BIG PROBLEM: Is there a way around duplicate Com_tags?

[lastevns]

So I seem to have run into an issue that may be a bug (according to what I have read online).

Modules which are intended only for the front page are printing within articles. SO, I am supposed to show this site to the client at 5 today, and I can't.

I read that this can be a bug caused by Com_tags (see http://issues.joomla.org/tracker/joomla-cms/6970)

I am not savvy enough (by far) to figure out a fix for this. I did try downloading Advanced Module Manager and turning these modules off for my articles. However, when I use Advanced Module Manager it screws up other pages. So I uninstalled it.

I'm in a real bad space. Can ANYONE give me some suggestions for a fix... PLEASE... pretty please...

PS - I have also tried creating hidden menus but I must not be using them correctly as the front page page modules are still appearing on my articles, against my wishes. Oh, and the site is at www.songwritersguild.com/motif

[Eddi]

My solution would be to revert back to a 3.x version that doesn't has the issue. Your client won't notice and the issue might soon be fixed.

[lastevns]

Thanks for the suggestion, Eddi. Can you tell me how I would do this (or point to a link). And, would I lose the work I've done on my site to this point?

[Eddi]

You are funny.
You are taking on commercial projects with clients ( I assume they are paying you) and you don't have a professional setup?
I don't have commercial clients and I just posted a question in exactly that direction.

I hope you made a backup before upgrading to 3.4.3. It's only been out for a few days so you might have to bite the bullet and revert to the backup.
If you don't have a backup I don't think anybody can help you.

Try creating the menu with something else than tags. You can easily create a category and assign the articles to the category. Then you create a category blog menu for that category. Should get rid of the issue. As soon as the tags issue is solved you go back to your initial tag menu.

In any way I recommend searching for an article that shows you how to setup a developer environment for Joomla. That article covers backups and version control as far as I can remember. You definitely want to learn Git if you're working with clients. Here is a great intro why
http://www.git-tower.com/learn/git/eboo ... troduction
Once you get to branching you will see why you need it.

Good luck

[lastevns]

Define commercial. This is a favor but for someone who was once a client. And yes, while I have worked with Joomla sites others have made, this is my first time building a Joomla site myself. SO, no, I've never had to roll back to a previous version of Joomla. My experience with sites has been HTML/CSS so I'm used to manipulating pages and code... the learning curve here is just hell. So, thanks for the kind help and warnings.

[Eddi]

Taking money is my def of commercial. Now I understand. Didn't know what you are letting yourself into :-) Thumbs up for not giving up that easily. As you can see from the bug tracker discussion even simple looking things are not simple any more.

This is what I've learned so far in regard to updates.
-Install Akeeba backup and make a backup before updating anything.
-Test straight away if you don't want to do version control and be prepared to roll back by using Akeeba kickstart and your back up file
-As soon as you go into modifying files find a way to track the changes. I'm currently learning Git as it is used for the Joomla development. As nice as one click installs and updates are they can screw up your site if they come with bugs or don't adhere to standards. Just haven't figured out yet how I want to track db changes. If every extension would adhere to Joomla standards it wouldn't be necessary. In my case I now have to manually go through my db to find traces of a rotten one. Not happy :-(

Don't bother looking elsewhere for something easier. So many people say Wordpress is easier but my experience begs to differ. I'm currently working on our company website (Wordpress - only frontend) and the amount of times the web designer has to refer "simple" issues to a coder is not funny.

I guess the complexity of modern, responsive websites makes it really hard for old school html/css only guys. I'm definitely going to take a Joomla course on building templates and modules just to get a grip. To be able to understand the complexity and be able to outsource more complex mods.
OStraining seems to look good for Joomla related training. From Google search results I know that they often help their customers with project related issues going beyond the basic training.

[lastevns]

Eddi,

Yeah, I do PR for the client and for that I am paid. And they know I am capable of putting together a quick HTML site and make it look good. I also have some SEO skills. And, this organization tries to do some good work to protect people who are songwriters (and other lower-paid kinds of IP creators). They don't have tons of money. So, when they asked, can you update our website... I was like, sure. No problem. Then one among them asks... hey can you make it so that we can update parts of it ourselves? Womp, womp.

So, I know I've worked with Joomla on others' sites... and figure I will give it a try. But it is like walking in a different universe to grasp the differences between setting up a static HTML site and this Joomla stuff. Ignorance was bliss going in... but the pain on the back end is deadly. I do have Akeeba and I recall going through their quickstart guide when I started. So, yeah, need to go back to it now. And, I have signed up for a slew of Joomla training... but I stupidly jumped in first and realized the need for the classes afterward.

Anyway, again, thanks for the feedback... it's comforting to know where to go from someone who has done this. I can guess but, it's all just that, a loose shot in the dark. And I saw OSTraining and I think I saw StackSocial has a deal on their training right now.

[Eddi]

I can tell you I feel for every web designer. Nobody knows how much it takes to make a decent site.

I suggest you keep it really simple in the backend and get a template with a quickstart package that fits what you need. Then all you need to do is replace the quickstart content with yours. The time spend on finding a good quickstart package is easily saved by avoiding the admin setting maze.

If you go from scratch leave all settings in menues, modules, .... to "Global".
Use Firebug and install the Web Developer Extension. The menu bar that comes with it gives you the chance to turn off the cache completely and ask the browser to always download the latest page.
Then have one window up with the global configuration. Leave cache, compressions,... off in global configuration until you go life. I don't want to count the hours lost because of those settings while testing.
Then change one setting in Articles at the time. Any time you browse the website you will see the changes that the particular setting creates. Having cache disabled you won't run any into funny caching issues.
This I find is the easiest way to see what the global settings under "Articles" do. I personally find it easier to keep everything global and just change things were Global just not fits.

Firebug's inspect element is still my best friend in finding out where css stuff comes from. Be aware that every good template comes with overwrite files so you don't have to touch the "core" files. Same with extensions. They can have overrides too. In Firebug at least you can see where the relevant css can be found.

Everything else I have to leave to Joomla pros at the moment