1.1 Scope
The scope of this document is a first draft of a COM_Content listing module for Joomla! 1.6.
1.2 Objective of the document
The object of this document is to give a basis for a discussion on a COM_Content listing module for Joomla! 1.6.
1.3 General remarks
If this module is implemented, the JParameter change should be implemented, too, since otherwise the parameters would become very confusing.
1.4 Definitions
1.5 License
GNU GPL
2. What is the issue requiring the listing module?
We currently have 5 modules which only return a list of links and all use data from com_content. The difference between the different modules is marginal and basically is just a different SQL query. To make this simpler, these 5 modules should be replaced by one module which has all the same functionality. This saves code and makes the user interface more intuitive.
3. What are the proposed improvements?
With this module we would replace mod_archive, mod_latestnews, mod_mostread, mod_related_items and mod_sections. Together with the proposed improvements to JParameter the parameter set for this module would not be more complicated than currently. We could enhance the module to also show a list of categories.
4. Technical realisation
The new module allows for 6 different modi: Archive, Latest, Most Read, Related Items, Sections, Categories. Each of these modi represents one type of SQL query and returns the titles and links to these items, which then get listed in the module like its done until now. An additional option should be to be able to show an excerpt from the text as a tooltip. With the changes to JParameter we would always only have those options active which are really necessary to the user.
The options for the different modi:
- General settings:
- Module CSS suffix
- Number of items to display
- Show excerpt from text (This would get the first 100 to 150 characters and show them as a tooltip)
- Type of content to be shown
- Caching
- Section mode:
- Show Unauthorized links
- Category mode:
- Section
- Show Unauthorized links
- Archive mode:
- No further settings
- Most read mode:
- Section
- Category
- Show Frontpage Items
- Latest News mode:
- Section
- Category
- Filter by Author
- Show Frontpage Items
- Filter by Author
- Related Items mode:
- Show date
The intention is to clean up the system, group similar functionalities together and to make the interfaces simpler. In this case, it would help to clean up the module manager and clear up the interface for the users. On the side of the system, we would have less files and less code to pay attention to.
6. Effects on ...
6.1 Users
Users would have to replace the modules on their site with this new module. This could mean a series of complications, but it could also be done automatically by a script during upgrading from 1.5 to 1.6.
6.2 3P extensions
There should be no effect on third party extensions.
6.3 Performance
There should be no negative effect on the performance.