the update will display in the Extensions Manager under Updates. If you do not have this currently installed, you can click the link below and install as normal via the Extensions Manager.

New ideas/features/bugs are always welcomed either through forums or by using feedback

SocialSharingLive 3.1.5 for Joomla 2.5/3.x Released

SocialSharingLive has been updated to version 3.1.5 correct increase compatibility and contains five new important feature for both #Joomla 2.5  and #Joomla 3.x. For existing users the update will display in the Extensions Manager under Updates. If you do not have this currently installed, you can click the link below and install as normal via the Extensions Manager.

SocialSharingLive  add automatically to any article a set of social icons that let your reader increase your social ranking. It support: Twitter, Facebook, Google +,Digg, Xing, StumbleUpon  and LinkedIn

You can see this extension in action on this blog on the left side of this site.

How to migrate from cedtag to joomla 3.1.x Internal Tag extension

Why you may consider migrating away from cedTag?

Joomla 3.1.x has a better build in internal tags solution that differ from cedTag:

• Joomla com_tags support multi languages,
• Joomla com_tags support tags hierarchy,
• Joomla is build in #Joomla core which mean a clear roadmap and better support.

It still miss some nice features of cedTag, but the may be added by me or somebody else in the future!

In order to move away from cedTag and import all your cedTag tags into #Joomla 3.1.x you can follow these steps, continue reading the how to in my wiki

Attention cedtag extension and Joomla 3.1 warning

Remove cedtag before updating to #Joomla 3.1!

My extension cedtag is now colliding with the internal component name of #Joomla Tag! both are named com_tags! You wont loose any data by removing cedtag, cedtag databases tables will remains allowing to do a migration later to the internal com_tags of Joomla!

A migration path is documented and will be posted shortly.

Add2Home 1.7.3 for Joomla 3.1/3.0/2.5 Released

This small plugin for #Joomla! add a message inviting iPhone/iPad users to add the web application to the home screen.

Add2Home has been updated to version 1.7.3 for #Joomla 2.5/3.0/3.1. For existing users the update will display in the Extensions Manager under Updates. If you do not have this currently installed, you can click the link below and install as normal via the Extensions Manager.

New ideas/features/bugs are always welcomed either through forums or by using feedback

What’s new?

• BUG: The Custom Message was not always properly working.
• BUG: Fix 'null' in balloon text when no icon can be found.
• NEW: New setting to let the user close the balloon. Default: true.
• NEW: Update add2Home #JavaScript to version 2.0.7
• NEW: Ukrainian localization added.

 

cedphotofeed 2.6.3 for joomla J2.5 and J3.0 released

This extension for Joomla  2.5 and Joomla 3.0 allow you to inline a set of images from your favorite online gallery: Smugmug, Flickr, Picasa, Gallery2/Gallery3 and YouTube or any RSS feed in any article.

To update your extension, either download the latest extension packages from the download section of cedphotofeed or update via the #Joomla Extensions Update interface.

You can visit also the blog of cedPhotofeed for joomla

What’s New

NEW  Support for RokBox 2.0, use under Rendering “RokBox 2”, instead of “RokBox”

NOTE: If you are upgrading from RokBox 1 and you are using the old RokBox syntax, such as {rokbox} or <a rel="rokbox" .., you can enable the Backward Compatibility from both the System and Content plug-in. Be aware that the Backward compatibility can dramatically slow down the loading of your site. It is highly suggested to convert the old syntax into the new one. Starting from cedphotofeed 2.6.3 you can use the Rendering “RokBox 2” and switch off the backward compatibility.

NEW  A new settings in the administrator panel “Force”. This setting is optional, default value is auto detect- If you use custom URL for your hosting library (like visuals.waltercedric.com instead of www.smugmug.com), you may want to force the library instead of letting cedPhotoFeed auto detect the right host based on URL. You can either set "Force" = "Yes" in administrator panel system wide or add this optional settings now in every mambot. Here is a axample of a custom URL that use SmugMug:

{rss uri=http://www.darbym.com/hack/feed.mg?Type=nicknameRecentPhotos&Data=DarbyM&format=rss200 limit=3 force=Smugmug}

Concerning the size of pictures displayed when using Picasa

Concerning the size of pictures displayed when using Picasa, the max picture size returned by the RSS feed is height="265px" and width="512px", embedded thumbnails being of size

1. height="38px" width="72px"
2. height="75px" width="144px"
3. height="149px" width="288px”

It is not in any way a limitation of cedPhotoFeed!